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The Season of Light and Darkness
Win a free print copy of this book!
12 days and 12:46:14
25 copies available
U.S. only
A girl is woken early from her cryogenic slumber to find the authoritarian rule her family had hoped to escape is still very much in effect in this unforgettable young adult dystopian thriller.
In the months since a dictator was elected president, the United States has been turned upside down. Dissenters are deemed terrorists, including sixteen-year-old Ellie Jacobs’s family.
To escape persecution, the four of them—Ellie, her younger brother Scott, and their parents—decide to freeze themselves cryogenically for ten years in her father’s lab. In ten years, things will be better. They have to be.
But the government discovers the lab after only three years and thaws Ellie early. She awakens, completely alone, to a nightmare of a strange new world and is told the rest of her family didn’t survive. Suddenly, she must abandon everything she knows to go to through “ReAdmittance” and become “Initiated.” Ellie is terrified…until her boyfriend, Ryan, now a nineteen-year-old Initiated soldier, shows up and tells her everything will be fine, that she should trust the good people around her.
But Ellie isn’t sure if she can still trust Ryan.
What Ellie doesn’t know is that Scott never went through with the freeze. He ran away and has joined a band of teenage resistance fighters living in the mountains. No longer her “younger” brother, he’s now sixteen just like her. When Scott learns Ellie has been thawed early, he decides he must risk everything to save her before the brainwashing begins.
Together with other brave rebel teens, Ellie and Scott must navigate this terrible new world to find their way back to each other, before they lose everything—including who they are.
In the months since a dictator was elected president, the United States has been turned upside down. Dissenters are deemed terrorists, including sixteen-year-old Ellie Jacobs’s family.
To escape persecution, the four of them—Ellie, her younger brother Scott, and their parents—decide to freeze themselves cryogenically for ten years in her father’s lab. In ten years, things will be better. They have to be.
But the government discovers the lab after only three years and thaws Ellie early. She awakens, completely alone, to a nightmare of a strange new world and is told the rest of her family didn’t survive. Suddenly, she must abandon everything she knows to go to through “ReAdmittance” and become “Initiated.” Ellie is terrified…until her boyfriend, Ryan, now a nineteen-year-old Initiated soldier, shows up and tells her everything will be fine, that she should trust the good people around her.
But Ellie isn’t sure if she can still trust Ryan.
What Ellie doesn’t know is that Scott never went through with the freeze. He ran away and has joined a band of teenage resistance fighters living in the mountains. No longer her “younger” brother, he’s now sixteen just like her. When Scott learns Ellie has been thawed early, he decides he must risk everything to save her before the brainwashing begins.
Together with other brave rebel teens, Ellie and Scott must navigate this terrible new world to find their way back to each other, before they lose everything—including who they are.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2026
About the author
Jillian Cantor
15 books1,654 followersJillian Cantor is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of fifteen novels for teens and adults, which have been chosen for LibraryReads, Indie Next, Amazon Best of the Month, and have been translated into 15 languages. Born and raised in a suburb of Philadelphia, Cantor currently lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
March 19, 2026
Need sequel ASAP which is why i was trying to wait until closer to the pub date but alas i have no control. Despite the fact that we are currently living in a dystopia, i really have missed reading them.
Everyone needs to read this because it’s exactly where we’re fucking headed.
But disregarding the real-life similarities and pretending that this is just another book (in case it hasn’t been clear in my review so far, it is NOT), this was amazing. Tense, heart stopping, fast-paced from the start, and an incredible start back into the era of our high school days. I felt like I couldn’t breathe the entire time and I’ve never read something so quickly. Every single aspect of this was compelling AF and the chapters were short and always ended on a cliffhanger which just upped the stakes.
Read this for pleasure and because if we don’t get our heads out of our asses, this is coming for all of us. And yes I said that twice to make sure it’s understood that we CANNOT let this happen.
Everyone needs to read this because it’s exactly where we’re fucking headed.
But disregarding the real-life similarities and pretending that this is just another book (in case it hasn’t been clear in my review so far, it is NOT), this was amazing. Tense, heart stopping, fast-paced from the start, and an incredible start back into the era of our high school days. I felt like I couldn’t breathe the entire time and I’ve never read something so quickly. Every single aspect of this was compelling AF and the chapters were short and always ended on a cliffhanger which just upped the stakes.
Read this for pleasure and because if we don’t get our heads out of our asses, this is coming for all of us. And yes I said that twice to make sure it’s understood that we CANNOT let this happen.
August 4, 2026
2 Stars
Started off so strong, and then it was just... nothing. What could have been a good political critique took a strange (and incomplete) turn into the personal. The too-close-to-home anti-science movement was a good antagonist... but our protagonists didn't get to do anything useful to take down the regime. And it wasn't even a good exercise in exploring futility. And if you're looking for a completed book? Well, this isn't one. It is clearly Book 1 in a series, by which I mean absolutely nothing wraps up here. It's all dangling plots and no resolution, so it isn't satisfying to get to the end.
Does that mean it's entirely a lost cause? Well, no. It does have good bones, and the characters here really do carry it. But boy, has dystopia been disappointing the last few years.
Anyway, my full review will be available over at Gateway Reviews on August 14, 2026. Stop by if you feel so inclined.
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
Started off so strong, and then it was just... nothing. What could have been a good political critique took a strange (and incomplete) turn into the personal. The too-close-to-home anti-science movement was a good antagonist... but our protagonists didn't get to do anything useful to take down the regime. And it wasn't even a good exercise in exploring futility. And if you're looking for a completed book? Well, this isn't one. It is clearly Book 1 in a series, by which I mean absolutely nothing wraps up here. It's all dangling plots and no resolution, so it isn't satisfying to get to the end.
Does that mean it's entirely a lost cause? Well, no. It does have good bones, and the characters here really do carry it. But boy, has dystopia been disappointing the last few years.
Anyway, my full review will be available over at Gateway Reviews on August 14, 2026. Stop by if you feel so inclined.
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
August 1, 2026
Dystopian thriller. It’s marketed as a Young Adult but honestly the messages and depthness behind it can also be marketed as adult. I did not know going in that this was book one of a series. The cliff hanger has me eagerly waiting for book two!
Ellie is a sixteen year old girl who is supposed to be cryogenically frozen for 10 years to avoid the recently appointed radical administration but is thawed out early. She wakes up to a very different world and does not know who to trust. There are so many patterns and parallels to the current American experience.
Really great story line with so many details. The plot was executed flawlessly (so far)!! The leader of the US is a dictator and has changed the way of living. Has captured doctors and scientists. Closed medical facilities. Doesn’t believe in science and vaccines. Females attend school until the age of 15 then are given the option of certain jobs. They are to wed at the age of 18 and basically serve their husband (total nightmare). The people who follow the new administration have to go through “training” or what they call getting ReAdmitted. They attend classes where they learn to focus on faith, beauty and domesticity and also are injected with serums that brainwash them to forget the past and to “willingly” follow the President’s new laws and obligations. Every female must wear a white dress and have their hair dyed blonde. All the males are soldiers and wear khakis. The President has even changed the name of Dallas, Texas to Freedom, Texas (uncanny, huh??).
There’s a group of resistance fighters who have to hide or else their lives will end or they get sent to Guantanamo Bay. One of these fighters is Ellie’s brother, Scott, who she does not know is alive. When he finds out Ellie has been thawed out early and in the hands of the administration he sets off on a journey to save her. There’s a lot that happens in the book and it is done and explained perfectly.
Well developed characters. Fast paced. Short chapters. Multiple POV. Total page turner. Twists. Gripping and compelling. Suspenseful!!
This has to be a movie. I hope there’s talks of it. I have loved everything I have read from Jillian Cantor.
She is an auto-buy author for me and I always recommend her books. This particular one is very very different from her other works but it’s still amazing. I read it in two days and couldn’t stop taking about it. I think I annoyed my friends! I pre-ordered a copy that comes with sprayed stenciled edges (first printing only!).
If I had to compare it to a book….? Maybe a mix of The Handmaid’s Tale, 1984 and Hunger Gamesish?
The sequel needs to come out this year. Please? Pretty please???
5 stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, Jillian Cantor and Simone & Schuster for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ellie is a sixteen year old girl who is supposed to be cryogenically frozen for 10 years to avoid the recently appointed radical administration but is thawed out early. She wakes up to a very different world and does not know who to trust. There are so many patterns and parallels to the current American experience.
Really great story line with so many details. The plot was executed flawlessly (so far)!! The leader of the US is a dictator and has changed the way of living. Has captured doctors and scientists. Closed medical facilities. Doesn’t believe in science and vaccines. Females attend school until the age of 15 then are given the option of certain jobs. They are to wed at the age of 18 and basically serve their husband (total nightmare). The people who follow the new administration have to go through “training” or what they call getting ReAdmitted. They attend classes where they learn to focus on faith, beauty and domesticity and also are injected with serums that brainwash them to forget the past and to “willingly” follow the President’s new laws and obligations. Every female must wear a white dress and have their hair dyed blonde. All the males are soldiers and wear khakis. The President has even changed the name of Dallas, Texas to Freedom, Texas (uncanny, huh??).
There’s a group of resistance fighters who have to hide or else their lives will end or they get sent to Guantanamo Bay. One of these fighters is Ellie’s brother, Scott, who she does not know is alive. When he finds out Ellie has been thawed out early and in the hands of the administration he sets off on a journey to save her. There’s a lot that happens in the book and it is done and explained perfectly.
Well developed characters. Fast paced. Short chapters. Multiple POV. Total page turner. Twists. Gripping and compelling. Suspenseful!!
This has to be a movie. I hope there’s talks of it. I have loved everything I have read from Jillian Cantor.
She is an auto-buy author for me and I always recommend her books. This particular one is very very different from her other works but it’s still amazing. I read it in two days and couldn’t stop taking about it. I think I annoyed my friends! I pre-ordered a copy that comes with sprayed stenciled edges (first printing only!).
If I had to compare it to a book….? Maybe a mix of The Handmaid’s Tale, 1984 and Hunger Gamesish?
The sequel needs to come out this year. Please? Pretty please???
5 stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, Jillian Cantor and Simone & Schuster for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 17, 2026
the first lines of this book gripped me in immediately bc of the cool (and alarming) dystopian plot line; it was a very fast paced and entertaining read (for the most part).
i do wish the author went more in depth about the systems set in place & why ellie's father believed that cyrosleeping was the only option. the ending felt very rushed and i was losing interest after the 70% mark; random scenes were included that didn't necessarily add any value to the whole "fighting back" agenda of wanting to stop lyon's presidency.
thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!!
i do wish the author went more in depth about the systems set in place & why ellie's father believed that cyrosleeping was the only option. the ending felt very rushed and i was losing interest after the 70% mark; random scenes were included that didn't necessarily add any value to the whole "fighting back" agenda of wanting to stop lyon's presidency.
thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!!
July 24, 2026
This was a fun YA dystopian. It ends on a cliffhanger so I’m guessing there will be a sequel and I will probably read it, too. Listen, did the political logic and science make sense? Almost never. Is it outrageous that the responsibility of taking back the country from an evil dictator rests on the shoulders of a few random teens and a grandma? Yep. But was it a good time? Also yes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2026
Thank you Simon Teen for the gifted copies!
This book was definitely a little difficult to read just because of how accurate it is, but that’s what makes sci-fi so good!
One thing I really enjoyed about this book were the short chapters. It made switching between multiple POVs less frustrating, and it kept the story moving very quickly.
It definitely had a lot of elements of The Handmaid’s Tale and Divergent. This was a great YA sci-fi that I didn’t realize wasn’t a standalone! So now I definitely need the next book to know what happens!
This book was definitely a little difficult to read just because of how accurate it is, but that’s what makes sci-fi so good!
One thing I really enjoyed about this book were the short chapters. It made switching between multiple POVs less frustrating, and it kept the story moving very quickly.
It definitely had a lot of elements of The Handmaid’s Tale and Divergent. This was a great YA sci-fi that I didn’t realize wasn’t a standalone! So now I definitely need the next book to know what happens!
April 29, 2026
This is a ya book that comes out in 8/26. It’s a dystopian thriller about a girl who was cryogenically ally frozen but is thawed early. She awakes to a world that is radically different. Truly a page turner that kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat until the end.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Handmaid's Tale was one of the first adult books I read as an adult and it has really stuck with me. I feel like there wasn't a lot of dystopian YA when I was growing up and the bleakness of the world really hit me hard. Well, there is a LOT of dystopian YA now and yet, it is still a kick in the teeth when I see so many parallels to the world we are living in and hopefully not becoming.
You would have to be living under a rock to not recognize patterns between the start of this book and the current American experience. Substitute greed for pride in the overblown buffoon in office, substitute racism and fear for, I don't know, scientific understanding and gender roles, and we're nearly there!
But because this is YA, the lines are drawn pretty simply and the story boils down to a resistance adventure. In a good way!
I try not to wallow in the doom that many folks gobble up and I don't judge those that live in fear now, but I appreciated the stark black and white of the fictional world. There is an elected "dictator." People are given "reeducation" (involving what sounds like some pretty good drugs) to make them more amenable to the new world order. Everyone is painted in black and white so that it is easy to see if they are a goodie or a baddie. It's kind of refreshing to know exactly who to hate.
And the story kicks butt! It appears to be about Ellie, a girl who was frozen with her family to wait out an administration who hates science with the passionate intensity of a thousand burning suns. Which half the country would not ever be able to calculate because girls don't get to go to school anymore. But it is half the story of Scott, her little brother who ran away before he could be frozen and now lives in the wilderness with the partisans. Stir in an unstoppable grandma and sweet plot twist involving food allergies and you have a nonstop adventure in how to resist fascism.
There are some great details in here. My favorite is that all women, who are expected to be married by 18 at the latest, are required to dye their hair blonde. The hatred of science is the main thrust of the police state, and it is explained by the end of the book, but it doesn't hit as hard as a more realistic idealist lynchpin. But no matter, this book isn't about defining the paradigm of the overlords so much as the freedom intrinsic to resistance. Wow, those last two sentences might be the word-salad-iest sentences I have ever written, but they are accurate.
TLDR - I loved this book and will 100% be nominating it for the Mass. Teen Choice book award list. And I can't wait for the inevitable sequel, even though I will have to reread this one before reading it unless Jillian Cantor already wrote it and is going to release it before I forget all the salient details. Unlikely, but I live in hope!
Thanks to Netgalley for the digital ARC.
You would have to be living under a rock to not recognize patterns between the start of this book and the current American experience. Substitute greed for pride in the overblown buffoon in office, substitute racism and fear for, I don't know, scientific understanding and gender roles, and we're nearly there!
But because this is YA, the lines are drawn pretty simply and the story boils down to a resistance adventure. In a good way!
I try not to wallow in the doom that many folks gobble up and I don't judge those that live in fear now, but I appreciated the stark black and white of the fictional world. There is an elected "dictator." People are given "reeducation" (involving what sounds like some pretty good drugs) to make them more amenable to the new world order. Everyone is painted in black and white so that it is easy to see if they are a goodie or a baddie. It's kind of refreshing to know exactly who to hate.
And the story kicks butt! It appears to be about Ellie, a girl who was frozen with her family to wait out an administration who hates science with the passionate intensity of a thousand burning suns. Which half the country would not ever be able to calculate because girls don't get to go to school anymore. But it is half the story of Scott, her little brother who ran away before he could be frozen and now lives in the wilderness with the partisans. Stir in an unstoppable grandma and sweet plot twist involving food allergies and you have a nonstop adventure in how to resist fascism.
There are some great details in here. My favorite is that all women, who are expected to be married by 18 at the latest, are required to dye their hair blonde. The hatred of science is the main thrust of the police state, and it is explained by the end of the book, but it doesn't hit as hard as a more realistic idealist lynchpin. But no matter, this book isn't about defining the paradigm of the overlords so much as the freedom intrinsic to resistance. Wow, those last two sentences might be the word-salad-iest sentences I have ever written, but they are accurate.
TLDR - I loved this book and will 100% be nominating it for the Mass. Teen Choice book award list. And I can't wait for the inevitable sequel, even though I will have to reread this one before reading it unless Jillian Cantor already wrote it and is going to release it before I forget all the salient details. Unlikely, but I live in hope!
Thanks to Netgalley for the digital ARC.
August 5, 2026
<ɪ>ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴏғ ᴀᴅᴠᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ʀᴇᴄᴇɪᴠᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏɪ>
🎧📖 𝐸-𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌📖🎧
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃 𝑜𝒻 𝐿𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒟𝒶𝓇𝓀𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 ʙʏ ᴊɪʟʟɪᴀɴ ᴄᴀɴᴛᴏʀ
𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs
✨ 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝓀✨
ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴄʀʏᴏɢᴇɴɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ғʀᴏᴢᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴇsᴄᴀᴘᴇ ᴀɴ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀɪᴛᴀʀɪᴀɴ ʀᴇɢɪᴍᴇ, sɪxᴛᴇᴇɴ-ʏᴇᴀʀ-ᴏʟᴅ ᴇʟʟɪᴇ ᴀᴡᴀᴋᴇɴs ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴛᴏᴏ ᴇᴀʀʟʏ ᴛᴏ ғɪɴᴅ ʜᴇʀ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ɢᴏɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʀ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ ᴛʀᴀɴsғᴏʀᴍᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ sᴜʀᴠᴇɪʟʟᴀɴᴄᴇ sᴛᴀᴛᴇ. ɴᴏᴡ sʜᴇ ᴍᴜsᴛ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇ ᴡʜᴏ sʜᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ᴛʀᴜsᴛ ᴀs sʜᴇ ғɪɢʜᴛs ᴛᴏ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴇ—ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇsɪsᴛ—ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ʙᴜɪʟᴛ ᴏɴ ғᴇᴀʀ.
𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:
ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ sɪᴍᴏɴᴛᴇᴇɴ ғᴏʀ ɢɪғᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴇ-ᴀʀᴄ!
𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝓁𝑒𝑒𝓅 𝒽𝑜𝓅𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝑒𝓈𝒸𝒶𝓅𝑒 𝒶 𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉𝒶𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓅. 𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓀𝑒 𝓊𝓅 𝓉𝑜 𝒹𝒾𝓈𝒸𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝒾𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝑜𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝑔𝑜𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓈𝑒.
ᴊɪʟʟɪᴀɴ ᴄᴀɴᴛᴏʀ ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀs ᴀ ᴄʜɪʟʟɪɴɢ ʏᴀ ᴅʏsᴛᴏᴘɪᴀɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғᴇᴇʟs ʙᴏᴛʜ ɢʀɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴsᴇᴛᴛʟɪɴɢ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀʏᴏɢᴇɴɪᴄ sʟᴇᴇᴘ ᴘʀᴇᴍɪsᴇ ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇʟʏ ʜᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ ᴇʟʟɪᴇ ɴᴀᴠɪɢᴀᴛᴇ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ's ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ᴜɴʀᴇᴄᴏɢɴɪᴢᴀʙʟᴇ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴅɪʙʟʏ ᴛᴇɴsᴇ, ғᴀsᴛ-ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴅ.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴜʟᴛɪᴘʟᴇ ᴘᴏᴠs ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs ʜɪɢʜ, ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇs ᴏғ ʀᴇsɪsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ, ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ, ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ ɪᴛs ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ-ᴘᴀᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴘʟᴏᴛ. ᴀʟᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴄʟᴇᴀʀʟʏ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇɢɪɴɴɪɴɢ ᴏғ ᴀ ʟᴀʀɢᴇʀ sᴛᴏʀʏ, ɪᴛ ʟᴀʏs ᴀ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ғᴏᴜɴᴅᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇɴᴅs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴄʟɪғғʜᴀɴɢᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇs ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴇsᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇǫᴜᴇʟ.
𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝒱𝒾𝒷𝑒𝓈:
❄️ ᴄʀʏᴏɢᴇɴɪᴄ sʟᴇᴇᴘ
🦅 ᴅʏsᴛᴏᴘɪᴀɴ ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ
⚠️ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀɪᴛᴀʀɪᴀɴ ʀᴇɢɪᴍᴇ
🤝 ʀᴇsɪsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴍᴏᴠᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ
👫 sɪʙʟɪɴɢ ʙᴏɴᴅ
🧠 ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀʏ ᴍᴀɴɪᴘᴜʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴ
⏳ ғɪsʜ-ᴏᴜᴛ-ᴏғ-ᴛɪᴍᴇ
🏃 sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ ᴛʜʀɪʟʟᴇʀ
✨ ᴍᴜʟᴛɪᴘʟᴇ ᴘᴏᴠs
📚 sᴇʀɪᴇs sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇʀ
𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒾𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒...
📖 ᴅɪᴠᴇʀɢᴇɴᴛ
🔥 ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜɴɢᴇʀ ɢᴀᴍᴇs
👁️ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀɴᴅᴍᴀɪᴅ's ᴛᴀʟᴇ (ʏᴀ ᴠɪʙᴇs)
⚡ ғᴀsᴛ-ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ ᴅʏsᴛᴏᴘɪᴀɴ ᴛʜʀɪʟʟᴇʀs
🖤 ʀᴇʙᴇʟʟɪᴏɴ sᴛᴏʀɪᴇs
❄️ sᴘᴇᴄᴜʟᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ sᴄɪ-ғɪ
🗣️ 𝒲𝑜𝓇𝒹 𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝓉𝓇𝑒𝑒𝓉:
ᴇᴀʀʟʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴘʀᴀɪsᴇᴅ 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃 𝑜𝒻 𝐿𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒟𝒶𝓇𝓀𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈's ʜɪɢʜ-ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴘʀᴇᴍɪsᴇ, ғᴀsᴛ ᴘᴀᴄɪɴɢ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛɪᴍᴇʟʏ ᴇxᴘʟᴏʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀɪᴛᴀʀɪᴀɴɪsᴍ. ᴍᴀɴʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʜɪɢʜʟɪɢʜᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ, ᴍᴜʟᴛɪᴘʟᴇ ᴘᴇʀsᴘᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʟɪғғʜᴀɴɢᴇʀ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ, ᴡʜɪʟᴇ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴡɪsʜᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴅᴇᴇᴘᴇʀ ᴇxᴘʟᴏʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ-ʙᴜɪʟᴅɪɴɢ—sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇǫᴜᴇʟ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘᴀɴᴅ ᴜᴘᴏɴ.
𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉:
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃 𝑜𝒻 𝐿𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒟𝒶𝓇𝓀𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 ɪs ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇʟʟɪɴɢ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʏᴀ ᴅʏsᴛᴏᴘɪᴀɴ ɢᴇɴʀᴇ, ʙʟᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ sᴜsᴘᴇɴsᴇ, ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇʙᴇʟʟɪᴏɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ-ᴘʀᴏᴠᴏᴋɪɴɢ ᴘʀᴇᴍɪsᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғᴇᴇʟs ᴇᴇʀɪʟʏ ᴘʟᴀᴜsɪʙʟᴇ. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴄʀᴀᴠɪɴɢ ᴀ ғᴀsᴛ-ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʀᴇsɪsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ, sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴏᴘᴘʀᴇssɪᴏɴ, ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴏɴᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴅᴅ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴛʙʀ—ᴊᴜsᴛ ʙᴇ ᴘʀᴇᴘᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛᴡᴏ ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇʟʏ.
ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: <ᴀ ʜʀᴇғ="ʜᴛᴛᴘs://ᴡᴡᴡ.ɪɴsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ.ᴄᴏᴍ/ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ/">@ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇᴀ>
🎧📖 𝐸-𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌📖🎧
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃 𝑜𝒻 𝐿𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒟𝒶𝓇𝓀𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 ʙʏ ᴊɪʟʟɪᴀɴ ᴄᴀɴᴛᴏʀ
𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs
✨ 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝓀✨
ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴄʀʏᴏɢᴇɴɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ғʀᴏᴢᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴇsᴄᴀᴘᴇ ᴀɴ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀɪᴛᴀʀɪᴀɴ ʀᴇɢɪᴍᴇ, sɪxᴛᴇᴇɴ-ʏᴇᴀʀ-ᴏʟᴅ ᴇʟʟɪᴇ ᴀᴡᴀᴋᴇɴs ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴛᴏᴏ ᴇᴀʀʟʏ ᴛᴏ ғɪɴᴅ ʜᴇʀ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ɢᴏɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʀ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ ᴛʀᴀɴsғᴏʀᴍᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ sᴜʀᴠᴇɪʟʟᴀɴᴄᴇ sᴛᴀᴛᴇ. ɴᴏᴡ sʜᴇ ᴍᴜsᴛ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇ ᴡʜᴏ sʜᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ᴛʀᴜsᴛ ᴀs sʜᴇ ғɪɢʜᴛs ᴛᴏ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴇ—ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇsɪsᴛ—ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ʙᴜɪʟᴛ ᴏɴ ғᴇᴀʀ.
𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:
ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ sɪᴍᴏɴᴛᴇᴇɴ ғᴏʀ ɢɪғᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴇ-ᴀʀᴄ!
𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝓁𝑒𝑒𝓅 𝒽𝑜𝓅𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝑒𝓈𝒸𝒶𝓅𝑒 𝒶 𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉𝒶𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓅. 𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓀𝑒 𝓊𝓅 𝓉𝑜 𝒹𝒾𝓈𝒸𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝒾𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝑜𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝑔𝑜𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓈𝑒.
ᴊɪʟʟɪᴀɴ ᴄᴀɴᴛᴏʀ ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀs ᴀ ᴄʜɪʟʟɪɴɢ ʏᴀ ᴅʏsᴛᴏᴘɪᴀɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғᴇᴇʟs ʙᴏᴛʜ ɢʀɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴsᴇᴛᴛʟɪɴɢ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀʏᴏɢᴇɴɪᴄ sʟᴇᴇᴘ ᴘʀᴇᴍɪsᴇ ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇʟʏ ʜᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ ᴇʟʟɪᴇ ɴᴀᴠɪɢᴀᴛᴇ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ's ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ᴜɴʀᴇᴄᴏɢɴɪᴢᴀʙʟᴇ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴅɪʙʟʏ ᴛᴇɴsᴇ, ғᴀsᴛ-ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴅ.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴜʟᴛɪᴘʟᴇ ᴘᴏᴠs ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs ʜɪɢʜ, ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇs ᴏғ ʀᴇsɪsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ, ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ, ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ ɪᴛs ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ-ᴘᴀᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴘʟᴏᴛ. ᴀʟᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴄʟᴇᴀʀʟʏ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇɢɪɴɴɪɴɢ ᴏғ ᴀ ʟᴀʀɢᴇʀ sᴛᴏʀʏ, ɪᴛ ʟᴀʏs ᴀ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ғᴏᴜɴᴅᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇɴᴅs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴄʟɪғғʜᴀɴɢᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇs ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴇsᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇǫᴜᴇʟ.
𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝒱𝒾𝒷𝑒𝓈:
❄️ ᴄʀʏᴏɢᴇɴɪᴄ sʟᴇᴇᴘ
🦅 ᴅʏsᴛᴏᴘɪᴀɴ ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ
⚠️ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀɪᴛᴀʀɪᴀɴ ʀᴇɢɪᴍᴇ
🤝 ʀᴇsɪsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴍᴏᴠᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ
👫 sɪʙʟɪɴɢ ʙᴏɴᴅ
🧠 ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀʏ ᴍᴀɴɪᴘᴜʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴ
⏳ ғɪsʜ-ᴏᴜᴛ-ᴏғ-ᴛɪᴍᴇ
🏃 sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ ᴛʜʀɪʟʟᴇʀ
✨ ᴍᴜʟᴛɪᴘʟᴇ ᴘᴏᴠs
📚 sᴇʀɪᴇs sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇʀ
𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒾𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒...
📖 ᴅɪᴠᴇʀɢᴇɴᴛ
🔥 ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜɴɢᴇʀ ɢᴀᴍᴇs
👁️ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀɴᴅᴍᴀɪᴅ's ᴛᴀʟᴇ (ʏᴀ ᴠɪʙᴇs)
⚡ ғᴀsᴛ-ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ ᴅʏsᴛᴏᴘɪᴀɴ ᴛʜʀɪʟʟᴇʀs
🖤 ʀᴇʙᴇʟʟɪᴏɴ sᴛᴏʀɪᴇs
❄️ sᴘᴇᴄᴜʟᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ sᴄɪ-ғɪ
🗣️ 𝒲𝑜𝓇𝒹 𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝓉𝓇𝑒𝑒𝓉:
ᴇᴀʀʟʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴘʀᴀɪsᴇᴅ 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃 𝑜𝒻 𝐿𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒟𝒶𝓇𝓀𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈's ʜɪɢʜ-ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴘʀᴇᴍɪsᴇ, ғᴀsᴛ ᴘᴀᴄɪɴɢ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛɪᴍᴇʟʏ ᴇxᴘʟᴏʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀɪᴛᴀʀɪᴀɴɪsᴍ. ᴍᴀɴʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʜɪɢʜʟɪɢʜᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ, ᴍᴜʟᴛɪᴘʟᴇ ᴘᴇʀsᴘᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʟɪғғʜᴀɴɢᴇʀ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ, ᴡʜɪʟᴇ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴡɪsʜᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴅᴇᴇᴘᴇʀ ᴇxᴘʟᴏʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ-ʙᴜɪʟᴅɪɴɢ—sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇǫᴜᴇʟ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘᴀɴᴅ ᴜᴘᴏɴ.
𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉:
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃 𝑜𝒻 𝐿𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒟𝒶𝓇𝓀𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 ɪs ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇʟʟɪɴɢ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʏᴀ ᴅʏsᴛᴏᴘɪᴀɴ ɢᴇɴʀᴇ, ʙʟᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ sᴜsᴘᴇɴsᴇ, ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇʙᴇʟʟɪᴏɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ-ᴘʀᴏᴠᴏᴋɪɴɢ ᴘʀᴇᴍɪsᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғᴇᴇʟs ᴇᴇʀɪʟʏ ᴘʟᴀᴜsɪʙʟᴇ. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴄʀᴀᴠɪɴɢ ᴀ ғᴀsᴛ-ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʀᴇsɪsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ, sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴏᴘᴘʀᴇssɪᴏɴ, ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴏɴᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴅᴅ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴛʙʀ—ᴊᴜsᴛ ʙᴇ ᴘʀᴇᴘᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛᴡᴏ ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇʟʏ.
ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: <ᴀ ʜʀᴇғ="ʜᴛᴛᴘs://ᴡᴡᴡ.ɪɴsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ.ᴄᴏᴍ/ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ/">@ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇᴀ>
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was a huge fan of dystopian novels as a teenager and while I acknowledge that I grew up ;), this novel did not bring back the spark in me nor would it have appealed to a younger me. The blurb and the opening chapters are very exciting but misleading: Ellie is unfrozen from a cryogenic sleep and wakes up an orphan, under a totalitarian government/anti-science and anti-women regime, and in a brainwashing center where her former boyfriend Ryan is now a convert to the system. Her chapters are interwoven with a POV of her brother Scott, whom she does not know did not enter hibernation and is now looking for her as a resistence fighter,, and Olivia's, a girl who seems a believer in the system but gradually regains her memories. Unfortunately, the most promising plot (Ellie's brainwashiing process: will she partially give in? Will Scott have to fight not only for her, safety but for her mind with Ryan?) ends abruptly and I wish it was explored more deeply as it was a hook that pulled me into the story. The chapters about resistence are a bit boring and a worldbuilding is not thought out. I lost focus with Scott's chapters very early and was looking forward to Ellie's, but then I lost interest in her as well. Olivia was my favorite side character, but I wish the brainwashing was explored more through Ellie's POV and not through Olivia. The regime seems to evoke the Handmaid's Tale hype but PG13 (even though I get that these are generically fascist elements, I miss dystopias that were not inspired by it to be honest), but we do not learn how the world became like this and the novel pulls back from topics that it could explore more deeply (i.e. racism in this world where all women are required to have platinum hair). Parallels with real-world politics might be appealing to some readers but to me felt superficial. Also, this is a part of the series and ends in a way that does not allow it to be stand-alone: however, I lost confidence in these characters actually abolishing the system.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Clearly this is book one of a series to come, as the end is a total cliffhanger. That being said, I cannot wait for book two. Honestly, leaving us that way is cruel.
This novel really touches on the craziness of living in a dystopian world ruled by a fascist. It mirrors a lot of things going on in our own world right now, which is mighty frightening. It is a world where women leave school at 14, and men are immediately sent into the military. A world without medicine or science. A world where women are forced into domesticity, faith, and beauty. Where all women are blond and wear white.
Ellie wasn’t supposed to experience this world. After President Lyon was elected, her scientist father decided to freeze the entire family for 10 years, with the hope that when they thawed, the world wouldn’t be as it is before the freezing. Only something goes very wrong. Ellie is suddenly thawed after only three years. Three years and now is in this crazy, authoritarian world that her family hoped to avoid.
Ellie’s brother Scott ran away prior to the freezing. He couldn’t bring himself to be a part of this idea. Fortunately he ran into their old neighbor Mateo. With Mateo, Scott fled into the hills to an abandoned boy scout camp. There along with other escapees, they have been living for three years. Hunting squirrels for food and using fake IDs to buy supplies down in town. It’s precarious, but it’s better than being sheep.
Until Scott hears that Ellie is alive. Now his mission is simple, to save Ellie from a fate worse than death or freezing. Only it’s risky and frightening, and Scott is merely 19. He knows where Ellie is being kept, and nothing will stop him from trying to rescue her.
Really great dystopian novel. Terrifying as can be, if you think about how easy this would all be. There is good character development with Ellie, Scott, and Mateo, even the minor characters are believable in an unbelievable world. I think this book will be popular amongst teens.
As I always say, YA is for everyone! Hopefully book two won’t be too far away.
This novel really touches on the craziness of living in a dystopian world ruled by a fascist. It mirrors a lot of things going on in our own world right now, which is mighty frightening. It is a world where women leave school at 14, and men are immediately sent into the military. A world without medicine or science. A world where women are forced into domesticity, faith, and beauty. Where all women are blond and wear white.
Ellie wasn’t supposed to experience this world. After President Lyon was elected, her scientist father decided to freeze the entire family for 10 years, with the hope that when they thawed, the world wouldn’t be as it is before the freezing. Only something goes very wrong. Ellie is suddenly thawed after only three years. Three years and now is in this crazy, authoritarian world that her family hoped to avoid.
Ellie’s brother Scott ran away prior to the freezing. He couldn’t bring himself to be a part of this idea. Fortunately he ran into their old neighbor Mateo. With Mateo, Scott fled into the hills to an abandoned boy scout camp. There along with other escapees, they have been living for three years. Hunting squirrels for food and using fake IDs to buy supplies down in town. It’s precarious, but it’s better than being sheep.
Until Scott hears that Ellie is alive. Now his mission is simple, to save Ellie from a fate worse than death or freezing. Only it’s risky and frightening, and Scott is merely 19. He knows where Ellie is being kept, and nothing will stop him from trying to rescue her.
Really great dystopian novel. Terrifying as can be, if you think about how easy this would all be. There is good character development with Ellie, Scott, and Mateo, even the minor characters are believable in an unbelievable world. I think this book will be popular amongst teens.
As I always say, YA is for everyone! Hopefully book two won’t be too far away.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
📖 ARC REVIEW 📖
Thank you @simonteen for an early copy of The Season of Light and Darkness by Jillian Cantor. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.25/5
Release date: August 4th, 2026
🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑
I was initially drawn to The Season of Light and Darkness by Jillian Cantor because of the intriguing blurb and the strong opening chapters. The premise of a dystopian society ruled by a dictator who has supposedly “reformed” the country feels eerily inspired by the current political climate in the United States, which made the concept especially compelling.
The story is told through multiple POVs. Ellie, who was frozen at her parents’ urging when Lyon rose to power; her younger brother Scott, who fled before he could be frozen; Mateo, their neighbor who becomes Scott’s found-family brother while surviving at camp; and Olivia, a ReAd who has recently regained her memories. I enjoyed seeing the story unfold from these different perspectives, but while the world itself seemed thoughtfully planned, the actual world-building felt a bit underdeveloped. I kept wishing for more context and depth, something I’m hoping will come in the sequel.
One of the main reasons this didn’t rate higher for me was the characters’ overall approach to their mission. Much of their struggle revolves around trying to save each other without a clear or cohesive plan. I understand that they’re essentially teenagers navigating life under a dictatorship, but I still found myself wanting a bit more strategy or forethought in their actions.
Overall, this was an entertaining dystopian read that held my interest, though it never quite had me on the edge of my seat. The ending does leave off on a major cliffhanger, raising plenty of questions that I’m curious, and hopeful, to see answered in the next installment.
Thank you @simonteen for an early copy of The Season of Light and Darkness by Jillian Cantor. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.25/5
Release date: August 4th, 2026
🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑
I was initially drawn to The Season of Light and Darkness by Jillian Cantor because of the intriguing blurb and the strong opening chapters. The premise of a dystopian society ruled by a dictator who has supposedly “reformed” the country feels eerily inspired by the current political climate in the United States, which made the concept especially compelling.
The story is told through multiple POVs. Ellie, who was frozen at her parents’ urging when Lyon rose to power; her younger brother Scott, who fled before he could be frozen; Mateo, their neighbor who becomes Scott’s found-family brother while surviving at camp; and Olivia, a ReAd who has recently regained her memories. I enjoyed seeing the story unfold from these different perspectives, but while the world itself seemed thoughtfully planned, the actual world-building felt a bit underdeveloped. I kept wishing for more context and depth, something I’m hoping will come in the sequel.
One of the main reasons this didn’t rate higher for me was the characters’ overall approach to their mission. Much of their struggle revolves around trying to save each other without a clear or cohesive plan. I understand that they’re essentially teenagers navigating life under a dictatorship, but I still found myself wanting a bit more strategy or forethought in their actions.
Overall, this was an entertaining dystopian read that held my interest, though it never quite had me on the edge of my seat. The ending does leave off on a major cliffhanger, raising plenty of questions that I’m curious, and hopeful, to see answered in the next installment.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The concept of this book immediately grabbed me. A teenage girl waking up from cryogenic sleep years too early into a heavily controlled America where conformity is survival is such a strong premise, and the story starts off with a lot of tension right away.
Ellie’s confusion and isolation in those opening chapters were probably my favorite part of the book. Waking up to find out the world she thought she escaped has somehow become worse was genuinely unsettling, and I liked the constant feeling that nobody around her could fully be trusted. The atmosphere throughout the book felt tense and uncomfortable in a way that worked really well for the story.
The pacing also kept me reading quickly. The short chapters and multiple POVs made it easy to move through, and I liked seeing different perspectives of this society instead of staying locked into only one character’s experience. Scott’s storyline especially added urgency because you could feel how desperate everything had become outside the controlled environment Ellie is trapped in.
Where the book lost me a little was in the depth of the world-building. There were so many interesting ideas introduced — political control, memory manipulation, forced identity, the science behind the freezing process — and I kept wanting the story to spend more time exploring those things. Some of the darker themes felt like they were only scratched at instead of fully developed.
I also think this reads very much like the first installment in a series rather than a standalone novel. The ending leaves a lot unresolved, but it did leave me interested enough to want to know where these characters go next.
Overall, this was an entertaining and fast-paced YA dystopian read with a really compelling setup and enough suspense to keep me invested the entire time.
3.5 stars rounded to 4
Ellie’s confusion and isolation in those opening chapters were probably my favorite part of the book. Waking up to find out the world she thought she escaped has somehow become worse was genuinely unsettling, and I liked the constant feeling that nobody around her could fully be trusted. The atmosphere throughout the book felt tense and uncomfortable in a way that worked really well for the story.
The pacing also kept me reading quickly. The short chapters and multiple POVs made it easy to move through, and I liked seeing different perspectives of this society instead of staying locked into only one character’s experience. Scott’s storyline especially added urgency because you could feel how desperate everything had become outside the controlled environment Ellie is trapped in.
Where the book lost me a little was in the depth of the world-building. There were so many interesting ideas introduced — political control, memory manipulation, forced identity, the science behind the freezing process — and I kept wanting the story to spend more time exploring those things. Some of the darker themes felt like they were only scratched at instead of fully developed.
I also think this reads very much like the first installment in a series rather than a standalone novel. The ending leaves a lot unresolved, but it did leave me interested enough to want to know where these characters go next.
Overall, this was an entertaining and fast-paced YA dystopian read with a really compelling setup and enough suspense to keep me invested the entire time.
3.5 stars rounded to 4
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In this fascinating and chilling teen dystopian drama, a near-future United States has been taken over by an authoritarian, President Lyon, who has set out to destroy any dissent. Lyon imposes a totalitarian regime, banishing science, killing scientists, outlawing medicine, and controlling the news.
All citizens must attend a brainwashing program, called ReAdmission, for citizenship in the new regime. The program uses drugs that wipe one’s memory and to impose social conformity. Women must all look like Barbies and hold menial jobs. Anyone dissenting faces imprisonment or death.
Seventeen-year-old Ellie’s Dad sees Lyon taking over the country coming, and as a leading scientist wants to protect his family. He manages to cryogenically freeze Ellie, her Mom, and himself, intending the freeze to last for a decade to hopefully outlast Lyon’s stint in power. But Ellie’s younger brother Scott runs away from home right before the freezing and has since been hiding at a small dissident’s camp in the mountains barely surviving. The fate of Ellie’s brilliant scientist grandmother is unknown to the family.
Betrayed by a teenage friend who knew what her family was up to, Ellie gets defrosted after only three years and finds herself imprisoned in a ReAdmission facility. The race is on by Scott and his best friend Mateo to try to rescue Ellie. They get swept up into a larger rebellion trying to take down the authoritarian rule.
Like any good teen dystopia, there’s romance blended with danger, and young adults who have to summon bravery to take on corruption. There’s also ample room for comparisons to the current politics in America leaning to an authoritarian regime, and how step acts of courage can topple extremism.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy.
All citizens must attend a brainwashing program, called ReAdmission, for citizenship in the new regime. The program uses drugs that wipe one’s memory and to impose social conformity. Women must all look like Barbies and hold menial jobs. Anyone dissenting faces imprisonment or death.
Seventeen-year-old Ellie’s Dad sees Lyon taking over the country coming, and as a leading scientist wants to protect his family. He manages to cryogenically freeze Ellie, her Mom, and himself, intending the freeze to last for a decade to hopefully outlast Lyon’s stint in power. But Ellie’s younger brother Scott runs away from home right before the freezing and has since been hiding at a small dissident’s camp in the mountains barely surviving. The fate of Ellie’s brilliant scientist grandmother is unknown to the family.
Betrayed by a teenage friend who knew what her family was up to, Ellie gets defrosted after only three years and finds herself imprisoned in a ReAdmission facility. The race is on by Scott and his best friend Mateo to try to rescue Ellie. They get swept up into a larger rebellion trying to take down the authoritarian rule.
Like any good teen dystopia, there’s romance blended with danger, and young adults who have to summon bravery to take on corruption. There’s also ample room for comparisons to the current politics in America leaning to an authoritarian regime, and how step acts of courage can topple extremism.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
DNF'd at 36%.
This book is sort of fascinating in the sense that it's a novel about a dystopian fascist dictatorship written by someone who obviously has no clue about politics or fascism. Or science, for that matter.
This book is compared to The Handmaid's Tale, but it is absolutely nothing like that. The premise is threadbare; the world is bad because a bad guy got elected. There is no overarching motivation, or background politics. The author wanted a dystopian backdrop and that's it. The science mentioned here is even dumber somehow, with a physicist freezing his family to survive the dictatorship. He figures 10 years should do the trick. Why a physicist was working on cryogenics, no clue. How he's able to construct something that can freeze a family of 4 when they only worked on mice, no clue.
The fascist government that's ruling the United States in this book is obviously supposed to be an analogue to Trump, but it's coming from a place of fundamental misunderstanding. It posits that this leader is just controlling and bombing the country just cause and doesn't get at any of the motivations that bring bad people to power. The main character in the book thinks about the Taliban taking over Afghanistan, and how this is similar. The Taliban didn't just spring into existence for no reason. I get that this is a young adult book, and you could say that it doesn't need to be that deep, but I call bullshit on that. The Hunger Games had a lot of world building around the political structure of the world and how that affected the districts and its people.
This book just wants the gritty environs without any of the work. That just makes for an incredibly shallow, flimsy narrative with bland characters to boot. This is not worth your time.
This book is sort of fascinating in the sense that it's a novel about a dystopian fascist dictatorship written by someone who obviously has no clue about politics or fascism. Or science, for that matter.
This book is compared to The Handmaid's Tale, but it is absolutely nothing like that. The premise is threadbare; the world is bad because a bad guy got elected. There is no overarching motivation, or background politics. The author wanted a dystopian backdrop and that's it. The science mentioned here is even dumber somehow, with a physicist freezing his family to survive the dictatorship. He figures 10 years should do the trick. Why a physicist was working on cryogenics, no clue. How he's able to construct something that can freeze a family of 4 when they only worked on mice, no clue.
The fascist government that's ruling the United States in this book is obviously supposed to be an analogue to Trump, but it's coming from a place of fundamental misunderstanding. It posits that this leader is just controlling and bombing the country just cause and doesn't get at any of the motivations that bring bad people to power. The main character in the book thinks about the Taliban taking over Afghanistan, and how this is similar. The Taliban didn't just spring into existence for no reason. I get that this is a young adult book, and you could say that it doesn't need to be that deep, but I call bullshit on that. The Hunger Games had a lot of world building around the political structure of the world and how that affected the districts and its people.
This book just wants the gritty environs without any of the work. That just makes for an incredibly shallow, flimsy narrative with bland characters to boot. This is not worth your time.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A gripping dystopian tale follows a teenage girl who enters cryogenic sleep to escape an oppressive regime, only to awaken too soon and find her parents gone and the same brutal system still firmly in control.
Ellie wakes up confused and alone, as the sole survivor of the freezing attempt. Ellie's now being paraded around in the papers as a victim of science as the new regime tries to tighten its stranglehold on the population. Ellie's confusion with the new world she finds herself in helps the reader, as it allows the other characters to explain what happened to her. I would have loved a little more depth, but the second book will hopefully allow the author time to develop the world further. I can't wait to get more details!
Ellie soon finds other survivors - her boyfriend, now a regime soldier who tells her to just go along with everything; childhood best friend Mateo, who's always had a crush on her and has now joined the resistance; and brother Scott, who fled the cryogenic freezing to end up in the same resistance camp. Together, they fight to survive the regime, with the bonds they share proving stronger than anything else.
This book has a great pace and sets up an interesting dynamic with Ellie's two competing love interests. The resistance proves largely ineffective at driving systemic change, though they do succeed in saving individual lives. With Ellie and Scott now unexpectedly in the spotlight, it will be fascinating to see whether their newfound fame can finally tip the balance. This is one where I will read the sequel the second it's available!
Thank you to the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ellie wakes up confused and alone, as the sole survivor of the freezing attempt. Ellie's now being paraded around in the papers as a victim of science as the new regime tries to tighten its stranglehold on the population. Ellie's confusion with the new world she finds herself in helps the reader, as it allows the other characters to explain what happened to her. I would have loved a little more depth, but the second book will hopefully allow the author time to develop the world further. I can't wait to get more details!
Ellie soon finds other survivors - her boyfriend, now a regime soldier who tells her to just go along with everything; childhood best friend Mateo, who's always had a crush on her and has now joined the resistance; and brother Scott, who fled the cryogenic freezing to end up in the same resistance camp. Together, they fight to survive the regime, with the bonds they share proving stronger than anything else.
This book has a great pace and sets up an interesting dynamic with Ellie's two competing love interests. The resistance proves largely ineffective at driving systemic change, though they do succeed in saving individual lives. With Ellie and Scott now unexpectedly in the spotlight, it will be fascinating to see whether their newfound fame can finally tip the balance. This is one where I will read the sequel the second it's available!
Thank you to the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you have concerns about the current administration, you’ll probably appreciate this YA book. When President Lyon is elected, life changes drastically for teen Ellie and her younger brother Scott. Their parents and grandma are scientists, and, in the eyes of Lyon and his followers, public enemy number one. As scientists (including doctors) are increasingly deported, imprisoned, and worse, their parents plan to freeze their family for ten years to avoid persecution. But Ellie wakes up after three years to find their parents are dead and Scott never froze at all: he’s three years older and wiser in a world where people willingly undergo brainwashing, patriarchy rules, and science, medications, and vaccines are outlawed. Told in alternating perspectives from the siblings and a couple other characters, the story explores what happens when science and free thinking are taken away. The book is reminiscent of “Red Dawn” as Scott and other teen rebels hide in the mountains and the “Matched” series as some characters’ brainwashing starts fading and memories return. Multiple adventures keep this dystopian moving quickly while providing ample thought-provoking scenarios. The events only cover a few days and the book ends with many unresolved situations, so hopefully sequels are coming. This book comes out August 4; an advanced reader copy was provided by NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for providing access to an early review copy of this title in exchange for my honest feedback.
I NEED the Sequel!!! - It was very compelling. The story features numerous twists and a cliffhanger ending.
This dystopian narrative is told through multiple points of view:
Ellie (16): who has just been awakened in a ReAdmission center after being cryogenically frozen for three years.
Scott (16): her younger brother, who is now one month older than her and has been living in a camp in the mountains.
Matteo (19): their neighbor, who has been residing in the camp with Scott.
Olivia (17): a ReAd, but now experiencing memories from her life prior to her current circumstances.
Ryan (19): Ellie’s high school boyfriend — a ReAd and a Lyon soldier.
Under President Lyon's leadership, the world has changed drastically from the one Ellie knew. She remains uncertain about whom to trust.
Scott and Matteo are working to rescue her from the ReAdmission center before she can be brainwashed like many others who were not captured and have either "disappeared" or joined resistance groups.
Content warning: includes themes of murder, death, dictatorship, brainwashing, and some profanity (sh, gd)
I NEED the Sequel!!! - It was very compelling. The story features numerous twists and a cliffhanger ending.
This dystopian narrative is told through multiple points of view:
Ellie (16): who has just been awakened in a ReAdmission center after being cryogenically frozen for three years.
Scott (16): her younger brother, who is now one month older than her and has been living in a camp in the mountains.
Matteo (19): their neighbor, who has been residing in the camp with Scott.
Olivia (17): a ReAd, but now experiencing memories from her life prior to her current circumstances.
Ryan (19): Ellie’s high school boyfriend — a ReAd and a Lyon soldier.
Under President Lyon's leadership, the world has changed drastically from the one Ellie knew. She remains uncertain about whom to trust.
Scott and Matteo are working to rescue her from the ReAdmission center before she can be brainwashed like many others who were not captured and have either "disappeared" or joined resistance groups.
Content warning: includes themes of murder, death, dictatorship, brainwashing, and some profanity (sh, gd)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC!
This book's premise immediately grabbed me: someone cryogenically frozen is thawed early and thrown into a world run by a totalitarian dictator completely devoid of science, and they force men to be soldiers and women to be secretaries and wives, focusing on faith, beauty, and domesticity. It is one that shook me, because it is so real and chillingly possible. I typically prefer my dystopian novels to hit a little less close to home, but this was still a very quick read once it got going.
I did not enjoy how many chapters focused on telling the same thing from different perspectives, but once the "how the family froze" details got thoroughly stated, the plot got rolling and didn't stop! I wish the characters were a bit more focused on their mission and were more driven. The novel also lacked world-building, and that was a bummer for me. I want to know more about memory wiping, the roundups of scientists and intellectuals, political control, and how the freezing process should have worked/how it was developed. The novel potentially leaves room for this to be explored in a sequel. I just really hope it doesn't become yet another dystopian love triangle trilogy.
4 stars! (3.5 rounded up)
This book's premise immediately grabbed me: someone cryogenically frozen is thawed early and thrown into a world run by a totalitarian dictator completely devoid of science, and they force men to be soldiers and women to be secretaries and wives, focusing on faith, beauty, and domesticity. It is one that shook me, because it is so real and chillingly possible. I typically prefer my dystopian novels to hit a little less close to home, but this was still a very quick read once it got going.
I did not enjoy how many chapters focused on telling the same thing from different perspectives, but once the "how the family froze" details got thoroughly stated, the plot got rolling and didn't stop! I wish the characters were a bit more focused on their mission and were more driven. The novel also lacked world-building, and that was a bummer for me. I want to know more about memory wiping, the roundups of scientists and intellectuals, political control, and how the freezing process should have worked/how it was developed. The novel potentially leaves room for this to be explored in a sequel. I just really hope it doesn't become yet another dystopian love triangle trilogy.
4 stars! (3.5 rounded up)
August 4, 2026
Thank you to Goodreads and Simon Team for this fabulous ARC! I loved this dystopian thriller!!!
Elle is a survivor of a cryogenic sleep for a few years and wakes up to a completely changed America. It is clear who President Lyon is in our real lives who has to put his name on everything. The characters in this book are relatable, and their worries and fears feel real in an unrecognizable America.
Misogyny abounds, women's education cut short, science is criminal, banned, and tossed, and news outlets taken over by State News. American citizen's lives are completely controlled under Lyon's authoritarian government with the requirement of every citizen being subject to IV drugging to forget past memories, then reeducated, and are taught to greet and depart each other like robots with a "God Bless Lyon". Eerie, scary, and has an all to familiar ring to what we are currently living.
Short chapters make this already fast paced novel fly by quickly.
Looking very forward to the sequel!
Elle is a survivor of a cryogenic sleep for a few years and wakes up to a completely changed America. It is clear who President Lyon is in our real lives who has to put his name on everything. The characters in this book are relatable, and their worries and fears feel real in an unrecognizable America.
Misogyny abounds, women's education cut short, science is criminal, banned, and tossed, and news outlets taken over by State News. American citizen's lives are completely controlled under Lyon's authoritarian government with the requirement of every citizen being subject to IV drugging to forget past memories, then reeducated, and are taught to greet and depart each other like robots with a "God Bless Lyon". Eerie, scary, and has an all to familiar ring to what we are currently living.
Short chapters make this already fast paced novel fly by quickly.
Looking very forward to the sequel!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing company Simon Pulse for this arc.
Listen, this might just be a me problem. Let me start by saying that the premise is so fascinating. Gives me Fallout vibes that the protagonist and her family go into cryo to escape the world and the dictator. I was excited on that alone, as well as the idea of dystopian in general. But it is very young adult. I mean, very. If you are expecting to go into this and think about this world in a deep and meaningful way, learning how science gone in a world would lead to destruction, don't bother. The writing tells you what people are feeling and that's about it. No meaningful conversations or thoughts about the world. It also doesn't go into detail about how the world changed so much in under three years, which I personally thought would be important. Again though, this might just be me. I would still recommend you check it out, just know that you are walking into a heavily YA written story.
Listen, this might just be a me problem. Let me start by saying that the premise is so fascinating. Gives me Fallout vibes that the protagonist and her family go into cryo to escape the world and the dictator. I was excited on that alone, as well as the idea of dystopian in general. But it is very young adult. I mean, very. If you are expecting to go into this and think about this world in a deep and meaningful way, learning how science gone in a world would lead to destruction, don't bother. The writing tells you what people are feeling and that's about it. No meaningful conversations or thoughts about the world. It also doesn't go into detail about how the world changed so much in under three years, which I personally thought would be important. Again though, this might just be me. I would still recommend you check it out, just know that you are walking into a heavily YA written story.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
2.5 ⭐️
i wanted to like this, and it was a fast/entertaining read, at least. however, i think that the commentary within this book is both surface level and "obvious." there's a lot of pieces of this dystopian world (ie: complete absence of doctors, lack of acknowledgement of allergies) that don't really make any sense in that i don't understand what these things "do" for the fascist regime in the book.
it also discusses implications of lack of science and devolves into a sexist world, but racism is not discussed once. the electee president is clearly trying to make a "1950s" usa, but somehow race isn't mentioned in this goal (i mean, women all have to have platinum blonde hair, this has undertones no?).
essentially, though this book had promise and intrigue, the commentary is surface level / doesn't provoke much conversation/depth.
**thank you to Simon & Schuster for the ARC copy**
i wanted to like this, and it was a fast/entertaining read, at least. however, i think that the commentary within this book is both surface level and "obvious." there's a lot of pieces of this dystopian world (ie: complete absence of doctors, lack of acknowledgement of allergies) that don't really make any sense in that i don't understand what these things "do" for the fascist regime in the book.
it also discusses implications of lack of science and devolves into a sexist world, but racism is not discussed once. the electee president is clearly trying to make a "1950s" usa, but somehow race isn't mentioned in this goal (i mean, women all have to have platinum blonde hair, this has undertones no?).
essentially, though this book had promise and intrigue, the commentary is surface level / doesn't provoke much conversation/depth.
**thank you to Simon & Schuster for the ARC copy**
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC version of this book!
It might get old reading about dystopian novels while practically living in one, but apparently it doesn't to me. Maybe it's just a distraction from real life? Either way, this book really hit too close to home. I've read a few other reviews and they are spot on in that we cannot let things that happen in this book happen in real life.
This story starts off with Ellie and her family choosing to be cryogenically frozen after an election goes awry and President Lyon is elected. All intellectuals (doctors, nurses, scientists, etc.) are rounded up in the first few waves and appear to have been killed. The family was supposed to be frozen for 10 years, but Ellie wakes up after only 3.
This book was really a page turner. Lots of cliffhangers. So much so that I am really looking forward to the sequel.
It might get old reading about dystopian novels while practically living in one, but apparently it doesn't to me. Maybe it's just a distraction from real life? Either way, this book really hit too close to home. I've read a few other reviews and they are spot on in that we cannot let things that happen in this book happen in real life.
This story starts off with Ellie and her family choosing to be cryogenically frozen after an election goes awry and President Lyon is elected. All intellectuals (doctors, nurses, scientists, etc.) are rounded up in the first few waves and appear to have been killed. The family was supposed to be frozen for 10 years, but Ellie wakes up after only 3.
This book was really a page turner. Lots of cliffhangers. So much so that I am really looking forward to the sequel.
June 6, 2026
Thank you to Goodreads, the author and publisher for an advanced copy of this book.
The storyline was very compelling, and I sped through from chapter to chapter wanting to know what happened next. The overall idea of the main character having been frozen and thawed was an interesting concept. The story also had quite a number of details that showed how society had changed in this dystopian world, and a frightening look at the fate of the world based on the authoritarian rule of President Lyon (or Lyin’, given his fabricated news announcements.)
I enjoyed the story very much and think it would be appealing to young adults who value the importance of medicine, scientific advancement, transparency and democracy in government, and equality for women.
I did however think the story ended abruptly at the end, perhaps keeping the plot open to a sequel?
The storyline was very compelling, and I sped through from chapter to chapter wanting to know what happened next. The overall idea of the main character having been frozen and thawed was an interesting concept. The story also had quite a number of details that showed how society had changed in this dystopian world, and a frightening look at the fate of the world based on the authoritarian rule of President Lyon (or Lyin’, given his fabricated news announcements.)
I enjoyed the story very much and think it would be appealing to young adults who value the importance of medicine, scientific advancement, transparency and democracy in government, and equality for women.
I did however think the story ended abruptly at the end, perhaps keeping the plot open to a sequel?
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Dystopian-YA
A dangerous dictator has been elected president and has made all scientists the enemy. In an attempt to escape, Ellie's father decides to cryogenically freeze the family in his lab for 10 years, in hopes they awaken to a better world. Ellie wakes up after only 3 years and discovers that her family is all dead
As part of the new world the people will erase her memories and she will go through ReAdmittatance."
Before she gets through the ReAd program, Ellie is kidnapped by the resistance where she learns the truths of the new world and of her brother's survival. Ellie will not give up on the only family she has and doesn't realize that her brother has been seeking her out as well. As two separate forces they fight to reunite.
Great book and loved the characters. Story was fast paced and kept me guessing as to what would happen next. Similarities between the dictator's rules and President Trumps made this realistic.
A dangerous dictator has been elected president and has made all scientists the enemy. In an attempt to escape, Ellie's father decides to cryogenically freeze the family in his lab for 10 years, in hopes they awaken to a better world. Ellie wakes up after only 3 years and discovers that her family is all dead
As part of the new world the people will erase her memories and she will go through ReAdmittatance."
Before she gets through the ReAd program, Ellie is kidnapped by the resistance where she learns the truths of the new world and of her brother's survival. Ellie will not give up on the only family she has and doesn't realize that her brother has been seeking her out as well. As two separate forces they fight to reunite.
Great book and loved the characters. Story was fast paced and kept me guessing as to what would happen next. Similarities between the dictator's rules and President Trumps made this realistic.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Starting off, I thought this was a very interesting read! I liked the dystopian feel of it, along with the political environment. It felt as if I was watching a movie on the big screen! The multiple POV’s were nice, however, I feel like one was randomly thrown in until we started getting who they were to the main characters. I wish there was more of the background of how life was prior vs now, it would’ve been easier to have more feelings invested towards the characters and what they deal with. I enjoyed how the plot held throughout, but seeing more of the science part and maybe more inner thoughts of the MC’s would be better. The ending fell flat for me unfortunately, it left me wanting a lot more as I know it was a cliffhanger but something was missing on it for me!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a YA dystopian novel with different POVs that make it dynamic. Having different points of view, in this particular case, helps build a fast paced narration.
The story follows Ellie, who wakes up from cryogenics into a world she no longer recognizes. Her confusion and the tension of piecing together what happened to humanity are handled very well. It’s easy to root for her right from the beginning.
If you liked The Testaments or The Grace Year, you should definitely pick this up. It has a similar oppressive atmosphere and social commentary. I didn’t like those books so much, hence my rating :(
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for this ARC of The Season of Light and Darkness, to be published on August 4th, 2026.
The story follows Ellie, who wakes up from cryogenics into a world she no longer recognizes. Her confusion and the tension of piecing together what happened to humanity are handled very well. It’s easy to root for her right from the beginning.
If you liked The Testaments or The Grace Year, you should definitely pick this up. It has a similar oppressive atmosphere and social commentary. I didn’t like those books so much, hence my rating :(
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for this ARC of The Season of Light and Darkness, to be published on August 4th, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wow, okay I DEVOURED this book. Immediately, I was drawn in. I absolutely need book two now.
The Season of Light and Darkness is told in multiple POVs from Ellie, Scott, Mateo, Olivia & Ryan. Ellie and Scott are siblings whose family decided to freeze themselves once a dictator rose to power. However, Scott never actually froze himself and ran off to join the rebels. Ellie is accidentally thawed after three years, not the full ten her family planned on. There is so much happening throughout this book that you just want to keep turning the pages. I have so many unanswered questions. I honestly can’t wait for the next.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for an arc!
The Season of Light and Darkness is told in multiple POVs from Ellie, Scott, Mateo, Olivia & Ryan. Ellie and Scott are siblings whose family decided to freeze themselves once a dictator rose to power. However, Scott never actually froze himself and ran off to join the rebels. Ellie is accidentally thawed after three years, not the full ten her family planned on. There is so much happening throughout this book that you just want to keep turning the pages. I have so many unanswered questions. I honestly can’t wait for the next.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for an arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I want to start off with how much I loved the idea of this. The plot was really interesting, felt rather appropriate right now, and I was immediately hooked from the blurb alone. I liked having multiple POVs and I was really interested in the cryogenics aspect because that's not something I see often.
My biggest issue was with how young adult it was. With the characters being 16-19 I assumed this was going to be more of an upper ya but really it felt more middle grade to me. There wasn't really any depth to the world, I didn't really know why things were happening or how they came to be, it just kind of felt like all we got was the characters stories and that's totally fine it's just not what I was expecting it to be.
My biggest issue was with how young adult it was. With the characters being 16-19 I assumed this was going to be more of an upper ya but really it felt more middle grade to me. There wasn't really any depth to the world, I didn't really know why things were happening or how they came to be, it just kind of felt like all we got was the characters stories and that's totally fine it's just not what I was expecting it to be.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Simon Schuster and NetGalley for this ARC. Dystopian fantasy has become my favorite genre lately. This story is centered around Ellie who, along with her family, made the decision to be cryogenically frozen when the country elected a madman, anti-scientist, for president. They decided to have it last for ten years in the hopes that the country will have had time to revert back from the craziness that was coming. Brought out of the frozen status early, Ellie learns the country is as bad as it was expected to become. Ellie began trying to navigate the new world and reunite with any family that might be remaining. Don't want to give anything else away, but I will just say that this book ended and I immediately went to look up when we can expect Book two!
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