I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading Out of Control. You can see what I thought (I really liked it) and check out all the book and author info, as well as the giveaway below...
Out of Control
by Sarah Alderson
YA Romantic Suspense, Thriller
Hardcover, 320 Pages
May 12th 2015 by Simon Pulse
Hardcover, 320 Pages
May 12th 2015 by Simon Pulse
Summary
A girl looking to escape her past in New York City ends up on the run from a dangerous conspiracy in this sizzling, high-stakes novel.
When seventeen-year-old Liva came to New York City, all she wanted was to escape the painful memories of her past and finally find a fresh start. Her hopes for a new future were dashed the moment she became the sole witness to a brutal murder. When she’s taken into police custody—supposedly for her own protection—she realizes something isn’t right, but it’s too late. Soon, bullets start flying, and Liva realizes that she is not just a witness, but the target—and she needs to escape before it’s too late.
With the help of a sexy car thief that she met at the station, Liva manages to get away from the massacre unharmed, but now the two of them are alone in New York, trying to outrun and outwit the two killers who will stop at nothing to find them. Liva and Jay are living on the edge, but when you’re on the edge, there’s a long way to fall.
My Review
Out of Control was a crazy, intense, roller-coaster ride. There was danger, deception, friendship, and romance all rolled up in a story about two teens who on the surface have nothing that connects them and would never be found in the same social circles, but through trying to survive together forge a bond.
The story carried an edge-of-your-seat feel most of the way through. It was violent in parts, but also felt real. The tension, fear, and desperation all came across through the words on the page from these characters as they dealt with an extremely traumatic situation. Then there were more quiet, reflective, and intimate parts that created a great contrast to the more intense/action-packed parts. It was a good balance and allowed for the sweet moments to balance out the harrowing ones. Plenty of heart-pumping here, both as the characters run for their lives and in the almost-kisses (and more).
I really loved these characters. Liva was so interesting. She had been so sheltered, but had also been trained to deal with scary situations in some ways. She was privileged, but also missed out on a lot of life experiences growing up as she did. Jaime lived on the other side of the tracks, so to speak. He had this swagger that intrigued Liva. He was loyal and protective and is the only reason that Liva survived in the beginning. They were an interesting mix for a couple, but one I found I liked.
I know there was some logical reason for what was going on, but it wasn't disclosed until almost the very end. It was a major secret and Liva had a tough time figuring out what she should do. I'm not completely sure that her reaction was a hundred percent consistent with her character or that the reasons behind everything and how they were carried through completely worked, but I also could follow all of it.
I'd recommend Out of Control to those who enjoy crazy, thrilling, suspenseful, action-packed stories with plenty of heart and romance. I enjoyed the story and I'm looking forward to seeing what this author writes next.
Content: Sporadic mild to moderate swearing, innuendo, and one scene that was interrupted.
Source: I received a complimentary copy for the purposes of reviewing for this tour, which did not affect my review in any way.
The story carried an edge-of-your-seat feel most of the way through. It was violent in parts, but also felt real. The tension, fear, and desperation all came across through the words on the page from these characters as they dealt with an extremely traumatic situation. Then there were more quiet, reflective, and intimate parts that created a great contrast to the more intense/action-packed parts. It was a good balance and allowed for the sweet moments to balance out the harrowing ones. Plenty of heart-pumping here, both as the characters run for their lives and in the almost-kisses (and more).
I really loved these characters. Liva was so interesting. She had been so sheltered, but had also been trained to deal with scary situations in some ways. She was privileged, but also missed out on a lot of life experiences growing up as she did. Jaime lived on the other side of the tracks, so to speak. He had this swagger that intrigued Liva. He was loyal and protective and is the only reason that Liva survived in the beginning. They were an interesting mix for a couple, but one I found I liked.
I know there was some logical reason for what was going on, but it wasn't disclosed until almost the very end. It was a major secret and Liva had a tough time figuring out what she should do. I'm not completely sure that her reaction was a hundred percent consistent with her character or that the reasons behind everything and how they were carried through completely worked, but I also could follow all of it.
I'd recommend Out of Control to those who enjoy crazy, thrilling, suspenseful, action-packed stories with plenty of heart and romance. I enjoyed the story and I'm looking forward to seeing what this author writes next.
Content: Sporadic mild to moderate swearing, innuendo, and one scene that was interrupted.
Source: I received a complimentary copy for the purposes of reviewing for this tour, which did not affect my review in any way.
About the Author
Having spent most of her life in London, Sarah Alderson quit her job in the non profit sector in 2009 and took off on a round the world trip with her husband and princess-obsessed daughter on a mission to find a new place to call home. After several months in India, Singapore, Australia and the US, they settled in Bali where Sarah now spends her days writing by the pool and trying to machete open coconuts without severing a limb.She finished her first novel, Hunting Lila (winner of the Kingston Book Award), just before they left the UK, wrote the sequel on the beach in India and had signed a two book deal with Simon & Schuster by the time they had reached Bali.
A third book, Fated, about a teenage demon slayer, was published in January 2012.
The Sound, a thriller romance set in Nantucket, was published in August 2013 and this was followed by the critically acclaimed Out of Control in May 2014.
She also writes New Adult romance for Pan Macmillan (UK) / Simon & Schuster (US) under the pen name Mila Gray.
You can find Sarah on facebook and at www.sarahalderson.com or follow her blog at www.canwelivhere.com.
Tour-Wide Giveaway
Holy this sounds exciting and intense! I love action packed reads like these! And the characters seem to be well developed too which is always a plus! Glad you liked it! :)
ReplyDeleteI loved this one too!! So good. :)
ReplyDeletewow this looks like a real page turner!
ReplyDeletei enjoyed reading about the book.sounds good
ReplyDeletethx u for hosting :)
ReplyDeleteI love action packed adventure books! This sounds it's up my alley!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a really good read! I enjoy thriller, mystery type novels (in the adult genre) so finding some newbies in the YA market would be fun. :)
ReplyDeleteI have had this book on my Amazon wishlist since early April. Thanks for bringing it back to my attention. What a great sounding YA novel!
ReplyDeleteI kind of felt I was along in liking this one so I'm glad you liked it too, Lisa! :)
ReplyDelete