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Lush #1
Lush
Bluebell has spent the last twelve years of her life at Training Tech, the government-run boarding school all children are required to attend. Now that she's seventeen she is fully prepared for Incorporation; a time when females and males are allowed to mingle again, for the first time since they were toddlers. It is also the day she must endure Citizen Branding - the mandatory searing of a mark into the flesh of the left wrist of all new Citizens. O for fertile, X for infertile. The fate of every Citizen, male or female, is determined by the results.
Bluebell knows that a Citizen’s duty is to live for the glory of Concord, just as she was taught. But the frantic dreams and hazy memories that haunt her make her different, and the questions she cannot deny threaten to turn her world upside down.
Disclaimer: LUSH is not just a Series - it's more like a Serialized Television Show. As the beginning novel, it sets you up in the LUSH world and asks a lot of questions; many that are not immediately answered. Think of it like LOST or The Vampire Diaries or Heroes... and not so much like E.R. or Fringe or House. The follow-up novel is due October 2013... where the story continues.
Bluebell knows that a Citizen’s duty is to live for the glory of Concord, just as she was taught. But the frantic dreams and hazy memories that haunt her make her different, and the questions she cannot deny threaten to turn her world upside down.
Disclaimer: LUSH is not just a Series - it's more like a Serialized Television Show. As the beginning novel, it sets you up in the LUSH world and asks a lot of questions; many that are not immediately answered. Think of it like LOST or The Vampire Diaries or Heroes... and not so much like E.R. or Fringe or House. The follow-up novel is due October 2013... where the story continues.
171 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 16, 2013
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1106 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
February 3, 2021
3.5 stars
(Read using Kindle Unlimited)
This was an interesting dystopian, and I liked the ending.
Bluebell was an okay character, although she was a little naïve at times. The way her mother treated her was a little odd, but she seemed pretty normal the way she reacted to her branding.
The storyline in this was quite slow, and I didn’t really feel like much was happening until the 75% mark. There wasn’t really any romance, there seemed to be a lot of info-dumping, and the whole thing just seemed way too slow.
The ending was good though, and redeemed the book a bit for me. Finally things seemed to be coming together, and I found the ending quite interesting. Failing a spectacular sequel it will at least be interesting to see if the story picks up from here or goes back to being slow.
7 out of 10
(Read using Kindle Unlimited)
This was an interesting dystopian, and I liked the ending.
Bluebell was an okay character, although she was a little naïve at times. The way her mother treated her was a little odd, but she seemed pretty normal the way she reacted to her branding.
The storyline in this was quite slow, and I didn’t really feel like much was happening until the 75% mark. There wasn’t really any romance, there seemed to be a lot of info-dumping, and the whole thing just seemed way too slow.
The ending was good though, and redeemed the book a bit for me. Finally things seemed to be coming together, and I found the ending quite interesting. Failing a spectacular sequel it will at least be interesting to see if the story picks up from here or goes back to being slow.
7 out of 10
November 5, 2014
Actual rating - 3.5
Lush was an okay read, but I didn't love it until the end.
Bluebell was an okay character, but I didn't love her.
The first half of this was pretty slow, so I felt quite bored. The ending was good though, and defiantly made things more interesting.
Overall, A 3 star read with a 4 star ending. I'll defiantly be reading the sequel soon to see how it plays out.
Lush was an okay read, but I didn't love it until the end.
Bluebell was an okay character, but I didn't love her.
The first half of this was pretty slow, so I felt quite bored. The ending was good though, and defiantly made things more interesting.
Overall, A 3 star read with a 4 star ending. I'll defiantly be reading the sequel soon to see how it plays out.
October 2, 2019
The description of this book is so far from the wonderful reality of it that it is no wonder it's been overlooked for so long. This book is about a future society where fertility is a mark of favor and can be used to elevate someone in status, granting them special privileges. Bluebell is beyond fertile, she's extra-fertile: LUSH. It's on the tattoo that is marked on her arm as her state-mandated educated comes to an end and her adult life begins. Instead of a typical career and marriage, she is marked for special favor and given a job as the ambassador of Concord - the government - to its people. But Bluebell is slowly realizing that not everything is as it seems, and the ending will just blow you away, not to mention leaving a significant cliff hanger for the second book in the trilogy, HUSH.
This is a good YA dystopian novel with plenty of drama. I got it thinking it would be as stupid as the description makes it seem, only to be pulled in to the story and the world of Concord. Please give this e-book a shot before you dismiss it.
This is a good YA dystopian novel with plenty of drama. I got it thinking it would be as stupid as the description makes it seem, only to be pulled in to the story and the world of Concord. Please give this e-book a shot before you dismiss it.
March 27, 2019
A super quick read with a fresh, original take on a dystopian world. I love how our main character is so compliant rather than automatically being the rebellious one. At first I thought the whole Fertile vs Infertile thing would be a bit cheesy, but somehow, the author made it work for what this story was all about. An excellent beginning to a series, and I immediately bought and read the others as well.
September 1, 2018
Sterile
3.5 stars. The premise was a good change from what I've read. Thorn is my favorite character. The story just seemed sterile like the environment that was projected. If we are not careful this could be our reality instead of fiction.
3.5 stars. The premise was a good change from what I've read. Thorn is my favorite character. The story just seemed sterile like the environment that was projected. If we are not careful this could be our reality instead of fiction.
April 30, 2013
Lately I’ve had a few discussions about serials, in essence a full work published in installments. Very common in the 19th century in both Britain and the US, novels such as Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers and Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin were published first in magazines with a new part in each new magazine issue. Although much less common in the last fifty plus years, there are a few examples of modern serials. Tom Wolfe’s The Bonfire of the Vanities was serialized in Rolling Stone magazine while Stephen King’s The Green Mile was published as several very short books. In fact, that’s how I read that book, borrowing the full set from my sister after all the episodes had been released. I’d never seen such a thing before and thought it strange. Serials are apparently making a revival (Amazon even has an official Kindle Serials program).
With all the talk about serials, I’m obviously setting up to tell you that Lush is a serial. Unlike King’s book or the Amazon program, it isn’t a novel split into bite-size pieces, but a serial with each installment having its own title and being novel sized. It differs from a series in that each book in a series will go through a complete and obvious story arc. A serial is more like episodic television with conflicts happening and being resolved throughout, but without a single, overriding conflict that happens and is resolved in one installment possibly ending with a cliffhanger so you’ll watch the show next week or maybe talk about it around the water cooler. It leaves you with something to anticipate. And that’s how I feel about Lush. I’ve been left hanging, eagerly anticipating the next installment.
Lush serves as an introduction to the world and characters in this continuing story. It takes place in the distant future in a dystopian world very different from our own. Dystopias often have squalor and poverty, which isn’t true of Concord, the name of the world Baum introduces us to. The standard of living appears to be high, but what makes it a dystopia is the people are oppressed. As in most dystopian fiction, there is a political subtext, extrapolating elements of contemporary society into the future, imagining what the results of continuing in a particular direction might be, and serving as a warning. It was clear to me that the world Baum imagines was the result of excess nanny state-ism with the government or state becoming too involved in the care and life decisions of its citizens. (For political types, wherever you fit on the spectrum from right to left, you should be able to spot examples here that are projecting what Baum thinks will happen if the other guys get their way, but also what will happen if you get yours. Both political parties in the US are guilty of nanny state-ism, just in different areas.) Concord, as painted by Ms Baum, is a great fictional world. But I wouldn’t want to live there.
The protagonist, Bluebell, is in her late teens and has the qualities that make a great focal character for a young adult novel. She’s likable and conscientious, yet not too perfect, with flaws and the quality most of us had at one time of sometimes testing the limits placed on her. Even though I don’t want to live in Concord, I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment (promised in about six months) to see what happens to Bluebell next. (That cliffhanger left me … well, hanging, obviously.)
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
With all the talk about serials, I’m obviously setting up to tell you that Lush is a serial. Unlike King’s book or the Amazon program, it isn’t a novel split into bite-size pieces, but a serial with each installment having its own title and being novel sized. It differs from a series in that each book in a series will go through a complete and obvious story arc. A serial is more like episodic television with conflicts happening and being resolved throughout, but without a single, overriding conflict that happens and is resolved in one installment possibly ending with a cliffhanger so you’ll watch the show next week or maybe talk about it around the water cooler. It leaves you with something to anticipate. And that’s how I feel about Lush. I’ve been left hanging, eagerly anticipating the next installment.
Lush serves as an introduction to the world and characters in this continuing story. It takes place in the distant future in a dystopian world very different from our own. Dystopias often have squalor and poverty, which isn’t true of Concord, the name of the world Baum introduces us to. The standard of living appears to be high, but what makes it a dystopia is the people are oppressed. As in most dystopian fiction, there is a political subtext, extrapolating elements of contemporary society into the future, imagining what the results of continuing in a particular direction might be, and serving as a warning. It was clear to me that the world Baum imagines was the result of excess nanny state-ism with the government or state becoming too involved in the care and life decisions of its citizens. (For political types, wherever you fit on the spectrum from right to left, you should be able to spot examples here that are projecting what Baum thinks will happen if the other guys get their way, but also what will happen if you get yours. Both political parties in the US are guilty of nanny state-ism, just in different areas.) Concord, as painted by Ms Baum, is a great fictional world. But I wouldn’t want to live there.
The protagonist, Bluebell, is in her late teens and has the qualities that make a great focal character for a young adult novel. She’s likable and conscientious, yet not too perfect, with flaws and the quality most of us had at one time of sometimes testing the limits placed on her. Even though I don’t want to live in Concord, I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment (promised in about six months) to see what happens to Bluebell next. (That cliffhanger left me … well, hanging, obviously.)
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
April 18, 2017
The story of Lush is good. It's an entertaining concept, the heroine (although not especially likeable) has a good character arc, and it kept me reading until the end - however, I was gritting my teeth while doing so because the actual craft of it is pretty bad.
I had fair warning on page two when we suddenly changed tense from past to present and back again. The dialogue was very stiff and formal with an odd emphasis on certain phrases and words (what's up with the italics?) and the dialogue tags were so annoying, she smirked!
Paragraph structure was all over the place, there were spelling and formatting errors, and the info dumps were intense. I don't need to know every tiny detail about the world and its history - just the things that matter to the story.
And of course, it ended on a cliff-hanger.
I think this could have been a great book with a couple of revisions and an editor who knew what they were doing. I hope this gets revised in the future because the story isn't horrible.
I had fair warning on page two when we suddenly changed tense from past to present and back again. The dialogue was very stiff and formal with an odd emphasis on certain phrases and words (what's up with the italics?) and the dialogue tags were so annoying, she smirked!
Paragraph structure was all over the place, there were spelling and formatting errors, and the info dumps were intense. I don't need to know every tiny detail about the world and its history - just the things that matter to the story.
And of course, it ended on a cliff-hanger.
I think this could have been a great book with a couple of revisions and an editor who knew what they were doing. I hope this gets revised in the future because the story isn't horrible.
March 20, 2015
This was an okay read.
Bluebell, however, was not that okay as a character. She was too passive, too accepting of what was going on. Usually, dystopian heroines challenge the rules or have a rebel streak. Bluebell doesn't have that. She has to be prodded into questioning her world.
The world building was interesting, though I wasn't sure why boys and girls had to be kept separate (maybe I skimmed over that part).
As for the plot,
Because Bluebell was a bit of a weak character, the secondary characters ended up stealing the show, such as her best friend and the boys they meet after Integration.
Bluebell, however, was not that okay as a character. She was too passive, too accepting of what was going on. Usually, dystopian heroines challenge the rules or have a rebel streak. Bluebell doesn't have that. She has to be prodded into questioning her world.
The world building was interesting, though I wasn't sure why boys and girls had to be kept separate (maybe I skimmed over that part).
As for the plot,
Because Bluebell was a bit of a weak character, the secondary characters ended up stealing the show, such as her best friend and the boys they meet after Integration.
January 31, 2014
In a way, this is kind of a scary story. Not with monsters and chase scenes and fear, but with how the government has completely taken over every aspect of every individual's life. They cannot raise their own children, choose their own spouse or career, and are told whether or not they can even reproduce based on social standing. If that isn't scary, I don't know what is. At least you can kill a monster, right?
I can't wait for the next book. It is time for some government reform!
I can't wait for the next book. It is time for some government reform!
May 18, 2014
I love Dystopian fiction. It's my current go to. I am definitely not the target audience as this is billed as YA and I am in my mid-30s. I loved this book and how realistic the plot was. You can definitely see how this could really happen.
It's a great book. The first of a trilogy. The characters are well developed and I felt hooked from the first to the last page.
It's a great book. The first of a trilogy. The characters are well developed and I felt hooked from the first to the last page.
March 3, 2015
This book was ok for me, but found it to be similar to a lot of other books. The beginning of the book was really good, and then really slowed down.
June 24, 2018
I actually read this in the Fractured world's series box set.
This is an interesting book 1 in this particular series. I now understand why as an author you need conflict. You cannot have a perfect book, perfect people, perfect looks etc. IT”S BORING! You're always wondering where the bad is lurking, or where the imperfection is. I almost skipped this book but I wanted, no I NEEDED conflict. Oh, I got, I could not put it down after half to three-quarters of the story. Then the bombshell at the end (which I suspected but not to the degree) and immediately wanted the next. Is it a stand-alone story, NO! It is a series and leaves you wanting the next.
This is an interesting book 1 in this particular series. I now understand why as an author you need conflict. You cannot have a perfect book, perfect people, perfect looks etc. IT”S BORING! You're always wondering where the bad is lurking, or where the imperfection is. I almost skipped this book but I wanted, no I NEEDED conflict. Oh, I got, I could not put it down after half to three-quarters of the story. Then the bombshell at the end (which I suspected but not to the degree) and immediately wanted the next. Is it a stand-alone story, NO! It is a series and leaves you wanting the next.
March 22, 2018
3 1/2 - pretty good little story :) There were some similarities to other dystopian novels. but over all pretty good.
Would have given it higher, but didn't really feel the chemistry between the her and her love interest.
Would have given it higher, but didn't really feel the chemistry between the her and her love interest.
October 10, 2018
I’m not one to read YA dystopian but I took a chance on this one. It was slow to start but after it picked up I was curious to find out what happened. Now I’m definitely curious to see what the next book has to offer.
dnf
March 1, 2019DNF @ 5%
There's really nothing to indicate that Lush is any better written than the atrocious A Chance for Charity. Awkward writing and irritatingly poor formatting, at least where Kobo is concerned.
There's really nothing to indicate that Lush is any better written than the atrocious A Chance for Charity. Awkward writing and irritatingly poor formatting, at least where Kobo is concerned.
June 29, 2017
I think living in such a controlled society with such high expectations would be awful. I didn't expect the cliffhanger.
October 27, 2017
I actually liked aspen ughhhhhh I want to like her
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2020
The ending was phenomenal which was weird cause the rest of the book was slow and paced that way. Would be better if Bluebell wasn’t so naive or boring.
July 14, 2021
so weird
February 17, 2025
I'm in your head, am I?
All the time.
All the time.
November 27, 2023
3,5 - started slow but had kept my interest up, even is Blue was the perfect girl to follow all rules. Ended well tough. The thing that made me confused was that why on Earth is it a customary thing in dystopian stories that everyone goes to bed after a looong day that made you sweaty without shower, just changing into pjs, when there is definitely hot water available as it was clearly described in the story. Wierd why people prefer stinky beds in the future… people are strange as Jim Morrison so wisely described
October 11, 2016
The book awesome. I love the creativity and the suspense at the end of the book. Makes one want to read the next book in the series.i can't wait to read "hush"
February 17, 2022
An intriguing dystopian short read.
February 27, 2017
Good story; definitely not wrapped up in one book...gotta keep reading the series or let it go..
May 9, 2013
I picked up this book from an online blog recommendation, I think it was from Epbot but I'm not sure. I'm a sucker for YA dystopian fiction, so one that was recommended went right on my reading list for later. I read and finished it at a flyball tournament weekend, which shows how engrossing it turned out to be!
The future society of Concord is perfect - everyone is healthy and happy, needs are provided for, everyone has a job, and so on. There are prices for these benefits, however, including that all children are raised by the state's Guardians from age 5 to age 18 in gender-separated facilities. Upon reaching the age of 18, children become adults and receive their Citizen Brand which indicates if they're fertile or infertile, which along with their testing scores will greatly influence their future careers and marriage contract prospects. The protagonist of the story, Bluebell, receives a brand not seen in twenty years or more - she is marked Lush, indicating that not only is she fertile but will likely have many successful pregnancies instead of the one or two that most fertile women are able to achieve.
As the book starts six months before Bluebell's branding and graduation, this is very much a coming of age story, with the innocent Bluebell slowly learning more about her society as she gets closer to adulthood. The reader learns along with her, finding out that the Council that oversees Concord may not be as beneficent as it appears, and that there are secrets hiding in every family including her own. I found the society structure to be fascinating and an interesting reflection of our current world, especially with regards to people put into the public eye as entertainment for the citizens of Concord. Bluebell is a touch too innocent at the beginning, but given the society structure she's not unbelievably so, and she does start learning and changing near the end of the novel.
If you like YA dystopian fiction, or just general dystopian fiction, you should enjoy this book - but be aware there's not really a romance for those who expect it (I thought it was fine without it). I really enjoyed the book and the quality of the writing, and I'm looking forward to reading the next installment when it comes out.
The future society of Concord is perfect - everyone is healthy and happy, needs are provided for, everyone has a job, and so on. There are prices for these benefits, however, including that all children are raised by the state's Guardians from age 5 to age 18 in gender-separated facilities. Upon reaching the age of 18, children become adults and receive their Citizen Brand which indicates if they're fertile or infertile, which along with their testing scores will greatly influence their future careers and marriage contract prospects. The protagonist of the story, Bluebell, receives a brand not seen in twenty years or more - she is marked Lush, indicating that not only is she fertile but will likely have many successful pregnancies instead of the one or two that most fertile women are able to achieve.
As the book starts six months before Bluebell's branding and graduation, this is very much a coming of age story, with the innocent Bluebell slowly learning more about her society as she gets closer to adulthood. The reader learns along with her, finding out that the Council that oversees Concord may not be as beneficent as it appears, and that there are secrets hiding in every family including her own. I found the society structure to be fascinating and an interesting reflection of our current world, especially with regards to people put into the public eye as entertainment for the citizens of Concord. Bluebell is a touch too innocent at the beginning, but given the society structure she's not unbelievably so, and she does start learning and changing near the end of the novel.
If you like YA dystopian fiction, or just general dystopian fiction, you should enjoy this book - but be aware there's not really a romance for those who expect it (I thought it was fine without it). I really enjoyed the book and the quality of the writing, and I'm looking forward to reading the next installment when it comes out.
May 9, 2014
The current YA literary market is inundated with dystopian novels. Some are great while others are not. "Lush" is quite unique and has the potential to be a great new series.
In a society that has seen a rise in diseases that were virtually wiped out due to immunization, obesity among children, and too many children being born to the poor, the government steps in taking away the raising of children from their parents at the age of five. Girls and boys are sent to separate training techs until the year of their incorporation day when they are seventeen. At that time they will brought together for six months and sent through a series of rigorous medical, psychological and educational tests. After the tests are completed the kids are branded with either an X for sterile or an O for fertile unless a child is tested and discovered to be a lush or capable of bearing four or more children. This is quite rare but after completing the six months in Incorporation, Blue bell has earned this designation. This is when her world begins to unravel.
Blue bell has been having fitfully dreams about being a young child running with a woman on the beach. When she falls and hurts her ankle, she us unable to continue. This dream continually haunts her. After her tattooing she is sent back home to her father and mother who insists on being called, Aspen. They have no real relationship or bond and Aspen always reminds Blue of her duty to her prestigious family and the council especially since Blue has been made an ambassador.
Aspen keeps tight controls over who Blue can associate with and where she is allowed to go. However, a mysterious tablet shows up in Blue's bed allowing her access to hidden information and memories that have long been suppressed. Blue is about to discover that her perfect little life has been manufactured and is a lie. Now what will this dutiful daughter do?
This little gem of a book kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. No, there wasn't much action but there was plenty of mystique and intrigue. I enjoyed watching Blue unravel the clues to her past all while watching her grow. I cannot wait to read the second book in this series entitled, "Hush."
In a society that has seen a rise in diseases that were virtually wiped out due to immunization, obesity among children, and too many children being born to the poor, the government steps in taking away the raising of children from their parents at the age of five. Girls and boys are sent to separate training techs until the year of their incorporation day when they are seventeen. At that time they will brought together for six months and sent through a series of rigorous medical, psychological and educational tests. After the tests are completed the kids are branded with either an X for sterile or an O for fertile unless a child is tested and discovered to be a lush or capable of bearing four or more children. This is quite rare but after completing the six months in Incorporation, Blue bell has earned this designation. This is when her world begins to unravel.
Blue bell has been having fitfully dreams about being a young child running with a woman on the beach. When she falls and hurts her ankle, she us unable to continue. This dream continually haunts her. After her tattooing she is sent back home to her father and mother who insists on being called, Aspen. They have no real relationship or bond and Aspen always reminds Blue of her duty to her prestigious family and the council especially since Blue has been made an ambassador.
Aspen keeps tight controls over who Blue can associate with and where she is allowed to go. However, a mysterious tablet shows up in Blue's bed allowing her access to hidden information and memories that have long been suppressed. Blue is about to discover that her perfect little life has been manufactured and is a lie. Now what will this dutiful daughter do?
This little gem of a book kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. No, there wasn't much action but there was plenty of mystique and intrigue. I enjoyed watching Blue unravel the clues to her past all while watching her grow. I cannot wait to read the second book in this series entitled, "Hush."
October 20, 2014
I read this in three days.
This is a YA novel but will appeal to readers of all ages.
The story line is similar to others that I’ve read such as Divergent and Matched. The world is a very different place than what we’re used to. The main character, Bluebell, is coming to the end of her government mandated twelve year training. They are coming to the pivotal point where each citizen receives their Citizen Branding. The branding is seared onto their left wrist and quit literally determines the fate of each youngster in the society, of course it doesn’t hurt if your rich, special like a twin, or your family is of high social standing especially if you're descended from one of the original twenty council members.
The brand consist of an O for fertile or an X for infertile. What was supposed to be the ending of another simple group of citizens turns into a spectacle that hasn't been seen in possibly twenty years.
When I first started this book I was disappointed and thinking it would be just another one in the line of the books I mentioned above. Once I got into the meat of the story I could tell that something was going to be different but I couldn't put my finger on what it was. The characters are well developed and it isn't hard to see the cliques forming.
The author does a fantastic job of just giving the right amount of information to keep you turning pages but not enough to give away the plot line.
This is the first in a series and sets the stage for the rest of the series. I want my series to have each book stand on its own and have a definitive ending but I will say that done right, like this one, a "to be continued" type really gets your curiosity peaked for the next book.
This is a YA novel but will appeal to readers of all ages.
The story line is similar to others that I’ve read such as Divergent and Matched. The world is a very different place than what we’re used to. The main character, Bluebell, is coming to the end of her government mandated twelve year training. They are coming to the pivotal point where each citizen receives their Citizen Branding. The branding is seared onto their left wrist and quit literally determines the fate of each youngster in the society, of course it doesn’t hurt if your rich, special like a twin, or your family is of high social standing especially if you're descended from one of the original twenty council members.
The brand consist of an O for fertile or an X for infertile. What was supposed to be the ending of another simple group of citizens turns into a spectacle that hasn't been seen in possibly twenty years.
When I first started this book I was disappointed and thinking it would be just another one in the line of the books I mentioned above. Once I got into the meat of the story I could tell that something was going to be different but I couldn't put my finger on what it was. The characters are well developed and it isn't hard to see the cliques forming.
The author does a fantastic job of just giving the right amount of information to keep you turning pages but not enough to give away the plot line.
This is the first in a series and sets the stage for the rest of the series. I want my series to have each book stand on its own and have a definitive ending but I will say that done right, like this one, a "to be continued" type really gets your curiosity peaked for the next book.
February 22, 2015
In a future society, the government takes over where the people have historically failed. When children turn five-years-old, the boys are separated from the girls and raised in training centers. When they are 17, they undergo "incorporation," where they are allowed to mingle and learn to live together. They undergo a series of personality and aptitude tests in order to be assigned careers. In addition, they get their citizen brands and find out whether they are fertile or infertile. Bluebell enjoys her small group of friends but is haunted by some unusual dreams and feelings of insecurity. At the final ceremony, when the citizen brands are revealed, Bluebell finds a monumental surprise awaiting her that will shape the rest of her life. I read this book because a Goodreads friend of mine noted it reminded her of Divergent (my fave!). Honestly, I’d seen the book before but had not even read the description of it due to the title and cover picture, which I found uninteresting; I thought it was a romance novel. It seemed like a cross between Divergent and The Giver to me. I really enjoyed it! For whatever reason, I kept expecting to dislike the protagonist, but I didn’t. Her mother’s a different story, however. It was touching how quickly Bluebell’s small group of friends bonded together. And, I was proud of how she handled the major curve ball thrown at her at the branding ceremony. Stories like these always make me incredibly thankful that we have the freedom to choose our careers and lives for ourselves rather than to have them assigned to us. Fair warning: this first book ends on a cliff hanger. I’m already reading the second installment.
July 15, 2014
This is an ebook that is really good although it does leave a lot of questions that will hopefully answered in the other two books in the series.
The story revolves around a girl named Bluebell who lives in a city called Concord. There are three other cities with that name and they are somehow connected by underwater tubes. What is not known is why there are only four cities and what happened to the rest of the world. (Actually, we don't even know if this is actually the Earth or an Earth colony.)
The cities are run in a very Nazi fashion with people with arranged marriages for the purposes of reproduction, The state determines how many kids a couple can have. One rule states that any female that is fertile must have at least one child whether she wants one or not.
People have been marked with ID chips in them. Propaganda is everywhere. Bluebell turns out to be a Lush, meaning she has a special tattoo that allows her to have four children or more. She is to be the ambassador to other Concords but at least some questions are slowing arising in her mind.
It's an interesting book and obviously about dictatorships, but there are so many questions left unanswered that it sort of makes it difficult to understand the why of the story since there is nothing to place it in context of anything else.
The story revolves around a girl named Bluebell who lives in a city called Concord. There are three other cities with that name and they are somehow connected by underwater tubes. What is not known is why there are only four cities and what happened to the rest of the world. (Actually, we don't even know if this is actually the Earth or an Earth colony.)
The cities are run in a very Nazi fashion with people with arranged marriages for the purposes of reproduction, The state determines how many kids a couple can have. One rule states that any female that is fertile must have at least one child whether she wants one or not.
People have been marked with ID chips in them. Propaganda is everywhere. Bluebell turns out to be a Lush, meaning she has a special tattoo that allows her to have four children or more. She is to be the ambassador to other Concords but at least some questions are slowing arising in her mind.
It's an interesting book and obviously about dictatorships, but there are so many questions left unanswered that it sort of makes it difficult to understand the why of the story since there is nothing to place it in context of anything else.
December 20, 2014
The Homemakers Hobbies HQ and I realize I have made a booboo. In the announcement that I shared the amazon buying links I posted the wrong book to the list. My Blood Approves does NOT belong on the list. It is not a dystopian book! I had Lush by S.L. Baum planned for today! Lol
Bluebell is different than most kids her age. After leaving training tech, where all kids live for 12 years, and being branded a lush, she discovers her live is turning upside down and she has no control over any of it. She is now a Lush Ambassador and represents everything Concord stands for. Well... she's supposed too. Between her perfect mother and high ranking grandfather it should be no problem... right? So why are strange accusations being sent to her tablet for only her to access? And why is she reading a story that she swears she had dreamed before?
This isn't a normal dystopian, it isn't dark, or the horror type of dystopian. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. Not fearing for the characters but wanting to find out what happens next. The author opens up a lot of back stories and gives information that she has said is explained in the next book... Of course it does... she wouldn't sell as many books... duh! It ends in a cliff hanger... again... its to keep you wanting more!!!!! Give it a chance!
*Pros* seamless writing, great character
Bluebell is different than most kids her age. After leaving training tech, where all kids live for 12 years, and being branded a lush, she discovers her live is turning upside down and she has no control over any of it. She is now a Lush Ambassador and represents everything Concord stands for. Well... she's supposed too. Between her perfect mother and high ranking grandfather it should be no problem... right? So why are strange accusations being sent to her tablet for only her to access? And why is she reading a story that she swears she had dreamed before?
This isn't a normal dystopian, it isn't dark, or the horror type of dystopian. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. Not fearing for the characters but wanting to find out what happens next. The author opens up a lot of back stories and gives information that she has said is explained in the next book... Of course it does... she wouldn't sell as many books... duh! It ends in a cliff hanger... again... its to keep you wanting more!!!!! Give it a chance!
*Pros* seamless writing, great character
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