Review: Panic by Lauren Oliver

Panic by Lauren Oliver

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 416

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

Kritters Thoughts:  High school seniors spending their last summer outdoing each other in a game that is survival of the fittest and the winner takes home some much needed cash!  Being a stand alone and non dystopian, I was excited to read this YA book.  Told through two perspectives, Heather and Dodge, they each set the stage for this small town in upstate New York where each senior has a reason to participate in this crazy game to get the cash to get out of town!  I completely related to the small town feel.

The characters really drove this book.  It was easy to get to know each of them as they told their own stories and I appreciated where they were coming from and wanting more for their own lives.  I enjoyed that they found hope in this crazy game and doing anything they can to survive it.

The only thing that made me not completely fall in love with this book was towards the end of the middle part of the book, it seemed like it was dragging just a little; the pace took a nose dive and the game wasn't ramping up to the finale yet.  Once over that hurdle, the finish was great and I couldn't put down the last 20 pages, but there was a lag that happened.  

Although there is a little violence and craziness involved with the game, I think that this is a perfect YA read for the true YA audience!  Not a lot of romance, but some good teen angst!

Rating: perfect YA read

Ebook 2014 Challenge: 15 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Edelweiss.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.