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Split Second #1
Split Second
2:02...2:01...2:00
What the hell was this? I stared at the numbers, numb with horror. The box was a bomb. And it was going to go off in two minutes.
Charlie's life is torn apart by a terrorist bomb in a London market. Months later she meets Nat, whose family has been left devastated by the same explosion. But as Charlie gets closer to Nat she starts to wonder if he knows more about the attack than he is letting on...
Life can change in the blink of an eye - whether you're ready or not.
The new bestseller from the award-winning Sophie McKenzie.
What the hell was this? I stared at the numbers, numb with horror. The box was a bomb. And it was going to go off in two minutes.
Charlie's life is torn apart by a terrorist bomb in a London market. Months later she meets Nat, whose family has been left devastated by the same explosion. But as Charlie gets closer to Nat she starts to wonder if he knows more about the attack than he is letting on...
Life can change in the blink of an eye - whether you're ready or not.
The new bestseller from the award-winning Sophie McKenzie.
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2013
51 people are currently reading
1125 people want to read
About the author
Sophie McKenzie
80 books1,477 followersHey there! Welcome to my Goodreads page where you can keep up with all my stories - both the ones that are already published and the works in progress!!
I write mostly teen thrillers - plus some teen romance, books for younger children and four adult psychological thrillers.
I'm really excited right now because of...
Boy, Missing, my £1 book for World Book Day and Truth or Dare, my new teen thriller. (UK)
For more info on these and my other books, check out my website: www.sophiemckenziebooks.com
I write mostly teen thrillers - plus some teen romance, books for younger children and four adult psychological thrillers.
I'm really excited right now because of...
Boy, Missing, my £1 book for World Book Day and Truth or Dare, my new teen thriller. (UK)
For more info on these and my other books, check out my website: www.sophiemckenziebooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
September 28, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ = Quite Good.
Hardback.
Despite being a maturer lady, I often enjoy a YA novel, and this was no exception. I often love their simplicity.
This had a great and tense start and this carried on for most of the novel. The main characters were likeable.
The ending brought down the star rating.
Hardback.
Despite being a maturer lady, I often enjoy a YA novel, and this was no exception. I often love their simplicity.
This had a great and tense start and this carried on for most of the novel. The main characters were likeable.
The ending brought down the star rating.
October 27, 2013
Maybe I wasn't as sharp as this when I was younger, and within the actual age category this is aimed at, but at 24 I called the bad guy straight away, long before the reveal. I have proof, because I was reading the first couple of chapters aloud to a friend at the time.
There were a couple of twists I didn't call, and I was quite entertained. I've read Sophie McKenzie before and the blurb was interesting, so my decision and the book title went pretty much hand in hand.
The real downfall of the book were the two main characters, who in an odd way I still do like a bit. Nat and Charlie. Who spend most of the book making googly-eyes at eachother. "Oh, he's so hot, I'd just love to dance with him while we're in the middle of an important mission", "oh she's just beautiful, never mind that I'm trying to stop a bomb exploding" - it was so corny: I actually found it pretty amusing!
They were also incredibly naive. I mean, they were kids, and unlike me, they hadn't called the bad guy from his first mention, but seriously, in a situation where people are turning out to be imposters and you don't know who to trust, would you really But it was funny rather than annoying, so I was entertained for the wrong reasons!
I also noticed when I was reading aloud at the start of the book that there was a lot of repetition in description. I probably wouldn't have noticed if I was reading silently though, as I didn't note anything in this respect for the rest of the book.
In short - you have to be pretty young and gullible to take this seriously. It's not Girl, Missing. It's not Blood Ties. But it's fun in a cartoonish kind of way, and there was enough there that I might still pick up the sequel whenever it comes out :)
There were a couple of twists I didn't call, and I was quite entertained. I've read Sophie McKenzie before and the blurb was interesting, so my decision and the book title went pretty much hand in hand.
The real downfall of the book were the two main characters, who in an odd way I still do like a bit. Nat and Charlie. Who spend most of the book making googly-eyes at eachother. "Oh, he's so hot, I'd just love to dance with him while we're in the middle of an important mission", "oh she's just beautiful, never mind that I'm trying to stop a bomb exploding" - it was so corny: I actually found it pretty amusing!
They were also incredibly naive. I mean, they were kids, and unlike me, they hadn't called the bad guy from his first mention, but seriously, in a situation where people are turning out to be imposters and you don't know who to trust, would you really But it was funny rather than annoying, so I was entertained for the wrong reasons!
I also noticed when I was reading aloud at the start of the book that there was a lot of repetition in description. I probably wouldn't have noticed if I was reading silently though, as I didn't note anything in this respect for the rest of the book.
In short - you have to be pretty young and gullible to take this seriously. It's not Girl, Missing. It's not Blood Ties. But it's fun in a cartoonish kind of way, and there was enough there that I might still pick up the sequel whenever it comes out :)
August 28, 2014
Split Second is non-stop action from the very first page. Any book that opens with one of the main characters running through a busy London market trying to stop a terrorist attack is bound to capture my attention and I was immediately hooked into the story. The subsequent bomb blast changes both Nat and Charlie's lives forever and links them together in a desperate need for answers and revenge.
This is a really hard book to review because I want to shout from the rooftops about how amazing it is but I'm incredibly wary of giving anything away because there are just so many twists and turns that you'll never spot coming. I'm keeping this deliberately vague but I can tell you that this is set in a not too distant future, one that it is very easy to picture happening, although I really hope it doesn't! Rather than some kind of global disaster or epic war the world has been changed by a continuing downturn in the market, the recession has continued getting worse leading to extreme poverty amongst the masses. There is overcrowding and food shortages and unless you're one of the wealthy minority life isn't great. With a large number of unhappy people rioting isn't uncommon and terrorism is on the rise.
The story is told from the dual perspectives of Charlie and Nat, both of whom witnessed the bomb that destroyed half of the Canal Street market and we see that event through both of their eyes. They are unable to put their memories of that day behind them because it continues to have such a huge impact on their lives in the present. They are both desperate for answers but searching for them may just lead them down a crazy rabbit hole that they'll never escape from. I loved both of these characters, they are each flawed in their own ways but at the same time they're incredibly strong and brave enough to stand up for what they believe in.
I really can't say much more about Split Second so I'm going to finish this review by saying that it is my favourite Sophie McKenzie book to date and I'm so glad that the sequel, Every Second Counts, is already available because I can't wait to find out what happens next!
This is a really hard book to review because I want to shout from the rooftops about how amazing it is but I'm incredibly wary of giving anything away because there are just so many twists and turns that you'll never spot coming. I'm keeping this deliberately vague but I can tell you that this is set in a not too distant future, one that it is very easy to picture happening, although I really hope it doesn't! Rather than some kind of global disaster or epic war the world has been changed by a continuing downturn in the market, the recession has continued getting worse leading to extreme poverty amongst the masses. There is overcrowding and food shortages and unless you're one of the wealthy minority life isn't great. With a large number of unhappy people rioting isn't uncommon and terrorism is on the rise.
The story is told from the dual perspectives of Charlie and Nat, both of whom witnessed the bomb that destroyed half of the Canal Street market and we see that event through both of their eyes. They are unable to put their memories of that day behind them because it continues to have such a huge impact on their lives in the present. They are both desperate for answers but searching for them may just lead them down a crazy rabbit hole that they'll never escape from. I loved both of these characters, they are each flawed in their own ways but at the same time they're incredibly strong and brave enough to stand up for what they believe in.
I really can't say much more about Split Second so I'm going to finish this review by saying that it is my favourite Sophie McKenzie book to date and I'm so glad that the sequel, Every Second Counts, is already available because I can't wait to find out what happens next!
May 10, 2020
Aangenaam verrast en kijk al uit naar het vervolg.
August 18, 2025
predictable but amusing
Read
November 19, 2017A good book. Would recommend to anyone who likes action.
February 21, 2014
Read this review and many more at To Another World
I buddy read this with Georgia, and there are so many words to describe this book; powerful, heart-breaking, thought-provoking. A beautiful thriller with an added romance. I was hooked from the fast-paced prologue that introduced characters and was full of action.
I loved the characters. Charlie, though she annoyed me to begin with, was misunderstood by her family (and me, for a while!) and as she developed she became a beautiful character I could definitely relate to. And Nat... Nat had flaws, but they made him all the more flawless. His honour and his jealously that he had of his brother merged together and had many effects in his character.
There was so much empathy I could feel for the characters. McKenzie develops both them and the plot so well that it can't stop your heart from melting at points but beat at a mile a minute at others. Racism and war were also represented so accurately it made everything in me hurt.
"The girl and her mother. The blood and
the smell of fear in the air...."
"Maybe the question I should really be asking was:
when there were established political parties to act through...
what was I doing in the middle of nowhere?"
Throughout buddy reading this with Georgia, we had some interesting, shall we say, conversations, debates, live-tweet sessions and freak-outs! The book kept me up at night trying to figure out the mystery, and it has to be said, our ideas where extremely wrong! It has been extremely hard to keep this review from becoming a big mess of frustrations, emotions and capital letters! I've tried extremely hard to stay professional...
Overall, this is a heart-stopping book with a beautiful romance, unforeseeable mystery and amazing plot. The sequel needs to come sooner because we need to know what happens next, especially with that ending!
I think anyone who loves a thriller with a bit of romance will love this book
I buddy read this with Georgia, and there are so many words to describe this book; powerful, heart-breaking, thought-provoking. A beautiful thriller with an added romance. I was hooked from the fast-paced prologue that introduced characters and was full of action.
I loved the characters. Charlie, though she annoyed me to begin with, was misunderstood by her family (and me, for a while!) and as she developed she became a beautiful character I could definitely relate to. And Nat... Nat had flaws, but they made him all the more flawless. His honour and his jealously that he had of his brother merged together and had many effects in his character.
There was so much empathy I could feel for the characters. McKenzie develops both them and the plot so well that it can't stop your heart from melting at points but beat at a mile a minute at others. Racism and war were also represented so accurately it made everything in me hurt.
"The girl and her mother. The blood and
the smell of fear in the air...."
"Maybe the question I should really be asking was:
when there were established political parties to act through...
what was I doing in the middle of nowhere?"
Throughout buddy reading this with Georgia, we had some interesting, shall we say, conversations, debates, live-tweet sessions and freak-outs! The book kept me up at night trying to figure out the mystery, and it has to be said, our ideas where extremely wrong! It has been extremely hard to keep this review from becoming a big mess of frustrations, emotions and capital letters! I've tried extremely hard to stay professional...
Overall, this is a heart-stopping book with a beautiful romance, unforeseeable mystery and amazing plot. The sequel needs to come sooner because we need to know what happens next, especially with that ending!
I think anyone who loves a thriller with a bit of romance will love this book
January 15, 2015
***I received the eBook free as a review copy from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review***
Sophie McKenzie has an amazing talent for writing action packed YA thrillers that are simply impossible to put down. Split Second was no exception.
There was a high level of dystopian content which was done well, in that you weren’t bogged down with endless details at the very beginning. It was partly due to the fact it closely resembled the world we live in today but where society has changed drastically as a response to budget cuts and unemployment. You could clearly see the parallels, which was interesting; but I didn’t get the sense that the book was designed to make you think about your own life, any more than it was a story to enjoy.
It’s told through a dual narrative with Charlie and Nat as the main protagonists and narrators. Something that often stumps authors is writing the voices so they’re easily distinguishable, but after reading her other series The Medusa Project I already knew McKenzie could do it. Once again I was right. Both characters were very different, but their strengths complimented the others weaknesses. I particularly loved Charlie’s bad-ass character, though it didn’t stop her getting into a few close scrapes…
There were so many twists and turns with regards to just about everything, it was hard to keep up so if that’s your type of thing (like it is mine) you should definitely pick this book up!
Posted on: http://enchantedbyya.blogspot.co.uk/
Sophie McKenzie has an amazing talent for writing action packed YA thrillers that are simply impossible to put down. Split Second was no exception.
There was a high level of dystopian content which was done well, in that you weren’t bogged down with endless details at the very beginning. It was partly due to the fact it closely resembled the world we live in today but where society has changed drastically as a response to budget cuts and unemployment. You could clearly see the parallels, which was interesting; but I didn’t get the sense that the book was designed to make you think about your own life, any more than it was a story to enjoy.
It’s told through a dual narrative with Charlie and Nat as the main protagonists and narrators. Something that often stumps authors is writing the voices so they’re easily distinguishable, but after reading her other series The Medusa Project I already knew McKenzie could do it. Once again I was right. Both characters were very different, but their strengths complimented the others weaknesses. I particularly loved Charlie’s bad-ass character, though it didn’t stop her getting into a few close scrapes…
There were so many twists and turns with regards to just about everything, it was hard to keep up so if that’s your type of thing (like it is mine) you should definitely pick this book up!
Posted on: http://enchantedbyya.blogspot.co.uk/
May 4, 2015
Though this is not my usual genre (political) it was still on my list of books to read for a while. At first I was skeptical of this book – but I was wrong to be. The action started from the very first page when Nat (one of the main characters) is running through a crowded market trying to locate a bomb due to detonate in 3 minutes.
The book follows two main characters – Charlie and Nat as they meet in unlikely circumstances and begin to work for a secret organisation together. With Government and Police corruption rife and a new election coming up, what effect will this have on Britain?
I have read a few other books by Sophie McKenzie so I did want to read this, and it was just as page turning as her other books. I couldn’t put it down until I finished it – but I’m not sure if this is a strength or a weakness!
The book is filled full of mystery and suspense; who should Nat and Charlie trust?
Without giving too much away, the book has several plot twists I didn’t see coming, and ends on a cliffhanger. I am looking forward to reading the sequel ‘every second’.
I give this story 4.5 stars because it is a brilliant story that kept me hooked from the beginning, but the amount of things that went wrong for them infuriated me.
Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will enjoy reading other of McKenzie’s books.
The book follows two main characters – Charlie and Nat as they meet in unlikely circumstances and begin to work for a secret organisation together. With Government and Police corruption rife and a new election coming up, what effect will this have on Britain?
I have read a few other books by Sophie McKenzie so I did want to read this, and it was just as page turning as her other books. I couldn’t put it down until I finished it – but I’m not sure if this is a strength or a weakness!
The book is filled full of mystery and suspense; who should Nat and Charlie trust?
Without giving too much away, the book has several plot twists I didn’t see coming, and ends on a cliffhanger. I am looking forward to reading the sequel ‘every second’.
I give this story 4.5 stars because it is a brilliant story that kept me hooked from the beginning, but the amount of things that went wrong for them infuriated me.
Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will enjoy reading other of McKenzie’s books.
August 12, 2024
This was a fast paced, YA thriller about extreme terrorists and politics. It had a good plot and was filled with lots of drama and action and there was a big shock reveal at the end that I did not expect!
May 5, 2015
Loved this one! Very tense, addictive thriller.
November 26, 2020
The blurb on the back of this, which made me pick it up (albeit cheap, from a charity shop) looked kinda interesting, but when I got round to reading it a few weeks later I was immediately disappointed to find this was a Young Adult novel, and a pretty poorly written one at that - not enough quality to make this a 'light' read for an adult, in my opinion.
The book follows a sixteen year-old lad, and a girl of the same age, and how a terrorist attack in London in the early part of the book finds their paths crossing. The remainder of the book sees them trying to piece together who planted the bomb which devastates their families in the opening chapters, getting involved in a movement seeking revenge for the bombings.
But no, it was pretty crap. The shallow characters. The unbelievability of both the plot and the fact the teenagers barely swore or came across anything more adult than PG. The fact there were cliff-hangers spaced about every fifteen or twenty pages, as if the author didn't trust the reader to have any semblance of an attention span (or any trust in her own ability to hold the attention of the reader). The utter predictability of these cliff-hangers and that I worked out the major twist less than a quarter of the way through.
Despite all these, I did find it entertaining enough to finish, for all that it was trashy and immature. I would have awarded two stars if not for the ridiculous ending, which was *not* actually an ending, but a 'the story continues in book #2' on the final page. Dreadful from the author not to have written a 'complete' story here.
The book follows a sixteen year-old lad, and a girl of the same age, and how a terrorist attack in London in the early part of the book finds their paths crossing. The remainder of the book sees them trying to piece together who planted the bomb which devastates their families in the opening chapters, getting involved in a movement seeking revenge for the bombings.
But no, it was pretty crap. The shallow characters. The unbelievability of both the plot and the fact the teenagers barely swore or came across anything more adult than PG. The fact there were cliff-hangers spaced about every fifteen or twenty pages, as if the author didn't trust the reader to have any semblance of an attention span (or any trust in her own ability to hold the attention of the reader). The utter predictability of these cliff-hangers and that I worked out the major twist less than a quarter of the way through.
Despite all these, I did find it entertaining enough to finish, for all that it was trashy and immature. I would have awarded two stars if not for the ridiculous ending, which was *not* actually an ending, but a 'the story continues in book #2' on the final page. Dreadful from the author not to have written a 'complete' story here.
September 15, 2020
I’ll start off by saying I’ve loved a lot of Sophie Mckenzie’s books, from The Medusa Project series to the Blood Ties series. I’m always looking out for her next book be that young adult or adult. This one however didn’t seem to have the same impact on me.
The premise was great, a terrorist attack in near future London? Two sixteen years olds somehow caught up in the whole thing?
Sign. Me. Up.
There seemed to be chunks of this book where really nothing happened, the action seemed to happening right at the beginning of the book and right at the end leaving the middle slow and sometimes awkward to get through.
The romance is in this book was also a little sudden. Generally the main characters seemed to be avoiding each other, not really speaking or interacting in any way.
I was just looking for something more from this book, I will be continuing on with this series as I’m interested enough to see where this series is going to go.
The premise was great, a terrorist attack in near future London? Two sixteen years olds somehow caught up in the whole thing?
Sign. Me. Up.
There seemed to be chunks of this book where really nothing happened, the action seemed to happening right at the beginning of the book and right at the end leaving the middle slow and sometimes awkward to get through.
The romance is in this book was also a little sudden. Generally the main characters seemed to be avoiding each other, not really speaking or interacting in any way.
I was just looking for something more from this book, I will be continuing on with this series as I’m interested enough to see where this series is going to go.
July 15, 2018
This book is definitely one of my new favourites by Sophie McKenzie. I loved how it was written from the characters (Nat and Charlie’s) perspectives it really gave you a detailed view on how the characters were feeling and their personal thoughts on the different situations. I found the storyline intriguing and thrilling with action unfolding on every page. There were many twists throughout the novel making you want to read on and an unexpected plot twist right at the end. Overall I would defiantly recommend this book to any one who is interested in action packed thrillers!
June 1, 2019
I loved this book. The main reason for this being it successfully formed a sense of suspicion/unsureness of the plot, till it was completely twisted and all the characters I thought could be trusted, proved to be the opposite to how they had been presented. I would definetely recommend this book and other of her series to all who are 10+ and like the genres mystery and action.
September 16, 2019
I like the book but I got bored at the end because I like more of sad and romantic books. It is a series but I didn't really find the first one that interesting so I wouldn't read the rest but if you are more interested in a book that has sad and has tension in it then this is the right thing for you I would recommend it to yr7 boy or girl.
March 5, 2018
This book was very intriguing and was a fast paced book with lots of actions and cliffhangers. It was easy to read and kept me reading without knowing what to going to happen next. It left on a cliffhanger which made me intrigued to read the next book.
June 27, 2017
This is one of my favourite books because it is so captivating and exciting. I recommend this book because of the mystery within it.
July 2, 2018
Very interesting and adventurous story, lots of cliffhangers.
June 16, 2017
I really enjoyed this book because there was a lot of suspense and it was really interesting. I couldn't put the book down.
April 28, 2024
Zoooooo spannend!!!!
May 29, 2025
A great thriller! Couldn’t put down! Fans of Noughts and Crosses will love it as McKenzie deals well with sensitive issues such as terrorism and radicalisation. I also loved the dual narration!
February 28, 2019
Its wants me to read more and I can imagine it so good in my head. it also haves so many different emotions and is my best book yet!!! It's amazing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2017
Split Second by Sophie McKenzie was a really good book. At first I didn’t quite follow the story, but after I got to the third chapter, I understood that it was coming from two different points of view from two different people. I thought the book was great. It caught my attention from the beginning and kept my attention throughout the whole book.
The book started in the middle of the action. One of the main characters named Nat found something on his brother’s phone. Being curious, he followed the directions on the phone, and he started to look for his brother. The other main character Charlie wanted to get a tattoo while she was at the mall with her mom. Her mom told her no, and Charlie went to look at other things. Then something happened in the market that will change both of them.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a good thriller book. It is a little hard to follow if you don’t pay attention to which character you are reading about. In the beginning, the story sounded like it was two different stories, but by about halfway through I learned how they fit together.
The book started in the middle of the action. One of the main characters named Nat found something on his brother’s phone. Being curious, he followed the directions on the phone, and he started to look for his brother. The other main character Charlie wanted to get a tattoo while she was at the mall with her mom. Her mom told her no, and Charlie went to look at other things. Then something happened in the market that will change both of them.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a good thriller book. It is a little hard to follow if you don’t pay attention to which character you are reading about. In the beginning, the story sounded like it was two different stories, but by about halfway through I learned how they fit together.
April 9, 2015
This review was originally written for my blog, Pen to Paper.
I have to admit that I was a little skeptical of Split Second - I believed, even before I started it, that I wouldn't like it. I was simply reading it because it was my YA Book Club's choice for the month (that and I had a free copy for review). This skepticism came from having read one of Sophie's books before. This book was Girl, Missing, and although it was about 3 years ago that I read it, it remains with me, and not for entirely complimentary reasons. I didn't enjoy Girl, Missing, mostly because it was quite a young teenage book and because I found it an incredibly difficult story to believe in. Why would a teenager suddenly decide that they were kidnapped as a young child? It just doesn't make sense. Although it was an easy read (see previous comment about young writing style), I was bored by it, and didn't plan on reading another of the author's books.
This is one of the reasons I am glad for my little YA Book Club, though. It means that I read books that I perhaps wouldn't otherwise have picked up, mostly with positive consequences - and this is definitely one of those times. Split Second could not be more different from Girl, Missing!
I was drawn immediately into the story, right from the very first page. The action starts straight away and the tension is turned right up to the maximum - I couldn't imagine a more compelling start to this story. Straight away I wanted to know what was going on, why the character (Nat) was involved, and what was going to happen to the girl in the market (Charlie). I didn't want to put it down. From an exciting and gripping beginning, the story moves very quickly and soon I was completely engrossed and totally invested in the characters and their lives. The story starts off as normally as a one about a teenage terrorist can do - although tragic, the lives of the two protagonists goes on as you might expect in the few months following the initial event. But that soon starts to change and what they find themselves facing is something so terrifying and so outside of the experience of most people. It's incredibly exciting and just when I thought I'd sussed what was going on, the plot took a massive turn and I was surprised, even when I'd been partially right.
I loved that the story is told from alternating perspectives, switching between Nat and Charlie - it really added to the drama, and I enjoyed being able to see the relationship develop from both points of view. I felt I was able to better understand how each of them thought. Sometimes an alternating narrative doesn't work, but I don't think Split Second would have worked as well as it did had it been from a single character's perspective. I was also impressed by how believeable both of their characters were.
Once I was past the half-way point, things started to get a little more complicated, and lines began to blur, making it harder to predict what was coming next. Although I expected some kind of huge revelation, I was relieved (sort of) that I wasn't entirely correct about my suspicions, and I'll be interested to see what happens next, and how Charlie and Nat tackle their new problems.
I didn't know how I was going to feel about this book, and even while reading and enjoying it, I wasn't sure how I would feel about the ending and if I would want to read another of Sophie's books. I really shouldn't have worried though - I've been left not only wanting more, but needing it! This is an incredibly exciting read and I highly recommend it, even if (like me) you have not enjoyed Sophie's books in the past.
This is an absolute page-turner and a must-read.
I have to admit that I was a little skeptical of Split Second - I believed, even before I started it, that I wouldn't like it. I was simply reading it because it was my YA Book Club's choice for the month (that and I had a free copy for review). This skepticism came from having read one of Sophie's books before. This book was Girl, Missing, and although it was about 3 years ago that I read it, it remains with me, and not for entirely complimentary reasons. I didn't enjoy Girl, Missing, mostly because it was quite a young teenage book and because I found it an incredibly difficult story to believe in. Why would a teenager suddenly decide that they were kidnapped as a young child? It just doesn't make sense. Although it was an easy read (see previous comment about young writing style), I was bored by it, and didn't plan on reading another of the author's books.
This is one of the reasons I am glad for my little YA Book Club, though. It means that I read books that I perhaps wouldn't otherwise have picked up, mostly with positive consequences - and this is definitely one of those times. Split Second could not be more different from Girl, Missing!
I was drawn immediately into the story, right from the very first page. The action starts straight away and the tension is turned right up to the maximum - I couldn't imagine a more compelling start to this story. Straight away I wanted to know what was going on, why the character (Nat) was involved, and what was going to happen to the girl in the market (Charlie). I didn't want to put it down. From an exciting and gripping beginning, the story moves very quickly and soon I was completely engrossed and totally invested in the characters and their lives. The story starts off as normally as a one about a teenage terrorist can do - although tragic, the lives of the two protagonists goes on as you might expect in the few months following the initial event. But that soon starts to change and what they find themselves facing is something so terrifying and so outside of the experience of most people. It's incredibly exciting and just when I thought I'd sussed what was going on, the plot took a massive turn and I was surprised, even when I'd been partially right.
I loved that the story is told from alternating perspectives, switching between Nat and Charlie - it really added to the drama, and I enjoyed being able to see the relationship develop from both points of view. I felt I was able to better understand how each of them thought. Sometimes an alternating narrative doesn't work, but I don't think Split Second would have worked as well as it did had it been from a single character's perspective. I was also impressed by how believeable both of their characters were.
Once I was past the half-way point, things started to get a little more complicated, and lines began to blur, making it harder to predict what was coming next. Although I expected some kind of huge revelation, I was relieved (sort of) that I wasn't entirely correct about my suspicions, and I'll be interested to see what happens next, and how Charlie and Nat tackle their new problems.
I didn't know how I was going to feel about this book, and even while reading and enjoying it, I wasn't sure how I would feel about the ending and if I would want to read another of Sophie's books. I really shouldn't have worried though - I've been left not only wanting more, but needing it! This is an incredibly exciting read and I highly recommend it, even if (like me) you have not enjoyed Sophie's books in the past.
This is an absolute page-turner and a must-read.
October 17, 2022
A rather slow read with a very dislikeable main character.
March 9, 2015
In a Split Second is billed as a thriller -- and it is -- if you can suspend some disbelief and just have fun with it. It is also supposed to be a "romantic thriller," and while there is a romance building, it's not a central theme.
Charlie's mother was killed in a terrorist bombing in London. A very poor, future London where the economy has been decimated and the public has lost all trust in the government. Charlie ends up living with her aunt and uncle who are very rich, and much better off than she and her mother ever were.
She meets Nat at school. Nat's brother has been in a coma ever since the same explosion. Nat has found evidence that his brother was actually involved in the bombing and wants to find out who his associates are that put him up to this. Charlie finds out some information that makes her think Nat is the one that planted the bomb.
So Nat has to come clean to Charlie. They both end up involved in an organization, also secret, that supposedly is trying to find the same people that Nat and Charlie want to find and make them pay for all the damage they have done and stop them from doing more.
Nat and Charlie, along with two other teens are trained to become a terrorist "cell" and their assignment is to infiltrate the bad guys and find out what they have planned next.
Yea, it's kind of far-fetched. I had to do some eye rolling. Nat and Charlie are at times very gullible. They didn't notice any of those red flags that jumped out at me. They also seem to take to this underground life very easily. They learn their combat and espionage skills almost magically. And, of course, they become romantically interested in each other.
Which is the other problem I had with In a Split Second. I hated the distrust and misread signals between these two. They are constantly thinking the other one isn't interested anymore -- for no real reason. There's a lot of wining about each other that I could have done without.
In a Split Second is fast-paced. The story is easy to follow, even with the dual narration. There is a nice build up of tension and of course, a twist at the end. This phase of the story has a nice conclusion, but there is definitely more story to tell. I would recommend In a Split Second to teens who want a fast-paced political thriller. I'm not sure there's enough depth to the story for most adults or those with more experience with this type of story, but it will hold younger readers' interest.
Charlie's mother was killed in a terrorist bombing in London. A very poor, future London where the economy has been decimated and the public has lost all trust in the government. Charlie ends up living with her aunt and uncle who are very rich, and much better off than she and her mother ever were.
She meets Nat at school. Nat's brother has been in a coma ever since the same explosion. Nat has found evidence that his brother was actually involved in the bombing and wants to find out who his associates are that put him up to this. Charlie finds out some information that makes her think Nat is the one that planted the bomb.
So Nat has to come clean to Charlie. They both end up involved in an organization, also secret, that supposedly is trying to find the same people that Nat and Charlie want to find and make them pay for all the damage they have done and stop them from doing more.
Nat and Charlie, along with two other teens are trained to become a terrorist "cell" and their assignment is to infiltrate the bad guys and find out what they have planned next.
Yea, it's kind of far-fetched. I had to do some eye rolling. Nat and Charlie are at times very gullible. They didn't notice any of those red flags that jumped out at me. They also seem to take to this underground life very easily. They learn their combat and espionage skills almost magically. And, of course, they become romantically interested in each other.
Which is the other problem I had with In a Split Second. I hated the distrust and misread signals between these two. They are constantly thinking the other one isn't interested anymore -- for no real reason. There's a lot of wining about each other that I could have done without.
In a Split Second is fast-paced. The story is easy to follow, even with the dual narration. There is a nice build up of tension and of course, a twist at the end. This phase of the story has a nice conclusion, but there is definitely more story to tell. I would recommend In a Split Second to teens who want a fast-paced political thriller. I'm not sure there's enough depth to the story for most adults or those with more experience with this type of story, but it will hold younger readers' interest.
January 3, 2018
I recommend this book because it is action packed and describes the characters feelings throughout the book without giving too much away.
December 2, 2015
School Library Journal (01/01/2015):
Gr 9 Up--Nat and Charlie are present at an outdoor market on the afternoon a bomb goes off. Nat knows the bombing is coming and, after reading an incriminating text, hopes to stop his brother Lucas from involvement; Charlie knows nothing more than annoyance that her mother won't consent to her wish for a tattoo. Both are never the same after that fateful day in this near-future London when a racist, extremist group called the Iron Hand, which blames the bleak economic picture on immigrants and minorities, claims responsibility for the bomb, including the death of Charlie's mother and the coma of Nat's brother Lucas. Six months later, their paths cross again when Charlie's uncle offers her a home and enrolls her in a private school that Nat and his twin sister attend. Both teens are desperate for answers about what happened to their loved ones and maybe for revenge, but Nat is hoping to get those by infiltrating the Iron Hand. Eventually, the two become allies amid growing romantic feelings as they train in a secret group that seeks to preserve England. Engaged in dangerous missions with other teens, Nat and Charlie take action at last. Perhaps twice as long as it needs to be, especially for the suspense and action genres, this novel may fail to engage the reluctant readers it seems to be geared toward. A simple writing style doesn't quite make up for less than intriguing characters and peril that never manages to feel real.--"Suzanne Gordon, Lanier High School, Sugar Hill, GA" Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Gr 9 Up--Nat and Charlie are present at an outdoor market on the afternoon a bomb goes off. Nat knows the bombing is coming and, after reading an incriminating text, hopes to stop his brother Lucas from involvement; Charlie knows nothing more than annoyance that her mother won't consent to her wish for a tattoo. Both are never the same after that fateful day in this near-future London when a racist, extremist group called the Iron Hand, which blames the bleak economic picture on immigrants and minorities, claims responsibility for the bomb, including the death of Charlie's mother and the coma of Nat's brother Lucas. Six months later, their paths cross again when Charlie's uncle offers her a home and enrolls her in a private school that Nat and his twin sister attend. Both teens are desperate for answers about what happened to their loved ones and maybe for revenge, but Nat is hoping to get those by infiltrating the Iron Hand. Eventually, the two become allies amid growing romantic feelings as they train in a secret group that seeks to preserve England. Engaged in dangerous missions with other teens, Nat and Charlie take action at last. Perhaps twice as long as it needs to be, especially for the suspense and action genres, this novel may fail to engage the reluctant readers it seems to be geared toward. A simple writing style doesn't quite make up for less than intriguing characters and peril that never manages to feel real.--"Suzanne Gordon, Lanier High School, Sugar Hill, GA" Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
February 5, 2024
The first half is unsubtle action and drama , nothing new, but I did enjoy the second half and ending, both of which I had correctly guessed. A refreshingly realistic (while still idealistic) take on training children as spies/soldiers, something a lot of similar books tend to ignore or underexplore. Doesn't save the basic narrative and underdeveloped characters though.
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