SciFi Book Review: Independent Study

Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau

Synopsis:
In the series debut The Testing, sixteen-year-old Cia Vale was chosen by the United Commonwealth government as one of the best and brightest graduates of all the colonies… a promising leader in the effort to revitalize postwar civilization. In Independent Study, Cia is a freshman at the University in Tosu City with her hometown sweetheart, Tomas—and though the government has tried to erase her memory of the brutal horrors of The Testing, Cia remembers. Her attempts to expose the ugly truth behind the government’s murderous programs put her—and her loved ones—in a world of danger. But the future of the Commonwealth depends on her.

Review:
Cia knows what happened during The Testing, which clouds her view of everyone around her. But she must still act like she doesn’t know, so that no one catches on. Even her relationship with Tomas is strained. The Testing was brutal, but her studies and a possible internship push Cia to a breaking point.

Independent Study is an exciting sequel that is impossible to put down. My hopes were set high after last year’s The Testing, and thankfully it lived up to my expectations. The characters are vivid, and the story is complex and captivating. Though there wasn’t the Hunger Games-like trial in this installment, there was still plenty of suspense, danger and intrigue. So far, this dystopian trilogy is thrilling, intense and thoroughly enjoyable. Don’t miss this incredible series.