Sunday 4 May 2014

SERIES PROMO & MY REVIEW - FRAGMENTS - CRACKS BY CAROLINE GREEN

Title: Fragments
Author: Caroline Green
Series: Cracks
ISBN: 978-1848123649ASIN:  B00JFRWO08
Publisher: Piccadilly Press
Pages: 244
Formats Available: Paperback, Kindle

BLURB from Goodreads

The story started with Cal. His everyday life cracked apart to reveal a reality he could barely believe.

Now join Kyla, the girl who saved Cal from being locked up in his own mind . . .

In a paranoid, near-future Britain, Kyla is alone, and hiding out from the ruthless Counterinsurgency and Anti-Terror Squads, known as CATS.

But instead of capturing her, the CATS cut her a deal. They want to brainwash Kyla, and use the talents that make her elusive – her athletic ability, cunning and quick-thinking – to turn her into a valuable asset of their own . . . hunting down the very people fighting for her freedom.

Will Kyla wake up to the real truth? Or will she be trapped forever in a terrifying world?



REST OF THE SERIES SO FAR


Title: Cracks
Author: Caroline Green
Series: Cracks
ISBN: 9781848121683
Publisher: Piccadilly Press
Pages: 224
Formats Available: Paperback, Kindle

BLURB from Goodreads

Who do you trust when you discover your whole life has been a lie?

Cal thinks he's losing his mind when cracks start appearing that no one else can see. But his life splinters apart when he discovers that, far from leading an ordinary life in a northern town in 2012 as he thought, he has spent his whole life so far in a deliberately induced coma. The year is actually 2024 and a repressive regime is in force: it plans to brainwash the whole population. Set free by the local resistance movement, he finds himself drawn into their struggle; and he gets involved with Kyla, a girl who lives on the streets. But are they all just using him: is there anyone he can really trust?

A nail-biting thriller that never lets the reader relax!
 


MY REVIEW

Title: Fragments
Author: Caroline Green
Series: Cracks
ISBN: 978-1848123649ASIN:  B00JFRWO08
Publisher: Piccadilly Press
Pages: 244
Formats Available: Paperback, Kindle

BLURB from Goodreads

The story started with Cal. His everyday life cracked apart to reveal a reality he could barely believe.

Now join Kyla, the girl who saved Cal from being locked up in his own mind . . .

In a paranoid, near-future Britain, Kyla is alone, and hiding out from the ruthless Counterinsurgency and Anti-Terror Squads, known as CATS.

But instead of capturing her, the CATS cut her a deal. They want to brainwash Kyla, and use the talents that make her elusive – her athletic ability, cunning and quick-thinking – to turn her into a valuable asset of their own . . . hunting down the very people fighting for her freedom.

Will Kyla wake up to the real truth? Or will she be trapped forever in a terrifying world?


INITIAL THOUGHTS
I hadn't actually realised this one had been released. When I found out it was due I contacted Piccadilly Press who kindly sent me a paperback copy in exchange for my honest review. After reading Bk#1 Cracks I had been looking forward to Bk #2 Fragments as I wanted to know more! So approaching this one I was really looking forward to reading it and wondered if it would be as good as Bk#1.

MY REVIEW
So as I said above Piccadilly Press kindly sent me a copy in exchange for my honest review. So Fragments literally picks up where Cracks left off. Though there are some reminders as you go through the book in case you have forgotten things from Bk#1. 
It's difficult to tell you a great deal without giving away spoilers. But I feel I must giveaway one in that the farmhouse where Cal & Kyla are staying, their "safe house" is bombed and totally destroyed. Luckily Kyla is out when this happens, though she is still devastated by the event. She has no option but to go it alone. She stays briefly with a rather odd family. Someone (no spoilers see) attacks her and in defending herself the authorities become involved and she is given a choice she can go to prison straightaway and wait for her case to be heard, which will likely be a long time, in fact it's hinted that she could be dead before the case is heard. Or she can go to a training school and become a Cats Eye. Neither option is a great one, or even a safe one. Kyla reasons out in her own head that she may have a better chance of escaping and then "disappearing" if she goes to the training school. So Kyla's choice is made and she is taken to the Scotland to the anti-terrorist training centre where awful types of physical and emotional tests are done. Kyla is told so many times that Torch is not a rebel group, that in fact they are the terrorists that she kind of comes to believe. I mean she has little choice in the matter. She suffers sleep deprivation, as well as emotional desensitization  among other tortures, but she makes it through. The Cat's organisation have turned her into what they would call an anti terrorist soldier. Kyla is set to watch a young girl called Laura, who is thought to be in contact with the "terrorists" called Torch. It's when Kyla is following the girl that she see's a face from her past. At first she thinks it impossible, some sort of trick of her brain. Kyla ends up learning the other side of the Cat's Eye Vs Torch story. Who are the real terrorists, Cat's or Torch? Now what can she do? Can she ever be happy and safe . . .and find love again?
I really enjoyed this book, in fact I loved it even more than Bk in the Cracks Series. I grew really attached to the character of Kyla and really wanted her to get through her training even though I thought Cat's Eye where a dubious organisation. The book is so well written that you feel Kyla's desperation at her situation. I also think the character of Skye is well written that you immediately hate her and feel wary and suspicious of her. It's just a feeling you get from how Caroline Green writes that character and then part way through and then right near the end we see our bad feelings about Skye are well founded.
So did I enjoy the book? Yes, this Bk really draws you in and holds you. I mean I read this in just three sittings!  Would I recommend the book?  Definitely I loved even more than BK1. I'd also point out that it will appeal to a wide ranging audience, YA female & YA male as well as older non YA readers.  Would I read another book in this series? Hmm I'm not sure there will be another one. but if there is I'd reeeeally want to read it.  Would I read another book written by this author? Yes I like her more complex plots, that totally draw you in and hold you to the very last page.

No comments:

Post a Comment