Slated (Slated, #1) in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

Oct 03, 2016 Chazza Everafter rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016-read-list, young-adult, owned, recommended-to-me, dystopian

I couldn't put this book down. In two days, I whizzed through it all, often on the edge of the proverbial seat dying to know more. MUST. KNOW. MORE.

Kyla is a 16-year-old girl with no memory of who she once was - but that's okay because they (the Government) want her to be this way. She's been given a second chance, see? She had been a criminal - or so she's been told. Newly adopted to some new family, she's got a sister who doesn't look like her but who was also 'adopted' through this same gove I couldn't put this book down. In two days, I whizzed through it all, often on the edge of the proverbial seat dying to know more. MUST. KNOW. MORE.

Kyla is a 16-year-old girl with no memory of who she once was - but that's okay because they (the Government) want her to be this way. She's been given a second chance, see? She had been a criminal - or so she's been told. Newly adopted to some new family, she's got a sister who doesn't look like her but who was also 'adopted' through this same government-sponsored scheme (which isn't really detailed in the book, but you get the idea). Eventually, she (and the reader) realises that somehow, she is different. Not in that, I'm so special, everyone thinks I'm pretty and I'm automatically awesome at everything kind of way, but in the sort of way that she doesn't quite react always as expected. She shouldn't have such an independent streak because they should've ripped it out of her with whatever they did to mess with her head when they wiped her brain and linked her head with her wearable (non-removable) tech that will zap her if she's feeling too low, too sad, too upset, too anything 'they' don't want.

She meets other Slated kids like her and a lot who aren't. Along the way, she uncovers pieces of this new, futuristic semi-terrifying world that's very controlled, measured and monitored. She's always being watched and she - much like the reader - doesn't really know who she ought to trust. There are people who know things, people who tell her things and people she shouldn't speak with. Is she speaking with the wrong sorts of people? Who can say.

The tension throughout the book is kept high and the pace moves along briskly. I felt very invested in Kyla and her journey of discovery. Ultimately, that's what this book is centered on, discovering some truths, some lies and ultimately opening a door to a bigger, more complex story beyond. I felt like the author did a great job of spinning the intrigue and suspense. I got some (enough) answers and they raised more questions, but by the end of it, I wasn't actually fully satisfied (which is why I have to immediately go out and buy the rest of the series). I don't mean that the book isn't a good read - it is. I mean that the changes and the movements happen so gradually, it's almost as if it's set the stage and I'm really ready to leap forward into the unknown depths of the rest of the tale.

There were a couple things that didn't sit well with me by the end of the tale - I felt that there were a few strings left untied that I'm wondering if the author will pick up again in the future books (I certainly hope so), sometimes I felt the way people spoke was unnatural (so, so, so many times people didn't use contractions as much in their speech so it felt wooden or mechanical - but I'm not sure if this is intentional or stylistic or what), and lastly - perhaps most importantly - the ending sort of felt rushed. It all came out in a great, big rush of words so I had to re-read part of it to make sure I fully understood it. I suppose it didn't leave me feeling as if it was wrapped up enough. So I'm glad that the series is complete so I can immediately go out and buy the rest, but if I had picked this up as a new release, I might've been a bit annoyed. Even so, I'm off to read the next book in the series! ...more

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May 30, 2014 Anastasia rated it liked it

Shelves: 2014, dystopia, fiction

Not the best dystopic novel I've ever read, but it was entertaining enough. The dialogue was terribly unbelievable, but maybe that's due to the author's background of having lived in several different English-speaking countries and mishmashing together all the cultures? ...more

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