I was continuously entertained by this book. There are many great dystopian teen novels and this book is no exception! I was constantly gripped by what the characters were doing and didn't want to put it down. I hope this will be a series because I loved the characters, loved the story, loved the writing. ( )

Natural resources are sparse, and adulthood is not guaranteed. Every year, an Olympics is held. Those that do not succeed, are taken out of society. Eden's best friend Xander, places in the top ranks for wrestling. Eden competes in every competition, but she is not particularly strong, fast, or smart. Will she medal? If not, what is her fate?

I thought this book had a lot of promise. The characters were interesting and mult-dimensional. I wanted to know more about the world, and the other countries. Perhaps this will be outlined in future stories. Overall, the plot moved nicely, with lots of ups and downs. 4 out of 5 stars. ( )

This book was ok. The premise was interesting, but overall felt flat. I think I was expecting something dystopian with Hunger Games vibes, but it lacked tension and interest, even in scenes that should have been thrilling. The characters also felt flat and were hard to relate to. From a writing perspective, it needs more showing and less telling. Instead of "She was nervous," say something like "The food turned to lead in her stomach." I also suggest building on the character's emptions. How can the author make the reader feel what the character feels? Why should the reader invest in the characters? Finally, I suggest working in some world building. Even though the world is supposedly utterly different from the one we live in today, it pretty much feels the same. ( )

While it was a page-turner, you need to keep in mind that you will find what I liked to think of as a cross-over between The Hunger Games and perhaps Maze Runner. Not a bad thing, in my opinion.
I liked how the story develops and the conclusions you draw as events are revealed, it made for an exciting read and time well spent.
It definitely presented some 'well-damn' moments which helped build the momentum! ( )

Just wow! What an amazing story about a scary future! An absolute page turner….I had trouble putting it down - needing to know what happened next. I can’t wait for the next book! ( )