*Disclosure- I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.
Advanced praise for Escape From Eden:
"Nader has done something amazing: written a really original novel, one full of characters you’ll care about; smart, witty dialog; and plenty of shocks and thrills. A wonderful balance of light and dark." —Michael Grant, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Gone Series
Summary from Goodreads:
Advanced praise for Escape From Eden:
"Nader has done something amazing: written a really original novel, one full of characters you’ll care about; smart, witty dialog; and plenty of shocks and thrills. A wonderful balance of light and dark." —Michael Grant, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Gone Series
Summary from Goodreads:
Since the
age of ten, Mia has lived under the iron fist of the fundamentalist preacher
who lured her mother away to join his fanatical family of followers. In
Edenton, a supposed “Garden of Eden” deep in the South American jungle,
everyone follows the Reverend’s strict but arbitrary rules—even the mandate of
whom they can marry. Now sixteen, Mia dreams of slipping away from the armed
guards who keep the faithful in, and the curious out. When the rebellious and
sexy Gabriel, a new boy, arrives with his family, Mia sees a chance to escape.
But the scandalous secrets the two discover beyond the compound’s façade are more shocking than anything they ever imagined. While Gabriel has his own terrible secrets, he and Mia bond together, more than friends and freedom fighters. But is there time to think of each other as they race to stop the Reverend’s paranoid plan to free his flock from the corrupt world? Can two teenagers crush a criminal mastermind? And who will die in the fight to save the ones they love from a madman who’s only concerned about his own secrets?
But the scandalous secrets the two discover beyond the compound’s façade are more shocking than anything they ever imagined. While Gabriel has his own terrible secrets, he and Mia bond together, more than friends and freedom fighters. But is there time to think of each other as they race to stop the Reverend’s paranoid plan to free his flock from the corrupt world? Can two teenagers crush a criminal mastermind? And who will die in the fight to save the ones they love from a madman who’s only concerned about his own secrets?
My thoughts:
I wanted to read this story because I thought the premise was different from most other young adult novels. I expected there to be plenty of action and suspense and I was not disappointed. Immediately at the beginning of the novel it is apparent that 16 year old Mia does not feel like she belongs in the cult that her mother has brought she and her 6 year old brother Max into. Mia does not even know any of the terrible things that are truly going on with the "Reverend" and his associates, but the horrible reality of what is really happening is about to be revealed to Mia. She and the mysterious new older new guy Gabriel who wants to leave Edenton from the second he arrives, have to fight hard as they try to escape and as they discover the evil surrounding them, they have to make some tough decisions. I enjoyed the action packed into this book and was eagerly turning page after page to find out what would happen to Mia and Gabriel. This was an interesting take on cults disguised as "utopia" while just controlling everyone. It is heartbreaking to think that, while this is fiction, there are places and people like this that truly do exist. Some of the scenes were gory, there was quite a bit of violence and there was some suggestive dialog between Mia and Gabriel, so I would not recommend this book to the faint of heart. I think the mature subject matter is best suited to actual adults than young adults and I would say consider reading it yourself if your have a teen that might be interesting in reading it so you could have a discussion. I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys a good, suspenseful novel.
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Enter to win an Escape From Eden Prize Pack! The winner will receive 2 Sets of Moleskine Sketchbook, set of Le Pen colored fine tip pens, a copy of Otherkin and Othermoon by Elisa’s crit partner Nina Berry, and a personalized copy of Escape from Eden! Enter to win below via the Rafflecopter!
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