A Nice Intro Package of YA Dystopian Series

(Full disclosure: I received a free electronic copy of this book for review through Library Thing’s Early Reviewer Program.)

The Shattered Worlds box set features six young adult dystopian novels, each of them the first in a series:

The Blemished (Blemish #1) by Sarah Dalton (2012) - "In a world filled with stunning clones Mina Hart is Blemished. Her genes are worthless and that takes away her rights: her right to an Education, her right to a normal life and her right to have a child. The Blemished is a frightening take on a fractured future where the Genetic Enhancement Ministry have taken control of Britain. It will take you on a ride filled with adventure, romance and rebellion." The Blemished is followed by The Vanished (2014) and The Unleashed (2014); two novellas round out the series.

The Breeders by Katie French (2012) - "Sixteen-year-old Riley Meemick is one of the world's last free girls. When Riley was born, her mother escaped the Breeders, the group of doctors using cruel experiments to bolster the dwindling human race. Her parents do everything possible to keep her from their clutches-- moving from one desolate farm after another to escape the Breeders' long reach. The Breeders control everything - the local war lords, the remaining factories, the fuel. They have unchecked power in this lawless society. And they're hunting Riley." Also in the series: The Believers (2013) and Nessa: A Breeders Story (2013; currently free on Amazon).

The Torturer's Daughter by Zoe Cannon (2012) - "When her best friend Heather calls in the middle of the night, Becca assumes it's the usual drama. Wrong. Heather's parents have been arrested as dissidents - and Becca's mother, the dystopian regime's most infamous torturer, has already executed them for their crimes against the state. To stop Heather from getting herself killed trying to prove her parents' innocence, Becca hunts for proof of their guilt. She doesn't expect to find evidence that leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about the dissidents... and about her mother." The Torturer's Daughter is the first book in The Internal Defense Series; rounding out the trilogy are Necessary Sacrifices (2013) and No Return (2014).

OUTSIDE - a post-apocalyptic novel by Shalini Boland (2013) - "The world of the future is divided by Perimeters: high-security gated communities where life goes on as normal. If you’re inside you’re lucky, if you’re outside life expectancy takes a nose dive. Sixteen-year-old Riley is fortunate to have been born on the right side of the fence. But her life of privilege comes crashing down when someone breaks through the Perimeter and murders her sister. She forsakes her own safety to go in search of the killer. Luc decides to go with her otherwise she’ll be dead before she’s past the security gate. But what awaits her outside is more unbelievable than she ever expected." Other books in the Outside series include THE PERIMETER (2013) and THE CLEARING (2014).

Apocalypsis: Book 1 (Kahayatle) by Elle Casey - "My name's Bryn Mathis. I'm seventeen years old, and I live in a neighborhood outside of Orlando, Florida. I live alone because my dad died almost a year ago, along with all the other adults in the world. I'm almost out of food and the gangs of kids that roam around my town are getting more vicious by the day. It's time for me to leave and find another place to live ... a place where I can find food and shelter ... a place where they won't be able to find me. Alone, it might have been possible; but now I've got company. I'm worried that I don't have what it takes to get from here to my final destination." Rounding out the Apocalypsis series are Warpaint (2012); Exodus (2012); and Haven (2013).

Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer (2012) - "Abby is looking forward to watching the moon turn purple, unaware that deadly bacteria from a passing comet will soon kill off older teens and adults. She must help her brother and baby sister survive in this new world, but all the while she has a ticking time bomb inside of her--adolescence." Book 1 in The Toucan Trilogy, Night of the Purple Moon is followed by Colony East (2013); the final book in the series has yet to be released.

I'll review each of the book separately at a later date; I'm especially looking forward to The Breeders, The Torturer's Daughter, and Night of the Purple Moon (the latter two I hadn't even heard of prior to their inclusion in Shattered Worlds).

Suffice it to say that Shattered Worlds is a good deal, especially for those in search of new YA dystopian series (it's a sort of sampler pack, if you will). Many of the books are priced starting at 99 cents and up; to purchase each them separately, it'll cost you $10.95 at current Amazon pricing. Of course, if you're interested in one book specifically, it's worth checking out its individual listing first; at the time of this writing, for example, Night of the Purple Moon is available for free.

This is a great series for teens and young adults. It is very intriguing and exciting. After getting through the first 30 pages of the first novel, I was hooked. I flew through the first novel simply because it was so great I couldn't put it down. The second novel was just as intriguing. I look forward to the rest of the novels in this series. I would HIGHLY recommend them to anyone who is a fan of the Hunger Games, Divergent, The Lorien Legacies, or any other sci-fi/action books. ( )

I received [Shattered Worlds] as a give away. Since this is my favorite type of genre I knew I had hit the jackpot! All the books were great and I have done individual reviews of them. I have also added the next books onto my "list". I appreciate the opportunity to read these six wonderful books from talented authors. ( )