Today, Emily is happy to be a part of the Swipe Blog Tour
hosted by YA Bound.
Find the other tour stops here.
The blurb as seen on Goodreads:Release Date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
275 Pages
Everyone gets the Mark. It gives all the benefits of citizenship. Yet if getting the Mark is such a good thing, then why does it feel so wrong?
Set in a future North America that is struggling to recover after famine and global war, Swipe follows the lives of three kids caught in the middle of a conflict they didn’t even know existed. United under a charismatic leader, every citizen of the American Union is required to get the Mark on their 13th birthday in order to gain the benefits of citizenship.
The Mark is a tattoo that must be swiped by special scanners for everything from employment to transportation to shopping. It’s almost Logan Langly’s 13th birthday and he knows he should be excited about getting the Mark, but he hasn’t been able to shake the feeling he’s being watched. Not since his sister went to get her Mark five years ago . . . and never came back.
When Logan and his friends discover the truth behind the Mark, will they ever be able to go back to being normal teenagers? Find out in the first book of this exciting series that is Left Behind meets Matched for middle-grade readers.
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Review:
SWIPE is an edgy, middle grade novel that will thrill you long after the book ends!
This book was intennnnse. Seriously. I couldn't stop reading it because the intensity of the plot just drew me in. The complexity of this story kept my interest all the way through!
It wasn't the perfect book. It had its faults, but it was very, very good. Though it really seemed to be for the wrong age group. I'll admit that I had to use the dictionary for a few words that were used in the story. (I'm embarrassed.) As I read this, it was fast-paced and a bit hard for me to understand. Like what is a mark? What is it really supposed to do? Maybe I missed that part, but for me, it was never answered.
In this futuristic world that Mr. Angler has created, the United States are no longer the United States and the government is no longer a democracy. The country has been renamed the "American Union" and is now ruled under the Parliament. I am actually very curious about whether there are actually cities called Spokie and Beacon today. It wouldn't surprise me if the author had come up with them for the sake of the story.
Mr. Angler depicts the society in which the story resides is based around technology. Everyone has a tablet, no one reads real books (I almost cried) and there are such things as hovercrafts and surveillance powder. There were quite a few things that didn't make sense to me about it. Like I still don't understand what the "Mark" is, or why it is so important. And how do people die from trying to get the Mark? I was confused on some of the specifics, but still very intrigued.
I liked Logan. He's sharp, smart and always wants to believe the best in people. I think that makes him a strong young man. He cares about people and doesn't prejudice against anyone. He feels sorry for the Markless and wants to help them. He doesn't spit curses at them or come up with crude names to hurt them unlike some of the other characters. Erin was okay. She definitely pulled off the angsty teenage girl part well. She was annoying at times, though. And her at the end? Let's just say, she better hope we don't meet in a dark alley. Dane… I really liked Dane at first, but as the story went on, I wanted to punch him more often than not. It was that way for a few of the characters.
The twists in this book are what really make it different. Honestly, I only saw two of them coming. And there are more than too. Mr. Angler weaves a tale full of mystery and adventure. It was one that I won't soon forget!
Plus I found a lot of funnies in this one! Especially between the younger members of the Dust.
My reaction at the ending: ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME? THIS CAN'T BE THE END! CURSE YOU ALLLLL! A;DKGANGAFDKGLNALDKFNGAODFIGHAADF But in the very best way, of course. Thank God this is a series (though I'm at the same time thinking: another series, whyyy)! I will most definitely be reading book two, SNEAK! Bravo, Mr. Angler on a wonderful debut!
Just an FYI: Book Two, SNEAK will be released in September of this year! So the wait won't be too long! (Thank goodness!)
I received a free e-copy of this novel from the publisher for a blog tour in exchange for my honest review.
Giveaway Details:
1 Winner will recieve a paperback copy of Swipe by Evan Angler
Open to US/CA
Ends 3/20/2012
a Rafflecopter giveaway
It's been a while since I've read a dystopian with the last one being The Giver by Lois Lowry...i read it because my teen read it. My daughter and I would 'fight' over Swipe! LOL!
ReplyDeleteDUH...forgot the Hunger Games trilogy...read them a couple years ago...ROCKED!!!
DeleteI've read Starters and Hunger Games:)
ReplyDelete-JennyC