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The Cure
"One life will make the difference." Macey Holsinger has been hearing that promise her whole life. But it hasn't saved anyone yet, not even her little brother.
The disease has claimed countless lives in the last hundred years, and the government is working hard to find a cure through human testing. Testing that has killed nearly as many people as the disease.
At sixteen, Macey has better things to think about than saving lives and submitting to any rule other than her parents'. As a budding artist, she has her whole life ahead of her, at least until she faces her own testing.
Questions plague Macey. Questions that make everyone else nervous. How can death be justified with more death? What's the point of all this?
Answers evade her until she's left with only one question: How much will she sacrifice in the name of the cure?
If you liked The Hunger Games or Divergent, you'll love The Cure!
The disease has claimed countless lives in the last hundred years, and the government is working hard to find a cure through human testing. Testing that has killed nearly as many people as the disease.
At sixteen, Macey has better things to think about than saving lives and submitting to any rule other than her parents'. As a budding artist, she has her whole life ahead of her, at least until she faces her own testing.
Questions plague Macey. Questions that make everyone else nervous. How can death be justified with more death? What's the point of all this?
Answers evade her until she's left with only one question: How much will she sacrifice in the name of the cure?
If you liked The Hunger Games or Divergent, you'll love The Cure!
213 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 14, 2013
63 people are currently reading
896 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Erickson
33 books304 followersI really hate writing these in third person. So hey! I'm Stephanie. I have all kinds of books including post-apocalyptic, dystopian, and paranormal romance. This is my first venture into clean rom-com, and I gotta tell ya, I loved it. I have 12 books planned for the Calendar Girls standalone series, so buckle up, buttercups! It's gonna be a fun ride, and I do hope you'll join me!
What else do you want to know? My husband can usually be found sailing the skies as an airline captain, and my daughter is TEN now (::commence sobbing at the cruel passage of time::)!
I love to connect with readers, so please reach out any time! With nice things of course. Please don't troll me LOL. I have kindof a sharp tongue and little restraint when provoked. It's not cute.
www.facebook.com/stephmerickson
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What else do you want to know? My husband can usually be found sailing the skies as an airline captain, and my daughter is TEN now (::commence sobbing at the cruel passage of time::)!
I love to connect with readers, so please reach out any time! With nice things of course. Please don't troll me LOL. I have kindof a sharp tongue and little restraint when provoked. It's not cute.
www.facebook.com/stephmerickson
www.instagram.com/authorsmerickson
www.stephanieericksonbooks.com
And, I have a newsletter! Sign up for exclusive access to giveaways, updates on new books, and sales!
https://mailchi.mp/stephanieericksonb...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
March 12, 2014
I couldn't put this book down, I started it for some 'light reading' before bed, and managed to read through the night until I finished. I am surprised, I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. The story is one of our main character, Macey Holsinger, and her life leading up to her Date. The Date is just that, a date on the calendar, that everyone is given on their 16th birthday. The date is for no earlier than their 20th birthday, and on that date, every 10 years, they must go to the government for testing. Testing to find the cure of 'the disease'. The disease, that's been around for over a hundred years (I don't remember exactly how long) but no cure has been found. American's freedom has become less free...all in the name of the cure.
There are twists that you kinda see coming, but twists nonetheless in the story as well.
I found the storyline interesting, and the way the author has described this new America, I thought she was on to something. The way Macey thought outside the box that the government put her in, the author was definitely on the right track...then she slipped. Not far, but, slipped nonetheless. She could have done SOOOOOOO much with this idea, and she already had a great foundation. The characters were well thought out, and relationships formed between the reader and each character to the point that when one dies, I'm bawling my eyes out. The author was >thisclose< and then she seemed to quit. I felt like she just decided to quit the book, and threw down an ending. It felt so rushed, I'm flipping back and forth on my kindle, searching up the book online, trying to figure out where the rest of it went. As much as it pains me, I have to say that the ending was so off-putting I'm not sure if I want to read anything else by her. She raised my hopes so high...*sigh* besides the ending, there were a few inconsistencies in the book that can be overlooked, but bothered me, so I'm putting them here, in case the author wants to read my drivel....
In the beginning of the book, Macey's attention is directed to a flag in her history book, but she doesn't even know what a flag is. HOWEVER, we're told that she's watched schindler's list, lord of the rings, back to the future, and has access to all sorts of 'old' movies...of which SOOOO many of them would show FLAGS.
Then there's the TV. To quote Macey "I'd seen a television at the museum, so I had a basic understanding..." ..."today everything was digital and stored on your home's mainframe. There were no televisions, only high definition projectors"... but yet, they 'gather around the TV' quite a few times in the book.
(I said they can be overlooked, and I already called my writings drivel, so if you're still reading, you can't complain) there were a couple other things, like the home decontamination thing, and how it seemed to take a while, but then all of a sudden everyone else is just walking into the house and it seems they're no longer being decontaminated by 'Rosie' (the house), and do places of business or employment do decontamination? We're never told she'd been decontaminated before walking into the studio, or art gallery, or anything....anyway. So. Aside from that? Amazing book. I'm just stuck on the lackluster ending *sigh*
There are twists that you kinda see coming, but twists nonetheless in the story as well.
I found the storyline interesting, and the way the author has described this new America, I thought she was on to something. The way Macey thought outside the box that the government put her in, the author was definitely on the right track...then she slipped. Not far, but, slipped nonetheless. She could have done SOOOOOOO much with this idea, and she already had a great foundation. The characters were well thought out, and relationships formed between the reader and each character to the point that when one dies, I'm bawling my eyes out. The author was >thisclose< and then she seemed to quit. I felt like she just decided to quit the book, and threw down an ending. It felt so rushed, I'm flipping back and forth on my kindle, searching up the book online, trying to figure out where the rest of it went. As much as it pains me, I have to say that the ending was so off-putting I'm not sure if I want to read anything else by her. She raised my hopes so high...*sigh* besides the ending, there were a few inconsistencies in the book that can be overlooked, but bothered me, so I'm putting them here, in case the author wants to read my drivel....
In the beginning of the book, Macey's attention is directed to a flag in her history book, but she doesn't even know what a flag is. HOWEVER, we're told that she's watched schindler's list, lord of the rings, back to the future, and has access to all sorts of 'old' movies...of which SOOOO many of them would show FLAGS.
Then there's the TV. To quote Macey "I'd seen a television at the museum, so I had a basic understanding..." ..."today everything was digital and stored on your home's mainframe. There were no televisions, only high definition projectors"... but yet, they 'gather around the TV' quite a few times in the book.
(I said they can be overlooked, and I already called my writings drivel, so if you're still reading, you can't complain) there were a couple other things, like the home decontamination thing, and how it seemed to take a while, but then all of a sudden everyone else is just walking into the house and it seems they're no longer being decontaminated by 'Rosie' (the house), and do places of business or employment do decontamination? We're never told she'd been decontaminated before walking into the studio, or art gallery, or anything....anyway. So. Aside from that? Amazing book. I'm just stuck on the lackluster ending *sigh*
March 18, 2015
The story is utterly riveting. Stephanie sets up a believable character in a realistic world of the future, the adds layers of despair and claustrophobia like chiffon on a wedding gown. Each adding subtly to the whole until you find your heart hammering along with the heroine's.
The characters are all well fleshed out, and you can almost feel the bad guys breathing down your neck. I almost never cry at movies or books, but I had to take a break from this to stop myself from bawling... which would have been very hard to explain to the babysitter. I practically swallowed the book whole in one sitting, reading 2 chapters yesterday and the rest today.
My only complaint was that it seemed to end too fast though that might just be because I want more. I can't wait for the next book by this author.
The characters are all well fleshed out, and you can almost feel the bad guys breathing down your neck. I almost never cry at movies or books, but I had to take a break from this to stop myself from bawling... which would have been very hard to explain to the babysitter. I practically swallowed the book whole in one sitting, reading 2 chapters yesterday and the rest today.
My only complaint was that it seemed to end too fast though that might just be because I want more. I can't wait for the next book by this author.
March 8, 2016
I'm so confused as to how I should rate this book. The beginning was quite interesting, but then the story didn't seem to go anywhere. I actually stopped reading for a few weeks and almost gave up. I finally picked it back up and I'm glad I did.
I feel like the story could've been better in the sense that, being dystopian, I expected maybe a little more to the world, a little more action. The story just follows the main character with her daily life and nothing else really happens.
I would've given it a lower rating, but towards the end, the book really picks up and it's really interesting. And of course, the ending was really good, which saved it for me!
I feel like the story could've been better in the sense that, being dystopian, I expected maybe a little more to the world, a little more action. The story just follows the main character with her daily life and nothing else really happens.
I would've given it a lower rating, but towards the end, the book really picks up and it's really interesting. And of course, the ending was really good, which saved it for me!
January 7, 2014
I've read and enjoyed both of Stephanie Erickson's books, and while I thoroughly enjoyed The Blackout, I can see her growth as a writer in The Cure. Her characters are very well presented and rounded out. The concept is intriguing, and the book appeals to many ages of readers. The main character is a rebellious teen in a land of tight government controls. Her problems are believable and thought-provoking. I don't usually like dystopia-type books, but this one is so character-driven, that I may be converted to the genre! Can't wait to read more from this budding author!
August 3, 2014
I really enjoyed this story and found it difficult to put down. Set in a realistic but frightening time in the future, against a background of despair, with only the love of family and friends to keep you going, especially when your 'date' is looming.
The characters are very believable which brought out strong emotions as the story progressed. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is that I was a little disappointed by the ending.
The characters are very believable which brought out strong emotions as the story progressed. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is that I was a little disappointed by the ending.
August 5, 2014
Awesome read!
Awesome read!
This book was not only eye opening to the way our world could be but very well written with a good story line! I felt so connect with the characters and felt like I was feeling exactly what Macey was feeling! If your into dystopian type books I would definitely recommend this one!
Awesome read!
This book was not only eye opening to the way our world could be but very well written with a good story line! I felt so connect with the characters and felt like I was feeling exactly what Macey was feeling! If your into dystopian type books I would definitely recommend this one!
April 7, 2014
It was "alright." Started off well and I expected something to happen. It didn't. The ending was predictable and a little boring. Pretty much no conflict. When she learns to throw more wrenches at her protags she'll be fine.
March 5, 2015
Stephanie Erickson has a true gift. I was submerged into Macey's world from chapter 1, sending me on a roller coaster ride of emotions. You will laugh, cry, and cheer until the very end!
April 1, 2020
Excellent book. It’s a possible future given this pandemic we’re having right now. The book was written in 2013 and centers around a pandemic that starts in 2020, and the story is 100 years later. Well written and loved the main character and I share the sentiments she has in the story.
February 7, 2018
Well written
Felt plausible, easy to feel the characters. Excellent middle or high school age reading. Looking forward to reading more from this author
Felt plausible, easy to feel the characters. Excellent middle or high school age reading. Looking forward to reading more from this author
January 7, 2019
AMAZING
I loved this book! Although it took me two days to read, I enjoyed the book thoroughly. Can you make a sacrifice of that substance?
I loved this book! Although it took me two days to read, I enjoyed the book thoroughly. Can you make a sacrifice of that substance?
May 3, 2019
Had a lot of potential but left me wanting more.
September 25, 2019
Cure For A Disease
This is set in a near future where the central character learns he is the cure for a disease. Like the set up however the story didn't really grab me.
This is set in a near future where the central character learns he is the cure for a disease. Like the set up however the story didn't really grab me.
February 8, 2020
Interesting
Kinda weird the Coronavirus is here now and this book speaks to a lot of the same issues. Could this be our future!
Kinda weird the Coronavirus is here now and this book speaks to a lot of the same issues. Could this be our future!
February 10, 2020
A lot of build up and quickly wrapped with an unrealistic bow.
January 27, 2021
.5 stars
May 11, 2023
Having read this in a post pandemic world, thank GOD this is still fiction.
March 20, 2020
NOT crazy about the ending
June 5, 2015
“I gladly sacrifice my life for the good of others. One life will make the difference, and that life could be mine. For this reason, I’m devoted to finding the cure.” (Kindle Locations 59-60).
In a world that is on quarantine from a disease that kills 75% of the population, the push for the cure also lowers life expectancies. It is only through human trials that the government thinks a cure can be found. “Sixteen was a big birthday, though. The year everyone got their date— the day when you would live or die, the day when you would endure the experiments to find a cure. Everyone was given a date that would not precede their twentieth birthday. The date was then effective for the rest of your life. Every ten years, you would endure the testing on that date, until your sixtieth birthday— if you lived that long.” (Kindle Locations 457-459).
Macey questions the system of dates. Is there really even a disease or is the Cure a way to keep the people in line and the population in control? Macey is an artist about to enter her final year of schooling when she finds out her date will arrive two years earlier than anybody else’s has. She feels gypped, that her whole world and all that she knows is in chaos. She ponders quitting school and starting an artist apprenticeship. She ponders politically incorrect drawings. She ponders life as those around her come up on their own dates and may never return.
Stephanie Erickson is able to build her world from the very first sentence. She evokes the time and the setting with those first words. I was shown right away a totalitarian society in a post-apocalyptic dying world and I knew I was going to love this book. Erickson lays out all the important information in the beginning of the story, but layers it throughout the interactions the main character Macey has with her world and environment.
I enjoyed the fact that Macey had one skill and one activity she liked above others. She was an artist and her world revolved around her art and the way she creatively viewed herself and her world. I have never been much of an artist or understood having that kind of skill, so seeing it through Macey’s eyes was exhilarating and eye-opening. On top of a good story with emotional draw, Erickson gave me something else to take away from The Cure.
After the initial setup for the plot and showing the condition the main characters lived in and how their world was set up, the plot began to meander and you’re just waiting for the other boot to drop. It is Macey’s date. Her date is significant. Will the book just end? What will happen? The reader isn’t given much information, just like Macey isn’t until she gets there.
I like how Erickson crafted the ultimate difficult situation for her main character and showed how Macey thought through her decision and the supposed consequences of each decision and how they would affect her life. It’s always fascinating to watch someone struggle with an important decision and to feel their anxiety and watch as they choose their paths in life. Erickson captured Macey’s emotional struggle in this novel.
In a world that is on quarantine from a disease that kills 75% of the population, the push for the cure also lowers life expectancies. It is only through human trials that the government thinks a cure can be found. “Sixteen was a big birthday, though. The year everyone got their date— the day when you would live or die, the day when you would endure the experiments to find a cure. Everyone was given a date that would not precede their twentieth birthday. The date was then effective for the rest of your life. Every ten years, you would endure the testing on that date, until your sixtieth birthday— if you lived that long.” (Kindle Locations 457-459).
Macey questions the system of dates. Is there really even a disease or is the Cure a way to keep the people in line and the population in control? Macey is an artist about to enter her final year of schooling when she finds out her date will arrive two years earlier than anybody else’s has. She feels gypped, that her whole world and all that she knows is in chaos. She ponders quitting school and starting an artist apprenticeship. She ponders politically incorrect drawings. She ponders life as those around her come up on their own dates and may never return.
Stephanie Erickson is able to build her world from the very first sentence. She evokes the time and the setting with those first words. I was shown right away a totalitarian society in a post-apocalyptic dying world and I knew I was going to love this book. Erickson lays out all the important information in the beginning of the story, but layers it throughout the interactions the main character Macey has with her world and environment.
I enjoyed the fact that Macey had one skill and one activity she liked above others. She was an artist and her world revolved around her art and the way she creatively viewed herself and her world. I have never been much of an artist or understood having that kind of skill, so seeing it through Macey’s eyes was exhilarating and eye-opening. On top of a good story with emotional draw, Erickson gave me something else to take away from The Cure.
After the initial setup for the plot and showing the condition the main characters lived in and how their world was set up, the plot began to meander and you’re just waiting for the other boot to drop. It is Macey’s date. Her date is significant. Will the book just end? What will happen? The reader isn’t given much information, just like Macey isn’t until she gets there.
I like how Erickson crafted the ultimate difficult situation for her main character and showed how Macey thought through her decision and the supposed consequences of each decision and how they would affect her life. It’s always fascinating to watch someone struggle with an important decision and to feel their anxiety and watch as they choose their paths in life. Erickson captured Macey’s emotional struggle in this novel.
December 1, 2014
The Cure by Stephanie Erickson starts out like all dystopian society books out there. Something has flipped North America upside down, and turned it into a twisted society with rules and regulations that can only be described as cruel.
But that's where the similarities stopped.
In The Cure, a deadly disease has spread throughout North America, and nearly wiped out everyone in its path. Although, thanks to this new society's founding fathers, the disease has eventually slowed down with frequent testing on those who sacrifice themselves for the greater good. (Which means, all those who have not been wiped out by the disease are forced to sacrifice themselves to find a cure.)
Now, finding a cure for the horrible sickness may sound good at first...but will you be willing to risk your life, and your family's lives for the cause?
This is where we meet Macey Holsinger. Macey's date is rapidly approaching. This is the day where Macey finds out when she will officially be tested for the first time to try and help to find a cure. Macey would be excited to hear this news, if it weren't for the fact that most of the population doesn't survive the government's "tests" to find a cure.
Will Macey survive her testing? Or will she find a way to avoid her imminent demise?
I loved this book. I love, love, LOVED this book!
It had the same ingredients to make the perfect Young Adult, dystopian society novel, but it had an extra spice in there to make it incredible.
Ms Erickson's writing and way of describing characters, scenery, scenes, etc., made it easy to read, enjoy, and understand. She didn't go over the top with details to bore you, and most of all, her main character was LIKABLE. There are too many books I read with female main characters, even popular ones that I've rated five stars, that make me want to toss the book across the room and kick it out the door. But The Cure didn't have that. I fell in love with Macey the day she painted the forbidden American flag in art class. (Don't ask, just read the book.)
As I write this, I have just finished The Blackout (by the same author), and I can say now, with gusto, that Stephanie Erickson's stories are completely irresistible.
The Cure is amazing. That's all I can say about it. And without spoiling things, I will say that part of the reason why I loved this book so much, was because I absolutely adored its ending. It is unlike any other.
Between you and me (and, well, all of the other people who are probably reading this), I loved this book much more than I loved some New York Times Bestselling series in the same genre. I could easily see The Cure making it to that list, and bypassing some popular series along the way.
But that's where the similarities stopped.
In The Cure, a deadly disease has spread throughout North America, and nearly wiped out everyone in its path. Although, thanks to this new society's founding fathers, the disease has eventually slowed down with frequent testing on those who sacrifice themselves for the greater good. (Which means, all those who have not been wiped out by the disease are forced to sacrifice themselves to find a cure.)
Now, finding a cure for the horrible sickness may sound good at first...but will you be willing to risk your life, and your family's lives for the cause?
This is where we meet Macey Holsinger. Macey's date is rapidly approaching. This is the day where Macey finds out when she will officially be tested for the first time to try and help to find a cure. Macey would be excited to hear this news, if it weren't for the fact that most of the population doesn't survive the government's "tests" to find a cure.
Will Macey survive her testing? Or will she find a way to avoid her imminent demise?
I loved this book. I love, love, LOVED this book!
It had the same ingredients to make the perfect Young Adult, dystopian society novel, but it had an extra spice in there to make it incredible.
Ms Erickson's writing and way of describing characters, scenery, scenes, etc., made it easy to read, enjoy, and understand. She didn't go over the top with details to bore you, and most of all, her main character was LIKABLE. There are too many books I read with female main characters, even popular ones that I've rated five stars, that make me want to toss the book across the room and kick it out the door. But The Cure didn't have that. I fell in love with Macey the day she painted the forbidden American flag in art class. (Don't ask, just read the book.)
As I write this, I have just finished The Blackout (by the same author), and I can say now, with gusto, that Stephanie Erickson's stories are completely irresistible.
The Cure is amazing. That's all I can say about it. And without spoiling things, I will say that part of the reason why I loved this book so much, was because I absolutely adored its ending. It is unlike any other.
Between you and me (and, well, all of the other people who are probably reading this), I loved this book much more than I loved some New York Times Bestselling series in the same genre. I could easily see The Cure making it to that list, and bypassing some popular series along the way.
May 21, 2015
For once, a heroine with a temper - Macey really is a handful. In the beginning, I thought it was pure stupidity. It does qualify as stupid to paint a banned symbol for an art project and be enraged when threatened to be punished for it. Later on, I understood her better. Though it's not wise to be rebellious, it sometimes is the right thing to do.
I loved how "The Cure" was a lot about art. It gave Macey and her story depth. Though the world building is still a bit sketchy and doing the math behind it all doesn't help that . And I'm also going to complain about the fact that none of the characters in this book seemed to understand probabilities. Yes, it's petty, but just because you know a lot of people who died on their date it doesn't mean that you're chances to stay alive are higher. Those events are not dependent on each other. Only if it's about genetics and then having your parents die will not improve your odds. So, 'nuff said 'bout math.
"The Cure" was in many ways unputdownable and I did read it in almost only a day. Though I still think the end was a bit illogical I would recommend "The Cure" to lovers of dystopian novels.
I loved how "The Cure" was a lot about art. It gave Macey and her story depth. Though the world building is still a bit sketchy and doing the math behind it all doesn't help that . And I'm also going to complain about the fact that none of the characters in this book seemed to understand probabilities. Yes, it's petty, but just because you know a lot of people who died on their date it doesn't mean that you're chances to stay alive are higher. Those events are not dependent on each other. Only if it's about genetics and then having your parents die will not improve your odds. So, 'nuff said 'bout math.
"The Cure" was in many ways unputdownable and I did read it in almost only a day. Though I still think the end was a bit illogical I would recommend "The Cure" to lovers of dystopian novels.
August 22, 2014
I started off really enjoying "The Cure" by Stephanie Erickson and quickly found myself captivated by the characters and their dystopian world. I was intrigued by "the disease" and the questions around the government and its way of controlling the disease and the citizens. I felt like the author could have given more overall detail throughout the book about "the disease" and the life of the citizens. The author did a great job on creating great characters whom I generally cared for but I also wanted to know a lot more about what was going on around these characters and the history of the US that got them to that point. At most, the author really only gave glimpses into the past that were enough to really wet the appetite but not enough information was then given to fully satisfy, at least in my opinion. The only other reason why I rated "The Cure" only three stars was because I found the ending to be anticlimactic. There was a lot of lead-up to the end and what would become of the characters involved, specifically the main character, and I found it disappointing in that there was a very minimal "climax" to the story (and I hate to even call it that) and then the story just ended abruptly after with what seemed to be an as-happy-as-it's-going-to-be-ever-after motif. Given the overall potential of how the story started, it makes it all the more disappointing to have a dud ending, and yet I still find myself thinking about the book and the characters, so that alone tells me how much I really did enjoy it.
February 18, 2016
*received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*
WHOA. So this was a new type of reading for me because it revolved around a girl in the near future who's suffered massive loss and confusion with her own country, wondering why everything is so repressed and hush-hush. When I first read this, I was mildly annoyed with the 16yo because she couldn't seem to comprehend what her actions brought about (and I know she's smart so there shouldn't be an excuse). However, after the third instance my annoyance totally flipped over to the other side and I really appreciated and admired her inner rebellion streak, her inner self that refused to be or even understand such a thing as repression.
Despite this story only consisting of Macey's two years with her struggle in such harsh and unfair circumstances, the emotions and interactions with her friends, family and other characters really made things interesting. I was enthralled the entire time with the simplest things between her and her parents, and I think it was because at any given time, one or all of them could drop dead due to the sickness.
The ending was a pretty expected thing though I was still satisfied with how it turned out. I'm glad it ended the way it did because at least things went down.... well the way it did lol. The writing was great, I really got into Macey's head and at times felt like I was living through her. I got a lot of things out of this without having to dedicate to one just thing. It's a big recommend for me.
WHOA. So this was a new type of reading for me because it revolved around a girl in the near future who's suffered massive loss and confusion with her own country, wondering why everything is so repressed and hush-hush. When I first read this, I was mildly annoyed with the 16yo because she couldn't seem to comprehend what her actions brought about (and I know she's smart so there shouldn't be an excuse). However, after the third instance my annoyance totally flipped over to the other side and I really appreciated and admired her inner rebellion streak, her inner self that refused to be or even understand such a thing as repression.
Despite this story only consisting of Macey's two years with her struggle in such harsh and unfair circumstances, the emotions and interactions with her friends, family and other characters really made things interesting. I was enthralled the entire time with the simplest things between her and her parents, and I think it was because at any given time, one or all of them could drop dead due to the sickness.
The ending was a pretty expected thing though I was still satisfied with how it turned out. I'm glad it ended the way it did because at least things went down.... well the way it did lol. The writing was great, I really got into Macey's head and at times felt like I was living through her. I got a lot of things out of this without having to dedicate to one just thing. It's a big recommend for me.
January 23, 2016
I’m always very skeptical about books in the free section and in the dystopian, Young Adult genre. The abundance of the less-than-riveting choices is astounding and not in a good way. But, The Cure shocked me and I loved it.
The first thing that I noticed was that this is under the dystopian genre, but if you look at the title of this review, this isn’t a series. Yes, this is a young adult dystopian book that is not a series. Everything is tied up in just one book and that is amazing.
Macey Holsinger is the heroine, and she honestly is. Macey is in tenth grade, loves art, misses her little brother, has two parents and a best friend who’s like a brother, and a whole lot of questions. Her questions and natural instinct to defy what everyone just accepts gets her in trouble in school, but lands her an opportunity she would’ve given almost anything to participate in. Macey had a well-developed personality. She went through a range of emotions: anger, sadness, fear, depression, determination, and so on. Her main objective wasn’t to take down the government nor was it to just let the government do whatever it wanted and I respect Erickson for pulling that off. Macy was real, a person who just happened to live inside of a book. She loved, cried, screamed, defied, glared, stayed in a vegetable state for a week, stood up for herself, questioned everything including herself, thought outside the box, cared, and never stopped being human...
Read the rest of this review and more here: https://paigeturnerreads.wordpress.co...
The first thing that I noticed was that this is under the dystopian genre, but if you look at the title of this review, this isn’t a series. Yes, this is a young adult dystopian book that is not a series. Everything is tied up in just one book and that is amazing.
Macey Holsinger is the heroine, and she honestly is. Macey is in tenth grade, loves art, misses her little brother, has two parents and a best friend who’s like a brother, and a whole lot of questions. Her questions and natural instinct to defy what everyone just accepts gets her in trouble in school, but lands her an opportunity she would’ve given almost anything to participate in. Macey had a well-developed personality. She went through a range of emotions: anger, sadness, fear, depression, determination, and so on. Her main objective wasn’t to take down the government nor was it to just let the government do whatever it wanted and I respect Erickson for pulling that off. Macy was real, a person who just happened to live inside of a book. She loved, cried, screamed, defied, glared, stayed in a vegetable state for a week, stood up for herself, questioned everything including herself, thought outside the box, cared, and never stopped being human...
Read the rest of this review and more here: https://paigeturnerreads.wordpress.co...
February 22, 2015
I purchased this book from the author when my library had an event that featured 40 local authors. The only two books I purchased that day were both by Stephanie Erickson -- a very nice woman, indeed.
I'm so relieved to know that the government has not banned pizza, nachos or sunbathing in 2113. I would have thought that the nanny state would have done that by then. Yay us!
That was said tongue-in-cheek. Actually, I quite enjoyed this book. I'm a big fan of dystopian literature and also a pretty big fan of YA.
The Cure is set in the period between 2110 and 2120. Society as we know it has been devastated by a massive plague. The government's main concern is to try to find a cure. I don't want to give away too much information about how they do this. Suffice it to say that it's a very believable concept. The story revolves around a high school girl named Macey. Macy is a typical, high-spirited high school student. She is a very talented artist and expresses her deepest feelings through her out after losing her brother and her best friend to the disease.
I don't know what else to say without spoiling the story for everyone, so I will simply say, "Read this book. You won't be disappointed."
I'm so relieved to know that the government has not banned pizza, nachos or sunbathing in 2113. I would have thought that the nanny state would have done that by then. Yay us!
That was said tongue-in-cheek. Actually, I quite enjoyed this book. I'm a big fan of dystopian literature and also a pretty big fan of YA.
The Cure is set in the period between 2110 and 2120. Society as we know it has been devastated by a massive plague. The government's main concern is to try to find a cure. I don't want to give away too much information about how they do this. Suffice it to say that it's a very believable concept. The story revolves around a high school girl named Macey. Macy is a typical, high-spirited high school student. She is a very talented artist and expresses her deepest feelings through her out after losing her brother and her best friend to the disease.
I don't know what else to say without spoiling the story for everyone, so I will simply say, "Read this book. You won't be disappointed."
September 7, 2015
Not your usual dystopian YA
This little gem doesn't feature a plucky hero or heroine defying some monolithic state and getting a liplock in. It does feature a plucky defiant art student, Macey, her loving family, and her boyfriend. And a parallel contemporary society (you can tell by the pop culture references) ravaged by a disease that makes the Ebola scare look like a boo boo. The bureaucracy of The Facility, the hospital where all people have to submit to testing to find The Cure, is more Maze Runner and The Trial than The Capitol. Coincidentally (yeah right) as Macey begins to use her art to criticize society, she's called up for Testing. Will she survive?
Macey's defiance may just be the medicine her society needs to find the answer. Or not. Because Macey is a reluctant heroine. Even though the ending surprised me (pleasantly), I found the plot totally believable. I would have liked to have a couple more tests of Macey's resolve, but otherwise the story is solid.
This little gem doesn't feature a plucky hero or heroine defying some monolithic state and getting a liplock in. It does feature a plucky defiant art student, Macey, her loving family, and her boyfriend. And a parallel contemporary society (you can tell by the pop culture references) ravaged by a disease that makes the Ebola scare look like a boo boo. The bureaucracy of The Facility, the hospital where all people have to submit to testing to find The Cure, is more Maze Runner and The Trial than The Capitol. Coincidentally (yeah right) as Macey begins to use her art to criticize society, she's called up for Testing. Will she survive?
Macey's defiance may just be the medicine her society needs to find the answer. Or not. Because Macey is a reluctant heroine. Even though the ending surprised me (pleasantly), I found the plot totally believable. I would have liked to have a couple more tests of Macey's resolve, but otherwise the story is solid.
January 30, 2017
This book was very intriguing, much different than any I've read. People are living in a society very controlled by the government. The setting stakes place approximately 100 years into the future, and the world has been ravaged by a disease that, once contracted, leaves no hope for survival. Scientists are searching for a cure, and citizens are required to report to the Facility on a date chosen by the government for their turn to be experimented upon. The hope is that these experiences will one day lead to a cure for this terrible disease. The reality is that the experiments could leave one maimed or dead, but some do survive to await their next round of experiments.
The main character, Macey, is a high school student who lost her young brother to the disease many years earlier. Although her parents, her teachers and her friends seem to accept life as it is, Macey continues to push the limits and challenges the ideals of the day. A very interesting story of a young, rebellious teen who must face her fears and decide for herself what it means to become a responsible adult.
The main character, Macey, is a high school student who lost her young brother to the disease many years earlier. Although her parents, her teachers and her friends seem to accept life as it is, Macey continues to push the limits and challenges the ideals of the day. A very interesting story of a young, rebellious teen who must face her fears and decide for herself what it means to become a responsible adult.
February 7, 2018
One-hundred years into the future, the government controls everything. Where you live. How you prosper. What happens when you come of age. In this unsettling version of the apocalypse, we follow a young woman named Macey Holsinger as she struggles to face not only a future uncertain, but her upcoming Date: an event in which she will be subjected to mandatory medical testing to participate in the government’s search for a cure. There’s no guarantee that Macey will survive. If she does, she has a chance of leading a somewhat-normal life. But if she doesn’t, she’ll leave not only a promising future, but her family, behind.
Tight, fast-paced, and shocking, The Cure by Stephanie Erickson offers everything fans of young-adult and end-of-the-world fiction could want. With a likable heroine, a gripping and unsettling world, and a constant sense of fear over the unknown, this riveting page-turner of a novel leaves you glued to your seat as you long to discover young Macey’s fate. I can’t recommend it enough.
Tight, fast-paced, and shocking, The Cure by Stephanie Erickson offers everything fans of young-adult and end-of-the-world fiction could want. With a likable heroine, a gripping and unsettling world, and a constant sense of fear over the unknown, this riveting page-turner of a novel leaves you glued to your seat as you long to discover young Macey’s fate. I can’t recommend it enough.
February 18, 2016
It took me a bit to read this book, I am not a big fan of the genre but do enjoy mixing it up when I have a really bad book I know I must read. Then I have the comfort of a book I already know is good to fill in my reading time.
This dystopian sci-fi leaves more questions than answers, which I think is the point. The disease has existed over a hundred years, and people die, young people being used to finding the cure. I can't tell you what this disease is however I can tell you that a young girl is aThe Cure. No one questions the government's tactics on how they use these young people to test for the Cure only that it in itself is as bad as the disease and kills just as many.
There are so many questions I have, maybe there is no disease and the government is making these testings the disease? What are they truly searching for, are they thinning out society because it has become over populated? I don't have a clue, but it was a thrill ride to read.
This dystopian sci-fi leaves more questions than answers, which I think is the point. The disease has existed over a hundred years, and people die, young people being used to finding the cure. I can't tell you what this disease is however I can tell you that a young girl is aThe Cure. No one questions the government's tactics on how they use these young people to test for the Cure only that it in itself is as bad as the disease and kills just as many.
There are so many questions I have, maybe there is no disease and the government is making these testings the disease? What are they truly searching for, are they thinning out society because it has become over populated? I don't have a clue, but it was a thrill ride to read.
February 7, 2016
I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
I really enjoyed this book set in a future following the outbreak of a deadly and incurable disease. People's freedoms have been sacrificed in the name of the greater good. Each citizen must sacrifice/donate themselves in the name of science/testing every 10 years starting after their 20th birthday. You may survive and you may not so many families have lost loved ones to the disease or testing in this society. Our main character Macey is in high school and is given her first date for testing on her 16th birthday, except with her they have thrown a curve ball to the mix. It is interesting to see how she handles this as well as the outcome of her testing. She must decide who is more important, herself or the entire population. The book moved along well, but was left with some unanswered questions and wished there was more. I can only hope the author does a concluding novella for a more complete ending.
I really enjoyed this book set in a future following the outbreak of a deadly and incurable disease. People's freedoms have been sacrificed in the name of the greater good. Each citizen must sacrifice/donate themselves in the name of science/testing every 10 years starting after their 20th birthday. You may survive and you may not so many families have lost loved ones to the disease or testing in this society. Our main character Macey is in high school and is given her first date for testing on her 16th birthday, except with her they have thrown a curve ball to the mix. It is interesting to see how she handles this as well as the outcome of her testing. She must decide who is more important, herself or the entire population. The book moved along well, but was left with some unanswered questions and wished there was more. I can only hope the author does a concluding novella for a more complete ending.
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