Aberrant

Aberrant #1

by Ruth Silver

In the future dystopian society of Cabal, the government instills equality for all and offers its citizens the perfect system. There is food, shelter and jobs for everyone. The one requirement is to follow the rules without question, including the government's match in marriage and "The Day of the Chosen", a lottery that randomly selects families to conceive children as natural means hasn't existed in generations. Following her eighteenth birthday, Olivia Parker accepts her requirement to marry her childhood best friend, Joshua Warren, and is eager to start her work assignment and new life when it all comes abruptly to an end as she's arrested and thrown in prison. The only crime committed, her existence. Olivia is unlike the rest of the world born not from "The Day of the Chosen." The truth haunts the government and puts her life in grave danger as one simple fact would destroy the perfect system.

With Joshua's help, Olivia breaks free of prison and is forced on the run. Together they set out to find the promised rebel town in search of a new home and new life together. Their situation seems less than promising as they reach the town of Haven. New rules and customs must be adhered to in order to stay. Leaving would mean most certain death in the large expanse of the Gravelands. Time is running out as the government mounts an attack to destroy Olivia and bury her secret with her. Thrown into a world unlike their own, they must quickly adapt to survive.

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, New Adult

250 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2013

About the author

Ruth Silver first began writing poetry as a teenager and reading heaps of fan fiction in her free time. She has written under three unique pseudo names and penned well over a hundred stories.

She attended Northern Illinois University in 2001 and graduated with a Bachelor's in Communication. While in college she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, "Deuces are Wild", which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories.

Her love of writing, led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading YA novels and sharing her favorite books with other readers. She runs her own book blog and also enjoys photography and traveling.

Her favorite YA genre is a mix of Dystopian & Fantasy which is evident in the upcoming release of her latest book, Aberrant. Slated for release April 2013 by Lazy Day Publishing, it is the first in a trilogy.

Reviews

[Ruth Silver]

I wrote it, so of course I love it!!

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
This book was really good at the beginning, but I lost interest.

I quite liked Olivia and Joshua at the start of the book, and I thought they made a really cute couple, I was pretty sick of them by the end of the book though. I just wasn’t sure they were really making the best decisions, and I got bored.

The storyline started out quite similar to books like ‘Matched’ where a girl and a boy are matched and told to marry. There was then a bit of excitement as Olivia found out that she wasn’t quite the same as the other kids her age, and things happened, but after that the book seemed to go downhill; I got bored, the pace was too slow, and I just stopped caring what happened.
There was romance, but I got sick of that too.

The ending to this wasn’t much of an ending, and it was obvious that the story would continue in the next book, I can’t say I’m all that interested to find out though.
5 out of 10

[Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book – Aberrant (Aberrant #1)
Author – Ruth Silver
Publication Date – April 16, 2013
Genre –Y/A Dystopian
Type – Part of Series
Cliffhanger – Yes
Rating – 4.25 out of 5 Stars

Complimentary copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.


My Thoughts - Story
I was leery on reading this book because Dystopian is not my normal genre and especially young adult, but this book was so unique and easy to read. I loved the characters Olivia and Joshua. Especially in the beginning with their innocent kisses and the loyalty, they had for one another.



From the moment I picked this book and started reading, my interest held fast and I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen from city to city that these two traveled…and don’t even get me started when they finally are thrown into a new life struggling to stay alive with other recruits. Here are two 18 year olds who never had to lift a finger to fight, survive or actually do anything and now they must learn basic survival and fighting skills. Either they succeed or they die.

Through all of this the author connects us to these two but not only will you root for these two to stay together and survive but the author develops these two where a love story unfolds. I love how Ms Silver wove this intricate story about a dystopian life around an innocent love story.



Re-Cap
At the age of 18 children are paired up and forced to marry, but not for love or to procreate. Procreation is unheard of since it’s impossible for women to get pregnant the natural way.

Olivia and Joshua have been best friends since being little children and to Olivia’s delight, she is paired up with her love, Joshua. But on their wedding night, she is brutally thrown in jail without any clue why.



Joshua does everything in his power to get Olivia out of that jail and they escape to another city but this one also has other plans for these two and it doesn’t entail the two being together.

As Joshua and Olivia run and fight for their lives, they continue to mesh their relationship tighter and find out some hidden secrets about what is really going on and why Olivia is so important to the future of the world.



Reason for Reading – Blog Tour
Story – 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Steam –  4 out of 5 Stars
Angst – 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 4 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Told In – Single POV
Heroine/Personality – Olivia – now she’s some tough chick!
HEA (Spoiler) – It follows through with more to come
Would Read More from Author? Yes – I can’t wait to start reading the rest of the trilogy
Recommend To – Anyone who loves a great dystopian read.

[Kathy Horsman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: Aberrant (Aberrant #1) by Ruth Silver What do you get when you combine Divergent with The Hunger Games and sprinkle in a little Captain America?
 
Aberrant.
 
The Oxford English Dictionary defines Aberrant as: adj. Departing from an accepted standard; Diverging from the normal type. I was quite surprised to find that this book fit that definition very well, to the point where it stood out among a genre that is overflowing with options to choose from and made itself different. We meet Olivia in the city of Genesis, a town that was set up as a breeding city after the 4th world war and a plague decimated most of the world and left the population unable to conceive naturally.
 
At least that's what they all think.
 
Enter Olivia Parker, 18 year old daughter of a widow, on her matching ceremony day. Nervous just like the rest of her class to find out who the government has chosen her to spend the rest of her life with within her own graduating lot. 18 years old and terrified of what's gong to happened, Olivia is matched with Joshua Warren, there are worse things than being paired with your best friend since the age of 5 so thins seem to be looking up, until she is arrested hours later by the governor and thrown in jail....
 
What for you may ask?
 
Olivia is the only person on the earth that can conceive. Her mother boar her and now everyone thinks that has been passed to her. The government wants her either dead or in one of their labs, but Joshua's mother helps them escape to a town outside of Genesis named Haven, a city part of the Rebel Alliance trying to rise up against government control. The feelings of relief and freedom soon evaporates when the plans of the Rebel Alliance are spelled out for Olivia, but what does this mean for her and her future? And what does it means for her feelings towards Joshua? Will they stay in Haven? Will the government find her? 
 
SO MANY QUESTIONS!!! I'm sorry but I'm not going to answer ANY of them because YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK! I'm going to give you the main reason I feel this way. 
 
Main. Female. Lead. 
 
I loved Olivia. What I require for me to like a main character, strength, poise, a little vulnerability and resolve, she possess. I felt like she never wavered from what she thought was right and what she wanted. Yes, plans changed a number of times but although the grander scheme shifted almost from page to page, at the core of the story was one girl who might be special but really lead with her heart first and foremost and then with her head. It worked for me, she didn't just do things for a boy and she didn't turn her back on anyone for the greater cause, Olivia balanced out what was right and moral or what she felt was her duty with this new found freedom of doing things her way or what she wanted to do not what everyone else told her to do. That is BRILLIANT. A girl who can stand on her own two feet and still love someone in a natural and not-immediate manner? WE NEED MORE OF THIS IN LITERATURE. 
 
Olivia Parker sold the book for me, but I really did love the whole package. You get a clear picture of what world these characters are living in and that world is massive. Not only do you have government and rebels and gravelands (the nasty open deserts between cities) but you can see the clear distinction of environments as it changes. Taking great characters and putting them into a complete setting is not something that is easily found and this book has it! Add in all the unique things that you'll find scattered everywhere within the story and it made Aberrant one of my favorite books of the year, I CAN NOT WAIT for a sequel!!!
 
Originally Posted: http://thebookblogattheendoftheuniver...

[Danielle Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you first pick up Aberrant we are given a glimpse into a very sad time for the main character Olivia. At first I thought this would be story of how this incident was somehow caused by the government that led the city of Genesis and that Olivia's story would evolve around this pivitol moment in her life, but I was wrong. Olivia's life did not evolve around this moment but a moment that started before she was ever born. A moment well beyond her control and a moment that would come back to haunt her and her family.

There are many rules that govern the town of Genesis. Most of them preposterous, but it was all Olivia had ever known. All members of Genesis lived in identical houses, wore identical clothing, and ate identical food. Everything was out of the control of the people, with the government deciding everything, from who you married to the job you had, to when and if you had a child.

When all the members of Genesis reached their eighteenth birthday they were forced to go through what the town called The Day of the Chosen. Which was where the government determined who you would marry, because the government knew best. Luckily for Olivia, she got paired with her life long best friend Josh. Both were completely happy at the luck that they had with being matched together, but that luck would not last long. On the day they started their lives together, Olivia was arrested, her crime, being born.

Torn apart by where she suddenly found herself, Olivia discovers a very deep secret about herself and her family. But luck is on Olivia's side so it seems as members of what is called the rebel alliance break her out of prison and smuggle her and her husband to a rebel city, where Olivia hopes to find freedom and protection, but only finds herself under more rules and restrictions with just as much fear.

As Olivia and Josh's world is turned upside and they run trying to save themselves and the secret that they hold, they find themselves in what I like to call the hybrid world of Through the Ever Night and Divergent. I strongly believe if these two books were to merge and create little book worlds, the book of Aberrant would be one of their little book babies. And I am perfectly okay with that. Ruth Silver gave me everything that I loved from both of these worlds and converged them together all while putting her own spin on things. Her characters were real, as I felt their pain and struggles, her worlds were very vivid and easy to imagine, and the story was fun to get lost in as the pages quickly flew past me as I devoured the story on the pages.

But part of me wishes that the story was told a little slower, that things unfolded in less of a rush and I was given more chances to explore the area in which Olivia and Josh found themselves in.

The crazy whirl wind ride that Ruth Silver created in Aberrant is definitely one that you have to embark on and one that I promise you will want to continue as she left us with an ending that just demands more from the story. There is so much more to come from Ruth Silver and the world of Aberrant and I can't wait to see what lies ahead!
*Received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought the concept of this had promise, but the execution was horrible. This book is self-published, and it shows in many ways. ***MILD SPOILERS FOLLOW***

First, there are grammar problems throughout the book. One of the predominant ones was abuse of dialogue tags. Smiled, stood, nodded, and other non-verbal actions ARE NOT dialogue tags and should not be punctuated as such. The author also (grammatically) abuses dialogue tags by using almost anything other than "said" as a tag. This is a beginning writer mistake, and one of my pet peeves.

The world-building was extremely poor. First, the whole concept of infertility is badly explained. The author says in one place that woman "can't conceive, at least not naturally" but never explains how they ARE able to conceive or what assistance they are given. There is a vague reference to a lottery called "The Day of the Chosen", where all women are given the chance to have a child but the children were "born in labs". But does the author mean "born" in labs or "conceived" in labs? Because the next sentence in the book says that "the government had to intervene for women to become pregnant." Huh? If women become pregnant, then the children are presumably NOT born in labs. Then there is reference to Olivia's mother conceiving naturally, getting pregnant, and Olivia being "born". But if children are "born" in labs, then how did Olivia's mother conceal her pregnancy? And how did she give birth at home with no one knowing and no medical treatment? And how did she just suddenly appear with a baby? Even if she had help from one doctor who knew her secret and added her name as a lottery winner, wouldn't a bunch of other people know that no baby had been made for her in the lab where children are "born"? So maybe the author really did mean "conceived" in labs, then perhaps implanted in women. Overall it was confusing and contradictory.

Also, this future society apparently has the technology to construct a teleportation device, but cannot solve an infertility problem? I realize that physical and biological sciences are different, but still that begs credulity. The society also has unmanned drones, tanks, cars that run totally off solar power, and yet "cameras hadn't been used for centuries" and Olivia was stunned to see photographs. Olivia recollects a bit later that "in Genesis it was illegal to take pictures". If cameras hadn't been used in centuries, why would it be illegal to use them? And how in the world would an industrialized modern society function without photo or image documentation?

Those are just a couple of examples of the mish-mash of inconsistent and ill-thought-out world-building. There are many others. I would also like to echo what another reviewer pointed out: that the supposed secret city that Olivia and Joshua end up in has roads leading right to it (??!!), and Olivia and Joshua learn the ins and outs of a car very quickly despite never having seen one before.

Let's talk plot, which seemed a bit contrived at times. Olivia is forced to flee from her home of Genesis because the government finds out that she might be able to conceive naturally and toss her in jail. Lucky for her, her best friend and husband-to-be, Joshua, has family involved with the "rebel alliance" (yes, I kid you not; the author called the dissidents the "rebel alliance"--Star Wars, anyone?...). They are sent the long and risky way out of Genesis to hook up with someone who can take them to a town called Haven; meanwhile, Joshua's mother steps into her teleportation device and meets the kids in Haven. Huh? Why not just stick the kids in the device and get them there safe and sound? That's never answered. Somehow that government finds the kids are at Haven, attacks Haven, and forces the kids to flee towards a secret city that Joshua found on a map (that would be the secret city with roads leading right to it). The farce that the kids are put through in that city is a ridiculously contrived waste of time and man-power, and the story veered into the very-weird when the kids developed telepathic communication and telekinesis powers after some mystery medical procedure. At which point, I wondered again: if this society is that medically advanced, why haven't they cured the infertility problem?

*sigh* It's an mess from beginning to end. This author really needs good editors--both content and line-editing--to make this concept work.

[Farrah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I was a little wary of this book, since it's a dystopian. With the now waning dystopian craze, there have been a lot of books that became (really bad) formulaic dystopians. But, Aberrant didn't fall into that. It was absolutely amazing! Sweet romance, betrayals, and never knowing who to trust. This book was just brilliant!

The saying "trust no one" takes on a new meaning in this book. Because of Olivia's possible ability to conceive a child, she's tracked down by the government and coveted by rebels as a symbol of revolution. And, between all that, there are few people who would hesitate to exploit her status. So, throughout the book, I was on pins and needles trying to figure out every character's motive and that had me completely riveted in the story.

Olivia was a wonderful heroine, very likable. People continually try to force her into their use for her, but she wasn't going to sit down and just take it. But, she was also smart, and knew how to bide her time until she could get away. I really liked her character. She was a scared young woman with only her childhood friend turned significant other to help her, but she still stood strong against the odds. She was just lovely.

Joshua was so amazing! Ooh, I just adored him. I loved how devoted he was to Olivia, how he was the person she could always rely on. It was so sweet! And, he stood with her throughout all of the trials and proved himself a worthy hero who would do anything to protect the girl he loves. I could go on and on about how much I loved him, but I'll move on now before I bore you with my fangirling :)

The romance was so sweet. Olivia and Joshua were perfect together. They already had childhood affection between them, as they were best friends growing up. But, as the book went on, that deepened into true love. It was so cute to watch. They were so adorable together. There were a lot of both swoon-worthy moments, and moments that just made me smile. Loved the romance!

The plot was fast paced. The story took off on a run and didn't slow down a bit. I was completely hooked. There were betrayals, surprises, thrills, and secrets that kept me on the edge of my seat. And the ending had me itching for the next book, Moirai. It's coming out in December and I just can't wait to get my hands on it! 6 months never seemed so long :(

Aberrant was an absolutely lovely YA dystopian romance! I loved it, loved it, loved it! If you want a wonderful, original YA dystopian, you definitely have to read this book. Brilliant!

* received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aberrant takes place in the future, the dystopian society of Cabal. It is a world that seems ideal on the surface, the premise of absolute equality for everyone. But it is soon clear that perhaps it isn't so ideal, with very little free will and free choice. One of the most fundamental changes is the ability to have families in the traditional, the ability to conceive a thing of the past. With it went the basic forms of intimacy. Instead, marriage is less about love and more about being "matched" by the government. Children are given to selected families through lottery, not choice. And this is where the fun begins...

There are not enough words for me to describe how much I loved this book. I fell into it immediately, loving Olivia from the very beginning. She was a bit of a rebel, a spark in her that I instantly related to. Joshua was equally wonderful as a main character, and I think I adored him as much as I did because Olivia clearly adored him. I felt every emotion right along with Olivia, frequently being angry with other characters as they seemingly used her for their own reasons. The mystery and intrigue of the book made just about every other character more than a little suspect, which truly added to the suspense and the anticipation of the book.

The world that the author created was phenomenal, from the physical side of it to the people that lived in it. It blended the future with the contemporary in a way that made it entirely believable. The pacing was perfect, with twists and turns that I never saw coming. Questions were left unanswered, leaving me begging for the next book!

Things to love about Aberrant...

--Olivia. I loved her, absolutely. I wanted to stand up and yell on her behalf. I wanted to hug her. I wanted to be her best friend. She was strong, a rebel, and fiercely loyal to those she chose to trust.

--The intense emotions. This book really drew me in and made me feel, a whole range of emotions. I often felt like I was in the middle of the story right along with Olivia and Joshua.

Things I wanted more of...

--Aberrant!!

My recommendation: A fantastic read that you won't be able to put down!

[Paperback Princess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted at Paperback Princess to view this review in it's entirety, and other extra info (excerpt) please click here.

You know what they say, time goes fast when your having fun. Going by that premise, I must have bee having the time of my life as I read Aberrant, Ruth Silver's debut novel in one sitting and I didn't feel like a minute had gone by, let alone the many hours that actually did! From the Prologue to the last page Ruth Silver had me excitedly flipping through the pages wanting to know what's happening next. I was actually surprised when I got to the last page as it slowly dawned on me that the book already finished and I didn't even know it was close to finishing! It wasn't left on a cliffhanger but I had not been aware that the book was coming to an end, that's how much I was enjoying it!

Olivia Parker is unlike any other child, she is conceived naturally at a time and place where this has not been the norm for quite some time. When the Government finds out they arrest Olivia and her Mother, Samantha immediately, ensuring their secret remains hidden, but when the Rebel Alliance steps in and helps Olivia escape she is able to breathe easy knowing she's got allies. Unfortunately, as Olivia and her best friend, Joshua, makes the journey to the Rebel Alliance town of Haven, what they find when they arrive there is not much better than what they left at their hometown of Genesis, there are rules and there are expectations for Olivia. Is one governing body really better than the other? Could the couple trust anyone or are they in it all alone?

Aberrant is a fast-paced debut novel that was filled with action and heart thumping moments, as readers are constantly made to guess who can be trusted and what their ulterior motives were. I absolutely loved the main characters, Olivia and Joshua, they were both very mature and sensible from the beginning. These qualities really helped them through their journey as they deciphered who they could and couldn't trust. I felt extremely sorry for the two as they left behind a trail of people they thought they could trust that proved them otherwise. I just felt the loneliness that they were feeling, not to mention the disappointment, as they found again and again that there were no one else to trust but each other.

I really enjoyed Olivia and Joshua's connection and I'm a bit torn because I know that they're childhood sweethearts and will be romantically involved in the future, but I kind of felt like their partnership was somewhat of a best friend or sibling partnership more so than a romantic one, however, the romance, whilst touched on within Aberrant's pages, wasn't greatly explored, and so I may have to wait for the consecutive books to comment on the romantic aspect of their relationship, but from Aberrant alone it seemed like they had more of a brother-sister or best-friend feel to their relationship.

Aberrant's plot and Silver's writing, along with the sensible main characters really had me greatly enjoying this book and it certainly ended far too soon for my liking. This is the first novel that I have read that I was surprised to have found myself in the last page and not even know it. It's very action-packed and there was not a moment where readers heart will slow, as there was constant betrayals and new revelations at every corner. This was a highly enjoyable read and I recommend it to all those that enjoy dystopian novels. I commend Ruth Silver for this fantastic debut novel that was highly entertaining with a plot that was simply amazing! Loved, loved, loved Aberrant! It's definitely high up in my list of favourite books of 2013 thus far.

[Alicia Batista (Addicted Readers) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check Out The Aberrant Blog Tour, on my blog, There is an interview, review & giveaway. On April 23rd -Thur- July 7th @ Addicted Readers

http://addictreaders.blogspot.com/201...


Another GREAT Dystopian Novel for Readers to enjoy! This book was so AMAZING! I LOVED the world Ruth has created in Aberrant! Aberrant was different then any Dystopian novel I have EVER read! The world is the scary truth of what might come to be if ALL of our women became unable to carry and conceive children, and had to have their babies MADE in a lab!

Can you imagine a world with NO choices, NO say in who you marry and have children "MADE" with, or how many children you have, and having to give up your second born child! Can you imagine a world where you are locked inside of a wall and forced to NEVER go beyond the gates of your community! A world in where your job is assigned to you with NO say in your future whatsoever. A world where women and men are matched on their 18th Birthday and assigned a spouse to spend the rest of their life with, whether they love or care for that person or not! Not even able to have children, because every child has to be "MADE" in a lab, not conceived naturally! A world where you a forbidden any type of sexual interaction with your spouse, the ones the government has chosen for you to live the rest of your life with!

Of course, their is an alternative! You could deny doing any of this and be exiled to the Treasuries Gravelands beyond the wall where all are doomed to either the starvation and dehydration if their lucky or be caught by the men that have somehow survived in the Gravelands and be raped, beaten, tortured and killed....

Well this is the life Oliva Parker lives in, and has lived in for the last 18 years. But all is about to change on The Day Of The Chosen when she is luckily matched with her best friend Joshua, to spend the rest of her life with. On The Day Of The Chosen Oliva is arrested and thrown in prison, without knowing why or what she did! Oliva can't fathom what she could have done, until she sees her mother brought in in handcuffs, then she gets her answers!

Oliva is special, unlike the other people in the City of Genesis and anywhere else. She was born, not made. Oliva's mother was able to carry and conceive Oliva and has been able to hide it from the government for 18 years, and now on The Day Of The Chosen, ALL is revealed, and the government wants to silence Oliva and her mother before word gets out and their is an uprising for the governments lies!

So Oliva and her mother are thrown in a jail cell to wait out their fate from the governor, when her best friend and now husband Joshua and his mother Rebeca break into the prison with the help of The Rebel Movement and help Oliva escape NOT only the prison, but the City and life Oliva has ever known. But what awaits her out there is NO better then what's inside the walls Oliva lives in. But she has no choice if she wants to live to see another day!

Oliva and Joshua are thrown into the Gravelands and other walled communities in search of asylum and a chance at a new life for her and Joshua. But what they find out there could be even worse then what Oliva and Joshua thought!

With many obstacles, and people out to get her and NO where to turn that's safe and with no food or means to survive, Oliva and Josh endure many heartaches and physical pain and have to start at the bottom of nothing and work their way up to have at least a life with each other, that is if they can do it without getting killed first! But who do you trust when everyone wants something from you!

This book was fast-paced with action and adventure around EVERY corner! I loved Oliva and Joshua! I loved that they would do ANYTHING for each other and had an inseparable bond that NO ONE could break, even when others tried their hardest!

When the book was over I was already wanting more of Josh and Olive and the world they lived in and fought for! Ruth is a REMARKABLE writer and has done a WONDERFUL job in this book. It's hard now a days to live up to ALL of the other good Dystopian Novels out there, but believe me when I say Aberrant lives up to them and MORE!

Overall, I LOVED the plot, characters, pace, action, romance and devotion they had for each other and all that together has made it ONE HELL OF A GREAT NOVEL!

I give this book an EASY SOLID 5 Stars and I am EAGERLY awaiting the next book in the series!

5 Stars

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Also, as a disclaimer, I DNF-ed this book 40% in.

My number one pet peeve in writing is also writing's number one rule--show, don't tell. I fucking hate info-dumps and clunky telly dialogue and almost every trope associated with it. This makes reading the things I like to read--fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal books--hard. There's a whole world you have to get across somehow! All that exposition! The problem is, some authors doing it phenomenally so I'm spoiled. Then there's stuff like this.

This entire book is nothing but telling. Nothing but info dumps and clunky dialogue. Three pages of the two main characters going through history books and relaying information that they mostly already knew. Half a page for Olivia to talk about the government during her ceremony.

Let me set up the world: It's The Giver. That's it. That's the world. If you haven't read The Giver, then it's Matched. The problem is, it doesn't explain it as nicely as either of those books. There's a government with a mustache twirling figurehead, people have everything done for them with no choices, their partners and jobs are chosen for them, and then there's some rebellious alliance that's literally called the Rebel Alliance. Side note--You can't call it that. There's a very popular film franchise where the Rebel Alliance is literally the whole good guy side.

The infertility thing is the only thing I can see separating this book from The Giver. Problem is? I don't get it. I don't get the lottery thing. How are babies being born? I get Olivia being special because she can conceive, but as a woman who doesn't want children....yeah, not a great message when your good guys are essentially forcing someone to have children. I get it, but also.....no.

The main character? Olivia? She's every terrible YA heroine. Something very special is about her but she doesn't know it because her mom keeps terrible secrets until the very last minute. Why? It's never properly explained. She sees her betrothed (who is no longer her betrothed because the Rebel Alliance is literally the same as the bad government) with a girl and decides he's left her after five minutes and she hates him. They make up afterwards with almost zero dialogue between them.

Also, let's pull that back a bit because there's a line in the book where Olivia tells us that after the wedding ceremony, if her and Joshua weren't paired, they'd never get to talk again because men and women can't be friends. They'd instantly be accused of infidelity and that's against the law. Olivia rightly thinks that that's dumb, but then goes on to make the same assumption that the government does. Joshua can't hang out with another girl without Olivia automatically assuming he's wanting to sleep with random chick he literally met hours ago.

Speaking of characters, they all sound the same. They all keep secrets the same. They're all flighty and chess pieces more than characters. They're there to keep the plot moving which, we've seen before in much better books.

There's nothing in this book that worked for me, unfortunately. It was in desperate need of an editor to work around all the telling, but on top of that, it really needed someone to say 'This story has been done before. How are you making it different?'

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Anthem, “The Lottery,” The Hunger Games, and Divergent had a child it most definitely be Aberrant. Ruth Silver creates a world so shocking that the reader will not be able to put Aberrant down. The plot was exciting, fast paced, and full of new surprises. Genesis was shocking, to say the least. The fact that people had to marry whomever the government matched them up with at eighteen was very hard to wrap my mind around. To be honest it made me cringe a little bit. Can you imagine marrying someone you may barely know? I know I could never! Part of me was relieved when Olivia got matched with Joshua, but this relief was short lived because, as we know from the book description, Olivia is arrested by the government and thrown into jail. Her crime—she was born the natural way. Some may wonder why this is such a big deal. To find out, you my dear reader must read the book. After Olivia breaks out of jail with Josh’s help they escape to a city called Haven. But don’t let the name fool you! Haven is not all it’s cracked out to be. Olivia finds that this new freedom does not come cheap, and the price may be more than she is willing to pay.

**SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT**

I really loved the various cities and societies that are in Aberrant. Genesis reminded me of a lot of the town in Anthem. The amount of government control provided a very interesting perspective. What if a society like this existed? I found the whole situation in Genesis to be very though provoking, and a bit scary. Like I said earlier on I could not image marrying someone because the government said I had to. Haven on the other hand made me feel uneasy the entire time. Although in the beginning it felt like Olivia and Josh may finally be safe, there were small triggers that made me a bit weary of the city. Josh’s mother actually made me really angry at times. I guess it was because of the way she and the rest of the council handled the situation regarding Josh and Olivia. I felt like maybe she had her priorities mixed up just a little bit. Ruth Silver creates a very rich, brutal, and fascinating dystopian society with wonderful, feisty, and relatable characters. There is plenty of action, adventure, and humor in this wonderfully written novel. I cannot wait to see what happens next!

[Colleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Review posted on Your Average Bibliophile. I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The novel’s synopsis seemed interesting, kind of reminded me of Matched by Ally Condie because of the obvious. I decided to give it a go. Abberant is about a society that marries off its eighteen-year-olds with their perfect match – the only way for this couple to have a child is during “The Day of the Chosen.” This essentially is a lottery where a family is picked and allowed to have a child born in a lab. Olivia, the main character, gets to marry her childhood friend Joshua. Right after the ceremony, she is thrown into prison because she was conceived naturally and therefore a threat to the government.

First off, someone needs to give this novel an editor. The prologue was unnecessary, the writing was stiff, there were unneeded flashbacks, organization off, a ton of telling vs. showing, and this is all in just 21% of the novel. The rest was just as unedited – the writer seemed to be a newbie in the fact she violated the cardinal rule of dialogue tags. “Said” is perfectly fine. We don’t need “smiled, stood, nodded” etc. Trade secret: the word “said” is an invisible word to a reader’s eye. We want this. We crave this.

World-building. I’m going to be blunt – this dystopian seemed half-assed. The world-building was poorly explained, especially the reason for why Olivia gets caught in the first place, the topic of infertility. In this society, women supposedly can’t conceive, and their only means of having children is when they’re chosen to get a lab baby on “The Day of the Chosen.” But then we hear that the government has to intervene for a woman to get pregnant. Like what? Whiplash? And obviously women can conceive naturally because Olivia was born. And let’s think about it – how did Olivia’s mom conceal the pregnancy? It’d be sort of obvious that she is carrying. We get some random explanation about a doctor, but it isn’t like she could pop out with the baby and say she got slotted for one on “The Day of the Chosen.” The government would’ve known right then something was up instead of waiting till Olivia’s birthday. As you can see, I got sort of confused. There was a lot of inconsistency and confusion.

The plot wasn’t much better – Olivia is forced to flee her home of Genesis because she is capable of conceiving naturally. I guess the government really wants her eggs. Her new husband Joshua luckily is buddy buds with the rebel alliance. These two take a long, hard route to a new place called Haven while his mom takes the family and teleports there. How the heck does this make any sense? Especially when it’s Olivia on the run? (And if the government can make a teleportation device, how can they not solve this infertility problem?) More weird crap happens (I won’t let you in on more spoilers), and once again, you are wondering why this book didn’t have a better line and content editor.

Abberant, in theory, was an interesting idea. Maybe if it had another go or six at the drawing boards, it would have held up to expectations.

[Algel Crestfall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dystopian fiction is my favorite genre so far. And the synopsis of this book is too good and interesting so I didn't hesitate signing up for a review on this tour.

The story started with a sad tragedy for Olivia and her family. However, thanks to Joshua, her bestfriend, that she was able to move on with her life. In the society of Olivia, every teen who turns 18 is willed to marry whoever is matched to him/her by the government itself. Fortunately, Olivia is matched to her bestfriend, Joshua. But something about her made her different from the other girls her age: she was conceived naturally. When the government found out what she is, they treated her as a threat to them, to their plans, and most of all, to their secret so and they imprisoned her. Later on, she was freed by Joshua's mother, with the help of the Rebel Alliance. But still, she doesn't know why she was captured, why the Rebel Alliance helped her, and what do they want from her.

Without knowing who to trust to except each other, Olivia and Joshua went into a journey outside Genesis, and outside the Rebel Alliance. I love how Joshua remained by Olive's side even if it means risking his life too. Their marriage is not applicable outside Cabal, but he still treats Olive as his real wife (he proposed to her in the middle of their problem!) and I think it's too sweet. Not many girl-boy-bestfriends end up liking and loving each other, but Olive and Joshua made it possible. Plus, majority of the people their age doesn't know a thing about love and passion. I think it's kinda weird to feel something your body wants and you don;t exactly know what it is. In addition to that, I was amazed by the uniqueness of Olivia's being. Knowing that you're the only one who can give natural birth, how will you react to that? And what will you do? Me? I don't know. Honestly. Haha.

However, I do that the concept of this book is not entirely original. Reading it will give you glimpses of other dystopian novels like The Hunger Games and Divergent. But reading this, I didn't actually care at all. Ruth Silver surprised me by adding shocking twists and revelations in the story. And that did not disappoint me from the first page until the end.

For dystopian fiction lovers out there, I recommend this good read to you!

[Alicia Batista (Addicted Readers) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blog Tour with Giveaways, Interview And Review On My Blog Addicted Readers On April 23rd, 2013. @

http://addictreaders.blogspot.com/


MY REVIEW:

Another GREAT Dystopian Novel for Readers to enjoy! This book was so AMAZING! I LOVED the world Ruth has created in Aberrant! Aberrant was different then any Dystopian novel I have EVER read! The world is the scary truth of what might come to be if ALL of our women became unable to carry and conceive children, and had to have their babies MADE in a lab!

Can you imagine a world with NO choices, NO say in who you marry and have children "MADE" with, or how many children you have, and having to give up your second born child! Can you imagine a world where you are locked inside of a wall and forced to NEVER go beyond the gates of your community! A world in where your job is assigned to you with NO say in your future whatsoever. A world where women and men are matched on their 18th Birthday and assigned a spouse to spend the rest of their life with, whether they love or care for that person or not! Not even able to have children, because every child has to be "MADE" in a lab, not conceived naturally! A world where you a forbidden any type of sexual interaction with your spouse, the ones the government has chosen for you to live the rest of your life with!

Of course, their is an alternative! You could deny doing any of this and be exiled to the Treasuries Gravelands beyond the wall where all are doomed to either the starvation and dehydration if their lucky or be caught by the men that have somehow survived in the Gravelands and be raped, beaten, tortured and killed....

Well this is the life Oliva Parker lives in, and has lived in for the last 18 years. But all is about to change on The Day Of The Chosen when she is luckily matched with her best friend Joshua, to spend the rest of her life with. On The Day Of The Chosen Oliva is arrested and thrown in prison, without knowing why or what she did! Oliva can't fathom what she could have done, until she sees her mother brought in in handcuffs, then she gets her answers!

Oliva is special, unlike the other people in the City of Genesis and anywhere else. She was born, not made. Oliva's mother was able to carry and conceive Oliva and has been able to hide it from the government for 18 years, and now on The Day Of The Chosen, ALL is revealed, and the government wants to silence Oliva and her mother before word gets out and their is an uprising for the governments lies!

So Oliva and her mother are thrown in a jail cell to wait out their fate from the governor, when her best friend and now husband Joshua and his mother Rebeca break into the prison with the help of The Rebel Movement and help Oliva escape NOT only the prison, but the City and life Oliva has ever known. But what awaits her out there is NO better then what's inside the walls Oliva lives in. But she has no choice if she wants to live to see another day!

Oliva and Joshua are thrown into the Gravelands and other walled communities in search of asylum and a chance at a new life for her and Joshua. But what they find out there could be even worse then what Oliva and Joshua thought!

With many obstacles, and people out to get her and NO where to turn that's safe and with no food or means to survive, Oliva and Josh endure many heartaches and physical pain and have to start at the bottom of nothing and work their way up to have at least a life with each other, that is if they can do it without getting killed first! But who do you trust when everyone wants something from you!

This book was fast-paced with action and adventure around EVERY corner! I loved Oliva and Joshua! I loved that they would do ANYTHING for each other and had an inseparable bond that NO ONE could break, even when others tried their hardest!

When the book was over I was already wanting more of Josh and Olive and the world they lived in and fought for! Ruth is a REMARKABLE writer and has done a WONDERFUL job in this book. It's hard now a days to live up to ALL of the other good Dystopian Novels out there, but believe me when I say Aberrant lives up to them and MORE!

Overall, I LOVED the plot, characters, pace, action, romance and devotion they had for each other and all that together has made it ONE HELL OF A GREAT NOVEL!

I give this book an EASY SOLID 5 Stars and I am EAGERLY awaiting the next book in the series!

5 Stars

[Deneé · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at Novel Reveries

“Just a short time ago I’d been an ordinary eighteen-year old girl. Except the reality was, I wasn’t ordinary. I was anything but ordinary. I was aberrant.” (loc. 2785)

A plague and it’s cure has wiped out civilizations ability to naturally conceive children, and controlling governments keep their citizens under constant oppression as they dictate their day to day lives. Olivia Parker is the exception. After being forced to marry at eighteen, she looks towards her monotonous future of living in Genesis; lucky for her, she was forced to marry her best friend, Josh. A horrible series of events ensue as she finds out that not only was she born under abnormal circumstances, but that she may be the last woman with the ability to conceive. Trying to escape a life as a test subject, Olivia wanders with her best friend, Josh to find answers and a place to really call home.

“‘Do you realize how important you are, Olivia?’” (loc. 854)

This book is quite unique and thrilling! Not just in subject matter, but in the constant upbeat pace that is set. There’s never a dull moment. This is great because I never knew what to expect next, and it kept me wanting to read more and more as each chapter passed, just to find out where Olivia will end up next, and what consequences she might face just for the mere fact that she was born. I love how the different governments are described in how they want to use Olivia in their rebellious war, and how Olivia learns more about herself and the different systems of society. Everything that glitters is not gold, and she and Josh find this out the hard way. Olivia’s determination in wanting control over her own body and life choices is admirable and she will go through any depths to get it.

“Children should not be won, but born from love.” (loc. 725)

One of the first things I’d also have to say about Aberrant, is that I enjoyed Olivia and Josh’s relationship. There’s no instalove, or seedy out-of-nowhere love triangle that I find tiring in other dystopian novels. Their relationship has history, and I love how the author shows how they’ve grown to really love each other with their backgrounds. In their struggles they encounter horrible rules in which they are either forced together, or forced apart but through it all, their love survives and flourishes even in the upmost times of danger.

The twist at the end really jumpstarted me to want to read more, so I’m pumped by the second book. With this story, you don’t really know what to expect next and that’s what I’m really looking forward to in the second book. In all, I really think this is a great unique dystopian novel that incorporates some elements of other well known books, with a twist at every corner. I’d definitely recommend this book if you love the Divergent, Delirium and Hunger Games series.

First Line: “My fingers gripped the metal chain as my feet kicked higher.” (loc. 34)

Last Line: Spoiler?
---------------------

Quotes:

“No one questioned such authority. No one had need or reason to.” (loc. 286)

“It was the one rule neither of us could afford to break.” (loc. 1172)

“‘You are the only one, the last woman alive who can conceive.” (loc.1310)
---------------------

*Received a copy for an honest review*

[Kayleigh Meade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was contacted by Ruth Silver, the author of this book, to promote Aberrant. In my blog there is an interview, spotlight and giveaway. She gave me a copy of the book to read, but it goes without saying that this review is honest.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was thrown headfirst into the action, first meeting Olivia when she is preparing for her wedding day. This piqued my interest, which was held right the way to the end. It was a brilliant dystopian plot, full of turns that I wasn’t expecting. It reminded me a bit of The Hunger Games and Brave New World, in that the government was very much in control – so much so that it could control the most intimate of features in its inhabitants’ lives. There’s a lot of uncertainty throughout the book as to what will happen to Olivia. She’s often not as safe as she would like to be, and feels the weight of expectation, the latter of which is something I think a lot of young adults can relate to.

I think what enhanced the book for me was Olivia and Joshua. Their relationship is written really well; as best friends with a complicated aspect thrown in, there’s the right touch of familiarity versus the unknown. Throughout, they work as a team, the realism of which I liked – it makes a change to the power games that appear in other YA books where sexual tension is at the forefront. Josh and Olivia have been raised in an environment where conception – and therefore sex – doesn’t happen, which made a really refreshing change. Even though they’re 18, the reader is able to see certain realisations bloom in their minds, and that was great to read!

When I interviewed her, Ruth Silver said about what inspired her to write the book:

Often, we as a society implement the use of vaccines, especially in preventing disease and now even cervical cancer. Of course the vaccines are all safe and approved by the relevant authorities for the country you live in. I decided to think a little further ahead, and a little darker. What if it was an epidemic where everyone was required to get vaccinated and testing had been shortened or barely done at all?

Hearing it put like that made me uneasy, because it brings home how potentially easy it could be for something to strike the world, and for us to find ourselves in a dystopia. I think stories such as this one, where it stems from a simple idea, are the most effective. Mix that in with great characterisation, a little bit of the supernatural, and a plot that twists and turns, and you’re sorted. A great read, thoroughly recommended.

[Colleen Bratley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Innocence and hope abound in this story. You find yourself rooting for the characters as they flounder through a reality they had never conceived of. It is interesting, entertaining, and touching.
Olivia is a young woman thrust into an adult role without any preparation. At least not prepared for anything beyond what she was supposed to understand and live as reality. What she believed and had ingrained in her to be reality; however, was abruptly interrupted, and forever changed. The new reality was haunting, shocking, and so very disturbing. It rocked them to the cores of their souls and exposed their raw undeveloped foundations.
Joshua is Olivia's mate. Soul mate, love, best friend, protector, and everything else she needed. They became for each other what they not only felt for each other, but also what they needed and had to be to survive. Neither one had been prepared for the drastic earth-shattering changes thrust upon them. But they put on a brave face, took a step forward, and braved the storm.
Even though with every relationship there are doubts and missteps, you feel like fidgeting as they dance around their relationship with all the new vulnerable and cautiously rendered feelings. It warrants memories of first loves, first kiss, first trials and first commitments that left you scared and feeling exposed and wonderful at the same time. With each breath and beat of their hearts you want them to prevail.
The journey of their lives is unexpected, and keeps you guessing, wondering, and anxious for their survival, not just physically, but also emotionally. You want to see a win. You want them to win. The characters become adored and the connection strong as you root for them; no one else, just them. Ruth kept them front and center letting you feel their every emotion, as well as fight their every battle.
This story gives you the full range of color from dark to bright and everything in between. There are no dull spots, or trivial spots as each step builds to another. The only thing you are left wondering about is what will happen next. Even at the end, you want to go the distance and see what the next step is. You feel like you have just lived a different life, these are your friends, and now you miss them.
Yes, I did enjoy this story, and really want to read the next one. I received a free copy for an honest review, and I really enjoyed the journey. Ruth told it with flare, but firm direction and description without anything bogging it down. She kept the pace even so you didn't feel a lag or want to skip ahead, realizing the sequence had to be, for it was a tale of two people and a very different world.

[Hollyberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aberrant grabbed me from page 1, and did not let me down the whole way through! Ruth Silver did a fantastic job of capturing the mind of a 5 year old, and portraying her emotions, and how at 5 years old, there are so many things that we do not understand. In the first chapter we are in Olivia's mind when her father passes away, and she has to attend the funeral with her Mom.

After chapter 1, we are brought to Olivia's present when she is graduating school at 18, and everything that that entails for her. In Olivia's town of Cabal, everyone is the same, everyone gets the same houses, the same food provided every week by the government, even the same clothes. The government monitors everything there, including how many times you are allowed to shower (3 times a week for 3 minutes, and when the water comes on, it is already set at the "perfect" temperature for you), I cannot imagine living like that, however, all of the citizens have been told that going outside of Cabal would be instant death in the Gravelands, so no one dares go against anything that they say.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book, especially Olivia and Joshua, they were like typical teenagers, just unaware of what the world had to offer because of the oppressive society that they lived in. They had been best friends for so long that you wouldn't think that there would be any romantic feelings could develop, however, there may be, and it may grow faster than what they were expecting because of the situations that they are put in, and only having each other to rely on.

The world building that Ruth has done is beautiful as well, I can totally picture myself there, seeing everything the way that Olivia does, it is so dark and dreary, I can't imagine living there. The cities there are all run down, and seem deserted by the people, and most of this was due to the four world wars that had taken place, there is not much left in this part of the world. Also there are very few vehicles left, but the technology is completely beyond anything that we have now, solar powered cars and being able to heal a knife wound by getting a scan on it, brilliant!

I will be the first to admit that I have not read many dystopian novels, but I know that I will be following this series for sure! I loved all the action, with just a little bit of romance, and not the insta-love kind either, the nice gradual kind that develops over time from friendship. I am so glad I was able to read and review this book, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next in the series, I give this one a 5/5 and any fans of sci-fi/dystopian should definitely check this one out!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really loved this book! The pages are loaded with emotion from start to finish and the imagery and narrative are so strong that you can imagine yourself in every scenario.

Ruth Silver is one talented lady! With a believable concept which in all honesty doesn’t feel that far from home, our main character, Olivia, guides us through the beauty, horror and struggle, that is life in her world. The book opens with so much emotion that I was sucked in within the Prologue. This is very rare for me and I have been tempted to skip that part of a book before. The book is paced perfectly for its story and doesn’t seem to keep all of the action for the last chapter, something is always going on without a need for force.

I will admit there are some errors in the book, which I will discuss with the author soon and see if it’s something which can be fixed for future readers, but even with the errors (there’s only a couple) it doesn’t detract from the story. I still absolutely loved it! I even went up to bed and huddled under my covers to read just that little bit more! Once you pick this book up you will never want to put it down. The story will be etched into the back of your mind begging you to allow it “just another 5 minutes”.

The book is available on both kindle and paperback and is definitely worth buying!

You can also find Ruth on twitter @writeawaybliss or at her blog; http://writeawaybliss.com/

This absolute gem of a page turner demands your attention and rightly so! This book deserves a comfy sofa and only the very best coffee you can lay your hands on! You’re in for one hell of a ride!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

a quick read with GREAT characters, lots of INTENSE action, and a touch of romance.

Aberrant has some similarities to Matched. A lot of novels borrow themes and ideas (ex: The Hunger Games is VERY similar to Battle Royale). It's rare to find any books that don't have a single repetitive idea. Sometimes I wonder if the authors have even read the other similar works, or it's just coincidence. The synopsis makes it obvious to the similarities, so I knew what to expect. I liked Matched, so I don't mind the similarities. In fact, I prefer Aberrant over Matched. Plus, the author creates her own distinct world, making you question weather the rebels are good or bad. I love the inner turmoil the characters are constantly faced with.

There's also surprise science fiction elements, I really hope to see more of in book 2.

I read the book in three days. The plot moved fast and kept me on the edge of my seat. The story constantly kept moving with lots of action scenes. My boyfriend read the book after me and he really liked it too. He's a book nerd that prefers fantasy stories and thought Aberrant was a great story with the perfect balance of action and romance. When he finished the book, he handed to me and asked me where the next book was.

We both want to know more about Cabal and the world Olivia and Joshua were raised in. We're SUPER excited to know a second book will be released. I hear this is a trilogy, so I hope we don't have to wait too long.

I recommend Aberrant to everyone, especially teens 13 and up. Older adults will love this book too. If you're looking for a great summer read, add this to your must read list.

[Jo · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love reading dystopian stories! And I usually end up reading them and have this highly expectations of it. And the truth is I'm not that picky of a reader, if the characters are good and the world building reasonable, I'm sold.
However, Aberrant didn't worked out for me.
The blurp seemed great but it just fell flat. It just seemed a mix of some of other great dystopian novels without being great. I kept reading and thinking "Hmm this sound awfully familiar". I do know it's hard to came up with something unusual fresh because they all start with some of the same premises,but even so, even if it feels familiar, if the story is that good,you'll soon forget the others and focus only in the story you're reading.
Yep, I couldn't focus on it, even if I found the main couple cute, all the plot twists made me roll my eyes like crazy. I get that in a series we usually don't get many answers in the first book, we're has clueless and the heroes BUT the few things that were disclosed, didn't make all that sense for me.



It wasn't just the book for me!


**Copy kindly given via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review**

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This review and other cool stuff are also at http://www.addicted2heroines.com/2013...

Huh.
I'm a bit undecided on this one. On one hand, I don't like it when dystopians don't move things along fast enough. On the other hand, I felt like things maybe moved too fast in Aberrant. And by things, I mean Olivia ends up in three separate and (mostly) unique dystopian societies during her journey. The author does a pretty good job giving the reader a decent peek at each society, but there's no thorough world-building...mainly because she doesn't stay in one place long enough to necessitate it. I still don't know if it's a good thing or not.
So.
Ill try to break it down, and you can decide for yourself...M'kay?
There may be some mild spoilers below, but the vast majority of the stuff in my review has already been stated in the blurb.

The first society is the one she was raised in. Everyone in Cabal is well provided for, but all of their decisions are controlled by the government. The marriages are arranged, the jobs are assigned, and children are regulated by a lottery.
Olivia is ecstatic when she is chosen to marry her best friend, Joshua. She expects them to live happily ever after, and is shocked when she is arrested on her wedding night.
Wait. I forgot something.
It's not a regular wedding night, because somehow nobody has sex anymore. She learned about it from outlawed trashy romance novels, and was attempting to put the moves on her fella when the POPO busted in. But they aren't arresting her for that. Evidently, her mom and dad also bumped fuzzies! And even though it is genetically impossible for women to get pregnant anymore, nine months later Olivia was born. She's a medical miracle! Her mother and father managed to pay off some people to pretend that her mother had been artificially impregnated, and somehow the government just now found out.
Of course, Olivia doesn't find any of this out until later, and she was unaware of her bizarre birth until the cops show up at her door.
On the outside of the city, there's a rebellion going on that (again) Olivia was unaware of. The rebels help her escape to one of their cities, and here's where the second society comes into play.
In the rebel city, everyone is allowed to choose what they do and who they marry. Except Olivia. They give her two years to choose anyone besides Joshua to marry. Why not Josh? Well, it would look bad if the government was right about anything. It starts off with a nice suggestion that she spend time with other guys, and ends up with her being locked up in a room when she doesn't listen to their friendly advice. Oh. And she needs to hurry up and have a baby. Because that would make the government look bad, and help their cause. And since she the only woman who might possibly be capable of becoming pregnant naturally, she really doesn't get a choice in the matter. Haven is starting to look just as horrible as her original home by now.
In a twist of fate, the army raids the city to find her, and she and Joshua are able to escape in the confusion.
They steal a solar-powered jeep, and ride off into the wild together on another epic adventure!
When they were back in Haven, Joshua found a map with a hidden city on it. Hoping that it will be better than their last two homes, they decide to try to seek asylum there.
Welcome to the third and (maybe) final society.
After a rough trip across the Gravelands, they arrive at...the new place.
Here they find out that they need to compete in some sort of survival games to determine if they are worthy to be allowed into this secret group. These guys have their own set of rules that the two need to abide by in order to play the game.
Oh. And there's another twist that's got a bit of an X-men vibe to it, but I don't want to get too spoilery.

Sound like a fun book? Then go get it!

A digital copy of this book was given to me through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Sandra "Jeanz" · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY REVIEW
I received an e-copy of this book via Girls Heart Books in exchange for my honest review and blog tour participation. Well what can I say about the two different covers for this book. The one pictured to the left with the city pictured on it is the e-book cover, and the one pictured on the right is the paperback cover. I do like them both. I suppose the e-book cover is perhaps more dystopian-esque having the remains of a town on it with the smoke from the devastation still rising into the air. the paperback cover has a female on the front cover. I'd say the female is the main character in the book Olivia Parker, she is standing alone with what looks like devastation all around. I think the e-book cover will appeal to those bigger dystopian fans where as the paperback cover may attract those who perhaps aren't such big dystopian fans or maybe wanting to try something new and different.
I have to say I would pick up either of these covers to learn more about the book. I do truly like both covers.
The book really starts with a marriage ceremony, there's five boys and five girls standing on a stage waiting to be told who the government has paired them up with. The girls all wear white dresses, its the only time they will ever wear white in their lives for their marriage ceremony. They know who the boys are as they have been at school and all come from the same neighbourhood, but they haven't been dating or anything. Olivia stands fourth in line watching three other pairings made hoping she doesn't get paired with the disgustingly smelly Levi. If she does get paired with him she'll just have to make the best of it, as what the government says and decrees is law. Olivia lets out a breath of relief when her match is called as Joshua. They have been childhood friends so at least they know each other a little. they go to their house, given them by the government, with its government issued furniture and food. Everyone has the same, no one is allowed to be different. Relationships are different in Cabal, as you do not have "personal relations" there is a lottery called "the day Of the Chosen" if you are "lucky2 and your number comes up you are allowed to have a child. You are taken away to the clinic to be inseminated. no one has children naturally anymore . . . . . or do they? Olivia's mum say's she needs to speak with Olivia and Joshua after their marriage ceremony, it is something of utmost importance . . . but that secret meeting doesn't happen, first Olivia is arrested, then her mother. Why? Well Hmmm I'll say Olivia is "different" in such a way it makes her a rather valuable commodity.
There's lots going on there's a secret journal written by Olivia's father. There's the fact that Olivia and how she is "different" has become somewhat of a myth to those in other settlements. There's action, drama, conspiracy, mystery, intrigue and a little bit of romance too. I think there's a bit of something for everyone in this book. I'd definitely put it high on my favourite dystopian book list.
Olivia and Joshua escape but seem to go to one situation where they will be used to another. I don't want to say much more to you as you really do need to read this book. I'd say most people will enjoy it. I don't think you need to be a big dystopian fan like me to love this book.
So did I enjoy the book? Loved it! Would I read Bk#2? Definitely as soon as it's available for me to read! Would I recommend the book? Yes I do highly recommend it, like I said I think you don't need to be a big dystopian fan to love this book either! Would I read more by Ruth Silver? I would do yes, I like her style and pace of writing, there's never a dull moment there's always something happening or the scene being set for the next big happening.

[Trish at Between My Lines · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aberrant is a fast paced dystopia, it is like striking a match and starting an uncontained fire. It spreads quickly in all directions and you are never sure where it will go next. Overall I found it an entertaining read but have to say it’s not totally original.

The story starts on Olivia’s graduation day which in the society she lives in is also her marriage ceremony day. The government will match the 16 boys and 16 girls in her class with each other. Olivia is sick with nerves during the ceremony while awaiting to hear her fate and then over the moon with the announcement. Olivia is ecstatic to be matched with her best friend Joshua and is looking forward to their new home and life together. And maybe in the future they will be lucky enough to be chosen in the lottery to win a child who will be conceived in the lab.

But then things go abruptly and shockingly wrong. Olivia is arrested that very night and thrown in jail. She finds out a truth about her life, she is Aberrant. An oddity that was born and not created in the lab . Thanks to a little help, Joshua helps her escape from prison and the newly weds have to go on the run from the government. The action kicks off from here and it’s pretty much a fast race to the finish of the book.

The story is told in first person perspective by Olivia. This helps to plunge us headfirst into the action and we are as confused and terrified at Olivia is by what happens her. We also get glimpses of what life is like in Cabal. All is relatively good when you toe the line but consequences when you don’t are swift and unmerciful.

I had an up and down relationship with Olivia, I liked her, then not so much and then I liked her again. I felt she was a bit thankless and moany with those who helped her. There is good character development though and as the book moves on we see she is honest, brave and most of all kind. Olivia has a tendency to help the underdog that finally won me over and is also very determined to do things on her terms and I like that she developed backbone as the book went on. Joshua is loyal and protective from the start of the book and it’s easy to like him.

The pace of the book worked well too, we moved quickly and the plot never had a chance to drag. My biggest criticism with this book is that it is a bit the same as so many other dystopias. A pinch of Divergent, a cup of The Hunger Games, a splash of Matched. Mix well and add some secret ingredients and you have Aberrant.

Some parts of the book are original and worked well. I would like to see the author have faith in her imagination and just let it run riot and be totally creative and unique in her next book. I think Ruth Silver has promise and I look forward to reading the follow up in time.

I would like to thank the author for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest unbiased review.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with Olivia and Josh almost immediately. Their banter and dynamic was great. There was lots of action in every scene and tons of twists and turns that no one can see coming. Great imagery, plenty of detail without killing the book. A great dystopian and all around fun read. I eagerly look forward to the next book in the series.

[Gabriela Hedlund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aberrant is a must read book! Even for those who aren't into reading much would love it. The book is all about a girl who hopes for a world much different from the one she lives in. She is told who to marry but has read about what romance and true love is and longs for it. Now it is up to her to change it all. READ READ READ!!!

[Abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating - 2.75

The main characters in this were okay at first, but they annoyed me after a bit, and they got worse as the story progressed.

This was pretty good at the start, but it went downhill unfortunately. I lost interest, and the book just couldn't get it back.

Not sure if I want to continue the series or not.

[Lynsey is Reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh, cover, you so pretty! Why you lie to meeee?

This book didn't really work for me and there are, on the surface, a lot of reasons why it should have. Firstly, because I love dystopians. And I also love mystery and intrigue. I love friends-to-lovers, and I love YA. What I don't love are books that feel like they're trying to cash in on a popular genre, rather than adding something new or dynamic to it.

ABERRANT tries to be everyone's friend. Kinda like those people you meet who seem to change and morph into a completely new personality right before your eyes depending on what crowd they're in or who they're speaking to, but otherwise seem devoid of their own authentic personality. Maybe they had one once, but they've been pretending to be so many other people for so long in order to fit in, they've forgotten.

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You can't please all of the people all of the time. And you can't fool all of the people, either. Adding lots of different (and familiar) ideas from the dystopian genre all into one book, didn't make this the Über Dystopian the author was probably hoping for - the one that has it all, the best bits from all the bestsellers. No, no. It really didn't. It just made a mish mash, a hodge podge of different individual stories that did not, in any way, work as a whole.

As the characters moved from location to location it was like moving through each familiar book. "Oh, look! Now we're in the Hunger Games section!" Or like the author wasn't sure which story she wanted to tell, so she flitted and drifted and refused to settle on one idea. I haven't recapped the plot in my review for this very reason; it was too messy. It would take too long to explain all the little mini stories.

So, this one wasn't the book for me, sadly, but I did have oodles of fun .gif hunting, so... bygones.

2 Stars ★★
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 A local author in my area and her first book. As I am sure everyone knows the Dystopian novel had been a prevailing fad for several years now and this is a another such novel. It was okay. I think this market is somewhat overdone and it is hard to come up with a totally original concept for this. Some of the book reminded me of Ally Condie's series but after Joshua and Olivia escape and does become more original and interesting. Could have used better editing in spots but the bare bones of the novel were solid.