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Confined
Val hasn’t seen the sun in eight years.
Taken to the institution following the betrayal of her own mother, she was diagnosed with a mental disorder that plagues the youth of the American Concord and causes dangerous psychotic episodes. The leadership, who pride themselves on having a healthy and fruitful society, have ordered Val, and others like her, to be healed in the institution. The only problem is that she doesn’t believe a word they say. To her, Porter–the voice in her head and best friend–is real. And she will do anything to keep him around, including prolonged confinement in the abusive institution.
When a new head leader takes over the health department, suddenly Val’s quiet rebellion is no longer tolerated. She is given thirty days to heal, cut off the voice, and become an asset to the leadership. Otherwise, she’ll be taken to the block for execution.
Desperate to keep Porter safe in her head, Val finds herself in a race against time whilst navigating new allies, espionage, and crumbling sanity all around her.
Confined is the first installment in a young adult dystopian series.
Taken to the institution following the betrayal of her own mother, she was diagnosed with a mental disorder that plagues the youth of the American Concord and causes dangerous psychotic episodes. The leadership, who pride themselves on having a healthy and fruitful society, have ordered Val, and others like her, to be healed in the institution. The only problem is that she doesn’t believe a word they say. To her, Porter–the voice in her head and best friend–is real. And she will do anything to keep him around, including prolonged confinement in the abusive institution.
When a new head leader takes over the health department, suddenly Val’s quiet rebellion is no longer tolerated. She is given thirty days to heal, cut off the voice, and become an asset to the leadership. Otherwise, she’ll be taken to the block for execution.
Desperate to keep Porter safe in her head, Val finds herself in a race against time whilst navigating new allies, espionage, and crumbling sanity all around her.
Confined is the first installment in a young adult dystopian series.
- GenresYoung AdultDystopia
413 pages, Paperback
Published March 15, 2024
26 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
February 19, 2024
I had the privilege of reading the ARC for Confined. I'll admit it started off slow for me but then the momentum had me hooked page for page! Once I got started I couldn't stop! I loved the characters and the story itself was so interesting. Nothing like ive ever read before. Those last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat! I can't wait for the next book!
February 19, 2024
I’m so glad I was able to be an ARC reader for this book. It was an easy ready and hard to put down, especially once I got half way through. I stayed up way past my bedtime because I didn't want to left on a cliff hanger(which happens multiple times towards the chapters in the end). While reading i found myself appreciating the details because nothing is worse than trying to envision what the character or setting looks like. I’m hoping there’s more after this book as well, like what happens to Val and Milo after their plans?. Overall, I would recommend this book to my friends or younger teenagers, it was a fun read! But really wanting a second book to this!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2024
Woah! What a fun book. It took me back to being a teen and falling hard into Hunger Games, Divergent, and Twilight. I could easily see this becoming the next YA obsession series!
Val has a mental connection with another person in her world, but the leadership of the country teach that the connection is a mental disorder and she is sent to an institution to be healed. I’d recommend for ages 11-21.
Milo vs. Porter is giving me some serious Jacob v. Edward vibes!
Val has a mental connection with another person in her world, but the leadership of the country teach that the connection is a mental disorder and she is sent to an institution to be healed. I’d recommend for ages 11-21.
Milo vs. Porter is giving me some serious Jacob v. Edward vibes!
February 21, 2024
I was given the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this book. I was extremely excited about getting to read it and as this is a debut novel I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. However, it really did deliver!!
The premise of this dystopian novel is that the fmc Val hears a voice in her head that is supposedly connected to someone else in their world. Because she hears this voice she is taken from her mother and has been forced to live in an institution trying to “cure” her but the treatment hasn’t been something she’s taken to.
After meeting a new patient arrives in the institution Val begins a new journey of trust and even friendship and a brand new hope.
The beginning was a bit confusing. I know that each book has its own learning curve to it, but to me it felt like this one’s was a bit longer than usual. However, the story does start to pick up and after about being half way through I truly wanted to keep reading and to know what happened. With that being said, I hope this story is supposed to be a part of a series because while the ending was good and not necessarily a cliffhanger, I am a bit disappointed that there’s not more in this book and definitely want to know more about what happens.
I truly am excited for book 2!
The premise of this dystopian novel is that the fmc Val hears a voice in her head that is supposedly connected to someone else in their world. Because she hears this voice she is taken from her mother and has been forced to live in an institution trying to “cure” her but the treatment hasn’t been something she’s taken to.
After meeting a new patient arrives in the institution Val begins a new journey of trust and even friendship and a brand new hope.
The beginning was a bit confusing. I know that each book has its own learning curve to it, but to me it felt like this one’s was a bit longer than usual. However, the story does start to pick up and after about being half way through I truly wanted to keep reading and to know what happened. With that being said, I hope this story is supposed to be a part of a series because while the ending was good and not necessarily a cliffhanger, I am a bit disappointed that there’s not more in this book and definitely want to know more about what happens.
I truly am excited for book 2!
March 19, 2024
I loved the pictures that this book painted, it was so vivid and came to life! The story was gripping and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen. My only complaint is that I need to know what happens next!!
April 5, 2024
Oh my goodness. I haven’t read a book that kept me up almost all night until now! I couldn’t put it down. After you get through the world building, it takes off. The last 1/3 of the book is insanely fast paced and heart racing. Amazing! I NEED THE SECOND BOOK NOW PLEASE AND THANK YOU.
May 2, 2025
I was looking for a good dystopian novel and stumbled upon this book on TikTok. Such a fun read! I can’t wait for book two!
April 25, 2024
Solid YA read. Looking forward to getting answers to SO many questions in the future books and seeing each of the characters grow and develop. Lots of exciting developments and cliff hangers there at the end!
March 12, 2024
I was able to be an ARC reader for this book and it definitely did not disappoint! It started off a bit slow for me and I was a bit confused at the beginning but that’s what it takes when setting up a world, which Christine does really well. You follow Val who hasn’t seen the outside world in almost a decade while basically being told she’ll never leave because she’s crazy and refuses to “work” on it. Christine gives you just enough information to understand what’s happening but her character Val doesn’t have a lot of information about the outside world so it definitely keeps you wanting for more. Like I said, it started off slow but then picked up and then I was hooked! I found myself frustrated at the end because I wanted to know what happened next! I can’t wait for book 2!
April 3, 2024
Thank you to the author for providing the ARC.
(My review came later than I wanted it too, sorry sorry 😞)
2.5 but rounded up.
I had a hard time getting through the story until tonight where I told myself that I gotta power through. I kept asking myself why I was struggling with finishing this book but there wasn't anything offensive about it. The writing was fine. Overall, this book was just fine. The pacing was fine although I think the later half of the book was much stronger than the first. Chapters were broken up so strangely and broke the flow of the narrative for me; very stop and go, so it was difficult to stay immersed in the action.
I didn't really connect to the lead character. She was going through so much internally, so I was hoping I'd really feel something for her as the story went on. But alot of the more interesting bits happened in the past so she would mention it as a memory or summarize/come to conclusions that I as a reader didn't have room to infer things for myself. And because the story takes place in this facility the entire time, alot of the beats became repetitive.
It may have been interesting if she was actually friends with the other kids so that the weight of what happened to/with them could have served as more of an emotional punch. Especially when they break out at the end and she thinks about how they are left behind. Like why do I care that she cares?
One of my least favorite bits that happened in the book was a conversation between the main character and the best friend regarding how emotional girls can be. It was weird and ultimately didn't serve a purpose? Like I thought that it was going to turn out that women just had a higher tolerance for pain because of their emotions and thats why they couldn't make Val give up Porter's name. I wouldn't have liked that any better but I mean I guess it would have made sense? They continue the conversation where he gives examples to her quick moods to further prove his point and I don't understand what this was trying to say. And then it got tied to mentral cycles, like that's THE reason why girls are so hot n cold? Girls can't experience range of emotions unless they are on their period. How else am I supposed to read that? I was ... wow. Especially when they are connected mentally. She experiences his emotions, too. Are boys not emotional? Teenage boys?? Idk why of all things that was one of my only notes I took on my kindle 😆 sorry for fixating
Edit: I went back and reread this part to make sure I read it right. It still makes me feel blah. Porter asks his mom and she offers some possibilities but as the reader we get only get one.
After reading how the author feels about dystopian stories in their acknowledgements, I felt a little disappointed that the story didn't leave me with the kind of questions dystopian stories usually leave me with. I am aware now that this is the first of a trilogy, so the potential for more is always there. I liked some parts of the ending but I was really expecting a bigger reveal to who Val was. Like why is she special? Why was the the one that almost broke the machine or couldn't be forced to give up Porter? And actually, why Zombies??? I totally forgot about them. I am so confused about what this world is now that I've finished the story. Ya know, plenty of stuff probably went over my head. The book wasn't engaging enough for me unfortunately. I really wanted to like it though :/
(My review came later than I wanted it too, sorry sorry 😞)
2.5 but rounded up.
I had a hard time getting through the story until tonight where I told myself that I gotta power through. I kept asking myself why I was struggling with finishing this book but there wasn't anything offensive about it. The writing was fine. Overall, this book was just fine. The pacing was fine although I think the later half of the book was much stronger than the first. Chapters were broken up so strangely and broke the flow of the narrative for me; very stop and go, so it was difficult to stay immersed in the action.
I didn't really connect to the lead character. She was going through so much internally, so I was hoping I'd really feel something for her as the story went on. But alot of the more interesting bits happened in the past so she would mention it as a memory or summarize/come to conclusions that I as a reader didn't have room to infer things for myself. And because the story takes place in this facility the entire time, alot of the beats became repetitive.
It may have been interesting if she was actually friends with the other kids so that the weight of what happened to/with them could have served as more of an emotional punch. Especially when they break out at the end and she thinks about how they are left behind. Like why do I care that she cares?
One of my least favorite bits that happened in the book was a conversation between the main character and the best friend regarding how emotional girls can be. It was weird and ultimately didn't serve a purpose? Like I thought that it was going to turn out that women just had a higher tolerance for pain because of their emotions and thats why they couldn't make Val give up Porter's name. I wouldn't have liked that any better but I mean I guess it would have made sense? They continue the conversation where he gives examples to her quick moods to further prove his point and I don't understand what this was trying to say. And then it got tied to mentral cycles, like that's THE reason why girls are so hot n cold? Girls can't experience range of emotions unless they are on their period. How else am I supposed to read that? I was ... wow. Especially when they are connected mentally. She experiences his emotions, too. Are boys not emotional? Teenage boys?? Idk why of all things that was one of my only notes I took on my kindle 😆 sorry for fixating
Edit: I went back and reread this part to make sure I read it right. It still makes me feel blah. Porter asks his mom and she offers some possibilities but as the reader we get only get one.
After reading how the author feels about dystopian stories in their acknowledgements, I felt a little disappointed that the story didn't leave me with the kind of questions dystopian stories usually leave me with. I am aware now that this is the first of a trilogy, so the potential for more is always there. I liked some parts of the ending but I was really expecting a bigger reveal to who Val was. Like why is she special? Why was the the one that almost broke the machine or couldn't be forced to give up Porter? And actually, why Zombies??? I totally forgot about them. I am so confused about what this world is now that I've finished the story. Ya know, plenty of stuff probably went over my head. The book wasn't engaging enough for me unfortunately. I really wanted to like it though :/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2024
Thank you so much to the author, for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
BOOK BLURB
Val hasn’t seen the sun in eight years.
Taken to the institution following the betrayal of her own mother, she was diagnosed with a mental disorder that plagues the youth of the American Concord and causes dangerous psychotic episodes. The leadership, who pride themselves on having a healthy and fruitful society, have ordered Val, and others like her, to be healed in the institution. The only problem is that she doesn’t believe a word they say. To her, Porter–the voice in her head and best friend–is real. And she will do anything to keep him around, including prolonged confinement in the abusive institution.
When a new head leader takes over the health department, suddenly Val’s quiet rebellion is no longer tolerated. She is given thirty days to heal, cut off the voice, and become an asset to the leadership. Otherwise, she’ll be taken to the block for execution.
Desperate to keep Porter safe in her head, Val finds herself in a race against time whilst navigating new allies, espionage, and crumbling sanity all around her.
Confined is the first installment in a young adult dystopian trilogy.
MY THOUGHTS
At the beginning I was confused. It was a slow start for me but it picked up. I found myself laughing a little. Getting mad too!
Overall I liked this book 📕
BOOK BLURB
Val hasn’t seen the sun in eight years.
Taken to the institution following the betrayal of her own mother, she was diagnosed with a mental disorder that plagues the youth of the American Concord and causes dangerous psychotic episodes. The leadership, who pride themselves on having a healthy and fruitful society, have ordered Val, and others like her, to be healed in the institution. The only problem is that she doesn’t believe a word they say. To her, Porter–the voice in her head and best friend–is real. And she will do anything to keep him around, including prolonged confinement in the abusive institution.
When a new head leader takes over the health department, suddenly Val’s quiet rebellion is no longer tolerated. She is given thirty days to heal, cut off the voice, and become an asset to the leadership. Otherwise, she’ll be taken to the block for execution.
Desperate to keep Porter safe in her head, Val finds herself in a race against time whilst navigating new allies, espionage, and crumbling sanity all around her.
Confined is the first installment in a young adult dystopian trilogy.
MY THOUGHTS
At the beginning I was confused. It was a slow start for me but it picked up. I found myself laughing a little. Getting mad too!
Overall I liked this book 📕
February 25, 2024
I got the opportunity to read the ARC, I’m a bit speechless as I’ve only just finished the book and it’s now my favourite book I’ve read so far this year.
A dystopian novel about Val overcoming the challenge of being institutionalised against her will for a disorder that allows her to speak to someone she’s connected to in her head.
Reading Confined felt like I’d been catapulted back into my teens when I got my hands on my first dystopian novel it was so nostalgic to read and contained so many of the themes I loved in series such as The Hunger Games and the Slated series.
I’m torn between being upset it took me so long to finish the book because of work but also being upset I’ve finished it already because I need to know what happens next and I don’t want to wait.
Val was such an easy character to connect to from the beginning, each character in this book were so uniquely themselves it was hard not to love them, the lengths that Val went to to keep herself and others safe was incredibly written, no matter what she was faced with she stayed true to herself and still managed achieve what she needed to.
I will be not so patiently waiting to read the next book in the series and am now at a loss for what to read next that will engage me as much and be as enjoyable as this read was. If I could wipe it from my brain to read for the first time again I would.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A dystopian novel about Val overcoming the challenge of being institutionalised against her will for a disorder that allows her to speak to someone she’s connected to in her head.
Reading Confined felt like I’d been catapulted back into my teens when I got my hands on my first dystopian novel it was so nostalgic to read and contained so many of the themes I loved in series such as The Hunger Games and the Slated series.
I’m torn between being upset it took me so long to finish the book because of work but also being upset I’ve finished it already because I need to know what happens next and I don’t want to wait.
Val was such an easy character to connect to from the beginning, each character in this book were so uniquely themselves it was hard not to love them, the lengths that Val went to to keep herself and others safe was incredibly written, no matter what she was faced with she stayed true to herself and still managed achieve what she needed to.
I will be not so patiently waiting to read the next book in the series and am now at a loss for what to read next that will engage me as much and be as enjoyable as this read was. If I could wipe it from my brain to read for the first time again I would.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 2, 2025
This was a fast-paced, action-packed, GRIPPING novel. It had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.
Val started hearing a voice in her head at a young age, something she kept a secret for years. And for years, she and the voice, Porter, had conversations about anything and everything. The secret lasted a few years until she thought she could trust her mother.
Trusting her lands her in an institution in an effort to get rid of the voice. However, this is a common ailment that many young people face.
Years she faced torture, more so than many, and while many left after a year or two, she stayed, refusing to give up, refusing to believe that she was sick.
Everything was to protect Porter.
With no hope to ever see the outside again and her death warrant looming ever closer, she has 30 days to give up Porter or die.
Milo, a brooding, shy man, is found being dragged down the hall by the institution's chief disciplinarian.
It's not until meeting him that she forces a bit of hope by making him take her with him in his plot to escape.
Will Milo be her savior, her way to freedom and fresh air? Or will that clock stop ticking before she ever gets the chance to see the sky again?
Val started hearing a voice in her head at a young age, something she kept a secret for years. And for years, she and the voice, Porter, had conversations about anything and everything. The secret lasted a few years until she thought she could trust her mother.
Trusting her lands her in an institution in an effort to get rid of the voice. However, this is a common ailment that many young people face.
Years she faced torture, more so than many, and while many left after a year or two, she stayed, refusing to give up, refusing to believe that she was sick.
Everything was to protect Porter.
With no hope to ever see the outside again and her death warrant looming ever closer, she has 30 days to give up Porter or die.
Milo, a brooding, shy man, is found being dragged down the hall by the institution's chief disciplinarian.
It's not until meeting him that she forces a bit of hope by making him take her with him in his plot to escape.
Will Milo be her savior, her way to freedom and fresh air? Or will that clock stop ticking before she ever gets the chance to see the sky again?
March 7, 2024
I was excited to read Ms. Bartholio's debut novel as an ARC reader and it exceeded my expectations! It's a worthy addition to the YA distopian genre and kept me engaged throughout the novel. The world-building gave me similar vibes as The Giver, but from a completely different perspective. I felt the characters and their behavior were believable and compelling.
One of the strengths was in how Val spoke to the voice in her head, Porter. Because they literally cannot interact physically with each other, the dialogue could have easily devolved into a couple talking heads, yet Ms. Bartholio still managed to keep the reader present in Val's world. The author also gave enough information to satisfy her audience, while leaving enough mystery to get us immediately craving the second book. There was one scene I felt veered into deux ex machina territory, but other than making that particular part of the plot move a bit too conveniently for me, it didn't significantly detract from my enjoyment of the book.
Overall, enjoyed reading Confined and am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book!
One of the strengths was in how Val spoke to the voice in her head, Porter. Because they literally cannot interact physically with each other, the dialogue could have easily devolved into a couple talking heads, yet Ms. Bartholio still managed to keep the reader present in Val's world. The author also gave enough information to satisfy her audience, while leaving enough mystery to get us immediately craving the second book. There was one scene I felt veered into deux ex machina territory, but other than making that particular part of the plot move a bit too conveniently for me, it didn't significantly detract from my enjoyment of the book.
Overall, enjoyed reading Confined and am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book!
March 16, 2024
This is the story of Val, a young woman who has spent her whole life being told that she is a crazy person who hears a voice, that is not real, in her head. She is CONFINED in an institution that is determined to break her spirit, but she is certain that they are wrong. As she fights the system and refuses to betray her mindful connection she begins an adventure that you do not want to miss!
Highlights:
-Although this is a dystopian story with high stakes and a serious subject matter, you never lose sight of the fact that these are kids! The teenage vibes are not lost and the angst is a beautiful addition to the story.
-Val is kind of an accidental badass? She's not like an intentional badass, but her base resilience alone is something to be envied.
-The adrenaline will have you SPINNING! I thought my heart might fall right out of my chest a few times. It's a wonderfully immersive story.
-The ending wraps up nicely while definitely leaving you wanting to know what is next in this world! BRING ME BOOK 2!
If you are looking for the next divergent, look no further!
Highlights:
-Although this is a dystopian story with high stakes and a serious subject matter, you never lose sight of the fact that these are kids! The teenage vibes are not lost and the angst is a beautiful addition to the story.
-Val is kind of an accidental badass? She's not like an intentional badass, but her base resilience alone is something to be envied.
-The adrenaline will have you SPINNING! I thought my heart might fall right out of my chest a few times. It's a wonderfully immersive story.
-The ending wraps up nicely while definitely leaving you wanting to know what is next in this world! BRING ME BOOK 2!
If you are looking for the next divergent, look no further!
April 11, 2025
Wow…. I sat down today to enjoy a good book and was slapped in the face with crippling anxiety. This new dystopian world is refreshing in the most disturbing way.
Val is diagnosed with a mental disorder that lands her in an institution designed to rid her of the voices in her head. Only thing is, her voice, Porter, is her best friend and she will die before cutting ties with her one constant in life. Val has always had a deep seated distrust of the leaders of her world and we watch as she begins to uncover the truth of the institution.
Her companion, Milo, is a broody dude full of secrets but their relationship blossoms so beautifully. The characters are so multifaceted it’s easy to cling to them, to feel what they are feeling, and just love them so deeply.
I couldn’t pull my face out of this book for the entirety of the day so please do yourself a favor and pick it up now! I can’t wait to see what else Christine Bartholio has in store for Val, Milo, and Porter!!!
Val is diagnosed with a mental disorder that lands her in an institution designed to rid her of the voices in her head. Only thing is, her voice, Porter, is her best friend and she will die before cutting ties with her one constant in life. Val has always had a deep seated distrust of the leaders of her world and we watch as she begins to uncover the truth of the institution.
Her companion, Milo, is a broody dude full of secrets but their relationship blossoms so beautifully. The characters are so multifaceted it’s easy to cling to them, to feel what they are feeling, and just love them so deeply.
I couldn’t pull my face out of this book for the entirety of the day so please do yourself a favor and pick it up now! I can’t wait to see what else Christine Bartholio has in store for Val, Milo, and Porter!!!
March 3, 2024
As an ARC reader, I really enjoyed this book!
A few things I liked about it:
The style and voice of the writing.
The female lead is well-defined and shows great character growth in the midst of her increasing challenges.
The intriguing relationships between the lead and her allies.
The antagonists certainly and believably antagonize.
Even minor characters are productive to the storyline.
There's a good mix of predictable situations and unpredictable outcomes. As well as humor and heaviness.
There's a lot of interesting detail throughout this version of dystopia.
It is the first installment of a trilogy with a satisfying ending that left me wanting more!
A few things I liked about it:
The style and voice of the writing.
The female lead is well-defined and shows great character growth in the midst of her increasing challenges.
The intriguing relationships between the lead and her allies.
The antagonists certainly and believably antagonize.
Even minor characters are productive to the storyline.
There's a good mix of predictable situations and unpredictable outcomes. As well as humor and heaviness.
There's a lot of interesting detail throughout this version of dystopia.
It is the first installment of a trilogy with a satisfying ending that left me wanting more!
March 13, 2024
I love a good YA dystopian book! As with most books like this, it started out a little slower to describe this new world. The setting in this book is in an institution within their society, and the author takes the time to lay the groundwork for her characters. The story picks up though! I really enjoyed Val as a character. I found her stubbornness and sheer will to hold on to and protect the one person who means the most to her quite appealing. Even as she lives through so much trauma and unhappiness, the humanity within her still thrives. I’m glad I knew it was going to be a trilogy, the cliffhanger left me intrigued! I can’t wait to see what happens next!
April 23, 2024
4.5 stars but rounding to 5 (Goodreads, why don't you do halves??)
This book gave me so many Divergent vibes, I really loved it. I thought the pacing was great and the writing engaging, and the idea of connecting with someone in your mind was really interesting.
My only minor (and it is minor!) niggle was the end leaving so much unanswered. It sets up well for the next book and I knew it is a trilogy, so I didn't expect complete clarity, but a little more explanation to wrap up book one would have taken this to five stars. That said, I will 100% be ordering book two whenever it's ready, and unquestionably recommend Confined to all YA dystopian fans.
This book gave me so many Divergent vibes, I really loved it. I thought the pacing was great and the writing engaging, and the idea of connecting with someone in your mind was really interesting.
My only minor (and it is minor!) niggle was the end leaving so much unanswered. It sets up well for the next book and I knew it is a trilogy, so I didn't expect complete clarity, but a little more explanation to wrap up book one would have taken this to five stars. That said, I will 100% be ordering book two whenever it's ready, and unquestionably recommend Confined to all YA dystopian fans.
May 6, 2024
Confined:
5/5 🌟
I love this book!! I didn't want to put this down, and now I need to know when I can read the next book.
I love Val and Milo, and for the most part, Porter too. This book made me feel like I was going to have an anxiety attack in the best way possible. You always feel like they're about to be caught, but Val and Milo make quite the sneaky team. I really want to know more about who Milo really is, what things have changed on the outside while Val has been stuck in the institution, and everything about The Void.
I'm hoping they can save Porter. But I do think if there will be "teams", I'm team Milo 100%
And leader Stone....... can we please obliterate her somehow?
5/5 🌟
I love this book!! I didn't want to put this down, and now I need to know when I can read the next book.
I love Val and Milo, and for the most part, Porter too. This book made me feel like I was going to have an anxiety attack in the best way possible. You always feel like they're about to be caught, but Val and Milo make quite the sneaky team. I really want to know more about who Milo really is, what things have changed on the outside while Val has been stuck in the institution, and everything about The Void.
I'm hoping they can save Porter. But I do think if there will be "teams", I'm team Milo 100%
And leader Stone....... can we please obliterate her somehow?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2025
This book was amazing! It was well-written, fast-paced, unpredictable, and most of the characters were very well developed. I do think the main antagonists were a bit stiff for my liking. They seemed pure evil with no redeeming qualities (except for the one I won’t mention for spoilers sake 😉). It may be intended to help with the setting, so I’m excited to see how that fleshes out in the coming books to this series.
But all in all, I found myself constantly on the edge of my seat, especially during the second half of the book. This may be the best self-published book I’ve read to date, and I truly mean that!
But all in all, I found myself constantly on the edge of my seat, especially during the second half of the book. This may be the best self-published book I’ve read to date, and I truly mean that!
July 16, 2025
🏆 I'm going to need a shelf trophy 🏆
#1 thought: September can not get here fast enough because I NEED book 2. STAT.
#2: I LOVE the characters. Val has anxiety (& other disorders) that I feel are beautiful depicted. You can really feel her emotions and it moves the story along at a speed where you can't risk putting the book down. Ammon is a sweetheart and a mystery that I need to know more about. Porter... is complicated. I love him, but also got irritated with him (you were supposed to). The ending left me shook.
This is a YA Dystopian (Locked Room) Suspense and it is ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
HIGHLY RECOMMEND
#1 thought: September can not get here fast enough because I NEED book 2. STAT.
#2: I LOVE the characters. Val has anxiety (& other disorders) that I feel are beautiful depicted. You can really feel her emotions and it moves the story along at a speed where you can't risk putting the book down. Ammon is a sweetheart and a mystery that I need to know more about. Porter... is complicated. I love him, but also got irritated with him (you were supposed to). The ending left me shook.
This is a YA Dystopian (Locked Room) Suspense and it is ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
HIGHLY RECOMMEND
February 19, 2024
I was given an ARC of this book, and I went into it with very high hopes and expectations due to some of the novels the author compared it to. A lot of times, that's just a recipe for disappointment, but with Confined, that disappointment never came. I absolutely loved it. I was completely enraptured within the first few pages and couldn't put it down until I was done. The only thing I didn't like was that I couldn't immediately read the sequel. I'll be keeping an eye out for any and all future books of hers.
February 19, 2024
I have always loved this genre, but haven’t read anything like this. It gives me Ender’s Game, Hunger Games, and The Host vibes all in one. Bartholio does a wonderful job of hooking the reader with her descriptive language, expert pacing, and dynamic characters. Overall, it was an extremely exciting read and I consumed it in less than 2 days. I particularly liked the world building she has done with the leadership and am curious about just how much they have molded society. I need to know more about it!
April 3, 2024
I thought this was a really enjoyable book!! The main character, Val, felt real with her struggles both internally and externally, and she didn’t feel like a copy-and-paste YA protagonist.
I’m not usually a fan of dystopian fiction; but I liked how this one stayed in, essentially, one place. It helped sell me on Val and her story. The worldbuilding was well-done, and left me with good questions and I’m excited to see where it goes. The book started strong and ended strong, and I didn’t want to put it down. All in all, a very good read!!
I’m not usually a fan of dystopian fiction; but I liked how this one stayed in, essentially, one place. It helped sell me on Val and her story. The worldbuilding was well-done, and left me with good questions and I’m excited to see where it goes. The book started strong and ended strong, and I didn’t want to put it down. All in all, a very good read!!
March 9, 2025
Oh my gosh!! What a rollercoaster! I don’t think my heart stopped pounding for an hour straight there at the end 😰
This book starts off with a slower start but, as many books do, it focused on world building and introducing characters and building their relationships with other characters.
It definitely picks up the pace as you read, and at the end, it hits you like a truck with the action and suspense!
I totally ate this up and am feeningggg for book 2, which the author is currently writing!
This book starts off with a slower start but, as many books do, it focused on world building and introducing characters and building their relationships with other characters.
It definitely picks up the pace as you read, and at the end, it hits you like a truck with the action and suspense!
I totally ate this up and am feeningggg for book 2, which the author is currently writing!
March 20, 2025
This was my first dystopian read since Divergent/ Hunger Games back in the day. This has definitely unlocked a new favorite genre! I forgot how much I loved those books until I picked this one up. It started slow for me BUT once it picked up my god!
You know you wrote a good book when we are ALL waiting for book 2. I just know I’ll be thinking about this book for days after I finish it.
Maze Runner/ Hunger Games/ Divergent all smushed into one action packed on the edge of your seat read! If you haven’t dipped your toes into dystopian for a while this book is the one to start with!
August 5, 2025
10 stars. Honestly I'm sad I waited so long to read this book. (But also not, because now I don't have to wait very long for book two!) Confined had the vibes of The Giver and Ender's Game (two of my faves), but more sinister. More brutal. It's definitely a page turner and kept me up way too late for several nights. (I lodged my complaints with the author, but sadly she expressed little remorse. hahaha) Seriously, though, I am also impressed that this was a debut novel. Bartholio is an auto-buy author for me after just one book!
March 15, 2024
SO good! Think Hunger Games mixed with Jason Bourne. Read it in 3 days because it was so hard to put down. Grabs your attention from page 1 with, "What's going on?" Had me crying at parts too. You definitely feel the emotions. It needs to be a movie and I can't wait for the next one to come out!
Warning: It can be a trigger for those who have dealt with or seen physical child abuse.
Also so happy it was CLEAN!
Warning: It can be a trigger for those who have dealt with or seen physical child abuse.
Also so happy it was CLEAN!
March 19, 2024
This book had a bit of a slow start but honestly, it’s SO GOOD.
After the first couple chapters this book had me absolutely hooked and on the edge of my seat. I ended up pulling an all nighter and reading the entire thing in one sitting, it was that good!
I love the characters and how the action slowly built up.
Honestly the concept of this is genius and I am so excited to see how this continues!!
After the first couple chapters this book had me absolutely hooked and on the edge of my seat. I ended up pulling an all nighter and reading the entire thing in one sitting, it was that good!
I love the characters and how the action slowly built up.
Honestly the concept of this is genius and I am so excited to see how this continues!!
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