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Unbelief #1
Rehabilitation
My name is Sinna Reardon. I suppose deep down I'd like to believe God exists. But he doesn’t, not since the war. Most days I’m okay with that. Jacob calls me a pessimist, but I’m a realist. How can I believe when a place like Rehabilitation and a regime like the Elite exist, dictating our every move?
If God were so great, he’d do something. But he hasn’t. We’re forgotten. And that scares me, because it means I might have to do something myself…
Sinna has spent her life walking a fine line between breaking the rules and obeying them to a fault. In a Godless world where science and logic reign supreme and people are punished for Believing, are friendship and love reasons enough to abandon unbelief? Enough to put her faith in something bigger than herself?
If God were so great, he’d do something. But he hasn’t. We’re forgotten. And that scares me, because it means I might have to do something myself…
Sinna has spent her life walking a fine line between breaking the rules and obeying them to a fault. In a Godless world where science and logic reign supreme and people are punished for Believing, are friendship and love reasons enough to abandon unbelief? Enough to put her faith in something bigger than herself?
112 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2014
About the author
C.B. Stone
28 books163 followersC.B. Stone is sometimes called author, writer, or purveyor of stories. One might even dub her a yarn spinner, if you will. It’s very possible she might be considered just a little left of normal by most, but she’s cool with that. Really, she’s too busy avoiding normal to care.
On any given day, you might find Stone pounding away at a keyboard in sunny Florida, contemplating waves, contemplating life, and dreaming up more exciting stories to share with readers. Except Sunday’s of course. Sunday’s are God’s day, so you’ll often find her making her best “joyful noise” with her local church praise team.
When not pounding poor fingers to bloody nuggets and reinventing the definition of eye strain, C.B. Stone enjoys living it up, doing the family thing, the kid thing, and the friend thing. And in her downtime, reading the minds of fans.
Also being invisible. Being invisible is fun.
On any given day, you might find Stone pounding away at a keyboard in sunny Florida, contemplating waves, contemplating life, and dreaming up more exciting stories to share with readers. Except Sunday’s of course. Sunday’s are God’s day, so you’ll often find her making her best “joyful noise” with her local church praise team.
When not pounding poor fingers to bloody nuggets and reinventing the definition of eye strain, C.B. Stone enjoys living it up, doing the family thing, the kid thing, and the friend thing. And in her downtime, reading the minds of fans.
Also being invisible. Being invisible is fun.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
April 7, 2015
It's nice to see dystopia worn on the other foot when it comes to the "intolerance of socially compromising beliefs" theme that's so rampant in the genre. Usually it's some cult-take on religion, so I was curious to see what happens when the absence of faith is fueling a fascist state.
Unfortunately, REHABILITATION doesn't take any opportunity to rationalize why a science-centric society is desolate, impoverished and emotionally sterile. Apparently atheists are so apathetic they're incapable of compassion and utterly unconcerned with the general welfare of others. Love is denounced because it only results in war, any expression of joy is apparently synonymous with faith and all anybody cares about is conditioning people not to have belief in anything that cannot be empirically proven.
Maybe if this narrow-minded, sterile, autocratic approach to society was justified beyond "we mustn't war because war is irrational" it would be more interesting as a plotm. Otherwise, the implications are the godless are callous and only care about being right while all joy, culture and kindness are exclusively found through faith in a higher power.
The writing had a monotonous quality at times. Such as the protagonist would think something, then basically say the same thing in dialogue a paragraph later. All the conflict is staged to promote drama but is conveniently resolved or has no true consequence to the characters involved. Any major probles the protagonist are solved for her, which might be hinting at a "god delivers/works in mysterious ways" message.
Whether this series is a hate-letter to non-religious individuals and the horrors they would unleash if in power hasn't yet been revealed. Plot-wise, the book reads basically like the first quarter of a full novel and cuts off on a revelation/cliffhanger that feels like a good place to end a chapter but jarring for a story. If you want resolution, you are obliged to buy the next book.
I'll pass myself but if people are looking for a series exploring the oppression of religion and discovery of faith, this might be worth your time.
Unfortunately, REHABILITATION doesn't take any opportunity to rationalize why a science-centric society is desolate, impoverished and emotionally sterile. Apparently atheists are so apathetic they're incapable of compassion and utterly unconcerned with the general welfare of others. Love is denounced because it only results in war, any expression of joy is apparently synonymous with faith and all anybody cares about is conditioning people not to have belief in anything that cannot be empirically proven.
Maybe if this narrow-minded, sterile, autocratic approach to society was justified beyond "we mustn't war because war is irrational" it would be more interesting as a plotm. Otherwise, the implications are the godless are callous and only care about being right while all joy, culture and kindness are exclusively found through faith in a higher power.
The writing had a monotonous quality at times. Such as the protagonist would think something, then basically say the same thing in dialogue a paragraph later. All the conflict is staged to promote drama but is conveniently resolved or has no true consequence to the characters involved. Any major probles the protagonist are solved for her, which might be hinting at a "god delivers/works in mysterious ways" message.
Whether this series is a hate-letter to non-religious individuals and the horrors they would unleash if in power hasn't yet been revealed. Plot-wise, the book reads basically like the first quarter of a full novel and cuts off on a revelation/cliffhanger that feels like a good place to end a chapter but jarring for a story. If you want resolution, you are obliged to buy the next book.
I'll pass myself but if people are looking for a series exploring the oppression of religion and discovery of faith, this might be worth your time.
December 19, 2014
I received this book in exchange for an honest review
Rehabilitation is a fast-paced first novel in a dystopian trilogy. I was hooked within the fist few pages. After a nuclear war, the 'New World' is ruled by The Elite - who enforce rules that they hope will eradicate war and non-compliance. People are taught to have no belief in God or any higher power and that love is useless and only ends in pain.
The main characters - Sinna and Jacob - have been friends since childhood, but they have a very different outlook on the world they live in. Sinna may hate The Elite, but she agrees that there could not possibly be a God. She believes that they would not be suffering as much as they are if there was something else out there. Jacob is quite the opposite and believes that God exits. He spends his time looking for evidence of a ruined church or any books that show proof of religion.
After Jacob is taken to a camp called Rehabilitation by The Elite, Sinna is determined to get him back. With no more family left, he is the only peron she has in the world. Sinna finds a book that she knows will get her taken away and uses it to get herself into the camp. Once there, Sinna quickly finds out what Rehabilitation is all about!
I love a short, fast-paced book that can still take me deep into the setting and minds of the characters. I have a slight obsession with dystopian's and C.B. Stone did not disappoint me! I related with Sinna's character because I think I would have the same opinions and feelings that she did throughout this book. Her and Jacob's relationship ignited a lot of curiosity, and I can't wait to see where it goes.
The ending was ... WOW!!!!!
I love how she threw in a really interesting and intriguing character near the end. And then that twist! Whew, I can't wait until I can read the next one!
http://meetmybookboyfriend.wordpress.com
Rehabilitation is a fast-paced first novel in a dystopian trilogy. I was hooked within the fist few pages. After a nuclear war, the 'New World' is ruled by The Elite - who enforce rules that they hope will eradicate war and non-compliance. People are taught to have no belief in God or any higher power and that love is useless and only ends in pain.
The main characters - Sinna and Jacob - have been friends since childhood, but they have a very different outlook on the world they live in. Sinna may hate The Elite, but she agrees that there could not possibly be a God. She believes that they would not be suffering as much as they are if there was something else out there. Jacob is quite the opposite and believes that God exits. He spends his time looking for evidence of a ruined church or any books that show proof of religion.
After Jacob is taken to a camp called Rehabilitation by The Elite, Sinna is determined to get him back. With no more family left, he is the only peron she has in the world. Sinna finds a book that she knows will get her taken away and uses it to get herself into the camp. Once there, Sinna quickly finds out what Rehabilitation is all about!
I love a short, fast-paced book that can still take me deep into the setting and minds of the characters. I have a slight obsession with dystopian's and C.B. Stone did not disappoint me! I related with Sinna's character because I think I would have the same opinions and feelings that she did throughout this book. Her and Jacob's relationship ignited a lot of curiosity, and I can't wait to see where it goes.
The ending was ... WOW!!!!!
I love how she threw in a really interesting and intriguing character near the end. And then that twist! Whew, I can't wait until I can read the next one!
http://meetmybookboyfriend.wordpress.com
November 2, 2014
This is not a review, this is my book. I look forward to honest reviews and feedback from my readers.
September 7, 2015
I'd say I'm actually more at a 2 1/2 with this book. There is a LOT wrong with it, starting with the amateurish writing style. The lack of finesse becomes clear from the very first physical description: "His unruly blond hair is brushing past the nape of his neck, and I know his ice blue eyes are laser focused..." and they don't get much better from there. There are times where chapters begin with a recap of what just happened in the page before. Perhaps the author thought no one would be able to read more than a chapter at a time? Then there's the fact that the book is basically religious propaganda. The scientists are the bad guys...desperately trying to destroy belief, but of course there are those who still do believe and they are wonderful and pure. Of course our protagonist is a non-believer, but I fully expect by the end of the trilogy she will see the light. I understand the importance of religion to people, but come on. The author at least makes it clear that the reason the Elite (the bad guy scientist) have eliminated belief and religion is because they blame these things for war. Which um...is true in many cases. Anyway, so the whole concept rubbed me the wrong way, but I will say once Sinna got herself thrown in Rehabilitation and introduced the character of Alex, an Elite soldier who is actually kind and unlike the others, the book got my attention. I was hoping for the book to end with a reveal that he is, in fact, not kind, but worse than all of them and was playing a sick game with her tricking her into thinking he was saving her, but instead it ended with a "shocking" reveal, that I saw coming from the very beginning of the book. I'm still holding out hope for the double cross, but Alex will probably just end up being the third corner of a love triangle with Sinna and Jacob (because...OF COURSE her best friend's name is Jacob.)
I'll read the next two books...because I have them. But I don't expect to become any more impressed. At least they are short and I can quickly check off 3 more books toward my 30 for this year. (And seriously...why are they so short? Because the author was greedy and wanted a trilogy instead of just releasing one book? Yeah. I think so.)
I'll read the next two books...because I have them. But I don't expect to become any more impressed. At least they are short and I can quickly check off 3 more books toward my 30 for this year. (And seriously...why are they so short? Because the author was greedy and wanted a trilogy instead of just releasing one book? Yeah. I think so.)
December 13, 2014
You can also find this review and many others of mine on my blog @ Escaping Reality Within Pages
First off I would like to thank the Author for allowing me to read this for an honest review.
Now I hadn't noticed how short this book was when I first came across it. I'd just read the synopsis on Goodreads, and was quickly reeled in. I was very intrigued and I'm glad I hadn't noticed the shortness beforehand, because I normally don't read novella's unless a part of a series so if I had noticed I probably wouldn't of read. While the shortness did still bother me, it was a very enjoyable story and I will defiantly be continuing.
I say the shortness bothered me because this is a whole part of a story and it is fast paced which with it's shortness doesn't leave much room for character development or story background. I liked the story and characters but I think with more development, I could have loved it!
What I did like the most was the whole belief and religion/God being illegal. They are seen as something bad and the cause of war and such. Without belief and god people are so much easier to control. Plus those are such touchy subjects and strong issues. I think C.B Stone has a good plot here with this and the only thing I could wish for like I stated above is more story and deeper development.
I look forward to continuing this series, and I recommend this to fans of Dystopian and quick reads, because this sure was just that! Worth it though in my opinion!
First off I would like to thank the Author for allowing me to read this for an honest review.
Now I hadn't noticed how short this book was when I first came across it. I'd just read the synopsis on Goodreads, and was quickly reeled in. I was very intrigued and I'm glad I hadn't noticed the shortness beforehand, because I normally don't read novella's unless a part of a series so if I had noticed I probably wouldn't of read. While the shortness did still bother me, it was a very enjoyable story and I will defiantly be continuing.
I say the shortness bothered me because this is a whole part of a story and it is fast paced which with it's shortness doesn't leave much room for character development or story background. I liked the story and characters but I think with more development, I could have loved it!
What I did like the most was the whole belief and religion/God being illegal. They are seen as something bad and the cause of war and such. Without belief and god people are so much easier to control. Plus those are such touchy subjects and strong issues. I think C.B Stone has a good plot here with this and the only thing I could wish for like I stated above is more story and deeper development.
I look forward to continuing this series, and I recommend this to fans of Dystopian and quick reads, because this sure was just that! Worth it though in my opinion!
January 6, 2015
For the most part, I really liked this book. The premise is quite good about a ruling society wanting to stamp out any mention/thought of "Belief." As a plus, the writing solid and so are the characters.
My only real complaint would be the length. Some parts could be fleshed out more, and a whole lot more could be done with the ending. It ends rather abruptly. The whole story arc is pretty linear and predictable (which is fine), but I thought there were several instances in the middle and toward the end where a few more curves could've been thrown in to really beef up the story.
A quick good. A good read. Recommended!
My only real complaint would be the length. Some parts could be fleshed out more, and a whole lot more could be done with the ending. It ends rather abruptly. The whole story arc is pretty linear and predictable (which is fine), but I thought there were several instances in the middle and toward the end where a few more curves could've been thrown in to really beef up the story.
A quick good. A good read. Recommended!
November 2, 2019
3 Stars
December 31, 2014
C.B Stone was grateful enough to provide me with a free copy of this book for review! First off, the summary is very attention grabbing. I always read the summaries of books prior to reading and this summary really caught my attention. The cover is also very attention grabbing, another perk for me. I am one of those people who is always drawn to the beautiful covers of books and this one had it.
I am also a huge fan of present tense. It is not the easiest tense to write in, but it is great for the reader. C.B Stone also has this haunting and lyrical writing style that makes the reader feel like she is living and experiencing the world as the characters. It's just so hard to look away from the book and to get the images of the world out of your head.
I was very drawn into the world of Jacob and Sinna. I love science fiction worlds and this was so well done. I like how detailed the author was with the world, but, yet, it was not overkill. So many authors spend so much time telling rather than showing the reader the world. Not the case with this read! Just enough detail for the reader to understand the world, but left out enough to keep the reader asking questions and engaged.
The Selections were a mystery whenever I first read about them. For some reason, it kind of reminded me of The Hunger Games. Whenever I am being reminded of my favourite books in another book, it is usually good sign.
I also was very drawn to the character of Sinna. I don't know about the rest of the world, but I like strong main characters. I liked how loyal she was and how she would do anything for those closest to her, even if it meant putting herself at risk. There is just no other way to say it, but strong main characters always make the story for me. I cannot stand weak main characters. I like characters who take action and do not wait around for others do something. I also liked Jacob and how much he believed in something, even though he wasn't supposed. That takes guts and I admire that in people.
I read this book in one setting. There was just simply no good place to stop and put it aside. It was nothing but action and well written action. I liked that there was no romance between the two main characters, something that never seems to happened in stories nowadays.
The ending literally made me say "What?" Curses! I love and hate cliff hanger endings! I really want to know what's going to happen next! I did not even know how close I was to the ending until I got there. I just simply was not expecting that kind of ending!
Overall, a really brilliant book! It is short, which may not be a bad thing for someone who is looking for something quick to read. People who like Divergent and The Hunger Games will enjoy this book!
Cheers!
Serena
I am also a huge fan of present tense. It is not the easiest tense to write in, but it is great for the reader. C.B Stone also has this haunting and lyrical writing style that makes the reader feel like she is living and experiencing the world as the characters. It's just so hard to look away from the book and to get the images of the world out of your head.
I was very drawn into the world of Jacob and Sinna. I love science fiction worlds and this was so well done. I like how detailed the author was with the world, but, yet, it was not overkill. So many authors spend so much time telling rather than showing the reader the world. Not the case with this read! Just enough detail for the reader to understand the world, but left out enough to keep the reader asking questions and engaged.
The Selections were a mystery whenever I first read about them. For some reason, it kind of reminded me of The Hunger Games. Whenever I am being reminded of my favourite books in another book, it is usually good sign.
I also was very drawn to the character of Sinna. I don't know about the rest of the world, but I like strong main characters. I liked how loyal she was and how she would do anything for those closest to her, even if it meant putting herself at risk. There is just no other way to say it, but strong main characters always make the story for me. I cannot stand weak main characters. I like characters who take action and do not wait around for others do something. I also liked Jacob and how much he believed in something, even though he wasn't supposed. That takes guts and I admire that in people.
I read this book in one setting. There was just simply no good place to stop and put it aside. It was nothing but action and well written action. I liked that there was no romance between the two main characters, something that never seems to happened in stories nowadays.
The ending literally made me say "What?" Curses! I love and hate cliff hanger endings! I really want to know what's going to happen next! I did not even know how close I was to the ending until I got there. I just simply was not expecting that kind of ending!
Overall, a really brilliant book! It is short, which may not be a bad thing for someone who is looking for something quick to read. People who like Divergent and The Hunger Games will enjoy this book!
Cheers!
Serena
September 5, 2016
This was a great introduction to a dystopian world where religion is outlawed and those found believing in any sort of spiritual creator are ‘fixed’, but it would have been nice if it went on for a bit longer. Granted, it ends on a pretty neat cliff-hanger, but it wouldn’t have been too much of a stretch to make this trilogy one single story as, based on page count listings, the trilogy is less than 500 pages in length. If this was one single novel, I’d have probably given it five stars assuming the rest of the story is as good, but because it has been broken up into such small chunks I have to mark it down.
November 16, 2014
A sci-fi thriller. A disturbing peek into a possible future. A nuclear war has devastated the planet. The New World is ruled by the Elite with specific Laws; "Above All Else, Don't Believe! "No room for God in the New World! No hope, no love! Story focus is on Sinna & Jacob (teenagers), Jacob's younger sister Sammy & another girl, Miriam, as they struggle to survive in this barren land without hope and the certainty of severe punishments for noncompliance. The ending may be surprising. The first part of a serie; a cliffhanger worth continuing.
Ms. Stone is a new sci-fi author of promise.
This book was given to me for free for an honest review.
Ms. Stone is a new sci-fi author of promise.
This book was given to me for free for an honest review.
January 16, 2015
I was provided with a free copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
All that being said, WOW. I did not want to put this book down. I was sucked in from the beginning. I was absorbed into Sinna's world. The descriptions produced vivid pictures and emotions in my mind, so I was seeing through Sinna's eyes, feeling her emotions, thinking her thoughts.
And that ending! I NEVER saw it coming. I had to reread it to make sure I had read it correctly. WOW. What a hook! I am going to have to read the remaining two books now. I'm too sucked in not to!
This was an AMAZING read. I'm putting this on my favorites list!
All that being said, WOW. I did not want to put this book down. I was sucked in from the beginning. I was absorbed into Sinna's world. The descriptions produced vivid pictures and emotions in my mind, so I was seeing through Sinna's eyes, feeling her emotions, thinking her thoughts.
And that ending! I NEVER saw it coming. I had to reread it to make sure I had read it correctly. WOW. What a hook! I am going to have to read the remaining two books now. I'm too sucked in not to!
This was an AMAZING read. I'm putting this on my favorites list!
June 3, 2015
I definitely get the Hunger Games comparison- no special powers involved, but definitely a bizarre rules, harsh society. Sinna lives in a world where Believing can get you Selected for Trials or sent to Rehabilitation. When her friend gets taken by the Elite in the middle of the night and brought to Rehabilitation, she makes plans to bust him out. The story hooks you immediately and you'll read this in one sitting. It's fast paced and feels like you've read the first quarter ( or third since this is a trilogy) of a much longer book.
November 29, 2014
I received this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this! I wasn't sure how I would feel when I started reading this because I've become so burned out on dystopias, but the writing was great and I found myself just soaking it all in and wanting more! I am so excited for the rest of the trilogy! You can read my full review on my blog here: http://courtneysreads.blogspot.com/20...
I loved this! I wasn't sure how I would feel when I started reading this because I've become so burned out on dystopias, but the writing was great and I found myself just soaking it all in and wanting more! I am so excited for the rest of the trilogy! You can read my full review on my blog here: http://courtneysreads.blogspot.com/20...
December 7, 2014
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this, you always have that one character that becomes your favorite.
Mine was Sinna. As I started reading, it was getting harder & harder to breakaway from it to get anything else in my life done, ha. Once you get to the end, you just want to hurry up and get to the next one! This kept me on the edge. Great writer, I'd recommend this book to anyone! I'm starting the second unbelief book "Ruin" today. I'm so excited :)
I loved this, you always have that one character that becomes your favorite.
Mine was Sinna. As I started reading, it was getting harder & harder to breakaway from it to get anything else in my life done, ha. Once you get to the end, you just want to hurry up and get to the next one! This kept me on the edge. Great writer, I'd recommend this book to anyone! I'm starting the second unbelief book "Ruin" today. I'm so excited :)
July 16, 2015
As the first book in a trilogy, this was a great start. Rehabilitation is filled with action and suspense, and is over all a great book. I loved the way C.B. Stone worked God into her novels without being at all preachy--a good way to speak to people who haven't met God yet.
December 4, 2014
I liked the story, can't wait for book 2. I just have one complain: too much description of the surroundings it got a little boring...
January 14, 2015
Great read.
Really great story. Loved the characters.
Fantastic Story. Could not put it down.
Really great story. Loved the characters.
Fantastic Story. Could not put it down.
January 4, 2017
Title: Rehabilitation: Romantic Dystopian
Author: C. B. Stone
Publisher: InkedPlot Media
ISBN: B00P01TJQA
Buy Link: http://www.cbstonebooks.com/
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Unbelief 1
"My name is Sinna Reardon. I suppose deep down I'd like to believe God exists. But he doesn’t, not since the war. Most days I’m OK with that. Jacob calls me a pessimist, but I’m a realist. How can I Believe when a place like Rehabilitation and a regime like the Elite exist, dictating our every move?
If God were so great, he’d do something. But he hasn’t. We’re forgotten. And that scares me, because it means I might have to do something myself…"
Sinna has spent her life walking a fine line between breaking the rules and obeying them to a fault. In a Godless world where science and logic reign supreme and people are punished for Believing, are friendship and love reasons enough to abandon unbelief? Enough to put her faith in something bigger than herself?
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
This book was an unexpected and fascinating story. Sinna lives in a post apocalyptic world that is ruled by the Elite who control every thought and action. The biggest law is not to believe in anything beyond what the Elite tell them. To believe in higher power is the worse crime. Sinna and her friend Jacob manage to barely make ends meet by sneaking off to the ruins to scavenge anything that can be sold or traded. That is, until they return one day to find out a Selection is underway where they take anyone they think needs to undergo the Trials where they decide if they need Rehabilitation. Sinna's own father was taken and never returned. Everything changed one when Jacob was taken and Sinna is determined to help him escape at all costs.
It was terrifying how the Elites could take anyone, even the children, and there was nothing to stop them. The idea of rehabilitation sounded like mind control, but it was puzzling that most of those taken never returned leaving one to wonder what happened to them. The fear of what really happened kept most people in line, but what would be worse knowing or not.
This was a fast paced story that left me wondering what would happen next and I for one can't wait to read Ruin the next book in the Unbelief series.
Author: C. B. Stone
Publisher: InkedPlot Media
ISBN: B00P01TJQA
Buy Link: http://www.cbstonebooks.com/
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Unbelief 1
"My name is Sinna Reardon. I suppose deep down I'd like to believe God exists. But he doesn’t, not since the war. Most days I’m OK with that. Jacob calls me a pessimist, but I’m a realist. How can I Believe when a place like Rehabilitation and a regime like the Elite exist, dictating our every move?
If God were so great, he’d do something. But he hasn’t. We’re forgotten. And that scares me, because it means I might have to do something myself…"
Sinna has spent her life walking a fine line between breaking the rules and obeying them to a fault. In a Godless world where science and logic reign supreme and people are punished for Believing, are friendship and love reasons enough to abandon unbelief? Enough to put her faith in something bigger than herself?
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
This book was an unexpected and fascinating story. Sinna lives in a post apocalyptic world that is ruled by the Elite who control every thought and action. The biggest law is not to believe in anything beyond what the Elite tell them. To believe in higher power is the worse crime. Sinna and her friend Jacob manage to barely make ends meet by sneaking off to the ruins to scavenge anything that can be sold or traded. That is, until they return one day to find out a Selection is underway where they take anyone they think needs to undergo the Trials where they decide if they need Rehabilitation. Sinna's own father was taken and never returned. Everything changed one when Jacob was taken and Sinna is determined to help him escape at all costs.
It was terrifying how the Elites could take anyone, even the children, and there was nothing to stop them. The idea of rehabilitation sounded like mind control, but it was puzzling that most of those taken never returned leaving one to wonder what happened to them. The fear of what really happened kept most people in line, but what would be worse knowing or not.
This was a fast paced story that left me wondering what would happen next and I for one can't wait to read Ruin the next book in the Unbelief series.
April 6, 2018
After a nuclear war, The Elite took over control of the world. They use science and logic to rule this world. God and belief have been banned because these cause wars. If you are caught with either, you are sent away to Rehabilitation camps. Sinna Reardon doesn’t believe in God but she also doesn’t like The Elite dictating everything. Her best friend Jacob on the other hand believes in God and spends his time looking for things relating to God.
But then Jacob is caught and taken to the Rehabilitation camp. Sinna has nothing except for Jacob and decides to get herself caught and taken to the same camp so she can break him out. Once there, Sinna learns that there is a lot more happening than she knew.
This is a short story with not a lot of character development but an interesting take on this dystopian world. Controlling a world by banning God and belief. I mean, think about this for a moment. You don’t have to be religious to believe in God or a high power or purpose. Just knowing someone cares for you, believes in you, make’s dealing with tough times easier. Correct?
Now imaging a world where those that care and believe in you are punished, selected for Trials and Rehabilitation and never seen again. To me that is a bleak world. I could understand why Sinna wanted to help Joshua get out. But along the way she learns so much more.
I think this is a good start to a series. It is short, kept me engaged, and left off in the middle of a scene in one heck of a cliff hanger. I admit that I had these kinds of cliff hangers. Although that irritated me, I do have to say that I liked the story and am excited to start Ruin.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
But then Jacob is caught and taken to the Rehabilitation camp. Sinna has nothing except for Jacob and decides to get herself caught and taken to the same camp so she can break him out. Once there, Sinna learns that there is a lot more happening than she knew.
This is a short story with not a lot of character development but an interesting take on this dystopian world. Controlling a world by banning God and belief. I mean, think about this for a moment. You don’t have to be religious to believe in God or a high power or purpose. Just knowing someone cares for you, believes in you, make’s dealing with tough times easier. Correct?
Now imaging a world where those that care and believe in you are punished, selected for Trials and Rehabilitation and never seen again. To me that is a bleak world. I could understand why Sinna wanted to help Joshua get out. But along the way she learns so much more.
I think this is a good start to a series. It is short, kept me engaged, and left off in the middle of a scene in one heck of a cliff hanger. I admit that I had these kinds of cliff hangers. Although that irritated me, I do have to say that I liked the story and am excited to start Ruin.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
January 31, 2020
Eh. 2.5 stars.
This is a very fast-paced read which is good and bad. While the plot flowed quickly but the events weren't too convoluted, a lot went on that I couldn't just fully get behind. Like the time--months go by from one paragraph to the next it seems. And the events just line up ever so nicely.
Sinna's best friend is Jacob, but friendships are rare. Not so rare are orphans, as many parents are taken for whatever reason. It's illegal to love, but not to love the children. But the Elite doesn't want anyone happy.
It's also illegal to hope and to BELIEVE, especially in a deity. Books are banned and most people can't read. It's just like...everyone just exists unless they're a soldier in the Elite or torturing kids who have hope. Rehabilitation is part of that process, to force a person (typically a younger one) to stop believing. Stop hoping.
It's a Christian book and Jacob tries to persuade Sinna to believe in a higher power, but her atheistic views make total sense.
Why the Old World was destroyed is left in the air. Why there are three explicit Elite groups (that are each in charge of about 5 territorial spaces) is not explained. Everyone is contained in their territory but people don't even recognize each others' faces. It's desolate and confusing in a way. There isn't school but there is indoctrination.
There is a girl at the orphanage who helps Sinna and is all cryptic. I have a feeling she's a prophet but I don't plan on reading the other books to determine if my suspicion is correct.
And there is a soldier who helps her for seemingly no reason at all. It's just....a bit too nice.
This is a very fast-paced read which is good and bad. While the plot flowed quickly but the events weren't too convoluted, a lot went on that I couldn't just fully get behind. Like the time--months go by from one paragraph to the next it seems. And the events just line up ever so nicely.
Sinna's best friend is Jacob, but friendships are rare. Not so rare are orphans, as many parents are taken for whatever reason. It's illegal to love, but not to love the children. But the Elite doesn't want anyone happy.
It's also illegal to hope and to BELIEVE, especially in a deity. Books are banned and most people can't read. It's just like...everyone just exists unless they're a soldier in the Elite or torturing kids who have hope. Rehabilitation is part of that process, to force a person (typically a younger one) to stop believing. Stop hoping.
It's a Christian book and Jacob tries to persuade Sinna to believe in a higher power, but her atheistic views make total sense.
Why the Old World was destroyed is left in the air. Why there are three explicit Elite groups (that are each in charge of about 5 territorial spaces) is not explained. Everyone is contained in their territory but people don't even recognize each others' faces. It's desolate and confusing in a way. There isn't school but there is indoctrination.
There is a girl at the orphanage who helps Sinna and is all cryptic. I have a feeling she's a prophet but I don't plan on reading the other books to determine if my suspicion is correct.
And there is a soldier who helps her for seemingly no reason at all. It's just....a bit too nice.
December 26, 2019
Rehabilitation is a dystopian novel that at first reminded me of several others. but the farther into the story I got the more it stood on its own. The world as we know it has ended and now people are expected to not believe in anything and of course, we have elites and then everyone else.
Don't repeat mistakes of the Old World.
Don't seek love, don't engage in war.
And above all else, don't Believe.
Sinna is our main character and she has a best friend named Jacob. They are both orphans and have come to rely on each other a lot in recent years in order to keep surviving. All of this changes one day when Jacob is suddenly taken away for still showing that he cares about things.
Overall I really found myself enjoying this story. It is very fast paced and I was not expecting the ending at all. I will say a lot of it was rather unbelievable but in this story, I was okay with that because of how much I had grown to care about the characters.
Don't repeat mistakes of the Old World.
Don't seek love, don't engage in war.
And above all else, don't Believe.
Sinna is our main character and she has a best friend named Jacob. They are both orphans and have come to rely on each other a lot in recent years in order to keep surviving. All of this changes one day when Jacob is suddenly taken away for still showing that he cares about things.
Overall I really found myself enjoying this story. It is very fast paced and I was not expecting the ending at all. I will say a lot of it was rather unbelievable but in this story, I was okay with that because of how much I had grown to care about the characters.
March 15, 2018
Alright peeps, fair warning… this is a quick read! Plus, it stops bam right in the middle of a scene. Be prepared to have the next book ready to listen to right away.
Good storyline. :-) I keep thinking 🤔 it reminds me of a movie (which I loved) but can't come up with a title. So, that's a great compliment. 😀
It was hard to connect with the characters as of yet with it's short length. Interestingly, Miriam intrigued me the most. 😊
I hate cold & snow. I hated her walking through it! It was cool imagining the buildings of her time. I want to throw in my ending thoughts. I was excited and angry at the same time!! 😱😡 We hit the climax and a revelation then BOOM the end! Veerrryyy happy I already have book 2 downloaded.
My star ratings include these 5 elements:
1★ story line
1★ engaging characters
1★ use of world building/descriptive
1★ being well edited or narrated
1★ the ending
Good storyline. :-) I keep thinking 🤔 it reminds me of a movie (which I loved) but can't come up with a title. So, that's a great compliment. 😀
It was hard to connect with the characters as of yet with it's short length. Interestingly, Miriam intrigued me the most. 😊
I hate cold & snow. I hated her walking through it! It was cool imagining the buildings of her time. I want to throw in my ending thoughts. I was excited and angry at the same time!! 😱😡 We hit the climax and a revelation then BOOM the end! Veerrryyy happy I already have book 2 downloaded.
My star ratings include these 5 elements:
1★ story line
1★ engaging characters
1★ use of world building/descriptive
1★ being well edited or narrated
1★ the ending
March 31, 2019
I got the eARC for one of her other books (Factions, NuGen Society Bk1) which was only about 5 chapters...and I couldn't get through even the peek of this book. Incredibly boring, not enough true detail that grabbed my attention, a lot of references to wanting to find a church & not being able to believe (which I assumed implied that you couldn't practice religion?). Not interested in an anti-religion/religion being persecuted dystopian.
August 22, 2017
The ending seemed to get more exciting....
It took me more than half of the book to really get "into" it. Just seemed kind of slow. It never became interesting to me until the ending, where they were escaping and the girl found out that her dad was alive.
The book was just "ok" for me unfortunately.....
It took me more than half of the book to really get "into" it. Just seemed kind of slow. It never became interesting to me until the ending, where they were escaping and the girl found out that her dad was alive.
The book was just "ok" for me unfortunately.....
May 2, 2026
I picked this up during a Stuff Your Kindle Day because I enjoy dystopian stories and was looking for a quick, easy read—and it delivered on that. Since it’s a shorter book, there’s only so much world-building and character development that can happen, so I’m not fully invested just yet. That said, I’m intrigued and interested to see how the story and world expand in the next books.
July 28, 2017
Super short dystopian novella. This first one was free. I liked it enough to read all three. Easily could have made one novel out of the set. Faith is outlawed and anyone that believes gets sent for rehabilitation. Good characters. I give it four stars. I can recommend for high school and up.
July 5, 2024
Interesting concept but could have been more descriptive. Religion is bad and highly discouraged because it leads to war. Science and the “Elite” are the controlling forces. 2 teens, Sienna & Jacob have differing opinions which ends up causing trouble for one and a rescue mission for the other.
Abrupt ending. You have to read the next in the series to complete the story.
Abrupt ending. You have to read the next in the series to complete the story.
October 30, 2017
Entertaining albeit pointless
October 31, 2017
Well written
I am very glad that I stumbled upon this book. The desperation comes through very well. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
I am very glad that I stumbled upon this book. The desperation comes through very well. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
February 19, 2018
Pretty good story, but beware, it ends with a major cliff-hanger.
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