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The Protectorate #1
Contained
It's the life that every Chosen child dreams of, but for Ella, things aren't always as good as they seem.Ella, born a starving destitute in the Outskirts, is now living the dream the Protectorate has designed. Chosen as a child, removed from her family, and brought into the safety of the Community, Ella's life is laid out by the First Generation Creams that bought and paid for her.
Inside she is safe from the monsters that roam the Outskirts. Inside she is stripped and molded into the upper crust of society. Inside she will become the voice for the less fortunate that she once was. Inside she will never be asked, only told what she will become.
Ella struggles to play along and toe the line. Although this is easy for most, it is contrary to her nature. She fears her missteps might reveal her deepest secret. She is desperate to be compliant, if only to stay hidden.
Will Ella become the obedient, grateful daughter she is required to be? OR Will she find the courage to fight back against the system and truly stand up for those without a voice?Can she choose her own path? OR Is she destined to live the life allotted to her?What if they find out what she truly is?
Inside she is safe from the monsters that roam the Outskirts. Inside she is stripped and molded into the upper crust of society. Inside she will become the voice for the less fortunate that she once was. Inside she will never be asked, only told what she will become.
Ella struggles to play along and toe the line. Although this is easy for most, it is contrary to her nature. She fears her missteps might reveal her deepest secret. She is desperate to be compliant, if only to stay hidden.
Will Ella become the obedient, grateful daughter she is required to be? OR Will she find the courage to fight back against the system and truly stand up for those without a voice?Can she choose her own path? OR Is she destined to live the life allotted to her?What if they find out what she truly is?
- GenresDystopia
205 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 31, 2018
57 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
S.L. Harpel
9 books21 followersS. L. Harpel is the mother of three wonderful children and wife to one Naval Officer. Over the last ten years, they have traveled all over the world owing to their time in the US Navy. She enjoys using her travels to exotic places as inspiration for her novels. Though she is unsure where her feet will land her at the end of their military adventure, in her heart, S. L. Harpel considers Northern California to be her home.
Her childhood was spent along the Sierra Nevada foothills on the eastern edge of the Sacramento Valley. Moving the long distance to Idaho for College, S. L. Harpel met her husband the very first night she arrived on the BYU-Idaho campus. Just under a year later they were happily married.
Outside of a full-time writing career, S. L. Harpel enjoys homeschooling her three children. As a family, they take the opportunity each new move offers them to experience a little more of the world. When she isn't writing, teaching, or shuttling kids to and from competition cheer and football practices, she enjoys reading, crocheting, cross stitching, and enjoying the outdoors with her family- especially when the outdoors involves a tropical beach. She is well aware that most of her hobbies make her seem like an old woman trapped in a thirty-something-year-old's body.
She also has a small herd of bulldogs that are the best companions while working on a book- well, except when they start to snore really loud.
Her favorite authors are as eclectic as the rest of her tastes. Some of her favorites included: Agatha Christie (The original queen of mystery), Diana Gabaldon (S.L. Harpel considers herself an obsessive Sassenach), Stephanie Meyer (whom she tried to stalk while living near Forks, Wa unsuccessfully), J. K. Rowling (of course as she considers herself a complete nerd), Maggie Stiefvater, Kate Breslin, Marissa Meyer, Kiera Cass, and of course Suzanne Collins. The list could be so much longer, but she fears that space here is limited.
Her childhood was spent along the Sierra Nevada foothills on the eastern edge of the Sacramento Valley. Moving the long distance to Idaho for College, S. L. Harpel met her husband the very first night she arrived on the BYU-Idaho campus. Just under a year later they were happily married.
Outside of a full-time writing career, S. L. Harpel enjoys homeschooling her three children. As a family, they take the opportunity each new move offers them to experience a little more of the world. When she isn't writing, teaching, or shuttling kids to and from competition cheer and football practices, she enjoys reading, crocheting, cross stitching, and enjoying the outdoors with her family- especially when the outdoors involves a tropical beach. She is well aware that most of her hobbies make her seem like an old woman trapped in a thirty-something-year-old's body.
She also has a small herd of bulldogs that are the best companions while working on a book- well, except when they start to snore really loud.
Her favorite authors are as eclectic as the rest of her tastes. Some of her favorites included: Agatha Christie (The original queen of mystery), Diana Gabaldon (S.L. Harpel considers herself an obsessive Sassenach), Stephanie Meyer (whom she tried to stalk while living near Forks, Wa unsuccessfully), J. K. Rowling (of course as she considers herself a complete nerd), Maggie Stiefvater, Kate Breslin, Marissa Meyer, Kiera Cass, and of course Suzanne Collins. The list could be so much longer, but she fears that space here is limited.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 10, 2018
If only part of the planet was habitable, what would life be like? That’s the premise in S. L. Harpel’s Contained. It’s a first-person account told from the main character’s (Ella) perspective as she makes the change from life in a barren wasteland to life in a thriving, vibrant Community. I enjoyed the book because it makes you think about whether you would forget people from your past just because your life was suddenly better. You can’t help but wonder what you would do in Ella’s shoes. The book has a quick pace and is hard to put down. I enjoyed in very much and look forward to Book Two.
May 2, 2021
A great start to the series!
I loved this! I am so hooked the main character is so relatable and tough as nails which I love! She takes charge of her life as much as possible and im loving the new love interest. If you like a strong female character in a post apocalypse type world read this book! I'm already downloading the next one!!!
I loved this! I am so hooked the main character is so relatable and tough as nails which I love! She takes charge of her life as much as possible and im loving the new love interest. If you like a strong female character in a post apocalypse type world read this book! I'm already downloading the next one!!!
December 27, 2018
I was hesitant at first to read this one because I've read quite a few dystopian novels and I wasn't sure this one would keep my interest. I was pleasantly surprised. The story has some unique elements, and I am genuinely interested in the main character. I want to find out why she is the way she is and how she will make a difference in her world. Something that could really improve the book is editing, mostly grammatical corrections. I think it would make a difference; the errors were a distraction for me.
September 29, 2018
Quick Read, Great Dystopian Sci-Fi Thriller
This book is a quick read and the author does a great job at pulling you into the story, weaving a clear vision of a dystopian future and what life and society are like. I really wanted to know what happens next! It's a neat mix of "Lost Pines" (Blake
Crouch), The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins), The 100 (Mass Morgan), and Under the Dome (short-lived TV series). I did have a difficult time understanding the societal hierarchy and how they get to be there. My only issue is the poor editing. "Then" and "than" were used interchangeably SO many times, along with some correctly-spelled-but-wrong-context words. Drove me crazy and threw me off because I'd have to re-read the sentences to decipher the meaning.
This book is a quick read and the author does a great job at pulling you into the story, weaving a clear vision of a dystopian future and what life and society are like. I really wanted to know what happens next! It's a neat mix of "Lost Pines" (Blake
Crouch), The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins), The 100 (Mass Morgan), and Under the Dome (short-lived TV series). I did have a difficult time understanding the societal hierarchy and how they get to be there. My only issue is the poor editing. "Then" and "than" were used interchangeably SO many times, along with some correctly-spelled-but-wrong-context words. Drove me crazy and threw me off because I'd have to re-read the sentences to decipher the meaning.
September 18, 2018
Lacked world building, but had a character that could whine
I tried to read this but stopped about 1/2 way through. 1. I’ve never heard someone go from starving to pampered complain so much about life. Yes I get your family is still starving but do something active instead of complain. 2. There was no building of the setting - the use of slang did not fit, a girl who never wore heels knows they will sink in the ground. There was no attention to detail to make me really believe i was in this supposed world.
I tried to read this but stopped about 1/2 way through. 1. I’ve never heard someone go from starving to pampered complain so much about life. Yes I get your family is still starving but do something active instead of complain. 2. There was no building of the setting - the use of slang did not fit, a girl who never wore heels knows they will sink in the ground. There was no attention to detail to make me really believe i was in this supposed world.
August 15, 2018
I have read many dystopia books and this ranks right up there with the best. Believable reconstruction on society along the caste system. First person point of view that stays consistent with the character. Ms. Harpel weaves an engaging tale. The only negative I the to say is i don't like the way the book ends. Even books of a series I like to stand alone and wrap up. Contained does not do that.
August 9, 2018
I loved this book! Despite some editorial mistakes, I quickly became addicted to Ella’s original dystopian world. I did not want it to end! The heroine is strong yet not hardened by her experiences. I found her quite likable and level headed. I can’t wait to see where her journey leads her in the next book! This was a refreshing and fun read.
August 25, 2018
What a fun read!
I found this book to be very entertaining. I loved the storyline and the action was extremely realistic. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!!
This would make a great movie or tv series.
Hello, Amazon? Are you reading this? Please make this book into an amazon original. It would be an amazing series.
I found this book to be very entertaining. I loved the storyline and the action was extremely realistic. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!!
This would make a great movie or tv series.
Hello, Amazon? Are you reading this? Please make this book into an amazon original. It would be an amazing series.
April 29, 2020
A free book on Kindle Unlimited that I had heard about. It was an interesting book. There was a lot of inner monolog that basically just repeated itself and some of her thought processes were questionable but the basic storyline was good and I think it has potential so I'm planning on giving her the benefit of the doubt and keep on with the series.
April 21, 2022
I don't believe in giving spoilers so I don't want to say too much. The author has created an elaborate futuristic society and paints a clear picture of its structure and hierarchy. The end came way too fast and as soon as I finished, I bought book 2 in the series! Looking forward to it.
October 1, 2020
I LOVED THE BOOK!!!! I WANT TO READ MORE, BUT I CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY ANYMORE OF THEM!!!!
April 18, 2021
A great read!!
this wasn’t a book i thought i was gonna enjoy going into it but i pulled through and boy is this book amazing! the characters are likable and i’m really starting to like Theo a lot more haha no spoilers but if you like a good book you should read contained!
this wasn’t a book i thought i was gonna enjoy going into it but i pulled through and boy is this book amazing! the characters are likable and i’m really starting to like Theo a lot more haha no spoilers but if you like a good book you should read contained!
January 12, 2023
I loved this book!!! Contained was interesting, fun and, exciting. The brave female lead, Ella, was my favorite. I’ll give it to my teens to read next as the book is pretty clean and I’m sure they would like it as well.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews