The Eighth Guardian by Meredith McCardle
Synopsis:
Amanda Obermann. Code name Iris.
It’s Testing Day. The day that comes without warning, the day when all juniors and seniors at The Peel Academy undergo a series of intense physical and psychological tests to see if they’re ready to graduate and become government operatives. Amanda and her boyfriend Abe are top students, and they’ve just endured thirty-six hours of testing. But they’re juniors and don’t expect to graduate. That’ll happen next year, when they plan to join the CIA—together.
But when the graduates are announced, the results are shocking. Amanda has been chosen—the first junior in decades. And she receives the opportunity of a lifetime: to join a secret government organization called the Annum Guard and travel through time to change the course of history. But in order to become the Eighth Guardian in this exclusive group, Amanda must say good-bye to everything—her name, her family, and even Abe—forever.
Who is really behind the Annum Guard? And can she trust them with her life?
Review:
Amanda is recruited to a top secret, time traveling agency as a junior, instead of spending her senior year in school and heading off to the CIA as she and her boyfriend planned. But the Annum Guard is frustratingly secretive. And Amanda must prove herself or else she will be sent somewhere to keep her from being able to tell people about the Guard.
The Eighth Guardian is first in an exciting, scifi series for young adults. This intro to the Annum Guard is wrought with suspense, intrigue, and surprising twists. While I love time travel stories, I had reservations about a story where the government sanctions changes to the timeline. But it’s very well-written and somewhat believable that the government (those in charge) would use time travel to gain more money. This fast-paced and thrilling debut is engaging and hard to put down. I’ll definitely be following this series in the future.