Purge

by Kat Ellis

Mason and Noah exist in different worlds, but their lives are about to collide. Mason has a habit of getting into trouble. He's been kicked out of every place he's ever lived in. Moving to the cult-like community of Alteria is definitely a last resort, even if it's better than braving the wastelands outside. But following their strict rules is a hundred times harder when Mason meets Eden, who has a wicked streak to match his own. Caught with contraband, Eden is forced into a programme to purge her bad behaviour. But Mason has seen what happens to people who get purged, and knows he will lose Eden if he can't help her find a way out.
Out in the wastelands, Noah has no memory of what happened before he was abandoned in a war zone. All he wants is to know who he is, and if he can trust the strangers who rescued him from the rubble.
With lies surrounding them on all sides, Mason and Noah must piece together the truth if they want to escape. Failure is not an option when it means being purged from existence.

Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia

271 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 8, 2016

About the author

Kat Ellis is the author of YA novels WICKED LITTLE DEEDS / BURDEN FALLS, HARROW LAKE, PURGE, BLACKFIN SKY, and BREAKER, and the novella THE TWINS OF BLACKFIN in the THREE STRIKES collection.

You'll usually find Kat up to no good on Twitter, trekking through ruins and cemeteries with her camera, or watching scary films with her husband.

The best way to keep up to date on all Kat's bookish news is to subscribe to her newsletter, which you can do here: https://katelliswrites.us17.list-mana...

Reviews

[Luna's Little Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

You should listen to the voices in your head. At least if you’re at risk of being ‘purged’ because they might just be the key to getting out. You should also listen to the voice (aka me) saying: “Read Purge, it’s intriguing and devious in its storytelling! Definitely a book for those who like twisted mind games.”

Kat Ellis’s newest book is what I call a grow-read. You build up to the twisted finale by following Mason as he adjusts to life on Alteria. The community itself is its own little distorted world, bringing a whole bunch of questions to the reader. I always like books like that.

Purge is a story that develops with subtleties. There is more than one level to this and I enjoyed seeing how the two narrations wove together. Purge will probably also put you off calamari for a while. Not that I was ever keen on calamari.

[Ruth Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stayed up half the night to finish PURGE because I simply couldn't put it down. Hugely inventive and so on my wavelength, I really did enjoy it.

[Gemma Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very different book compared to what I'd usually go for and I enjoyed it! It was quite an easy read with a good twist. There's some parts of I struggled with, especially in the Sector 24 parts, but overall it was good.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was weird. Bit of an outlier for Kat’s other work. I can see why she originally planned it as a trilogy but can’t in good faith say I’d have stuck around for all of them. I didn’t like/care about the characters and while the way things come together was done well, the build up to that point was not.

[Amy Kitcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally LOVED this! Purge is a post-apocalyptic dystopian sci-fi novel, set in a future where mankind has all but destroyed Earth. People survive on arks - massive floating communities - whilst engineers race to develop technology that will allow them to flee to New Earth. Mason arrives in Alteria with his sister Ari and a shed load of bad attitude. He meets Eden, and falls for her. The path to love is never smooth, not least of all because Eden's older brother, Lyle, is in charge of signing off on Mason's citizenship.
But PURGE is far from a simple 'boy meets girl' futuristic romance. There are more layers to this novel than a lasagne! The sub-plot - with Beth and Noah - gave me a real, unexpected 'woah there!' moment. The backstories are subtly interwoven. The technology is interesting. The world-building is detailed and cinematic. The squid are scary! The moral questions it raises are tough. Honestly, this list of positives about PURGE goes on and on.
Easily as good as The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, Divergent etc

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read and loved all three of Kat Ellis's novels that have released so far. Though all have been very different genre-wise, I know I can always rely on her books for strong, unique plots and powerful characters.

Going into Purge, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but that turned out to be a good thing. We follow Mason and Noah as the secrets of their two realities are slowly revealed — Mason in the too-perfect-to-be-true community of Alteria, and Noah in a strange wasteland. I couldn't guess the direction the plot would take, and loved every new twist and revelation. The world-building was excellent, and I can imagine Purge making a great sci-fi film.

Can't wait to see what Kat Ellis writes next!

[Jenniely · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It had me gripped from the start, I wanted to know more about the world they lived in and how it differed from ours. I was invested in the character's stories and I needed to know what was happening.
I loved the structure of the book with different narratives and how they related to each other. Both Mason and Eden aren't typical YA protags - they have issues and some of them they don't really 'grow' out of, but I won't say more about that for spoilers.
There was always something more going on beneath the surface and it's well worth the wait for each reveal! I'd LOVE a sequel to this book...
Definitely recommend!

[Jools · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot more "grown up" than her previous YA books, dealing with drug use and sex. A really enjoyable read, pacey and tense, with humour thrown in appropriately. The double narrative which started early on in the book didn't end as I thought it would, but everything came to a satisfactory end, which was gratifying, as I can't abide books which don't draw the storyline to a tangible ending! A recommended read, whether you read YA as a rule or not. Great characterisation, a well imagined location, and a complex but logical (in the end!) plot. Well done, Kat - another triumph!

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kat Ellis is a YA author, and has once again produced a little gem! A dystopian world like no other, intertwined with a compelling love story. Brilliant alternative world , well thought out, and the flicking between the different world worked well, and I didn't realise what was really happening until the last quarter of the story. Very enjoyable

[katy (taylor's version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Purge was... interesting. It held my attention okay, and I read it pretty quickly. I’m not exactly sure how to explain it. It just... I don’t know. It’s not my favorite kind of book, I guess.
The characters were pretty good.
My favorite part was the plot twist near the end. That brought this book a whole star up for me and held the momentum throughout the end of the book.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. Kat Ellis is a brilliant writer, with characters that are relatable for audiences. I love how everything ties together at the end, and the moment when you realise the 'structure', so to speak, of the book is absolute brilliant.