Title: Children of Paranoia
Series: 1st in a trilogy
Available: Now
Author: Trevor Shane | Website
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Dystopian/Thriller
Source: Publisher
Description from Goodreads:
ALL WARS HAVE RULES
Rule Number One: No killing innocent bystanders.
Rule Number Two: No killing anyone under the age of eighteen.
BREAK THE RULES, BECOME THE TARGET
Since the age of eighteen, Joseph has been assassinating people on behalf of a cause that he believes in but doesn't fully understand. The War is ageless, hidden in the shadows, governed by a rigid set of rules, and fought by two distinct sides-one good, one evil. The only unknown is which side is which. Soldiers in the War hide in plain sight, their deeds disguised as accidents or random acts of violence amidst an unsuspecting population ignorant of the brutality that is always inches away.
Killing people is the only life Joseph has ever known, and he's one of the best at it. But when a job goes wrong and he's sent away to complete a punishingly dangerous assignment, Joseph meets a girl named Maria, and for the first time in his life his singleminded, bloody purpose fades away.
Before Maria, Joseph's only responsibility was dealing death to the anonymous targets fingered by his superiors. Now he must run from the people who have fought by his side to save what he loves most in this world. As Children of Paranoia reaches its heart-in-throat climax, Joseph will learn that only one rule remains immutable: the only thing more dangerous than fighting the War...is leaving it.
My thoughts:
Children of Paranoia is a book that made me think thriller more than dystopian. The world is basically the same as it is now for the “civilians” clueless about the secret war going on around them. If you are involved in the war you spend your time either assassinating the enemy, gathering Intel on the enemy, or hiding from the enemy. It will have readers biting their nails and reaching for an antacid. This is one of those high-strung reads that barely leaves you a moment to breathe. The first night reading I actually said I must put this book down or I'll have nightmares. The next night I decided screw the nightmares and kept reading until I was done. Talk about stressful! Trevor Shane has created a world that will leave readers emotionally spent, but begging for more.
As I mentioned the pace of this novel moves quite quickly. The world building was pretty darn amazing and will have you obsessing about why this crazy war is happening in the first place. Character development was also really well done. Joseph and Maria are the characters we get to know best. Their romance happens quickly. I know not everyone is a fan of characters that seem to fall in love at first sight, but for Joseph and Maria it worked. Unfortunately their romance comes with serious consequences. I don’t want to give away too much, but the plot twists that surround the two really threw me for a loop. I never saw it coming. This is a novel that is anything, but predictable.
The ending is completely unexpected and 100% heart wrenching. Oh my goodness I get teary just thinking about it! I'm sending you my therapy bill, Mr. Shane. It also sets us up for the next book in the trilogy perfectly. Not a cliffhanger really, but it has left me pining for what is to come next.
Children of Paranoia does contain some pretty brutal scenes, but with a book starring assassins I’d consider that a given. I’m pretty squeamish when it comes to violence and came through my reading experience mostly unscathed ;) Children of Paranoia is a book that took me outside of my normal reading “comfort zone” and entertained me more than I thought possible. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys books with lots of action.
My Rating:
probably too scary for me, but it sounds great! i'm glad you liked it!
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