Freedom Trials, The

by Meredith Tate

Evelyn Summers is imprisoned for a crime that was wiped from her memory.

In order for Evelyn to be released, she—along with other "reformed" prisoners—must pass seven mental, physical, and virtual challenges known as the Freedom Trials. One mistake means execution and, with her history of being a snitch, her fellow inmates will do everything they can to get revenge.

When new prisoner Alex Martinez arrives, armed with secrets about Evelyn's missing memories, she must make a choice. She can follow the rules to win and walk free, or covertly uncover details of the crime that sent her there. But competing in the trials and dredging up her erased past may cost Evelyn the one thing more valuable than freedom: her life.

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy

400 pages, Hardcover

First published October 2, 2018

About the author

Meredith Tate grew up in Concord, New Hampshire, where she fell in love with her two passions—writing and traveling. She earned her master’s degree in social work from the University of New Hampshire and worked in Boston for several years before deciding to pursue her true dream of telling stories. After spending three wonderful years in St. Louis, Missouri, and three more amazing years in Zurich, Switzerland, Meredith now lives in Houston with her husband and her spoiled rescue dog. When Meredith’s not writing, she loves photography, playing the piano, trying new recipes, and chasing her goal of seeing every continent (five down, two to go!).

Reviews

[Chelsea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading this book is really a trip. Everytime I opened these pages, I swore I was back in 2011, when YA consisted of half-baked dystopian worlds, competitions just for the sake of there being competitions, and protagonists who do morally reprehensible things but never shut up about how bad they feel and how they’re such a monster…

This book checks off so many of the post-Hunger Games dystopian cliches that it makes this read almost enjoyably familiar.

Freedom Trials read to me like a hybrid of Divergent and the extremely comparable The Maze Runner. Evelyn finds herself in prison for a crime her memory has been wiped of, forced to compete in trials to earn her freedom.

And it goes exactly like you would imagine.

The main character is rather insufferable, and not in a way that I think the text realizes. We’re supposed to root for her, but she literally got three girls in the prison executed because she ratted them out for wanting to escape. When the other characters call her out on it, Evelyn defends herself as if she’s done nothing wrong. She’s whiny and childish and acts like she’s better than the people around her. She develops a bit but like...Evelyn is the worst type of protagonist this book could have had. How about someone who truly did something bad instead of this meek, rule-following teenage girl with no personality?

We also have some of my favorite plot devices, like convenient amnesia, a gang of pretty girls that bully the main character, dystopian slang (ie. “slinger”), and a competition used as a framing device with no justification as to why a competition like this would be needed.

His green T-shirt exposes tone biceps. If he weren’t scowling and a criminal, I’d probably say he’s hot.
...
His biceps bulge through his tight white peels, and I’m guessing there’s a six-pack hidden under there too. Okay, I’ll say it—he’s hot.
...
“It’s full of shit, just like you.”
Bex flares out her fingers. “Boom. Shots fired.” ...good one?

Look, it’s action packed and incredibly fast paced. I’ll give it that. But for me, it’s kind of hilarious in its cliched attempt at the futuristic dystopian genre.

I know I’m not really the target audience for this one, so I will recommend this for younger readers just looking to get into YA. I think I’ll pass on reading the continuation of this series, though.

[Amanda Heger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come once I figure out how to write about $%*$&@ and #*@)! and $%*^)# without spoiling the whole book.

Edit:

Evelyn Summers did something bad. Something bad enough to be imprisoned. She's just not sure WHAT that bad thing is.

But she's worked her way through the ranks of the prison--despite a cast of fellow inmates intent on bringing her down--and she's thisclose to freedom when a mysterious stranger shows up and throws a wrench into everything.

The book alternates between Evelyn's past journal entries and her present quest to earn her freedom. The story twists and turns and sometimes gets violent, but it's an incredibly quick read--especially on the back end.

[Meredith Tate]

I wrote this! It's kind of dystopian, kind of sci-fi, kind of a thriller?

If deadly challenges, moral ambiguity, complicated friendships between girls, erased memories, and themes of regret are your thing, check it out!

I had so much fun writing this weird story. I hope you enjoy reading it. :) <3

[Natascha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evelyn Summers sitzt im Gefängnis. Sie weiß nicht warum. Alle Erinnerungen an ihre Straftat wurden ausgelöscht. Nach zwei Jahren Haft hat sie nun die Möglichkeit ihre Freiheit zurückzugewinnen. Dafür muss sie die verschiedenen Etappen der Freedom Trails bestehen. Versagen bedeutet allerdings sofortige Exekution.

Nach längerer Abstinenz im YA-Dystopie-Bereich hat es wirklich Spaß gemacht dieses Genre mal wieder zu entdecken. Dabei muss man ganz klar sagen, dass Meredith Tate das Rad nicht neu erfindet, aber sie schafft ein interessantes Setting und die Mischung aus Wettbewerb und der Suche nach Erinnerungen bilden ein gutes Konzept um die Spannung ständig aufrecht zu halten.

Freedom Trails ist eigentlich ein klassischer Actionfilm in Buchform. Schnell, spannend und voller Wendungen unterhält Meredith Tate ihre Leserschaft mit einer packenden Geschichte. Nicht mehr und nicht weniger. Und genau für diese Ablenkung vom Alltag in Form von leichter Unterhaltung sage ich danke!

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young prisoner in a futuristic prison struggles to survive seven tests supposedly designed to prove her rehabilitation for a crime she can’t remember committing. In Freedom Trials, Tate tells a fast-paced tale set in a violent, unforgiving dystopia.

[Roxanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Page Street Publishing for a copy of the ARC in exchange for a fair review.


Evelyn needs to complete her trials in order to be considered rehabilitated and set free, and she has just found out that she is to start her trials. However, failure means death and with her reputation the other inmates will jump at the chance to put her to death.



When she meets new inmate Alex, and he seems to know her she wonders what happened in the missing time. Evelyn doesn't actually remember her crime, but from what they told her it was just a few days, but she really doesn't get how Alex can know her if that was true.



As she begins her trials and uncovers the truth will Evelyn be able to keep it together long enough to be free?



This had a ton of potential and a really interesting premise, however I think it just got a little crazy with all the twists in the end. It feel more than a little flat for me. I mean the trials were pretty bloodthirsty and twisted but then when you find out it just makes it more unbelievable at the end.



I really couldn't connect with any of the characters, I wish they had been fleshed out a bit more, and I wish she would have stuck with the first premise and built it from there. I mean dystopia world in which kids have to do like 7 trials in order to be considered rehabilitated and failure means death. Crazy interesting right?

[Natalie {I'd So Rather Be Reading} · Rating 5 out of 5]

👉🏽Full Review HERE 👈🏽

Freedom Trials has a very familiar and identifiable feel to it. It is undeniably the offspring of The Maze Runner & Divergent with maybe The Last Girl as its aunt. YA fans of the dystopian genre are going to either fall in love or outright resent this one. The world and plot are so relatable that you are either going to dive in and be excited to re-enter a familiar world or you are going to just not be interested in a re-run.

With that said, I really enjoyed the ride! The story pace is fast and had a very easy flow to it. I liked piecing things together with Evelyn and the feelings of uncertainty & confusion; the slang took me a bit of time to figure out because there wasn't a lot of explanation to it (hacks, slingers, etc) but it worked out.

Because this is a first in the series there is a lot we just don't know {yet}.

There is a lot of build-up for book two. It is either going to set this series apart from its predecessors or its simply not. I think Freedom Trials is off to a good start. Welcome the Dystopian Family Ms. Tate! Bring the fire in book two, we can take the heat!

[J.L. Slipak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this cover!
Evelyn Summers is imprisoned for a crime that was wiped from her memory.

In order for Evelyn to be released, she―along with other “reformed” prisoners―must pass seven mental, physical, and virtual challenges known as the Freedom Trials. One mistake means execution and, with her history of being a snitch, her fellow inmates will do everything they can to get revenge.

When new prisoner Alex Martinez arrives, armed with secrets about Evelyn’s missing memories, she must make a choice. She can follow the rules to win and walk free, or covertly uncover details of the crime that sent her there. But competing in the trials and dredging up her erased past may cost Evelyn the one thing more valuable than freedom: her life.

Out October 2, 2018

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

First, I must say I loved the premise! I couldn't wait to see how the author pulled off the story.

Violence of a justice system that is geared to a set of tests to determine if a criminal should live or die. In this dystopian world, Evelyn has everything against her as she waits to be released as a 'reformed' prisoner.  In order to be released she has to pass a series of seven tests.  Others don't like her, don't like her reputation as a snitch and want to see her dead.

How can you not be interested in this?  Tate's science fiction is bang on! I love the characters and their development, the world building and setting, and the action-packed, fast paced plot.  It's a page turner and if you like science fictions, you'll love this one.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

YA Dystopian is dead, you say? Well, for one thing, if that's the case it's long overdue for a comeback. I mean, take a look around, kids. Sh*t has gotten weird.

And, two, let me reassure you that this is not your big sister's dystopian. The trials that harken back to the dystopian boom of the mid-aughts are just an entry point. An amuse-bouche, if you will, designed to entice you and pull you into the story. The main dishes are the complex and nuanced world building, the morally messy main character, and the spot-on social commentary that tackles everything from the school-to-prison pipeline to drug addiction.

Seriously, there's never been a better time for complicated, angry girls who do everything they can to change the world.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I received an ARC of this - thank you so much to Page Street Publishing but it didn't change my opinion at all**

This book was wholly interesting and super boring at the same time. There were things that I gave major side eye but then a page later, I would be intrigued again. There were a lot of components that added up to make this an okay book, but there was nothing that made it really compelling or great.

I did get a bit confused on what the genre really was for this book, so I'm going to give my best interpretation of it for you. It's sort of a tiny realistic sci-fi with a mix of thriller, action, and horror. There are some bloody moments that reminded me a bit of #murdertrending and the Hunger Games but with super other little crazy government experiments vibe. Okay, I'm not sure that makes any sense, but that's what I got.

Things I liked:
+ the trials (each one was new, exciting, and kept me guessing)
+ twists and turns. There were a decent amount of them, and I never really saw what was coming. I guessed a few things that could happen, but I didn't really come up with some of the big ones and that was cool.
+ the writing was easy and simple enough to breeze through.
+ the setting was pretty cool. I dug it.

Things I was not a fan of:
- the absurdity of everyone hating Evelyn. Literally it was so over the top of their hate and I was constantly like, really??? They are not just this mean allllllllllllllll the time and going to literally kill you for no reason????
- I lost track of characters. There were a whole cast of them for the trials and all of the names blurred together and I didn't remember who was who when they were killed off so I was like, oh, kk, another person is gone but idk who they were so I'm just going to skip to the next paragraph.
- pacing got a little jumpy in parts. Some things would get really slow and then really fast. Like, Evelyn's jump to stop taking her memory pills seemed like a pretty big of a jump, since I didn't feel the lead up. And then her memories came back realllllly slow compared to everyone else.
- the disconnect. I never felt anything for the characters, the plot, anything. I mean I was vaguely interested in everything, but as you can see by the smallness of this review, I just feel a lot of meh.

I really just have a lack of feels for this book and it could be because I didn't write the review right away or a plethora of things. But it's an okay book, but it's not super memorable. I liked the plot and the twists and turns and it did have a cool vibe, but I really didn't connect with anything and a few things did feel quite absurd. 3 crowns and a Belle rating!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG i feel like this book is so underrated! the plot is just🥰🥰. i cant even express how much i liked this book. when i first picked it up i thought it was going to be really boring, but turns out its one of my favorite books ive ever read! it talks about women empowerment, social injustice, and all that jazz. the characters fit so well in this story and are absolutely 💕💕. AHHHH i cant think of what to say‼️just read it ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

[All Things Urban Fantasy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

FREEDOM TRIALS is, at its core, a young adult dystopian novel in the vein of THE HUNGER GAMES and others that came out over the past decade or so. With a twisty plot and dashes of science fiction and thriller, FREEDOM TRIALS has the quality of being a dark and violent book that is not necessarily easy to read, but hard to put down.

For me, a large part of how I judge a book is how immersed I get while I'm reading it. And FREEDOM TRIALS met that mark - I was pulled in from the beginning and stayed up past my bedtime because I wanted to finish it. The nature of the plot, with Evelyn not knowing her crime, and the mysterious prisoner who might know her, makes it a compelling read.

However, there's a lot going on in FREEDOM TRIALS, and sometimes plot points don't make sense in the greater scheme of the story. I think this is a result of just trying to cram so much into one book. For example, during the trials, Evelyn is dealing with sabotage from other prisoners, plus figuring out who Alex is, plus trying to regain her own memories. And then there's twists and turns that would probably have been more impactful if we had a chance to get to know any of one of the many characters other than Evelyn.

I can't tell if this is first in a planned series, or if this is it, but I was mostly content with the ending and I don't feel like there's too much left unresolved that would frustrate a reader. Overall, while FREEDOM TRIALS doesn't break new ground, readers who miss the deluge of dystopian novels in the YA market will feel at home reading it.

Sexual content: Kissing

[Anna (DoesAnnaDreamOf) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read it in two days, which never happens anymore. Therefore, I gave it 3*, even though there were many flaws. I couldn’t stand Eva’s victim attitude; the raison d’être of the rehabilitation centre was kind of odd. Not a big fan of the concept of this dystopia/post-apocalyptic world.

However, the novel was easy to read, fast paced and action packed. Despite not being a fan of the concept, I guess I can see potential for a sequel. More than that, I felt that it needs a sequel to develop this rather superficial story.

[Jennifer G · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars? Interesting sci-fi book about a girl in prison who has apparently done something terrible, but has had her memory erased, so she has no memory of her actual crime. In order to be deemed rehabilitated, she has to complete 7 Freedom Trials. With the trials, the book starts getting quite weird, and one realizes that things cannot be what they seem.

Quite far-fetched, but still an interesting, fun read

[Maude Levesque · Rating 3 out of 5]

I missed dystopian y/a novels :) so this was a very fun read. I just wish the ending would have answered more of my questions...

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a dark and twisty book, with many confusing plot twists.

[Jazmin De la Cruz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok. I honestly don’t know how I feel about it. The idea behind the book was very interesting , however, I felt very underwhelmed all throughout the story and the ending just left me feeling mad because I felt like this story wasn’t really worth my time. I don’t know, like I said I don’t know how I feel about this book. But anyways, give it a try if it sounds interesting to you , maybe you will love it or maybe you won’t.

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. Non-stop action, a bad-a$$ MC, well-rounded side characters, and twists & turns galore. I loved every second I spent in this dystopian world.

[Candace · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this, and I liked the main character, but it definitely got a little confusing here and there. Still an enjoyable read!

[J.J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm. I really wanted to like this more. So much of the actual development came at the end and there wasn’t enough resolution as a result.

[Teenreadsdotcom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evelyn Summers is in prison. Stuck in the harsh, routine life of those in The Center, she struggles through every day, suffering for her crimes. But life for those in the Center are different. Their minds have been wiped, just enough so that all memory of their crimes are gone, stuck paying their dues for a crime they have no recollection of. Their life seems long and torturous, with no real chance of getting out, but they all have one chance of being saved --- The Freedom Trials, a series of seven challenges all intended to determine how reformed the prisoner is based on the principles of rehabilitation. Everyone wants their chance to get out, and after over two years in the Center, it’s finally Evelyn’s turn. The only catch is, failure of any trial immediately results in execution, and after being known for being a snitch, everyone is out to see her fail.

As the trials commence, Evelyn begins to learn more about her past, the memories long gone and people she can’t remember. When new arrival Alex Martinez barges in claiming to know who she is and how she ended up here, Evelyn begins to ask more and more questions about what’s happening around her. But is the knowledge of her past worth the price of her freedom?

Fast paced and stunning, FREEDOM TRIALS brings a new slice of thrill and intrigue with every page. Combining aspects of mystery, dystopian excitement and high intensity thrill, Tate creates a story that’s impossible to put down. From the beautifully written characters, to the compelling plot, to the fascinating world of this story, there wasn’t a single part that I didn’t love. Each character was more interesting than the last, with a personality based on their own life history and the horrors of humanity, creating a sense of truth around their every word. Evelyn, her friend Ronnie, competitors Desirae and Miles, Alex and so many more each helped build up the elaborate mystery of this novel.

Even if the characters weren’t so well written, I would have loved this book from the plot alone. With the dystopian craze of YA fiction today, it is easy for books to follow the same basic guidelines, resulting in an altogether dry novel, but Tate sidesteps this problem with ease, creating something that is wholly and completely her own. With each chapter switching between current day life in the trials and her past 2 years in The Center, piece upon piece of Evelyn’s life was revealed, constantly creating new surprises. Overlapping different stories and ideas to resemble the CRAZINESS of Evelyn’s experiences allowed me to be making new connections as each fact was revealed. Mirroring an excellent mystery novel, Tate never reveals a new snippet of information before the perfect and precise moment to create the highest tension and excitement possible. The eerie and horrifying setting only added to this feeling. Taking place in a prison, with no knowledge of the outside world creates a sense of isolation, raising the stakes of Evelyn’s challenges as if there’s no one else in the world. All of these aspects are tied together with Tate’s beautifully writing, flowing together to fit each twist and turn presented to the characters.

FREEDOM TRIALS is a necessary read for all dystopian fans, especially those who enjoy THE TESTING or THE HUNGER GAMES, as Tate brings everything readers loved from those novels and more. Action packed and filled with mystery, this novel won’t hesitate in its intensity, leaving only one question: can anyone handle the Freedom Trials?

[Anna-Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There are some things we can’t erase. Feelings, honest feelings, will always come back to the surface, no matter how hard we try to wipe them away.” (Meredith Tate 2018, p. 369)

Evelyn Summers, who is also nicknamed Eva, is prisoner E.S.-124 in a prison called the Center. She is locked up for a crime she cannot remember because of a memory wipe. To get her freedom back, she must pass the Freedom Trials.

Eva is a young woman who is committed to following rules. Overall, she is of a good character. She is the type of person that you would not think would end up in a prison. She cares for the people around her, and she shows a lot of patience in stressful situations.

Regarding the other characters of this book, they all seem to be of a diverse kind. They all act differently, they seem to have different motives, and some of them even seem to have some depth going on behind the curtain. In fact, I would argue, it is not only Eva who goes through a character development, but also some other characters in this book.

While reading this book, I experienced that some parts of the plot were to be expected, and other parts had me in shock. There were times when I got emotionally engaged whereupon I wanted to swear out loud in enrage. For the sake of clarity, that is when you know you are reading a good book. I was rooting for Eva, and I felt compassion for the other characters.

The book was so good that it had my full concentration throughout my reading-process. As an author, Meredith Tate keeps you, the reader, engaged with the story, and she makes sure that not a single dull moment appears in this book.

My favourite part of this book is whenever Eva and Alex interact. They show great support to one another during difficult times even though they cannot fully remember one another. The parts where they are comforting each other are therefore my favourite scenes.

Although, to add some criticism, I wish the relationship between Eva and Alex would have been given more space. Their relationship is superficial, but the worst part of it all is that it feels like it is being built upon the heterosexual norm which concludes that a woman and a man naturally connects to one another without any need for a deeper meaning. This part was probably the most disappointing part of the entire book as I would have liked to see more depth in their relationship.

To summarise my thoughts of this book, I think that the book is a really good one. It got me hooked in the beginning all the way to its end. I would insist upon that this book is worth reading despite my outspoken criticism.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is into science fiction and/or thriller. I would also recommend this book specifically to a younger audience such as young adults.

[Louella Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Freedom Trials" is a story that follows Evelyn Summers, a teenager who is imprisoned for a crime that was erased from her memory, and lives with many other teenagers whose memories of their crime were also erased. Evelyn, along with a few of her fellow prisoners were chosen for the Freedom Trials, a series of challenges that determine if they are ready to be released back into the outside world, into society. This book is full of suspense and action, as Evelyn risks her life in order to earn her freedom. This book was very well written, and it was so interesting it kept me reading for long periods of time. With the help from the little snippets of Evelyn's journal, I was able to learn about her life in the prison before she started the Freedom Trials. Evelyn seemed like a very mysterious person to me, so getting to knowing her past and the reason for her bad reputation helped me understand the story more and gave it more suspense in a way. Many of the characters played good roles too, some of them even having unexpected connections to Evelyn, which later caused a surprising plot twist. Overall, Evelyn's role of the protagonist as well as all the other characters contributed to this story really well, making it entertaining and bringing out the best of this thriller.
The plot of "Freedom Trials" was very engaging. At the beginning of the book, I barely knew anything about Evelyn and the prison she was in, which left me confused every time there is a reference of something she did before the book started. As the story continued, I got to witness Evelyn during the Freedom Trials, going through near-death experiences while learning more about her life in the prison before the trials. Continuing on, if I were to describe the climax of this book, it would be that it had hit me like a train. It was not only the most suspenseful part of the story, but also when all the pieces of the puzzle connect. Evelyn's life before being imprisoned was revealed, giving out so much more information about her life and the connections she has had with some of the characters. It was very overwhelming with all of this information entering my head, yet it was really satisfying to finally know everything about the protagonist's life. Although the climax was very action-packed, the falling action and ending felt a little underwhelming. I would have described it as the easy way out. Nevertheless, that does not change the fact that this has been one of my favourite reads so far, one that has kept me entertained to the very end. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller book full of suspense, action, and plot twists.

[Elisha Jachetti · Rating 4 out of 5]

FREEDOM TRIALS by Meredith Tate is the hypothetical birth child of THE MAZE RUNNER and THE TESTING. Set in a dystopian future, Evelyn is a hack, a prisoner for a crime she can’t remember. Her jailers have wiped her memory, along with all the other cellmates. What she knows is she is bad and she’s trying to reform. The Freedom Trials is the final test that prisoners must pass in order to prove they have learned their lesson and are ready to assimilate back into society. Evelyn is selected for the Trials, along with seven other Level Threes. If they don’t pass, they will be executed, and all eight of them are willing to do whatever it takes to stay alive.

I am so excited to see a pure dystopian book on the shelves again! Since THE HUNGER GAMES ushered in a genre craze, years later, publishers have been saying the genre’s dead. Meredith Tate and Page Street Publishing prove that sentiment is anything but true. This book does not necessarily push the genre boundaries or serve up a story that’s wholly original, but it offers nostalgia and meets the genre expectations that us dystopian fans have and love.

The packaging of this novel is genius. The title, the cover artwork, and even the jacket copy, tell me exactly what to anticipate. They don’t hide the fact that it’s dystopian, and because of this, FREEDOM TRIALS was a must-read for me. It did not disappoint. From cover to cover, I read this book in two days. It picks up momentum with each reveal and surprise, driving the plot forward at a galloping pace. There’s not one moment that’s dull or doesn’t serve a purpose, and I enjoyed how Evelyn became a bigger anti-hero with each page turn. I’m still unclear by how the seven trials chosen by the board of directors each relate to Allard’s overall vision, but I’m hoping that will be developed in future books. For example, in THE MAZE RUNNER, the trials the gladers faced were important to creating an antidote to the Flare. There was a purpose and cause scientists could rally behind. Tate dips her toe in this, but I'm waiting for more.

While FREEDOM TRIALS is extremely similar to other books in this genre, the writing and the characters validate it as its own entity. Dealing with heavy themes of redemption, guilt, and responsibility, I highly recommend this novel to any dystopian fans and those whoever felt like they couldn’t escape their past.

Review originally published on YA Books Central: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yaficti...

[Gerald The Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parang superbook 'tong librong 'to. For the dive ako tapos dinala ako sa era ng The Hunger Games, Divergent, Maze Runner, basta ng mga 2015 YA na centered sa dystopian with sci-fi touch ganyan.

Very nostalgic!

Anyway, pasting my notes from my notes app:

- I don't have any characters na I am attached with, they are all just... characters I am following with. They are not fleshed out. They are also very bland characters, kahit na ang main character nating si Eva.

- I enjoyed how we are given brutality, blood, and kumbaga sa Mortal Kombat, "fatality" kind of moment sa libro na 'to. I love it when they are not shying from a little bit of gore sa dystopian ko.

- The trials are kinda okay, tho sa pitong trials, isa lang ang pinaka-naenjoy ko. Feel ko rin na the trials are not actually the heart of the book kahit na Freedom Trials title niya. It only serves as a vehicle for the real problem or the plot.

- The twists and reveal are a little bit too much na I am desensitized to it na sa end. I mean, they are good twists but hindi na lang ako ganoon nasusurprise because ilang "oooh" na ang nasabi ko sa mga naunang twists or baka wala na talaga siyang impact kasi the last part of the book is very flat na.

- I enjoyed the drugs that is an element of this book, I enjoyed its functions and consequences and how it played its part sa istorya.

- This book gave me the nostalgia but it does not gave me the attachment that the OG dystopians gave me. The vibe feels 2015, the writing feels 2015, enough nostalgia to make me say I like it, but not really love it.

- Sa umpisa masarap eh, pero pababa ng pababa yung sarap habang dumadating sa dulo. Para akong kumakain ng ube cake ng Caramia tapos as I am nearing to the end namalayan ko na lang na ube bar na may budbod na niyog na nabibili ng 10 pesos sa terminal ng bus na pala yung kinakain ko.

[Jazmine C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was about 4.75 stars

I was super obsessed with this book from the start it only took me two days to read the book is about a girl named Evelyn who is living in a center (more like a jail) she has been living their for a little over two years they have wiped her memory and everyone else's memory no one knows their crimes but they are sorry for it Evelyn is eventually chosen to do the Freedom Trials. The Freedom Trials are 7 trials that are to see if your rehabilitation was successful the trials revolve around Strength, Mindfulness, Self-Control, Accountability,Reflection, Justice, and Fear throughout this trials you do gruely tasks and if you pass you go on to the next trial but if you fail you die and go to the green room (the green room is where they usually kill you) Evelyn is being sabotaged throughout the trials by Desirae they both have back story you won't find out until the end of the book. I fully recommend this book if you like action their. Is a lot of that and "betrayal" throughout the book. The only thing I didn't like about the book was that there was a lot of errors in it and some parts were confusing and other parts were carried out for longer than they should but the parts that were carried out gave a lot of information to what was happening so I recommend this book I loved it fully recommend it only took me 2 days to read it

[Liz Haggerty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dystopian story about a girl, Evelyn who is in a rehabilitation facility. Teens have their crimes wiped from their memory and if they don’t meet the qualifications for rehab they are executed. After years in the program Evelyn is finally ready to go through the last step of rehabilitation, the Freedom Trials. One mistake and you are dead. If that isn’t enough stress, Evelyn is also a snitch, so her peers are always out to get her.
Fast paced action, told through the present and through Evelyn’s journal when she was first at the center. You learn what crime she committed and why everyone hates her so much. The author combined a lot of different information. The world outside the center isn’t what Evelyn remembers it to be, and the center may be doing more than wiping out memories of their crimes.
I read the book in one sitting because I wanted to know what happened. I did feel like the author shoved a lot into the ending of the book, and the explanations were a lot larger than just one book. I’m hopeful for a sequel if for no other reason than to see what is going on in the world outside the center.

[Jennifer Stolzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evelyn is a prisoner in a mysterious detention facility that won't let the prisoners know what they've done. In order to get out she needs to display she has reformed... but that's less important than running her through a series of deadly gauntlets that could kill her before she is released.

With a setup like that, there's got to be something going on with this prison! The idea of having your memory erased and crime hidden is already diabolical, but as the book went on they kept introducing more harrowing trials and choices, it was impossible to predict what was going to be asked of Eveyln next.

Freedom Trials has a very Maze Runner/ Hunger Games tone to it with that same sense of survival against greater odds and settling unease about our protagonist's past and perhaps her true nature as well. A great ride for a dystopian fan!

[Ella Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!! No real draw backs. All of the characters were definitely received the way the author hoped. The problems faced and the real world issues were so well thought out and inserted into the story it makes me wonder what this author really know about the future. Everything is so relavent its kinda scary but all the problems they are facing in their world today are crazy close to what we could be dealing with in the future. This is also like nothing I have ever read before I thought it was going to be more history than it really is and I'm very very impressed with how it all played out. Overall super great book..

[AerialsShelfieLife · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If you made it here, to the Freedom Trials, it's because your block directors believe you are reformed. We cannot help rehabilitate you any further than you are now. There's nothing more we can offer. Therefore, if you fail a trial, we will conclude that your rehabilitation has failed. You will be sent to the Green Room. And you will be executed."

This one gave me strong Hunger Games vibes and has the potential to be a really engaging series. I cannot wait to see what kind of character development Evelyn undergoes because the one flaw I found with the novel was how two dimensional she was for most of the book. It almost made it impossible to empathize with her.