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The Denounced Series #1
A Grey Sun
A convicted Denounced, sentenced to death.
When sixteen-year-old Ned is wrongly convicted and kidnapped to a secret location, he meets ninety ‘Denounced’, and a terrifying truth begins to unfold – one that will change the world forever.
Forced to lead a Pod of five, Ned begins to realise thousands of lives could depend upon him. A survivor by nature, he now has to face his past, confront his destiny, and fight a System that has never lost.
A Grey Sun is the first in a three-part series following six Denounced teenagers as they struggle to live in a world where a simple mistake will cost you your life...
A must read for fans of The Maze Runner, Hunger Games and The Testing
When sixteen-year-old Ned is wrongly convicted and kidnapped to a secret location, he meets ninety ‘Denounced’, and a terrifying truth begins to unfold – one that will change the world forever.
Forced to lead a Pod of five, Ned begins to realise thousands of lives could depend upon him. A survivor by nature, he now has to face his past, confront his destiny, and fight a System that has never lost.
A Grey Sun is the first in a three-part series following six Denounced teenagers as they struggle to live in a world where a simple mistake will cost you your life...
A must read for fans of The Maze Runner, Hunger Games and The Testing
ebook
Published November 16, 2017
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About the author
S.J. Sherwood
6 books20 followersSJ Sherwood grew up in a small town in rural England and has a MA in Drama from UCL. Writing has been the one constant in his life. He is the author of Am I... a suspense thriller; the dystopian trilogy, The Denounced, and the non-fiction title, Apologise… Hell, No!
He lives in London with his wife and two young children.
He can be found at www.sjsherwood.com
He lives in London with his wife and two young children.
He can be found at www.sjsherwood.com
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 30, 2017
This story instantly hooked me. It felt like a cross between Divergent, and the Maze Runner. It was action packed and follows the story of a teenage boy, Ned, caught in the corruption of his Secular government and sentenced to death. He's "saved" at the last second, but his death sentence still hangs over him. Ned has had a rough road to where he ends up, which allows the reader to see the unspoken rules in the situations he finds himself in. I enjoyed the fast pace and Ned is a good character to share headspace with. He may be more of an outsider in his communities but the reader is familiar with his backstory and feels an emotional connection with him. It was a short read and I'm excited to see what happens next. Overall, a great start to a promising new YA series.
November 18, 2017
Sixteen-year-old Ned has been sentenced to death for being one of The Denounced. At the very last minute (and I do mean last), he is rescued from the gallows. He is taken to some sort of training camp where he and other teenagers are being trained although it is never made clear for what. The kids are divided into groups or pods and must work together to get through all of the tests they are subjected to. There are fifteen pods and Ned is made the head of the last one. This is unfortunate for several reasons: as an orphan, he has learned that being invisible is the safest place to be and he has already made an enemy of the chief trainer and his pod is not very good at cooperating, especially with him. This last is very important because cooperation is necessary if they are to make it through the training and failure is not an option – it is deadly.
A Grey Sun is the first in The Denounced YA series by author SJ Sherwood and it would be impossible not to compare it to series like The Hunger Games or The Divergent series. Fortunately, the story has enough going on to make the comparisons not necessarily a bad thing. There’s plenty of action and interesting characters. It’s hard not to like Ned or root for his pod to succeed and it is fast paced enough to keep the story moving and the reader involved.
I did find Ned’s musings about the other members of the pod a bit distracting at times especially as it seemed to change from page to page as did the behaviour of the kids. Still, I found the book very enjoyable and hard to put down despite this. The ending was satisfying - unlike too many dystopian series, it opens the story to further books while bringing closure to this one. A good beginning to the series and I look forward to the next book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Cameron Publicity and marketing Ltd for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
A Grey Sun is the first in The Denounced YA series by author SJ Sherwood and it would be impossible not to compare it to series like The Hunger Games or The Divergent series. Fortunately, the story has enough going on to make the comparisons not necessarily a bad thing. There’s plenty of action and interesting characters. It’s hard not to like Ned or root for his pod to succeed and it is fast paced enough to keep the story moving and the reader involved.
I did find Ned’s musings about the other members of the pod a bit distracting at times especially as it seemed to change from page to page as did the behaviour of the kids. Still, I found the book very enjoyable and hard to put down despite this. The ending was satisfying - unlike too many dystopian series, it opens the story to further books while bringing closure to this one. A good beginning to the series and I look forward to the next book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Cameron Publicity and marketing Ltd for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
November 19, 2017
"In less than an hour my life will end."
Thus begins THE GREY SUN, the first book in THE DENOUNCED TRILOGY.
I dare anyone to read that opening line and not be drawn into this book.
Who is this person that will die within an hour? What is happening? How does the person know he or she is going to die? Is this person a male or a female? How old are they? What is the reason they are going to die? Are they sick? How are they going to die? Is it a natural death? Is it murder? Who is going to kill him/her? Why? How does he/she know they are going to die? How do they know when they are going to die?
All these questions flash through the readers mind, and all of them (and more) are prompted from a sentence containing a mere nine words.
As we read a bit further, some of our questions begin to be answered, but each answer only spawns more questions, piques more curiosity and sucks the reader further into the story. The ability to achieve this is the mark of a talented author.
I love books that draw my attention immediately, and more importantly, are able to maintain my attention page after page. THE GREY SUN does exactly that.
It is difficult to believe that this is author S.J. Sherwood's first ever attempt at writing Young Adult Fiction. He writes with the perfect voice for young adult audiences. In fact, if you were unaware of the above fact, you would think he has been writing fiction for teens for years.
Sixteen year old Ned is a character that will appeal to both teenage boys and teen girls. The guys will look up to him as a smart, tough protagonist that they would want to be friends with, young women will also look up to him, but they will also want him to be their new book-boyfriend.
How can a normal, red-blooded young woman not want to soothe Ned's tortured soul and show him that he doesn't need to be alone in the world any more? Add to that the fact that he would make an awesome protector and is both intelligent and resourceful, and you have the perfect recipe for a YA heartthrob.
Don't let what I wrote above to take anything away from the story itself. Yes, Ned is "hot," but that is only one tiny part of this tale.
The Dystopian world that S.J. Sherwood has imagined is revealed in small snippets and readers learn about Ned's world as he learns about it. Although there is a resolution at the end of this book, there are also many unanswered questions which I am excited to find out the answers to. For some reason I do not feel cheated, even though I did not receive all the answers. Leaving questions unanswered without angering your readers is a difficult task to achieve, but this author somehow makes it seem easy.
I have read literally hundreds of Dystopian novels, for both Young Adult and Adult readers and this reality that S.J. Sherwood has created is one I will not forget. I think that part of the reason why I feel this way is because there is still so much to learn about Ned's world. The possibilities are endless. I rate this book as 4 out of 5 Stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
To read more of my reviews, visit my blog at http://Amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com and Follow me on Instagram @Amiesbookreviews
Thus begins THE GREY SUN, the first book in THE DENOUNCED TRILOGY.
I dare anyone to read that opening line and not be drawn into this book.
Who is this person that will die within an hour? What is happening? How does the person know he or she is going to die? Is this person a male or a female? How old are they? What is the reason they are going to die? Are they sick? How are they going to die? Is it a natural death? Is it murder? Who is going to kill him/her? Why? How does he/she know they are going to die? How do they know when they are going to die?
All these questions flash through the readers mind, and all of them (and more) are prompted from a sentence containing a mere nine words.
As we read a bit further, some of our questions begin to be answered, but each answer only spawns more questions, piques more curiosity and sucks the reader further into the story. The ability to achieve this is the mark of a talented author.
I love books that draw my attention immediately, and more importantly, are able to maintain my attention page after page. THE GREY SUN does exactly that.
It is difficult to believe that this is author S.J. Sherwood's first ever attempt at writing Young Adult Fiction. He writes with the perfect voice for young adult audiences. In fact, if you were unaware of the above fact, you would think he has been writing fiction for teens for years.
Sixteen year old Ned is a character that will appeal to both teenage boys and teen girls. The guys will look up to him as a smart, tough protagonist that they would want to be friends with, young women will also look up to him, but they will also want him to be their new book-boyfriend.
How can a normal, red-blooded young woman not want to soothe Ned's tortured soul and show him that he doesn't need to be alone in the world any more? Add to that the fact that he would make an awesome protector and is both intelligent and resourceful, and you have the perfect recipe for a YA heartthrob.
Don't let what I wrote above to take anything away from the story itself. Yes, Ned is "hot," but that is only one tiny part of this tale.
The Dystopian world that S.J. Sherwood has imagined is revealed in small snippets and readers learn about Ned's world as he learns about it. Although there is a resolution at the end of this book, there are also many unanswered questions which I am excited to find out the answers to. For some reason I do not feel cheated, even though I did not receive all the answers. Leaving questions unanswered without angering your readers is a difficult task to achieve, but this author somehow makes it seem easy.
I have read literally hundreds of Dystopian novels, for both Young Adult and Adult readers and this reality that S.J. Sherwood has created is one I will not forget. I think that part of the reason why I feel this way is because there is still so much to learn about Ned's world. The possibilities are endless. I rate this book as 4 out of 5 Stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
To read more of my reviews, visit my blog at http://Amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com and Follow me on Instagram @Amiesbookreviews
November 20, 2017
Denounced: A Grey Sun was a really fun read full of action and intensity following a boy who will do everything he can to survive. Ned and his pod of five get into a lot of sticky situations that strain their relationship and wills to survive.
What I loved most about this book was how everyone’s personalities were a huge part of how well they worked together (which wasn’t very well in Ned’s case). It was interesting to see not only outsiders trying to bring their pod down, but also their own emotions causing rifts between them. Seeing their dynamics and how they change throughout the novel was really cool and unique.
A lot of the content in this novel was very training intensive, but at the same time it added to the suspense of what is going to happen later that they all need so much training for. That mixed in with injuries and doubt adds to the wonder of if they are going to be able to pull together or if they are going to be torn apart.
The Denounced is an action packed story sure to make you question what is going on and how they will ever escape. Read on for a wild ride you do not want to miss!
What I loved most about this book was how everyone’s personalities were a huge part of how well they worked together (which wasn’t very well in Ned’s case). It was interesting to see not only outsiders trying to bring their pod down, but also their own emotions causing rifts between them. Seeing their dynamics and how they change throughout the novel was really cool and unique.
A lot of the content in this novel was very training intensive, but at the same time it added to the suspense of what is going to happen later that they all need so much training for. That mixed in with injuries and doubt adds to the wonder of if they are going to be able to pull together or if they are going to be torn apart.
The Denounced is an action packed story sure to make you question what is going on and how they will ever escape. Read on for a wild ride you do not want to miss!
June 15, 2018
The Denounced is a dystopian future that reminded me of Divergent and the Hunger Games. The Denounced is its own story, and once I started it I just wanted to read to the end to find out what happened.
The author does really well at hooking you in and setting up questions for you to wonder about and want to zip through the story to find the answers.
The point of view character in The Denounced is Ned, he's an orphan who has been in the system since his parents died when he was seven. His entire aim has been to live in the shadows and become free at the age of 18. Unfortunately he's denounced anonymously and sentenced to death by a corrupt system that didn't even defend him properly.
The story starts with Ned's execution. He's lead to the hangman's noose, and dropped through the scaffold trapdoor. That's not his end though, mysterious people spirit him away and take him to a secret training camp inside a dome.
Ned has to work as the leader of a pod of six denounced, all of whom have survived their fake execution. Their mission is to learn to work as a team and beat the other teams. The implication is that the losing pod won't survive.
Through the story we see Ned grow from a distrustful loner to a team leader, engaging the others to make best use of their skills so that they all survive. The tension is ramped when they start working well by obvious sabotage by bother pods and collusion from the training staff to undermine the performance, and survival, of Ned's pod.
There were some world building bits that niggled at me, which might be deliberate (as was the case for Divergent). I couldn't quite tell at the end of the story what the purpose was that the denounced had been rescued and trained for. It could just be that only Ned's pod had been marked for death, or that the exercise was an extreme test. I guess we'll find out when the series concludes.
Overall I really enjoyed the story, and the writing was spot on. What I really need is the rest of the series so that I know how it ends!
The author does really well at hooking you in and setting up questions for you to wonder about and want to zip through the story to find the answers.
The point of view character in The Denounced is Ned, he's an orphan who has been in the system since his parents died when he was seven. His entire aim has been to live in the shadows and become free at the age of 18. Unfortunately he's denounced anonymously and sentenced to death by a corrupt system that didn't even defend him properly.
The story starts with Ned's execution. He's lead to the hangman's noose, and dropped through the scaffold trapdoor. That's not his end though, mysterious people spirit him away and take him to a secret training camp inside a dome.
Ned has to work as the leader of a pod of six denounced, all of whom have survived their fake execution. Their mission is to learn to work as a team and beat the other teams. The implication is that the losing pod won't survive.
Through the story we see Ned grow from a distrustful loner to a team leader, engaging the others to make best use of their skills so that they all survive. The tension is ramped when they start working well by obvious sabotage by bother pods and collusion from the training staff to undermine the performance, and survival, of Ned's pod.
There were some world building bits that niggled at me, which might be deliberate (as was the case for Divergent). I couldn't quite tell at the end of the story what the purpose was that the denounced had been rescued and trained for. It could just be that only Ned's pod had been marked for death, or that the exercise was an extreme test. I guess we'll find out when the series concludes.
Overall I really enjoyed the story, and the writing was spot on. What I really need is the rest of the series so that I know how it ends!
December 13, 2017
I loved some things about The Denounced. For one thing, it cost less than a cup of diner coffee! And yet... A breakdown:
Characters: 3 stars. The way the pod members related to each other and other pods was done really well. Ned, the reluctant leader, was appealing and none of them felt single dimensional. That said, we learned almost nothing about some of them. More detail would have been welcome.
World building: 4 stars. There's enough here so that you'll have a picture in your head of where they are and what their society is like. There are plenty of blanks to fill in in a sequel, though.
Plot: 5 stars. Comparisons will be made to Divergent, Maze Runner, and Hunger Games simply because it features an alternate society, teenagers, and violence. But this stands on its own merit. Again, you'll be guessing throughout: what are they REALLY planning for these kids? The story has a satisfying ending, but it's clear that there will be a sequel.
Writing: 4 stars. It was well written, and the teenage interactions had that authentic feel.
Editing: 2 stars. The weak link. Please, authors, if grammar, language, and punctuation aren't your strong suit, hire a professional editor. Can't afford one? Understandable. Then get yourself a bunch of beta readers, and do several rounds of beta reading. Make sure they aren't all your friends/family who tend to be overly kind ("Of course, yes! Publish now! It's PERFECT!"). I won't bother with examples here because there were a LOT, of everything imaginable (imagible in the book). If you're unbothered by editing errors, throw this score out. They drive me nuts, and that's why I mention them.
Composite score: 3 1/2 stars
Would I read the sequel? Definitely
Would I recommend to friends & family? Maybe
An engaging story that I ripped through in a single day.
Characters: 3 stars. The way the pod members related to each other and other pods was done really well. Ned, the reluctant leader, was appealing and none of them felt single dimensional. That said, we learned almost nothing about some of them. More detail would have been welcome.
World building: 4 stars. There's enough here so that you'll have a picture in your head of where they are and what their society is like. There are plenty of blanks to fill in in a sequel, though.
Plot: 5 stars. Comparisons will be made to Divergent, Maze Runner, and Hunger Games simply because it features an alternate society, teenagers, and violence. But this stands on its own merit. Again, you'll be guessing throughout: what are they REALLY planning for these kids? The story has a satisfying ending, but it's clear that there will be a sequel.
Writing: 4 stars. It was well written, and the teenage interactions had that authentic feel.
Editing: 2 stars. The weak link. Please, authors, if grammar, language, and punctuation aren't your strong suit, hire a professional editor. Can't afford one? Understandable. Then get yourself a bunch of beta readers, and do several rounds of beta reading. Make sure they aren't all your friends/family who tend to be overly kind ("Of course, yes! Publish now! It's PERFECT!"). I won't bother with examples here because there were a LOT, of everything imaginable (imagible in the book). If you're unbothered by editing errors, throw this score out. They drive me nuts, and that's why I mention them.
Composite score: 3 1/2 stars
Would I read the sequel? Definitely
Would I recommend to friends & family? Maybe
An engaging story that I ripped through in a single day.
March 8, 2018
You know, there's something about a futuristic or dystopian setting that just works, you know? I mean to go from the times we live in, to decades sometimes even centuries into the future just opens up so many storytelling possibilities. That's why I was excited for this book. Because it's clear from the get go that the setting is drastically different from our own.
A Grey Sun is about Ned, a wrongfully accused and convicted young man who is facing the death penalty. He is rescued from certain death by a mysterious group of people who then take him and all the others they saved to an ever-changing setting, ripe with good food, strict rules and mysterious intentions.
Now we all know how these things go, I talk about what I did and didn't like in the book so how's about we just get right to it?
+ The Tone
S.J. Sherwood's A Grey Sun paints a pretty stark picture of the world he's created with Ned, our mc facing the death penalty in the book's opening. We spend the entire story in his head and beginning with him trying to face being wrongfully accused of a crime and having to die for it sets the tone for the rest of the story. And we all know how much I loves me a dark story. The dark tone is kept up throughout the entire story, even during times of celebration or would-be peace. And that made for a read where you didn't know what was coming next, and that makes it a read you don't want to put down.
+ The Setting
Sherwood does a great job of allowing us to learn where the story is taking place just as Ned does. This means we spend a lot of the story not knowing where we are. When Ned realized something about the place he's been taken after being saved from death, so do we, and that keeps you guessing as well, trying to figure where he and the rest of those who were saved could be. Learning more about Ned's surroundings often brought with it a sense of both dread and anticipation because you never knew what the new area would mean for Ned and those closest to him.
+ The Stakes
It's established early on that even though Ned and the others around him have been saved, their "saviors" aren't angels. Ned witnesses a gruesome act towards one of the groups, or Pods as the groups are called, not long after they arrive at their new homes. This act cements in Ned and the reader's minds that this safe haven isn't as safe as they thought. Every action was watched, evaluated and measured, and one wrong move could mean the end of your life. Talk about tense!
Now, even with all that said, I feel I should talk about my dislikes, because although I liked a lot about A Grey Sun, there were things that could have been better.
- The Characters
I'll be honest, most, if not all of the characters felt flat to me. It's almost as if they weren't much more than whatever they brought to the story. Ned was our arrogant, annoyingly know it all lead, and the members of his Pod could be summed up as the strong one, the distant, haunted one, the scared one, the smart/shy one and the optimistic, "glue" of the group. And they never really grew past those characteristics. Even Ned and his Pod's rivals were one-note. It's why I didn't enjoy A Grey Sun as much as I could've. When I don't connect with the characters, it makes it hard to care about the things they have to go through or overcome. And that's takes away a lot of the enjoyment in a book. Good characters can make or break a book in my eyes, and sadly, A Grey Sun suffers from the latter.
Still, the world Sherwood has created is so intriguing that I will be checking out the sequel, if for nothing more to see more of the world fleshed out. There are moments in the book where you see where it could have shined, and I think developing the characters a little more and exploring the world a little more would have given it that extra oomph. Then again, I suppose this book had to set up future installments while not giving everything away, so I'll excuse it some of its shortcomings. Hopefully we learn more about the characters and their relationships are more believable in the sequel.
A Grey Sun is about Ned, a wrongfully accused and convicted young man who is facing the death penalty. He is rescued from certain death by a mysterious group of people who then take him and all the others they saved to an ever-changing setting, ripe with good food, strict rules and mysterious intentions.
Now we all know how these things go, I talk about what I did and didn't like in the book so how's about we just get right to it?
+ The Tone
S.J. Sherwood's A Grey Sun paints a pretty stark picture of the world he's created with Ned, our mc facing the death penalty in the book's opening. We spend the entire story in his head and beginning with him trying to face being wrongfully accused of a crime and having to die for it sets the tone for the rest of the story. And we all know how much I loves me a dark story. The dark tone is kept up throughout the entire story, even during times of celebration or would-be peace. And that made for a read where you didn't know what was coming next, and that makes it a read you don't want to put down.
+ The Setting
Sherwood does a great job of allowing us to learn where the story is taking place just as Ned does. This means we spend a lot of the story not knowing where we are. When Ned realized something about the place he's been taken after being saved from death, so do we, and that keeps you guessing as well, trying to figure where he and the rest of those who were saved could be. Learning more about Ned's surroundings often brought with it a sense of both dread and anticipation because you never knew what the new area would mean for Ned and those closest to him.
+ The Stakes
It's established early on that even though Ned and the others around him have been saved, their "saviors" aren't angels. Ned witnesses a gruesome act towards one of the groups, or Pods as the groups are called, not long after they arrive at their new homes. This act cements in Ned and the reader's minds that this safe haven isn't as safe as they thought. Every action was watched, evaluated and measured, and one wrong move could mean the end of your life. Talk about tense!
Now, even with all that said, I feel I should talk about my dislikes, because although I liked a lot about A Grey Sun, there were things that could have been better.
- The Characters
I'll be honest, most, if not all of the characters felt flat to me. It's almost as if they weren't much more than whatever they brought to the story. Ned was our arrogant, annoyingly know it all lead, and the members of his Pod could be summed up as the strong one, the distant, haunted one, the scared one, the smart/shy one and the optimistic, "glue" of the group. And they never really grew past those characteristics. Even Ned and his Pod's rivals were one-note. It's why I didn't enjoy A Grey Sun as much as I could've. When I don't connect with the characters, it makes it hard to care about the things they have to go through or overcome. And that's takes away a lot of the enjoyment in a book. Good characters can make or break a book in my eyes, and sadly, A Grey Sun suffers from the latter.
Still, the world Sherwood has created is so intriguing that I will be checking out the sequel, if for nothing more to see more of the world fleshed out. There are moments in the book where you see where it could have shined, and I think developing the characters a little more and exploring the world a little more would have given it that extra oomph. Then again, I suppose this book had to set up future installments while not giving everything away, so I'll excuse it some of its shortcomings. Hopefully we learn more about the characters and their relationships are more believable in the sequel.
March 23, 2018
First of all, I received an electronic galley of this book to review, however I also received a signed hardcopy from the author for an honest review and it was one of the best times I've had recently. Reading a hardcopy book is priceless! (thank you very much S.J. Sherwood!).
Second, while it took me a while to get into this book (I read two chapters in about two months) once I focused on it, I found it to be so engrossing that I finished it in four hours.
Orphaned and abandoned (by his sister) 'Denounced' sixteen-year-old Ned grew up in at least six homes, learning defense mechanisms that may/may not be his saving grace when he finds himself saved from the hangman's noose and placed in yet another 'home'. He is placed as a leader of five other 'Denounced' teens and it's his job to keep them alive despite the warring personalities.
This is one of the books that make me wonder about the author -- Ned's character is so true and analytical that I can't help relate to him as a human being. Measuring others in his group, trying to figure them out, while at the same time trying to figure out what is going around them, why they were chosen to be saved, what's ahead...I stopped to think how Ned would view me if I were in his 'Pod'.
This book reminded me a bit of the Maze Runner series crossed slightly with Hunger Games, but it stands so well on its own. I can't wait to read the second book to see how the story unfolds.
The only downside is that sometimes I got so caught up in Ned, that I couldn't follow the description of his world - secular vs non-secular, denounced vs doubters, and while I have an idea of why the title is 'a grey sun', it doesn't jump out at me immediately.
I would definitely recommend this book to fans of teen dystopian novels (no matter how old you are!).
Second, while it took me a while to get into this book (I read two chapters in about two months) once I focused on it, I found it to be so engrossing that I finished it in four hours.
Orphaned and abandoned (by his sister) 'Denounced' sixteen-year-old Ned grew up in at least six homes, learning defense mechanisms that may/may not be his saving grace when he finds himself saved from the hangman's noose and placed in yet another 'home'. He is placed as a leader of five other 'Denounced' teens and it's his job to keep them alive despite the warring personalities.
This is one of the books that make me wonder about the author -- Ned's character is so true and analytical that I can't help relate to him as a human being. Measuring others in his group, trying to figure them out, while at the same time trying to figure out what is going around them, why they were chosen to be saved, what's ahead...I stopped to think how Ned would view me if I were in his 'Pod'.
This book reminded me a bit of the Maze Runner series crossed slightly with Hunger Games, but it stands so well on its own. I can't wait to read the second book to see how the story unfolds.
The only downside is that sometimes I got so caught up in Ned, that I couldn't follow the description of his world - secular vs non-secular, denounced vs doubters, and while I have an idea of why the title is 'a grey sun', it doesn't jump out at me immediately.
I would definitely recommend this book to fans of teen dystopian novels (no matter how old you are!).
August 22, 2018
I really enjoyed this book, the story was really great, and the characters were awesome. Although the main character is not my favourite. Rasa definitely takes that spot.
April 7, 2018
A must read!
I couldn’t put this book down and can’t wait for book 2! The story definitely keeps you on the edge wondering what is coming next. The characters are intriguing and exciting. I can definitely see this being on the big screen. If you liked the divergent series you will definitely like this. Lots of action and futuristic elements that makes you hold your breath on several occasions from beginning to end! 😀
I couldn’t put this book down and can’t wait for book 2! The story definitely keeps you on the edge wondering what is coming next. The characters are intriguing and exciting. I can definitely see this being on the big screen. If you liked the divergent series you will definitely like this. Lots of action and futuristic elements that makes you hold your breath on several occasions from beginning to end! 😀
January 5, 2018
Received this book in a Goodreads giveaway and I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. I forgot how exciting and quick paced YA novels can be. I will definitely be reading the followup to this book whenever Sherwood releases it.
February 3, 2018
I read on average over 100 books a year, and I must state that this book took me completely by surprise. The novel is set in a dystopian future, and it is hard to tell if it is far future or near future. But that does not have a direct impact on the story. It is also the first book in a planned trilogy. And as a forewarning it ends on a very suspenseful cliff hanger. The description of the book states: "A must read for fans of The Maze Runner, Hunger Games and The Testing" And having read two of those three series, I can state it definitely fits in that genre, and it is a valid comparison.
The story is set in a future where it looks like religion has been suppressed. And the intention is to suppress individuality. But as we all know from real life, things are not always as they appear. Ned has not had an easy life. His parents died when he was young, and he has been in the system since then. When his older sister turned 18 she could have assumed custody of him but choose not to. Spending so much time in the system Ned has developed some very clear ideas about how to behave and act, with just enough resistance and edge to not become institutionalized. He had been Denounced, which is for the clear majority a death sentence. But on the day, he is to be executed, something strange happens. And his distraction trying to figure this out sets him at odds with a powerful figure and the new team of 5 he is suppose to be leading. But Ned has some insight and once things start to clear up, his pod might just have a chance if they can learn to work as a team and not as 6 individuals. But there is still a lot to figure out. They are in a military type boot camp, phase one focuses on physical development, phase 2 on combat, and phase three appears to be a live fire test! But things just keep not adding up. And Ned cannot get the image out of his head of the 6 members of the one pod who were executed the day after they arrived.
I have read the Hunger Games, and felt the series went downhill with each book. I have read The Testing and felt that it maintained and sustained the excitement from book one. I sure hope this one keeps going because it was an excellent beginning. In many ways the boot camp like atmosphere reminded me a lot of Starship Troopers, by Heinlein. Except the 90 trainees all arrived in coffin like boxes and all were scheduled to have been executed. They arrived from all over the world. And 6 are dead in under 24 hours. How many will make it to the promised freedom? If it is real.
I very much enjoyed this book. I had a hard time putting it down and read it in three sittings over two days. In fact when I still had about a third of the book to go, I started searching to see if book two was out or short stories set in the same world. Unfortunately at this point I must wait for book two. But I will likely grab it on the day of release and start it right away, no matter what I am reading at the time, or what books at in my 'to be read' pile at the time! And thank speaks volumes for how much I enjoyed this story. The plot was excellent and proceeded at a good pace. The characters are excellent. The reader really develops an attachment to Pod 15 and seeing their back stories unfold. Especially Ned and Rasa. The intended audience is Young Adult but like many recent books in that genre I believe this book will gather a much wider readership because of how good the story is written! So give it a try.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.
The story is set in a future where it looks like religion has been suppressed. And the intention is to suppress individuality. But as we all know from real life, things are not always as they appear. Ned has not had an easy life. His parents died when he was young, and he has been in the system since then. When his older sister turned 18 she could have assumed custody of him but choose not to. Spending so much time in the system Ned has developed some very clear ideas about how to behave and act, with just enough resistance and edge to not become institutionalized. He had been Denounced, which is for the clear majority a death sentence. But on the day, he is to be executed, something strange happens. And his distraction trying to figure this out sets him at odds with a powerful figure and the new team of 5 he is suppose to be leading. But Ned has some insight and once things start to clear up, his pod might just have a chance if they can learn to work as a team and not as 6 individuals. But there is still a lot to figure out. They are in a military type boot camp, phase one focuses on physical development, phase 2 on combat, and phase three appears to be a live fire test! But things just keep not adding up. And Ned cannot get the image out of his head of the 6 members of the one pod who were executed the day after they arrived.
I have read the Hunger Games, and felt the series went downhill with each book. I have read The Testing and felt that it maintained and sustained the excitement from book one. I sure hope this one keeps going because it was an excellent beginning. In many ways the boot camp like atmosphere reminded me a lot of Starship Troopers, by Heinlein. Except the 90 trainees all arrived in coffin like boxes and all were scheduled to have been executed. They arrived from all over the world. And 6 are dead in under 24 hours. How many will make it to the promised freedom? If it is real.
I very much enjoyed this book. I had a hard time putting it down and read it in three sittings over two days. In fact when I still had about a third of the book to go, I started searching to see if book two was out or short stories set in the same world. Unfortunately at this point I must wait for book two. But I will likely grab it on the day of release and start it right away, no matter what I am reading at the time, or what books at in my 'to be read' pile at the time! And thank speaks volumes for how much I enjoyed this story. The plot was excellent and proceeded at a good pace. The characters are excellent. The reader really develops an attachment to Pod 15 and seeing their back stories unfold. Especially Ned and Rasa. The intended audience is Young Adult but like many recent books in that genre I believe this book will gather a much wider readership because of how good the story is written! So give it a try.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.
December 23, 2018
4.5 stars
Thank you to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This book really reminds me of a cross between the Flawed Duology and the Maze Runner series. It took my favorite parts of those two series and mixed them together. If you all remember I really wasn't the biggest fan of the Maze Runner series, I loved the adventure of it, but certain things I just didn't like. This one takes the adventure of the Maze Runner series, and adds in the political and the strongness of the main characters like the Flawed duology had.
Ned has been ruled Denounced and is sent with a lot of other teenagers to a compound where they are prisoners being trained for something. But what they have no idea, besides guesses that two of them start making as time goes on. We have five different people that are in Ned's pod that he is the leader of two that are completely new to this type of system and two that are used to being in this type of system and are very on edge about certain things. Having this balance was really nice because we have the hopefulness of the two that are new and the realness of the other three that are leery of things that are happening and always trying to figure out the next big thing.
Overall I really loved this book. I've kind of been staying away from dystopian books after having read so many of them at once. The type of dystopian I enjoyed has also changed and now I like ones that have political intrigue, which this one kind of does. I definitely think if it keeps going the way it is that the next one in this series will be even more political.
I loved how the group had disagreements and then would come back together and work together. Seeing them grow as individuals and as a group, I really liked seeing. While Ned is the focus of this story, we also get to see the others pov through his eyes and learn about them as the story goes.
How this world was set up felt very familiar to me in certain ways, but it also had it's own elements as well.
The people watching the children we never really get to know obviously besides one, and mostly we extremely dislike them. As for the head person in charge of this whole operation, I never trusted them and they definitely gave me vibes of other villain types we've seen in dystopian novels. I'm interested to see what happens next with this person and if they turn out to be kind of good or just full out bad.
I can't wait to see what happens next for these characters, but I also feel like it could work as a stand-alone if that's how you want to read it.
Thank you to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
"In less than an hour my life will end."
This book really reminds me of a cross between the Flawed Duology and the Maze Runner series. It took my favorite parts of those two series and mixed them together. If you all remember I really wasn't the biggest fan of the Maze Runner series, I loved the adventure of it, but certain things I just didn't like. This one takes the adventure of the Maze Runner series, and adds in the political and the strongness of the main characters like the Flawed duology had.
Ned has been ruled Denounced and is sent with a lot of other teenagers to a compound where they are prisoners being trained for something. But what they have no idea, besides guesses that two of them start making as time goes on. We have five different people that are in Ned's pod that he is the leader of two that are completely new to this type of system and two that are used to being in this type of system and are very on edge about certain things. Having this balance was really nice because we have the hopefulness of the two that are new and the realness of the other three that are leery of things that are happening and always trying to figure out the next big thing.
Overall I really loved this book. I've kind of been staying away from dystopian books after having read so many of them at once. The type of dystopian I enjoyed has also changed and now I like ones that have political intrigue, which this one kind of does. I definitely think if it keeps going the way it is that the next one in this series will be even more political.
I loved how the group had disagreements and then would come back together and work together. Seeing them grow as individuals and as a group, I really liked seeing. While Ned is the focus of this story, we also get to see the others pov through his eyes and learn about them as the story goes.
How this world was set up felt very familiar to me in certain ways, but it also had it's own elements as well.
The people watching the children we never really get to know obviously besides one, and mostly we extremely dislike them. As for the head person in charge of this whole operation, I never trusted them and they definitely gave me vibes of other villain types we've seen in dystopian novels. I'm interested to see what happens next with this person and if they turn out to be kind of good or just full out bad.
I can't wait to see what happens next for these characters, but I also feel like it could work as a stand-alone if that's how you want to read it.
February 17, 2018
I don't think I will ever be able to get enough dystopians ever. This particular genre is easily my most read, and it is likely because I was getting fully immersed in the reading world just as series like Hunger Games and Divergent were making huge waves, which brought many more authors to that genre. Today I'm reviewing A Grey Sun, the first in a new dystopian series. I will admit, upon first glance I feel like the cover could have been better, but that could also be just me. It kinda works as a more minimalistic cover however, so to each their own.
Getting into this book, there is really no easing in. You are dumped into the action from the very first page, where the main character Ned is rescued (?) from certain death. But then he goes on to a training camp, and you begin to wonder if this rescue was really better than dying. Especially when there's still a chance he could die anyways.
There's quite a cast of characters, bringing to mind a series like The Maze Runner. But, despite all of the similarities to other dystopians, this new series has a good chance to stand on its own. We learn just enough about the world to be drawn in, but there is plenty of space to learn more in later books, which is very important if an author wants to sustain a series.
I honestly found the "mother figure" a bit creepy and strange, something just felt off about her. But I suppose that's the point, as you go the entire book wondering if she really has the best interests at heart for these kids.
I'm definitely interested in reading another of these books, I want to know how the story ends!
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Getting into this book, there is really no easing in. You are dumped into the action from the very first page, where the main character Ned is rescued (?) from certain death. But then he goes on to a training camp, and you begin to wonder if this rescue was really better than dying. Especially when there's still a chance he could die anyways.
There's quite a cast of characters, bringing to mind a series like The Maze Runner. But, despite all of the similarities to other dystopians, this new series has a good chance to stand on its own. We learn just enough about the world to be drawn in, but there is plenty of space to learn more in later books, which is very important if an author wants to sustain a series.
I honestly found the "mother figure" a bit creepy and strange, something just felt off about her. But I suppose that's the point, as you go the entire book wondering if she really has the best interests at heart for these kids.
I'm definitely interested in reading another of these books, I want to know how the story ends!
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2019
ey Sun
Ned Hunter, 16, also given a number tattooed on his forearm, is about the be executed with several others for a crime he is unaware of ever having committed. All that remains for him is at least to die with dignity.
From that promising beginning, Hunter subsequently finds himself reprieved even as he hangs. He then finds himself transported to a strange training camp, where all the others confined are sorted into groups of six and told they are expected to train and cooperate by Ilse, a smiling but utterly ruthless corporate figurehead. When one group is summarily hung for trying to escape and it implied the same fate will so apply to groups that lose, Ned become determined to get his group to escape successfully.
His methods of persuasion do not always endear. Ned has an uphill struggle in getting the others to accept the leadership that has been foisted upon him. There is a great deal of mutual dislike and mistrust as each assumes they alone are guilty and all others innocent of being Denounced. His analysis of the motives of everyone and his determination not to seem weak border on the hypervigilent.
This does allow the writer to bring a gritty realism to the telling. There is also plenty of action and naik-biting suspense on whether or not they will get away at all.
For those young acts who enjoy this kind of dystopic genre, this should prove to be a satisfying read. None of the ideas seem particularly original, but it is all harnessed to create a trilogy of high tension and adventure.
Ned Hunter, 16, also given a number tattooed on his forearm, is about the be executed with several others for a crime he is unaware of ever having committed. All that remains for him is at least to die with dignity.
From that promising beginning, Hunter subsequently finds himself reprieved even as he hangs. He then finds himself transported to a strange training camp, where all the others confined are sorted into groups of six and told they are expected to train and cooperate by Ilse, a smiling but utterly ruthless corporate figurehead. When one group is summarily hung for trying to escape and it implied the same fate will so apply to groups that lose, Ned become determined to get his group to escape successfully.
His methods of persuasion do not always endear. Ned has an uphill struggle in getting the others to accept the leadership that has been foisted upon him. There is a great deal of mutual dislike and mistrust as each assumes they alone are guilty and all others innocent of being Denounced. His analysis of the motives of everyone and his determination not to seem weak border on the hypervigilent.
This does allow the writer to bring a gritty realism to the telling. There is also plenty of action and naik-biting suspense on whether or not they will get away at all.
For those young acts who enjoy this kind of dystopic genre, this should prove to be a satisfying read. None of the ideas seem particularly original, but it is all harnessed to create a trilogy of high tension and adventure.
May 2, 2018
Denounced Book 1: A Grey Sun.
Just imagine...
A story of a group of delinquents facing the unknown: the uncertainty of their future. They are the DENOUNCED, the castaways of society. The wrongdoers, the rejected. There's a punishment in place: death by hanging. They are told it is what they deserve... But Ned's in the wrong camp, he's innocent but has no one to believe him. Is that the same as guilty?
This is a gripping story. We are taken into a world where thieves and crooks die by hanging. Death sentences are equal, where life sentences aren't. It keeps the good people in line, but the bad ones helpless. A world that refuses to believe in redemption or fair trials. Misunderstandings occur but aren't acknowledged. There's no escape but death, from a world that is a battlefield. Life means war.
This, clearly, is a very fantastic action-filled novel. Exciting and incredibly adventurous. Ideal for young teenagers. We should challenge everything, don't blindly obey ;) Just the lesson for an adolescent! S J Sherwood writes imaginatively, taking the reader through a maze of twists and turns, unforeseeable revelations and unimaginable abuses of power. Brilliant!
This book ends on a cliff hanger, that's my only complaint. Books in a series are better completed, but that's only my opinion.
I received this book from the author for review consideration.
Just imagine...
A story of a group of delinquents facing the unknown: the uncertainty of their future. They are the DENOUNCED, the castaways of society. The wrongdoers, the rejected. There's a punishment in place: death by hanging. They are told it is what they deserve... But Ned's in the wrong camp, he's innocent but has no one to believe him. Is that the same as guilty?
This is a gripping story. We are taken into a world where thieves and crooks die by hanging. Death sentences are equal, where life sentences aren't. It keeps the good people in line, but the bad ones helpless. A world that refuses to believe in redemption or fair trials. Misunderstandings occur but aren't acknowledged. There's no escape but death, from a world that is a battlefield. Life means war.
This, clearly, is a very fantastic action-filled novel. Exciting and incredibly adventurous. Ideal for young teenagers. We should challenge everything, don't blindly obey ;) Just the lesson for an adolescent! S J Sherwood writes imaginatively, taking the reader through a maze of twists and turns, unforeseeable revelations and unimaginable abuses of power. Brilliant!
This book ends on a cliff hanger, that's my only complaint. Books in a series are better completed, but that's only my opinion.
I received this book from the author for review consideration.
May 6, 2018
This book ends on such a cliffhanger that you can't help but be excited for the next installment. It's a clever bit of writing from a debut author, who guides us deftly through a dystopian YA story about a boy named Ned. It's very easy to draw parallels to other books of the past but the whole Ender's Game vibe kind of worked for me. The author keeps us guessing from the very beginning as to who the enemy is, or even what the fight is about. Also, we are thrust into a fully realised world with a fast paced intro that is truly thrilling.
Unfortunately, things do begin to slide a bit and I felt both confused and frustrated by the secondary characters. In the case of the younglings (sorry) they are almost to a one very obvious literary tropes. The love interest, the optimist, the brain, the bully, the athlete- all are represented in very thin terms that make it hard to care about any of them. This goes for the adults in control as well, who seem unwavering in the Big Bad role without much motivation explained at all. I hope that we can begin to explore these relationships and personalities in a bit more depth.
Gripes aside, I did enjoy the book and I do completely understand that we simply have to wait for all to be revealed. I would love to know what comes next for Ned and the gang.
Unfortunately, things do begin to slide a bit and I felt both confused and frustrated by the secondary characters. In the case of the younglings (sorry) they are almost to a one very obvious literary tropes. The love interest, the optimist, the brain, the bully, the athlete- all are represented in very thin terms that make it hard to care about any of them. This goes for the adults in control as well, who seem unwavering in the Big Bad role without much motivation explained at all. I hope that we can begin to explore these relationships and personalities in a bit more depth.
Gripes aside, I did enjoy the book and I do completely understand that we simply have to wait for all to be revealed. I would love to know what comes next for Ned and the gang.
April 19, 2018
I’ll start by saying I need Book 2 right about now, actually I needed it as soon as I finished this one! The Grey Sun is Book 1 in The Denounced Trilogy by SJ Sherwood.
This is a very engaging read. I was only slow to get through it because I was sick shortly after starting and had to put it down until after Christmas. Once I picked it up again I didn’t put it down until I had finished it a few hours later.
Saved from the noose and seemingly rescued, Ned knows from the very outset that all is not what it seems. Having grown up in the system, orphaned at a younger age and abandoned by his sister Ned has always known how to keep his head down and survive. Forced to take charge of a family he never wanted he soon discovers that the rules here are different and their new “Mother” is not going to let him go unnoticed.
If you enjoy a good Dystopian tale then this is a book for you, available in paperback or on Kindle I really enjoyed the read and am looking forward to Book 2 Shifting Horizons which will be out at some point this year.
(Disclosure: I received this book to review, all opinions are my own and I am not paid to give them.)
This is a very engaging read. I was only slow to get through it because I was sick shortly after starting and had to put it down until after Christmas. Once I picked it up again I didn’t put it down until I had finished it a few hours later.
Saved from the noose and seemingly rescued, Ned knows from the very outset that all is not what it seems. Having grown up in the system, orphaned at a younger age and abandoned by his sister Ned has always known how to keep his head down and survive. Forced to take charge of a family he never wanted he soon discovers that the rules here are different and their new “Mother” is not going to let him go unnoticed.
If you enjoy a good Dystopian tale then this is a book for you, available in paperback or on Kindle I really enjoyed the read and am looking forward to Book 2 Shifting Horizons which will be out at some point this year.
(Disclosure: I received this book to review, all opinions are my own and I am not paid to give them.)
May 6, 2018
This book is a dystopian novel. I had, for some reason, thought it a dark fantasy novel. Ned was an interesting character-on the one hand, I liked him, but on the other hand I found him a bit of an irritation throughout the book. His personality wasn't exactly appealing, but nor was it the worst I've ever seen either.
The writing itself was very well done, the plot definitely moved at a brisk pace. I enjoyed the characters, aside from Ned, and without giving away spoilers I liked the setting and the events were interesting enough to keep reading.
I am definitely interested in book two, once it comes about, there was definitely more to be explored by the end of the first book that-again-I'm not saying due to spoilers. One of these days I will learn how to write a review without spoiling things and still have it be an appealing read. But I digress.
As a debut novel, I rate this a 3/5 stars, rounded up to 4/5 because of really wanting to know more by the end of the book.
My thanks to the author for sending me a copy of it, and I hope to read book 2 soon!
{Review also posted onto Amazon and my Blog}
The writing itself was very well done, the plot definitely moved at a brisk pace. I enjoyed the characters, aside from Ned, and without giving away spoilers I liked the setting and the events were interesting enough to keep reading.
I am definitely interested in book two, once it comes about, there was definitely more to be explored by the end of the first book that-again-I'm not saying due to spoilers. One of these days I will learn how to write a review without spoiling things and still have it be an appealing read. But I digress.
As a debut novel, I rate this a 3/5 stars, rounded up to 4/5 because of really wanting to know more by the end of the book.
My thanks to the author for sending me a copy of it, and I hope to read book 2 soon!
{Review also posted onto Amazon and my Blog}
November 20, 2020
I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy via NetGalley of A Grey Sun. The choice to review this book was my own.
In the community in which sixteen year old Ned lives, if convicted of being one of the Denounced, a person is sentenced to death. Taken from the gallows, directly to a secret location, Ned soon finds himself among other teenagers that are also Denounced. Forced to live in pods and work together, will the truth of their situation change the teenagers forever?
The biggest issue that I have with A Grey Sun is that it was too similar to other dystopian novels that I have read in the past. In the absence of a unique storyline, the character development really has to shine. Unfortunately, the lack of background information and the abrupt beginning did not allow for any connection to the characters or their situations. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend A Grey Sun to other readers.
In the community in which sixteen year old Ned lives, if convicted of being one of the Denounced, a person is sentenced to death. Taken from the gallows, directly to a secret location, Ned soon finds himself among other teenagers that are also Denounced. Forced to live in pods and work together, will the truth of their situation change the teenagers forever?
The biggest issue that I have with A Grey Sun is that it was too similar to other dystopian novels that I have read in the past. In the absence of a unique storyline, the character development really has to shine. Unfortunately, the lack of background information and the abrupt beginning did not allow for any connection to the characters or their situations. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend A Grey Sun to other readers.
September 24, 2018
The Denounced is a new series by author S.J. Sherwood, the first book being "A Grey Sun". Following Ned, a sixteen year old orphan who's spent more of his life than he'd like in the system, he's tough as nails and knows how to survive. That being said, the beginning of the book is his execution day. Named one of the denounced, someone who has beliefs other than the ones that the government has and has claimed he wants to live in the non secular world, he has less than an hour left to live the life he hasn't even begun. He's already eaten his last meal, a burger, chips, and a chocolate pudding, some of which he's never even eaten before. The thing is, he's innocent.
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Check out the rest of my review here!
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June 19, 2024
At times this novel is reminiscent of other dystopian young adult fiction series such as The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner and Divergent. That is not necessarily a bad thing as I've enjoyed reading several of those book series. This entry starts off slowly but soon finds its feet firmly in the pantheon of good dystopian fiction. Warning: ends in a cliffhanger so more books to come! Highly recommended.
October 30, 2018
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January 28, 2022
**Warning: this text may contain spoilers** Easy to read young adult novel. Typical love interest progression. Nothing super original. So it got a little boring
Annoying that it ends with such a blatant cliffhanger.
Annoying that it ends with such a blatant cliffhanger.
August 27, 2018
First of all, I received an electronic galley of this book to review, however I also received a signed hardcopy from the author for an honest review and it was one of the best times I've had recently. Reading a hardcopy book is priceless! (thank you very much S.J. Sherwood!).
Second, while it took me a while to get into this book (I read two chapters in about two months) once I focused on it, I found it to be so engrossing that I finished it in four hours.
Orphaned and abandoned (by his sister) 'Denounced' sixteen-year-old Ned grew up in at least six homes, learning defense mechanisms that may/may not be his saving grace when he finds himself saved from the hangman's noose and placed in yet another 'home'. He is placed as a leader of five other 'Denounced' teens and it's his job to keep them alive despite the warring personalities.
This is one of the books that make me wonder about the author -- Ned's character is so true and analytical that I can't help relate to him as a human being. Measuring others in his group, trying to figure them out, while at the same time trying to figure out what is going around them, why they were chosen to be saved, what's ahead...I stopped to think how Ned would view me if I were in his 'Pod'.
This book reminded me a bit of the Maze Runner series crossed slightly with Hunger Games, but it stands so well on its own. I can't wait to read the second book to see how the story unfolds.
The only downside is that sometimes I got so caught up in Ned, that I couldn't follow the description of his world - secular vs non-secular, denounced vs doubters, and while I have an idea of why the title is 'a grey sun', it doesn't jump out at me immediately.
I would definitely recommend this book to fans of teen dystopian novels (no matter how old you are!).
Second, while it took me a while to get into this book (I read two chapters in about two months) once I focused on it, I found it to be so engrossing that I finished it in four hours.
Orphaned and abandoned (by his sister) 'Denounced' sixteen-year-old Ned grew up in at least six homes, learning defense mechanisms that may/may not be his saving grace when he finds himself saved from the hangman's noose and placed in yet another 'home'. He is placed as a leader of five other 'Denounced' teens and it's his job to keep them alive despite the warring personalities.
This is one of the books that make me wonder about the author -- Ned's character is so true and analytical that I can't help relate to him as a human being. Measuring others in his group, trying to figure them out, while at the same time trying to figure out what is going around them, why they were chosen to be saved, what's ahead...I stopped to think how Ned would view me if I were in his 'Pod'.
This book reminded me a bit of the Maze Runner series crossed slightly with Hunger Games, but it stands so well on its own. I can't wait to read the second book to see how the story unfolds.
The only downside is that sometimes I got so caught up in Ned, that I couldn't follow the description of his world - secular vs non-secular, denounced vs doubters, and while I have an idea of why the title is 'a grey sun', it doesn't jump out at me immediately.
I would definitely recommend this book to fans of teen dystopian novels (no matter how old you are!).
June 25, 2018
Ned Hunter is to be hanged, he is Denounced and therefore cannot be allowed to live. But things go awry and he finds himself bundled up and moved to a different location where he undergoes training as a leader of 5 others. It is a harsh environment and survival is not guaranteed, as they learn on the first night when one of the other pods is punished for trying to escape.
Determined not to suffer the same fate as the other pod, Ned needs to form his own bonded pod that can win their place at the top of the leader board in order to survive. And then what? No-one knows, but those who are training them. And what is their goal?
Ned needs his wits about him and cannot afford to relax for a moment. Everyone has it in for him.
A fast paced story, full of twists and tricks. Compulsive reading due to its different approach. I enjoyed it as a book aimed at Young Adults.
I received an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.
3/5 Stars (What this means...five-stars-applied-carefully)
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Official description:
A convicted Denounced. Sentenced to Death. In a future divided into Secular and Non-Secular Quadrants, a crime punishable by death is to cross Quadrants and become a Denounced. When sixteen-year-old Ned is wrongly convicted and kidnapped to a secret location, he meets ninety Denounced, and a terrifying truth begins to unfold — one that will change the world forever. Forced to lead a Pod of five, Ned begins to realise thousands of lives could depend upon him. A survivor by nature, he now has to face his past, confront his destiny, and fight a System that has never lost.
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Determined not to suffer the same fate as the other pod, Ned needs to form his own bonded pod that can win their place at the top of the leader board in order to survive. And then what? No-one knows, but those who are training them. And what is their goal?
Ned needs his wits about him and cannot afford to relax for a moment. Everyone has it in for him.
A fast paced story, full of twists and tricks. Compulsive reading due to its different approach. I enjoyed it as a book aimed at Young Adults.
"I'm wondering if being dead may have been my better option. I've no idea where I am and what is going to be expected of me, but if I understand this correctly, I'm now responsible for five other people."
I received an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.
3/5 Stars (What this means...five-stars-applied-carefully)
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The Denounced: Book 1 A Grey Sun
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Official description:
A convicted Denounced. Sentenced to Death. In a future divided into Secular and Non-Secular Quadrants, a crime punishable by death is to cross Quadrants and become a Denounced. When sixteen-year-old Ned is wrongly convicted and kidnapped to a secret location, he meets ninety Denounced, and a terrifying truth begins to unfold — one that will change the world forever. Forced to lead a Pod of five, Ned begins to realise thousands of lives could depend upon him. A survivor by nature, he now has to face his past, confront his destiny, and fight a System that has never lost.
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April 8, 2019
I want to start by saying I actually read the second book in this series prior to the first and was utterly disappointed. However, this book had the opposite effect. While, I still have some genuinely negative feelings about the second book in the series, this book (the first) has me anxiously awaiting book three.
This story takes place in the future where the world is divided by secular and non-secular quadrants. In Ned Hunter's quadrant it is punishable by death to denounce the way of living or higher ups. This is precisely what he has been accused of. Suddenly he finds himself grouped off in to a pod of six other denounced in a training camp. He now goes by Ned and a number that replaces his last name. He's both a prisoner and a trainee. It's unknown why or what they are training for. The one thing he does know is that he is innocent and does not belong there. To survive he must rely become a team with five denounced and overcome whatever is thrown at him.
This story holds a lot of action. It's got a great plot that doesn't disappoint. The characters are all unique in their own way with different personalities as well as physical looks. This book is clearly well thought out and this series is going somewhere good. I couldn't be more excited for the third book in this series.
While almost everything in this book is very well described, I would love to see better scene description in the third book. However, because I have read book two I know that the author does write beautiful scene descriptions where you can imagine the places Ned finds himself.
In closing, this book is wonderful. While it lacks the one thing that I enjoyed most about the second book in this series, it has everything book two is missing. I am hoping these positives will be tied together in the third book. If so, it will easily be one of my favorite reads. I do suggest reading book one and two despite what I have previously said about it because book three has the potential to be greater than either book before it.
As a note on the author SJ Sherwood, I believe he has the ability to make bestselling novels. His well thought out plots are what makes great books. I'm excited to read not only book three of this series, but whatever writing comes after.
I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.
This story takes place in the future where the world is divided by secular and non-secular quadrants. In Ned Hunter's quadrant it is punishable by death to denounce the way of living or higher ups. This is precisely what he has been accused of. Suddenly he finds himself grouped off in to a pod of six other denounced in a training camp. He now goes by Ned and a number that replaces his last name. He's both a prisoner and a trainee. It's unknown why or what they are training for. The one thing he does know is that he is innocent and does not belong there. To survive he must rely become a team with five denounced and overcome whatever is thrown at him.
This story holds a lot of action. It's got a great plot that doesn't disappoint. The characters are all unique in their own way with different personalities as well as physical looks. This book is clearly well thought out and this series is going somewhere good. I couldn't be more excited for the third book in this series.
While almost everything in this book is very well described, I would love to see better scene description in the third book. However, because I have read book two I know that the author does write beautiful scene descriptions where you can imagine the places Ned finds himself.
In closing, this book is wonderful. While it lacks the one thing that I enjoyed most about the second book in this series, it has everything book two is missing. I am hoping these positives will be tied together in the third book. If so, it will easily be one of my favorite reads. I do suggest reading book one and two despite what I have previously said about it because book three has the potential to be greater than either book before it.
As a note on the author SJ Sherwood, I believe he has the ability to make bestselling novels. His well thought out plots are what makes great books. I'm excited to read not only book three of this series, but whatever writing comes after.
I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.
May 1, 2019
The story of Ned is spectacular, like some kind of Hunger Games or The Maze Runner, but slightly different. It implies a lot of mistery and intense scenes, great written. It is a book you must read.
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