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Parched
In sixteen-year-old Tessendra Rockwood's world, natural resources are at an all-time low. Most of the remaining supplies are funneled into Eden, known as the "powerful city of shining abundance," while citizens of the Badlands eat gelatinous gray porridge and drink reddish iron water. Tess was born an Edenite, but after the death of her scientist mother she decides to combat this inequality by joining a rebel group called Kudzu. Together they uncover a shocking government plot to carry out genocide in the Badlands using artifical intelligence. Unofrtunately, Tess has some complicated ties to the project that test her loyalty. Robots, renewable resources, and romance get tangled together as Tess risks her life to bring justice to Eden.
419 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 7, 2014
9 people are currently reading
1196 people want to read
About the author
Georgia Clark
14 books995 followersHello! I'm a Brooklyn-based novelist and host/founder of the popular storytelling series, Generation Women. I love improv, being cozy, and fun snacks that are salty.
My next book is a queer Christmas rom-com called MOST WONDERFUL (2024). I also wrote ISLAND TIME, IT HAD TO BE YOU, THE BUCKET LIST, THE REGULARS, and two YA novels.
I teach romance writing, mentor up-and-coming writers, host weekend writers’ retreats, and create the monthly author newsletter, Heartbeat. You can connect with me on Insta, @georgialouclark. Sign up for a class at georgiaclark.com!
My next book is a queer Christmas rom-com called MOST WONDERFUL (2024). I also wrote ISLAND TIME, IT HAD TO BE YOU, THE BUCKET LIST, THE REGULARS, and two YA novels.
I teach romance writing, mentor up-and-coming writers, host weekend writers’ retreats, and create the monthly author newsletter, Heartbeat. You can connect with me on Insta, @georgialouclark. Sign up for a class at georgiaclark.com!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
March 19, 2014
Of course, I cannot review my own book! That would be like reviewing myself; an exercise in impossibility. But I can say I loved creating what Kirkus Reviews called a "bold futurist adventure with unusual romance, riveting action and ominous ecological red flags." School Library Journal thinks that "readers who eagerly followed the rebellions against Panem's Capitol and Divergent's Erudites will root for Tess and her Kudzu allies." So if that sounds like you, give it a whirl! And of course, please do rate it and share it with like-minded YA lovers.
Thank you and read on!
Georgia xx
Thank you and read on!
Georgia xx
May 29, 2014
I typically read non fiction and women's lit -- this was the first YA book I've read as an adult, and I'm so happy to be intro'ed to the genre via Tess! PARCHED was such a delight. What I loved most about my YA adventure is how deep the underlying motivations and political observations are in this made up world. If you're looking for a great beach read - hit this!
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September 28, 2014Robots! Dystopia!
April 17, 2020
There is nothing like a good dystopia in the midst of a pandemic. This is now two books in a row where the villainous entity is named Eden. What a coincidence! Tess reluctantly returns from her Purgatory known as the Badlands to help Kudzu topple the Trust. Her effort is hampered by her attraction to her uncle's student assistant who is hiding a very big secret. I liked the overall idea but really did not like Tess. Hunter, on the other hand, had a winning personality for an AI.
September 8, 2022
This was fascinating, compelling, paced extremely well (according to my humble opinion). Once I started reading I couldn’t stop. The world the author created here is kinda wild but not entirely implausible which just made it more interesting.
September 2, 2015
Parched
Georgia Clark
I'm quite impressed by this book. At first, it seemed dull and boring, but it steadily gained steam. I was suddenly spending my last hours awake reading it.
I do like the action. It was fast-paced and exciting. It kept you going. You felt like the ending was piled with action. It seemed a bit much for it to be heaped on top of you. I do think it was good overall. The action was edge-of-your-seat. You wanted to know what happened. You were clinging to the characters. The action kept the story going. It made the plot.
The technology is also amazing. It's fantastic. And inventive. A scratch? Awesome. It would be fantastic to have that. Being able to cut it and give it to people? Sharing documents would be so easy. I also liked the technology related to Hunter. He was connected to the technology in ways you couldn't imagine. You gotta love this. I admit the buzzard and floaters are confusing. What are they exactly? I'm guessing hovercars. But it's hard to tell without the descriptions we need. The descriptions were lacking a bit. But it was nice. Some of the technology is fantastic. It's creative and innovative.
And Hunter. I like his personality before he starts loving Tess. He is curious and interested in the world. He wants to know things. He's kind. He was an AI as well. I really liked that. He isn't human, but he acts exactly like one. Of course, I guessed he was Aevum before any of the others knew. I could tell. I mean...he acts human but not enough. You could tell something was up. But he was a good character. Kind. Caring. He really did care for Tess. Why? I don't know. Tess isn't very likable. I didn't like one thing. He seemed too superhuman. He didn't act like a normal AI. Or robot. He had the strength of a million men. And special skin? Oh goodness. He's too superhuman. I didn't like that.
There is a reason why this book isn't a five out of five. While I liked it, there were things I felt like it was a bit...okay in some parts.
I didn't like the beginning. It seemed dull and boring. There was no action I was interested in. It was boring and dull. Yay, girl runs away. (Sarcasm.) I felt like it was lacking. I wanted more. I wanted more world building as well. It seemed vague and confusing. The world was odd. What is that? What are they saying? Tess speaks in Malspeak with other characters in the beginning. What is that word? What are they saying? I'm not sure. It's not translated. We don't get too much from actions or expressions. It's all confusing. There isn't a translation page at the end. I wish I could understand! And beginning wasn't just confusing. It was a bit boring and confusing.
And the romance. I can tell it was well-intentioned. But I don't like it. Why did it form? When? I don't see it. Hunter puts too much into the relationship. Tess doesn't even seem to flinch. She acts like a typical girl until she figures out who Hunter is. You want her to put in effort. She doesn't give anything. She really doesn't. I wanted more. I wanted her to fall for him. And she doesn't seem to. Also, what does Hunter see in Tess? Her bravery? Curiosity? It's not like those really exist. I like Hunter, but I don't like Tess. I know that thee romance is well-intentioned. Hunter saves Tess for love. You can tell that. You can tell that the author is trying. I see that. I applaud her for that. But it didn't work. I didn't see the relationship forming. Nor did I see it holding up well. It might, of course. The benefit of the doubt. But I didn't feel like it was a good romance.
Tess. She is a bit annoying. Also, it seems impossible for her to change completely into a tough girl. She is tough in the beginning. But we don't get to see the unwritten change between Eden girl to Badlands girl. I know we see some. But I wanted more. We also don't get the Badlands adventures. We get some when she tells Hunter stories. But they aren't much. She isn't special really. Not Achilles. She's not too smart or too brave. She isn't Lana or Benji. I feel bad for comparing her to the other Kudzu, but she isn't anything special. The only thing that makes her anything special is the artilect-knowing part of her. She doesn't have too many specialties. I didn't like her personality. She was acting rude to her uncle at first. And her friend. But acting nicer to the strangers in Kudzu? And wondering why Naz is being cold? Um...well...you're a stranger. They have reasons to be distrustful.
I feel like this book could have been better. If it had more world building, clearer details, it would have been pretty great. Overall, it was pretty good.
Weather:
Sunny with 20% chance of rain
4/5
Georgia Clark
I'm quite impressed by this book. At first, it seemed dull and boring, but it steadily gained steam. I was suddenly spending my last hours awake reading it.
I do like the action. It was fast-paced and exciting. It kept you going. You felt like the ending was piled with action. It seemed a bit much for it to be heaped on top of you. I do think it was good overall. The action was edge-of-your-seat. You wanted to know what happened. You were clinging to the characters. The action kept the story going. It made the plot.
The technology is also amazing. It's fantastic. And inventive. A scratch? Awesome. It would be fantastic to have that. Being able to cut it and give it to people? Sharing documents would be so easy. I also liked the technology related to Hunter. He was connected to the technology in ways you couldn't imagine. You gotta love this. I admit the buzzard and floaters are confusing. What are they exactly? I'm guessing hovercars. But it's hard to tell without the descriptions we need. The descriptions were lacking a bit. But it was nice. Some of the technology is fantastic. It's creative and innovative.
And Hunter. I like his personality before he starts loving Tess. He is curious and interested in the world. He wants to know things. He's kind. He was an AI as well. I really liked that. He isn't human, but he acts exactly like one. Of course, I guessed he was Aevum before any of the others knew. I could tell. I mean...he acts human but not enough. You could tell something was up. But he was a good character. Kind. Caring. He really did care for Tess. Why? I don't know. Tess isn't very likable. I didn't like one thing. He seemed too superhuman. He didn't act like a normal AI. Or robot. He had the strength of a million men. And special skin? Oh goodness. He's too superhuman. I didn't like that.
There is a reason why this book isn't a five out of five. While I liked it, there were things I felt like it was a bit...okay in some parts.
I didn't like the beginning. It seemed dull and boring. There was no action I was interested in. It was boring and dull. Yay, girl runs away. (Sarcasm.) I felt like it was lacking. I wanted more. I wanted more world building as well. It seemed vague and confusing. The world was odd. What is that? What are they saying? Tess speaks in Malspeak with other characters in the beginning. What is that word? What are they saying? I'm not sure. It's not translated. We don't get too much from actions or expressions. It's all confusing. There isn't a translation page at the end. I wish I could understand! And beginning wasn't just confusing. It was a bit boring and confusing.
And the romance. I can tell it was well-intentioned. But I don't like it. Why did it form? When? I don't see it. Hunter puts too much into the relationship. Tess doesn't even seem to flinch. She acts like a typical girl until she figures out who Hunter is. You want her to put in effort. She doesn't give anything. She really doesn't. I wanted more. I wanted her to fall for him. And she doesn't seem to. Also, what does Hunter see in Tess? Her bravery? Curiosity? It's not like those really exist. I like Hunter, but I don't like Tess. I know that thee romance is well-intentioned. Hunter saves Tess for love. You can tell that. You can tell that the author is trying. I see that. I applaud her for that. But it didn't work. I didn't see the relationship forming. Nor did I see it holding up well. It might, of course. The benefit of the doubt. But I didn't feel like it was a good romance.
Tess. She is a bit annoying. Also, it seems impossible for her to change completely into a tough girl. She is tough in the beginning. But we don't get to see the unwritten change between Eden girl to Badlands girl. I know we see some. But I wanted more. We also don't get the Badlands adventures. We get some when she tells Hunter stories. But they aren't much. She isn't special really. Not Achilles. She's not too smart or too brave. She isn't Lana or Benji. I feel bad for comparing her to the other Kudzu, but she isn't anything special. The only thing that makes her anything special is the artilect-knowing part of her. She doesn't have too many specialties. I didn't like her personality. She was acting rude to her uncle at first. And her friend. But acting nicer to the strangers in Kudzu? And wondering why Naz is being cold? Um...well...you're a stranger. They have reasons to be distrustful.
I feel like this book could have been better. If it had more world building, clearer details, it would have been pretty great. Overall, it was pretty good.
Weather:
Sunny with 20% chance of rain
4/5
December 26, 2014
This book was a cool, refreshing read, full of unconventional surprises. The story is set in an unconventional dystopia where there is actually a reason for a "big brother" type of government: human-driven climate change has decimated the environmental resources and the human population to the point where only one city exists. It is an eden-like city where advanced technology has made life pleasant and privileged. The main conflict really centered around the question how much is this privilege worth? At the cost of lives? The government of Eden embarks on a plan to secure more resources away from isolated desert nomads living outside of Eden, with obvious potential disastrous consequences. I find the Machiavelli-type conflict fascinating because morally there is a right-and-wrong to the conflict but logically the line starts the blur. I usually find the YA dystopia books far-fetched in concept, but this book not only builds on a realistic possibility of what climate change means but also deeper ethical questions of survival and advancement.
The wealth of background allows for great character development for the heroine. Of course, she is the classic disillusioned-outcast who discovered the truth and decided to fight for the morally righteous. However, her gradual path toward underground resistance, I found, was thoughtfully and emotionally depicted. Unfortunately, aside from her, all other characters were one-note, just like the standard heist movies where quirky individuals assemble around a leader for a mission. I would perhaps lament the most on the antagonist, the figurehead of the Eden government. Given the load of ethical and philosophical landmines of the story, the author had a great opportunity to create a memorable psychopathic, charismatic antagonist. Instead, he decidedly was evil and never tried to hide it, choosing violence rather than words.
Perhaps, the characters were sacrificed for the breakneck pace of the story. Aside from sufficiently lingering on depicting the world, the story is action-packed - there were multiple missions to be completed, plans changed and new missions accepted, people were captured and needed to be rescued...a lot was going on from beginning to the end. The tension is well-maintained with a healthy dose of romance. Again the romance is unconventional - to say would be a big spoiler, but I could, on the whole, accept it. While the concept was strange given the background, the two characters connected for me, understood and worked well together and had a few swoony moments to boot.
In the end though, I feel that I may be giving too much credit to the author, reading too much when there was unintentionally not so. There were so many questions I had at the end of the book that went unanswered. In fact, the main conflict of the entire premise is really not resolved. Unfortunately, I don't think there will be a sequel so I am really puzzled and frustrated that the author ended the story the way it did: totally half-baked.
Overall, while I may be giving this book too much of an intellectual credit, I had a fun time following an action-packed plotline and immersing in unconventional ideals, which make the rushed and incomplete ending doubly disappointing.
The wealth of background allows for great character development for the heroine. Of course, she is the classic disillusioned-outcast who discovered the truth and decided to fight for the morally righteous. However, her gradual path toward underground resistance, I found, was thoughtfully and emotionally depicted. Unfortunately, aside from her, all other characters were one-note, just like the standard heist movies where quirky individuals assemble around a leader for a mission. I would perhaps lament the most on the antagonist, the figurehead of the Eden government. Given the load of ethical and philosophical landmines of the story, the author had a great opportunity to create a memorable psychopathic, charismatic antagonist. Instead, he decidedly was evil and never tried to hide it, choosing violence rather than words.
Perhaps, the characters were sacrificed for the breakneck pace of the story. Aside from sufficiently lingering on depicting the world, the story is action-packed - there were multiple missions to be completed, plans changed and new missions accepted, people were captured and needed to be rescued...a lot was going on from beginning to the end. The tension is well-maintained with a healthy dose of romance. Again the romance is unconventional - to say would be a big spoiler, but I could, on the whole, accept it. While the concept was strange given the background, the two characters connected for me, understood and worked well together and had a few swoony moments to boot.
In the end though, I feel that I may be giving too much credit to the author, reading too much when there was unintentionally not so. There were so many questions I had at the end of the book that went unanswered. In fact, the main conflict of the entire premise is really not resolved. Unfortunately, I don't think there will be a sequel so I am really puzzled and frustrated that the author ended the story the way it did: totally half-baked.
Overall, while I may be giving this book too much of an intellectual credit, I had a fun time following an action-packed plotline and immersing in unconventional ideals, which make the rushed and incomplete ending doubly disappointing.
January 15, 2015
Parched is an interesting story about one young woman’s struggle to deal with the tragedy of her past and make a difference in the future for the world she has come to know. After living in the Badlands for a year after her mother’s death, Tess is recruited to return to Eden to help the Kudzu organization end the tyranny of the Trust and attempt to give life back to the struggling Badlands. In this story, there are many ups and downs, filled with intrigue and choices to be made. The question is will Tess make the right one.
Tess is an interesting young woman. She is carrying massive amounts of guilt and shame on her shoulder in regards to the mysterious events surrounding her mother’s death. She is the only person who knows what truly happened. Tess is a perfect example of a character who doesn’t quite fit in. She is an outsider in the Badlands but learns to survive. In Eden, she no longer fits in because of her time outside the cities walls. She has grown into an aware person, one who can no longer live like she used to knowing the things she has uncovered about the world she lives in. There were times that I loved Tess and other times when I didn’t, and I loved that. She is a character who continues to grow throughout the entire story. She is a real teenager. She is selfish and bratty yet she longs for acceptance and community. She lies to those around her but she longs for the exposure of truth to prevail and change to happen. She is a true YA heroine, a girl growing into more than she could have imagined and hitting a few bumps along the way.
The premise of this story was different yet similar to other books in the genre. It has the strong female heroine who must go against a tyranny and bring restoration and change to the world she lives in, placing it in the YA Dystopian genre perfectly. Yet the setting and general world environment is very different. Robots. I have never read a book or watched a movie featuring artificial intelligence. It took a bit of time and slow reading on the front end to understand what is going on in Eden and the Trust and come to understand the terminology and structure of this new world with robots. It is quite fascinating. Georgia Clark does a great job of developing a new world. I didn’t feel overwhelmed while trying to piece this new world together in my mind. Instead I enjoyed putting it together piece by piece and creating visions of robots and a world different from my own.
This story is full of other secondary characters that enhance the plot and their presence is necessary to the storyline. Abel, Hunter, Ling, Naz, Izzy, and so many more help to bring this world to life. There are Edenites, Badlanders, and robots galore. Observing such different characters interact in this story was interesting to watch develop. The story may focus primarily on Tess but these characters bring a depth to the tale and allow for growth in our heroine’s life. The interactions and relationships between the each person is well developed and important to the overall story.
Parched is exactly what I expected and nothing like I expected. You will enter a world of robots, choices, and the chance to do what is right no matter the cost. It is true to the YA Dysotopian genre but with a spin all it’s own.
Tess is an interesting young woman. She is carrying massive amounts of guilt and shame on her shoulder in regards to the mysterious events surrounding her mother’s death. She is the only person who knows what truly happened. Tess is a perfect example of a character who doesn’t quite fit in. She is an outsider in the Badlands but learns to survive. In Eden, she no longer fits in because of her time outside the cities walls. She has grown into an aware person, one who can no longer live like she used to knowing the things she has uncovered about the world she lives in. There were times that I loved Tess and other times when I didn’t, and I loved that. She is a character who continues to grow throughout the entire story. She is a real teenager. She is selfish and bratty yet she longs for acceptance and community. She lies to those around her but she longs for the exposure of truth to prevail and change to happen. She is a true YA heroine, a girl growing into more than she could have imagined and hitting a few bumps along the way.
The premise of this story was different yet similar to other books in the genre. It has the strong female heroine who must go against a tyranny and bring restoration and change to the world she lives in, placing it in the YA Dystopian genre perfectly. Yet the setting and general world environment is very different. Robots. I have never read a book or watched a movie featuring artificial intelligence. It took a bit of time and slow reading on the front end to understand what is going on in Eden and the Trust and come to understand the terminology and structure of this new world with robots. It is quite fascinating. Georgia Clark does a great job of developing a new world. I didn’t feel overwhelmed while trying to piece this new world together in my mind. Instead I enjoyed putting it together piece by piece and creating visions of robots and a world different from my own.
This story is full of other secondary characters that enhance the plot and their presence is necessary to the storyline. Abel, Hunter, Ling, Naz, Izzy, and so many more help to bring this world to life. There are Edenites, Badlanders, and robots galore. Observing such different characters interact in this story was interesting to watch develop. The story may focus primarily on Tess but these characters bring a depth to the tale and allow for growth in our heroine’s life. The interactions and relationships between the each person is well developed and important to the overall story.
Parched is exactly what I expected and nothing like I expected. You will enter a world of robots, choices, and the chance to do what is right no matter the cost. It is true to the YA Dysotopian genre but with a spin all it’s own.
June 10, 2014
3.5 stars! I admit, I initially judged it by the cover and was skeptical. Though if I had found it on my library shelf in 1996 I would have been all over it, so maybe it's time to bring back old-school. Beats the hell out of "languishing white girl" any day.
It's so refreshing to find a YA author who seems to have actually thought out their dystopia. Clark took the time to craft different cultures for the Badlands and Eden, and it shows. I particularly loved how we're just tossed right in without a lot of hand-holding and get to learn by seeing, as it were. It takes guts for a YA author to just drop in a made up language on page 2, and I'm glad Clark and her publisher trusted us readers enough to do it.
It does suffer from some too-convenient plotting, and certain events were too easily anticipated. Also, I felt the pacing was too fast. Clark does a good job populating her world with a motley cast, but we're hurried past most of them. "Thrilling" is an apt descriptor and don't get me wrong, I liked that aspect, but an extra fifty/hundred pages might have let the story breathe a bit more. Plus, that would have allowed events to happen more organically, instead of needing to be forced along by events of questionable plausibility (why would Tess just blurt illegal things in public? why does nothing have a real password?). The Badlands are the most interesting part, but we have to leave them behind by chapter 3. We should have been able to spend more time with the people and places- Henney! Myrtle Beach! Kep Sa'ain!- since they were damn fascinating.
Bonus points for a)robots!, and b) the fact that I loved Tess's backstory. I'm not necessarily sold on Tess herself (probably because of her too-convenient tendency to blurt things out), but I always like characters with real, cringe-worthy flaws. I didn't even hate the romance, and I've been vehemently thumbs-down on every YA romance I've read recently.
Not sure if there's going to be a sequel (it works either way), but if so, I'll definitely be checking it out. It's been a while since a new YA book make me want more.
It's so refreshing to find a YA author who seems to have actually thought out their dystopia. Clark took the time to craft different cultures for the Badlands and Eden, and it shows. I particularly loved how we're just tossed right in without a lot of hand-holding and get to learn by seeing, as it were. It takes guts for a YA author to just drop in a made up language on page 2, and I'm glad Clark and her publisher trusted us readers enough to do it.
It does suffer from some too-convenient plotting, and certain events were too easily anticipated. Also, I felt the pacing was too fast. Clark does a good job populating her world with a motley cast, but we're hurried past most of them. "Thrilling" is an apt descriptor and don't get me wrong, I liked that aspect, but an extra fifty/hundred pages might have let the story breathe a bit more. Plus, that would have allowed events to happen more organically, instead of needing to be forced along by events of questionable plausibility (why would Tess just blurt illegal things in public? why does nothing have a real password?). The Badlands are the most interesting part, but we have to leave them behind by chapter 3. We should have been able to spend more time with the people and places- Henney! Myrtle Beach! Kep Sa'ain!- since they were damn fascinating.
Bonus points for a)robots!, and b) the fact that I loved Tess's backstory. I'm not necessarily sold on Tess herself (probably because of her too-convenient tendency to blurt things out), but I always like characters with real, cringe-worthy flaws. I didn't even hate the romance, and I've been vehemently thumbs-down on every YA romance I've read recently.
Not sure if there's going to be a sequel (it works either way), but if so, I'll definitely be checking it out. It's been a while since a new YA book make me want more.
March 21, 2014
I was very excited to read this as it has been compared to ‘The Hunger Games’ and the’ Divergent’ series and whist it’s probably a bit tragic I was keen for a bit more of something similar.
On the surface there are many similarities, strong female lead characters living in a post apocalyptic world, a hot love interest and like all good ‘quest’ books, an important mission to accomplish. From the begining of the book though it appeared that this was going to be a little different, a bit edgier, the themes dealt with here are a little bit closer to home too.
Eden is an apparently blissful utopia where the residents are safe from the ravages of climate change and long inflicted environmental damage. The neighbouring Badlands, which doesn't have any artificial climate control or much of anything really, sounds very much like a place you’d rather not go on vacation. A lot of effort goes in to setting these scenes early in the book and along with the description of the Badlands refugees trying to cross the border, the contrast between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ is firmly established and the reasons why are laid down before the plot really kicks up a gear which I think was really well done.
Not to give too much away, there were some great unexpected plot turns, the plot and the writing flowed well and unusually for a Young Adult aimed book it was really well edited. The characters are well developed (the important ones) and mostly relatable to.
The ending was good and satisfied my need to have all the loose ends tied up whilst leaving the door open to another book (hopefully!), which I’ll happily look forward to!
April 6, 2014
I got this book as a Goodreads giveaway and I'm so happy I did! I can't even imagine living in a world like that! Especially since with my luck I would end up in the badlands!
I admit that I had a few cringe worthy moments with Tess when she's speaking to Hunter. I didn't feel like her speaking bad about Eden was actually a horrible thing since she did it so often with a guy she just met. I understand her conversations with her Uncle, but not a stranger. She just very easily blurts out things she promised she wouldn't to this guy who asked her out. I didn't feel like she deserved to be trusted by this group of people who held her in such high regard.
I feel like the world building was awesomely done, I could very easily picture this world clearly in my head. Yet, I didn't really connect with any of the characters, but I understood their goals. I know why the threat of the Quicks and the Tranqs and Aevum and the Trust is such a huge deal and must be brought down but I didn't feel the immediate danger they could bring to Tess since in the beginning, her first outburst in the hair salon brought her no consequence.
I felt it to be a little slow in the beginning and in need of more past personal information about Tess so I could get to know her better but overall I enjoyed this book, it had action and futuristic technology which I immensely love!
I admit that I had a few cringe worthy moments with Tess when she's speaking to Hunter. I didn't feel like her speaking bad about Eden was actually a horrible thing since she did it so often with a guy she just met. I understand her conversations with her Uncle, but not a stranger. She just very easily blurts out things she promised she wouldn't to this guy who asked her out. I didn't feel like she deserved to be trusted by this group of people who held her in such high regard.
I feel like the world building was awesomely done, I could very easily picture this world clearly in my head. Yet, I didn't really connect with any of the characters, but I understood their goals. I know why the threat of the Quicks and the Tranqs and Aevum and the Trust is such a huge deal and must be brought down but I didn't feel the immediate danger they could bring to Tess since in the beginning, her first outburst in the hair salon brought her no consequence.
I felt it to be a little slow in the beginning and in need of more past personal information about Tess so I could get to know her better but overall I enjoyed this book, it had action and futuristic technology which I immensely love!
August 1, 2014
I love young adult fiction but I confess I have until now avoided the sci-fi variety opting for your more conventional love stories (Perks of Being a Wallflower is my all time favourite). After reading Parched I realise what a mistake that was - because the unbridled passion of a good teen romance has the potential to become even more electric and satisfying when it takes place in a foreign and brilliantly realised futuristic world.
Parched is a cracklingly good read - with an abundant amount of genuinely surprising twists and turns. It's one of those books where there's a lot of great characters that you're cheering for outside of the main protagonist.
Strong writing, strong female characters and a setting that is as fascinating as it is cinematic this novel is a must-read for anyone that loves a fast-paced, well-told story about love, friendship and fighting for a good cause.
Parched is a cracklingly good read - with an abundant amount of genuinely surprising twists and turns. It's one of those books where there's a lot of great characters that you're cheering for outside of the main protagonist.
Strong writing, strong female characters and a setting that is as fascinating as it is cinematic this novel is a must-read for anyone that loves a fast-paced, well-told story about love, friendship and fighting for a good cause.
January 12, 2015
Tess is 16 and lives in Eden. After her scientist mother is killed she runs away to the bad lands. Things are not what she things they will be there and she decides to return. The thing is that she can not go back to the way things were. She decides to work with Kudzu. Things keep going differently then what she expects. She starts having feelings towards Hunter but then he turns out not to be what she thought,.
There is alot of Tess figuring things out. She is 16 but acts more like an adult. I liked that this story didn't feel like a YA but a Sci Fi book.
It reminded me of the video games my husband liked to place. Even though I am not a huge fan of robots, I felt like this was such a good story. Plus how many sci fi/YA/romance stories are out there that are this awesome!
There is alot of Tess figuring things out. She is 16 but acts more like an adult. I liked that this story didn't feel like a YA but a Sci Fi book.
It reminded me of the video games my husband liked to place. Even though I am not a huge fan of robots, I felt like this was such a good story. Plus how many sci fi/YA/romance stories are out there that are this awesome!
January 23, 2015
I picked up this title because it was on a list of "page turners." Well, I'm not sure this book really was that. It is another dystopian novel. I guess I'm always looking for a tale that is different and believable. Not that Parched was horrible. I just felt like it was pretty predictable. It is a tale of haves and have-nots - those who live within the city with water and the many who live in the desert outside of the city without water. One girl, Tess, whose mother was killed by a robot with artificial intelligence, decides to rebel against the establishment with a group of others who want to save the people in the outlands. Sound familiar at all? Some YA readers will like this. It just wasn't one of my favorite dystopian tales.
September 21, 2014
The cover of this book threw me off when I first spotted it at the library. It looked like something from the 90s but it was a "new" item so I read the description. The sci-fi drew me in right away so I checked it out and I'm so glad I did. I started it thinking that this was going to be a cheesy YA novel but it wasn't even close. I love the world created and I love how thought out this book was. Really hoping there will be a book 2, though I don't see any mention of it. Definitely a good read and keeps you wanting more.
June 7, 2016
This looked like it could be an interesting book. I was disappointed in the quality of the writing and the plot. If a dystopian novel doesn't have a good plot, it's bad. The protagonist, a sulky teenaged girl, was hard to like. Without giving away plot, I will just say that the huge coincidences in the book felt false. The big issue of artificial intelligence and humans having emotions for beings that are NOT people was raised, but not explored in a meaningful way. Instead, mawkish teenage hormone-driven "romance" prevailed.
October 10, 2014
I love robots. Especially quirky ones. And i'm an IT major making this book even more appealing and funny! :)
April 14, 2014
What a ride! A lot of fun in the beginning, only to get more and more exciting as you read on. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a little sci-fi with a twist.
Want to read
March 22, 2014Won in the Goodreads Firstreads program. New sci-fi to read!
April 2, 2015
Sci-fi in an earth that has gone wrong. A lot of adventure with a small group of rebel teens trying to even the score. Relationships that of course get very muddled.
September 7, 2014
Discovered this on a list page turners and enjoyed it vey much. How can you go wrong with robots, renewable resources, and romance? ( that's on the cover..I totally did not make that up!)
November 4, 2014
Really a 3 1/2. Another crazy futuristic story with a teenage hero.
October 9, 2014
A rich and complex story; well thought out. (And I love the title, just as an aside).
August 31, 2016
Teaching a robot to love + classic YA dystopia with rich walled-in city and poor outskirts + environmental problems due to drought = a surprisingly different, well-balanced, and exciting read.
October 23, 2014
I can't help but think that this one would make a good movie. If the teenage dystopian romance genre hasn't run its course.
January 8, 2015
Very interesting. :D Review to come!
May 29, 2017
3 1/2
July 14, 2015
Tess is an amazingly powerful character taking symbolism and love to a whole new level.
This book perfectly blends romance, action, and dystopian worlds in one joyous, heart wrenching novel
This book perfectly blends romance, action, and dystopian worlds in one joyous, heart wrenching novel
September 12, 2014
Liked it alot! Great futuristic Ya read. Really hope the author is working on a sequel.
June 18, 2018
"Parched" starts off by introducing a pretty creative and well-realized setting in the first quarter or so, then veers off the rails with a fairly unoriginal and less compelling "AI that can feel" plot. I wish it had explored the Badlands setting a lot more and developed its villains better, but it seems uncomfortable going too long without a frantic chase or fight, or some awkward teen-y romantic dialogue. That said, if there's ever a sequel I might pick it up to see if it lets the AI storyline take a backseat and focus on the more interesting and pertinent allegories.
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