Review: Renegade by J.A. Souders

Renegade
Author:J.A. Souders
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Publisher: Tor Teen
The Elysium Chronicles Book #1
ISBN:  0765332450
ISBN13: 9780765332455
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian
Review Copy Source: Publisher/Netgalley
 

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.

Her memories have been altered.

Her mind and body aren’t under her own control.

And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all

Before the publicist contacted me I hadn't heard a peep about J.A. Souders or her debut book RENEGADE. When I read the blurb I knew right away that I would like it and after reading it I'm excited to read more. 

 I LOVED the setting. I have not read any book with a world like what J.A. Souders has imagined.  Can you imagine living in an underwater world where most walls look out into the ocean? I would love being able to visit somewhere like that but I definitely don't want to live under Mother's rule. Can you say crazy? yeah "Mother" is right up their with the best of the insane. Wow she is a trip times 10. Evie was a great main character, her voice was fresh and intriguing. She is a fighter and fights just about everything when she has the chance (or when she is in her own control that is). Gavin was a great love interest. There isn't a ton of romance but there is definitely a connection between the two from the beginning and they make their mutual interest known. For most of the book Gavin and Evie were on the run trying to get to the surface. Every step the pair took was filled with them dodging Enforcers and their bullets. Facts were revealed at a nice pace from start to finish, I was constantly surprised and shocked by what took place and what was revealed. 

The ending is crazy, I hate that they essentially have to "start over" with each other. I kind of thought that, that might happen to her at some point so it did make sense. I'm not sure what is in store for Evelyn or Gavin next but I look forward finding out. 

I gave it 4/5 stars