Joelle Charbonneau continues her hot streak and ends The Testing trilogy on a high, surprising note. I really hope that more people get to read this series–it’s a decently paced and interesting dystopic fiction series. Graduation Day picks up where Independent Study left off–Cia has just found out some deadly information that changes all she knows about the rebellion that is planning to overthrow The Testing. She has tried to remain true to her dad’s advice–trust no one–but finds it an impossible to keep. If […]

I enjoyed Joelle Charbonneau’s The Testing and thought that I would keep on with the second book in the trilogy, Independent Study. I think that Ms. Charbonneau actually veered away from a repetition of The Hunger Games and took her story in a slightly new direction. Cia Vale has passed The Testing and is now being assessed to see where she will be placed for studies. In the midst of her preparations, she finds out what being “redirected” actually means–spoiler: it’s horrifying. In her panic, […]

Back in the late 2000s, vampires were all.the.rage. I’m glad that tide has turned, even if The Hunger Games has spawned a lot of dystopic fiction that depresses you and makes you feel that the earth’s doom is imminent. I’ve read Divergent, hated Insurgent, and never finished Allegiant. So I am curious to see how Joelle Charbonneau’s trilogy will stack up overall. As a first book in a trilogy, The Testing is fairly engaging. Cia Vale has graduated from her formal high school education in […]