Review and Giveaway: Independent Study (Joelle Charbonneau)

Hardcover, 320 pages
Expected publication: January 7th 2014 by HMH Books for Young Readers

In the series debut The Testing, sixteen-year-old Cia Vale was chosen by the United Commonwealth government as one of the best and brightest graduates of all the colonies . . . a promising leader in the effort to revitalize postwar civilization. In Independent Study, Cia is a freshman at the University in Tosu City with her hometown sweetheart, Tomas—and though the government has tried to erase her memory of the brutal horrors of The Testing, Cia remembers. Her attempts to expose the ugly truth behind the government’s murderous programs put her—and her loved ones—in a world of danger. But the future of the Commonwealth depends on her. 

I am a storyteller at heart. I have performed in a variety of operas, musical theatre and children's theatre productions across the Chicagoland area.

While I'm happy to perform for an audience, I am equally delighted to teach private voice lessons and use my experience from the stage to create compelling characters on the page. I am the author of the Rebecca Robbins mystery series (Minotaur Books), The Paige Marshall Glee Club mysteries (Berkley) and The Testing YA triology (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).

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OK first of all I LOVED The Testing! It is definitely one of my most favorite books from 2013!! I had heard from several of my blogger friends that if I enjoyed The Hunger Games then I would enjoy The Testing so I went for it....and they were SO RIGHT!!!! It is a fast-paced, adrenaline rush that had me from the first chapter! I read The Testing within a couple of days and could not wait to get my hands on Independent Study!! 

Cia is such a memorable character. She is smart and determined to survive in this epic series! This entire series is about overcoming the odds and "passing" the test and Cia doesnt give up even when she is forced to overcome unspeakable odds. There is so much heart in this novel that you feel as though you are experiencing each traumatic event right along with the characters. 

The relationship between Cia and Tomas is one of my favorite aspects of the story as well. They are so good together and understand where they belong and where they come from. I loved to read about their interactions and how they face these obstacles together. 

There are so many twists and turns in this story. I just dont even know where to begin. I felt my jaw drop several times while reading this sequel. Several things happened that I never saw coming and was just in complete shock. 

"There were fifteen of us first years when we started the initiation. Only eight made it through. Five of us from the colonies and three from Tosu City..The rest...."

All I can say is that if you have not started this series yet then YOU HAVE TO! Especially if you are fans of The Hunger Games!! This adrenaline filled dystopian novel is just phenomenal and you will devour it!!! Joelle Charbonneau is in a class all her own and she knows exactly how to grab the reader's attention and hold it!! I am looking so forward to reading the conclusion to this series and any more work that Joelle intends on writing!!!!

MY REVIEW OF THE TESTING #1

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