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Lake of Sins: Escape is Lord of the Rings meets The Island of Dr. Moreau except Dr. Moreau’s creations hunt and eat the Hobbits.

On earth in the near future, all animals over twenty pounds are extinct and humans are not entirely human.

This new world is segregated by classes and for a Producer—the lowest class whose purpose is to produce all the food for the other classes—making the Harvest List can mean the difference between life and death.

Trinity knows her name won’t be on the Harvest List. They only choose the finest examples of Producers to stay and breed and she is far from a good specimen. She’s a mixed-breed and has hidden her differences—claws, fangs, the ability to see in the dark—all her life.

She needs to discover where they take the teenagers who don’t make the list before they come for her. She’s been trying to figure this out for years and discovered a clue during her last trip into the forest.

With only one week left before she’s taken, she sneaks into the woods again but this time, she uncovers predators long thought to be extinct and creatures who should only exist in legends.

Every turn she takes, someone is hunting her but once she discovers the horrifying fate of her kind, can she return to camp and save the others?

332 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 26, 2014

1110 people are currently reading
2971 people want to read

About the author

L.S. O'Dea

15 books208 followers
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
Profile Image for Archit.
826 reviews3,200 followers
April 12, 2017


Couldn't put it down!

Do you remember the kid who was bullied too much in school?
Nobody wants him around.
He is bearing pains he has no idea why that are bestowed upon him.
But fate/destiny has chosen to play a bit with him and make him a hero!

Sounds like Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Ender's Game and Lord of The Rings, ain't it?

Lake of sins Escape is a book chock-full of adventure!

Trinity, the protagonist, who has no clue about her species, why and how they came to existence, why she has to follow the norms and suppress her curiosity, why she is life unfair to her.

Filled with ignorance, she becomes what she has to become - a rebellion.

Living in a place where everyone is about to turn her down, wound her whenever they have a chance and won't answer her questions, none could be trusted anymore, she is helpless.

Some are trying to prevent her from knowing about herself, why she is unique, and some are his friends or are they pretending to be?

I adored the way the book started, describing each class and the problems Trinity went through. We don't feel sorry for Trinity but the author's interesting writing style makes one fight for her till the end.


Trinity groaned and pulled the blanket over her head. Whatever Mom was cooking, smelled delicious, but she didn't want to move. It was warm and comfortable under the soft fur. Fur? She didn't own any fur. She yanked the blanket down. She wasn't home and she wasn't safe.


After reading above lines, you know you are intrigued!

Unlike other fantasies, where enemies will attack the protagonist only before the semester break, or the end of some tournament, it is not so in Lake of Sins : Escape. She has a strict deadline of one week. A book about one week!! Isn't it fascinating to think?

Unlike other fantasies, where everybody knows the chosen ones and that this person will help them, cause it's written in some prophesies, Lake of Sins turned out to be distinct. The characters are with limited and human-like characteristics and powers, reading which one can relate too much.

Unlike other fantasies, where if the protagonist fails to do so-so in the time bound, Mother Earth will collapse, Lake of Sins doesn't bear such nonsense. I don't understand how people can think that Earth is going to demolish in few days.

Trinity in this one, has a clear mission - Saving her family. That's it.

The cover feels superb once you go through Trinity's description of her kind. I found myself repeatably saying "Oh right, now I understood!"

The moment she unfolds the truth, God (Araldo according to the book) knows how much I shed man-tears for Trinity.

She didn't deserve this, this fate of hers.

I'm excited to find out what happens in the next book.

Profile Image for L.S. O'Dea.
Author 15 books208 followers
January 29, 2016
Let me start by being clear that I am the author of this book, so this review is biased. I mean, honestly, I'm going to give myself five stars.

What I wanted to do with this review is expound on why I made some of the decisions that I did when writing this book.

I had reworked this novel many times on advice from different agents. "Start at the action." "We need more backstory." “Trinity is whiny.” "We need to know the world." Well, it seems, that at least for this story, I could not do all of those requests at once, so I went with the advice from fellow students and the teacher in my Science Fiction and Fantasy writing class. I made the beginning a little slower with world building. Some like it; some don't. Fortunately for me, this exercise in reworking the story gave me a better understanding of Trinity.

At first, she was a character who reacted. She didn't make decisions; she just went along with whatever in order to survive. That is not a bad trait, but I wanted my heroine to make decisions about her life and live with the consequences. Since, she is truly a kind-hearted soul, the consequences of some of her actions weigh heavy on her.

I also struggled with the Troy chapters. His section has been the most polarizing; people either love or hate the Troy chapters. Many like to see his devolution and others just plod through those sections to get back to Trinity.

I felt that it was important for the readers to understand the antagonist and how he went from friend to foe.
I hope you like the book. I love to hear from my readers, so don’t hesitate to contact me with questions and comments.

Oh, all of my beta readers liked book two even better than book 1. So, I hope you will all give it a chance. Book 2, Lake of Sins: Secrets in Blood, starts right where the first book ends and races right along.
Profile Image for David Baird.
587 reviews22 followers
July 15, 2016
I’ve previously read Rise of the River-Man: Mutter’s Story and was instantly interesting in the world the author had created. The population has been drastically lowered after great death hits the planet and of those that have survived.. They aren’t really human anymore. There’s a hierarchy.. and for producers this isn’t a good thing.. They are the lowest of the low

This tale follows Trinity, she wants to know what happens to producers when they are taken from her camp and after an altercation with some other producers the time to leave is now..

We are whisked away on a fast paced journey where we are introduced to the others classes such as Almighties who sit at the top of the chain, Guards, Handlers and Trackers. It’s not massively complex to get your head around the social structure but there’s a lot to digest at times.

The tale unfolds when she meets some unlikely friends in the forest.. they both have information that the other is after so join together to suit their needs at the time.. your left never quite knowing if this will last or if someone might end up dead

It’s a good story but again there’s a lot going on..3 distinct tales in my opinion and the book moves from one agenda to another but all written well and with a clear plot. The main focus being on Trinity but I was more taken by the story involving the handlers and the trackers..I’ve yet to read the next book in the series but the author has left a lot of questions unanswered..not in a bad way either I must add.. it’s left me wanting more.. that’s never a bad thing in my book

Again this author seems to like to throw in some gruesomeness now and again for the shock factor and the fate of the producers in one such instance..i thought it was brilliant if I’m honest.

The author has made a cruel and intriguing world, if you like your fantasy but want that added gruesomeness then this is the tale for you

It’s unlike anything I’ve read before and I enjoyed it a lot. I’ll definitely read the next book in the series. I need to know what happens next
479 reviews414 followers
December 6, 2019
read for spfbo5 - review to come later
Profile Image for Ana.
285 reviews23 followers
May 20, 2015
Throughout Lake of Sins, we accompany Trinity as she meets many different characters in a quest originated by her innate curiosity - something that is not appreciated in her post-apocalyptic world, where the inhabitants are no longer human following a Terrible Sickness and death of humankind, as well as many animals. The current races are divided by classes, each very different from each other and with its own purpose.

Trinity lives amongst the Producers, although her father is House Servant, so she is... different. All her life she has had to hide those differences since, if anyone found out, she would most likely be killed.

Overall, I liked the main character, though I thought she grunted, snorted and especially frowned too much. It got a bit repetitive. But I did appreciate that whenever she had a more childish attitude, she would realize it just after she had acted that way, or said those words.
I struggled quite a bit in the beginning, who and what she was struck me as confusing because it is said she part Producer, part House Servant, that Remy, a producer, is not her real father, but we are not told who that is until much later, and even then it's only a brief mention of his name.

As for the other characters, I felt too many of them were introduced too suddenly, and therefore had trouble remembering who was who for a long time, so I wish I had realized there was a Characters list at the end of the book. Even so, most of them had their own voice and it was interesting to witness their evolution, particularly Troy's. It was all very believable.

I particularly relished the relationship between Mirra and Gaar. Their companionship seemed obvious, none the other's master, and although they are both very clearly wild beings, their relationship appeared so very balanced, each knowing how far they could go.


The main issues that confused me are the following:

- I wish other names had been chosen for The Great Death and Terrible Sickness, they seemed overly simplistic to me. I could not even figure out how the two things differed;, they seem to be referring to the same, and I wish this subject had been further explained.

-

- I had a bit of trouble picturing some of the characters. For instance, the trackers, particularly the head, the body was well described. I imagine them as big wolf types, not sure if it's accurate. I would at least like to know if their heads resemble humans or animals the most. Also the producers: I had trouble picturing someone whose width is almost the same as their height. I wish the Characters section in the end had illustrations.

- I would also have liked the descriptions of what each class/race is entitled to be more specific, since the synopsis focuses on those differences a lot. I would have liked to know what ticked each of them, how their day to day was, etc.

-

- The pronoun she always seemed to refer to Trinity, even if she wasn't in the centre of the scene, which got pretty confusing. Often times I thought the description addressed Mirra, amongst other characters, and it was always Trinity instead.

- I don't get why and it bothered me a bit that the plural of Almighty is Almightys instead of Almighties.

- .


Conclusion:

I really enjoyed the world creating in this book. I found it enthralling that none of the characters were human. Mating instead of marrying, changing partners according to breeding rate, the whole scent thing and other animal instincts, making them seem so wild, and yet so close to humans, enough for the reader to relate. To me, it was such a breath of fresh air that I could not help but thoroughly enjoy it.

Another thing I absolutely loved is the absence of romance. Trinity was never looking for a mate, only for friendship, someone that would love her for who she is and not mind her differences, even embracing them. Lots of passages were witty, funny and emotional .

I usually cannot pinpoint what exactly would be needed for a book to be worth 5 stars, but in this case I can safely say that if each class had been more thoroughly explained and the issues I mentioned above addressed, I would most definitely had given it the max rating. It was a very interesting trip and I would love to read the following books in the series.
This is good fantasy. Read it.


Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Sue  .
323 reviews28 followers
September 9, 2017
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Lake Of Sins: Escape by LS O’Dea is an interesting post apocalyptic/dystopian story. The people now living in the world are humanoid with animalistic tendencies and there are different classes with each one having a specific purpose. I really liked Trinity, the main protagonist, who is a very strong female lead character, but I also liked the characters of Mira and Gar. On the other hand, the characters of Troy and Clarabelle were ones I loved to hate because of their behaviours and attitudes.

The beginning of this book was a little hard to get through because it was slow paced and there were many characters introduced all at once, but then the pace picked up and everything started to fall into place and this book became a very enjoyable read. The storyline is great, there are many plot twists, the characters are fully developed, it is well written, and the book is quite an exciting adventure. It also has some underlying topics weaved in amongst the story and gets you thinking. One thing I know I’ll be mulling about is eating meat and vegetarianism. Why? You’ll have to read this book to find out!

Lake Of Sins: Escape is a unique story, I’ve never read anything like this before. The book ends in a tantalising cliff hanger and makes you eager for the next book, Lake of Sins: Secrets in Blood. This is a very different dystopia/post-apocalyptic story and well worth a read.
Profile Image for E.L. Ervin.
Author 1 book127 followers
January 22, 2015
Lake of Sins: Escape, is a very exciting and intriguing YA Science Fiction novel that can easily pull a reader into its pages, much like how the River-Man can pull creatures into the depths of water. This read is interesting and I have to admit that I’ve never read anything like it before. Yet, it kept me enthralled until the very last sentence. Alas, the novel came to an end and I found myself wishing that the second novel was out already so that I could continue on in the adventures of the 16-year-old Producer/House Servant, Trinity. I am excited for the next novels, in hopes they finished the much adored tales that will hopefully feature Mirra and Gaar, along with Trinity as they break the rules and make up their own as they storm through the tracker and handler camps. I swear I won’t be eating meat for a whole week, at least! Haha. Great Novel!
Profile Image for Stephanie.
70 reviews13 followers
July 15, 2015
Escape is the first novel in the Lake of Sins series by L.S. O'Dea. This novel is beyond unique and is far from another dystopian novel I have had the privilege of reading. Being in a league of it's own, this novel has excellent writing and character development. The entire storyline is fascinating and frightening at the same time. The world created by O'Dea is absolutely one of a kind and is one you would not want to find yourself being a part of.
Each character we are introduced to plays an important role in the novel no matter how small his or her initial part may seem. This is a story of how the teenage mind sees the importance of acceptance from her peers. What begins as an innocent adventure soon turns into a wild and epic series of events both positive and negative. The relationships you build with each character will change throughout this novel. You will see that, even in this world, everyone has good and evil warring inside of them.
Escape is an incredible novel that is worth the read simply for the unique storyline. Besides that, you have fantastic writing, page turning adventures, seemingly insurmountable obstacles and life lessons all in one epic adventurous novel. This is a must read for any reader of any age and any genre preference. O'Dea keeps the action going and leaves you on the edge of your seat as you wait for the chance to read the follow up novel.

http://novelideareviews.blogspot.com/...
Profile Image for Sunshine✰✰✰.
449 reviews
May 24, 2017
I found it very dark and quite disturbing in some spots. Trinity did not come off as a very likely heroine. She rebelled against her lot in life, sure I get that, but she seemed so clueless to the obvious and made more trouble than she had answers. I have no interest to read the rest of the series.
Profile Image for Lana.
2,767 reviews59 followers
November 8, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this young adult dystopian novel, the first in the series! The world is divided into classes of people/creatures with the almighty being the topmost class and the rest all below these and serving different purposes in this horrible segregated and unequal society. There were almighties, avians, guards, trackers, handlers, house servants and producers and many different species of predators. Trinity the heroine of this book is part producer ie the lowest of the low as a class and those who produced all food for the rest of society and part house servant which made her different to everyone else as mating between classes was illegal but it had happened. Due to all the bullying she suffered she decided to leave the camp she lived in and visit the forest to see what the next camp was like as many where due to be moved there and during her travels she meets a tracker and a handler who took her under their wing but she also discovers many horrors which her class faced once moved on or retired as her mum was due to be!! trinity does her best to help other producers but makes a lot of mistakes on the way. It's quite a tense read but very interesting and the characters are either very lovable or very hateful! Have already started reading the 2nd book in this series!
Profile Image for Tara Shae Sanders.
17 reviews
November 13, 2024
My first fantasy fiction since Harry Potter.

I had a really good time reading this story. Trinity, a girl who never fit in, is in search for answers about what happens to her kind (producers) when they are taken away. Trinity sneaks out of her camp and into the dangerous forest in the middle of the night to find the camp they are taken to when Harvest comes. What Trinity finds is more than she ever expected. The monsters of the stories she was told as a child? Real. Will she survive her time in the forest? Will she find out what happens to her kind?

The story has a very good plot and good character building. Fun read.
Profile Image for Linda Romer.
866 reviews60 followers
February 4, 2018
What an imaginative read. I loved Escape! Great story with great characters. This fast paced read will have you wanting more. I can't wait to read book 2. Trinity was amazing and I could actually feel her energy. Trinity is strong and courageous and I love her character.

I give Escape 5 stars for its exciting read.
I would recommend this book to everyone.
Profile Image for Emma Louise.
19 reviews
September 11, 2018
Downloaded this as a free read from amazon. I ended up reading the whole thing during a coach trip and couldn’t put it down. I like the fantasy world the author has created and I like that it isn’t your typical story.
Profile Image for Netanella.
4,727 reviews38 followers
February 25, 2017
"Escape" by L.S. O'Dea is a dark science fantasy that blends thriller, young adult, action, horror, and liberal doses of "The Island of Dr. Moreau" throughout. The author creates a unique world of the distant future, a world where most of living creatures were wiped out by a terrible disease, and large animals became extinct. Into this strange new world emerged (or survived) distinct classes, based primarily upon their job junction: the Almightys, the most human-like at the top of the food chain, and other more animalistic classes, such as the Guards, the Trackers, the Handlers, the House Servants, and at the bottom, the Producers. Most of these classes seem to be the result of mutation or genetic breeding or both. The way that the author reveals this world to us, through the eyes of naive teenager Trinity, is both exhilarating and horrific. Although I generally dislike lead characters who exhibit stupid behaviors, Trinity's youth and her compassion for others lead her to make problematic decisions. She is a sympathetic character and I look forward to seeing her grow and mature through the series, as she discovers the true role of the Producers, and her position within this world. My only concerns with the book were a few editorial issues of awkward sentence structure and some typos, but they were not enough to spoil the overall excellence of this truly unique and fascinating, and scary, world. Kudos to the author!
Profile Image for Mandy.
4,886 reviews46 followers
March 10, 2019
On Earth in the future all animals over a weight of 20 pounds are extinct and humans are not completely human. The population are segregated by class and the lowest class (a Producer) has the job of producing food for all of the other classes with the ultimate being making something called the Harvest List. Producer Trinity knows she won't be chosen to stay and breed as she has some hidden differences to the others due to being a mixed breed - namely claws, fangs and the ability to see in the dark - something she has had to hide her whole life. She is determined to find out where the teenagers who don't make the list go before they come for her and so in the last week before she is taken decides to have one more try to find out what happens by sneaking into the woods. She discovers the horrifying fate that awaits - and so vows to try and return to the camp to try and save everyone else.

I loved the concept of this story and the way the different classes mirrored in many ways real life. I could definitely feel her horror when she discovered the fate of those that were taken away from the camp and understand why she was so compelled to go and try to save the others (even though they had mostly ignored her). It seems that it also mirrored real life in the way that there were some who were profiting from others misery and I only hope that we experience more of those characters and hope that they receive some kind of just deserts for the behaviour towards some of the others. Well written it was well described and I could imagine the world at the way that the characters in the story lived. Looking forward to knowing what happens next - there are some folks can hopefully get some kind of punishment in the future.
Profile Image for Heidi Karriker.
83 reviews1 follower
February 23, 2015
Dark, gritty and wonderful

It started out a bit slow but quickly picked up the pace. This is a post apocalyptic mutation type story that is filled with humanoid type creatures in a caste system by race that emerged after "the great death".

Trinity is a teenage outcast who is an illegal byproduct of the inner spices relationship but hides herself as that of her mother, a producer. Since she is not an ideal specimen of producer, a bit too small and too odd, she knows she is doomed to the ominous list with all of the others that don't quite measure up. The list of producers who are taken some place and never brought back.
With the list date looming, She wants to know what will happen to her and what has happened to the others before her once taken. Taking a great risk to herself and her family she escapes the walls and "protection" of her town and is thrown into a wild world of myths, predators and secrets.
This book is not for the faint of heart and when I finished all I could thinks was "I need the next one".
154 reviews5 followers
October 14, 2015
Trinity is sure to be a "harvest lister" this year in L.S. O'Dea's "Lake of Sins- Escape". Before she is put on the list and taken to places unknown she wants to search for those that have been taken before. Following an incident with some bullying peers, she escapes her camp and goes in search of where the harvest listers are taken. While on her search she encounters numerous creatures and beings that have only been whispered about.. Trinity is such a kind hearted soul that these creatures can do nothing but agree to help her. What she finds is unbelievably disturbing. I was very quickly drawn into this story and hooked to follow along. O'Dea has a very creative mind to come up with these creatures and what they are fighting against. Besides the very gruesome endings of the harvest listers there was not anything that turned me away from this story and that was just disturbing not due to poor writing. I rate this book 5 fangs and look forward to the next in the series.



***Reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors that Rock***
Profile Image for Herman.
504 reviews26 followers
May 29, 2017
Strange book not sure what to say enjoyed the post-apocalyptic world something like Brave New World meets Island of Dr. Moreau. The main character Trinity, a likable cat-like girl is finding her way through a world of danger,deceit, and secrets. Watching her change and developed as a character is the most enjoyable part of the book. Usually I'm appreciative of authors who think the reader is intelligent enough to figure out plot lines without having to have them detailed out so clearly. (Usually, is the key word here) There is a herky-jerky quality to some of the sub-plots that disrupts the pacing and I found confusing trying to keep track of so many minor characters and what their connection to Trinity was. The whole sub-plot of the guards I found didn't add much to the story and I still not quite sure what happened. Overall good first story of the series still what to read the rest of the series but could have been better
97 reviews1 follower
June 17, 2020
I have not marked this as having spoilers for a very good reason. I’m rather fed up with this author at this point. Though complaining has gotten them to put in warnings about gory content to actually warn about VERY descriptive cannibalism sorta gives the plot away but it is a warning needed. These books are Not appropriate for young readers. Simple example in summery. One scene have one of main characters in specifically designed room while a man is brutally beaten to death as it “tenderizes the meat” then has the body butchered. Then stakes are offered to the character as his “mouth waters” at the thought of rare cooked stakes as he is handed the bloody package.
And this is sanitizing the scene considerably.
Basis of series is to create equality through all casts of people, so casts such as the food” could also refer to cattle if you want, are treated fairly. I was utterly disgusted with the book and recommend others avoid this series!
Profile Image for Julia Damatto.
160 reviews5 followers
October 20, 2015
Lake of Sins: Escape starts with a lot of information,characters and slow-paced, luckily we have a list in the back for quick references and related with the pace in a couple of chapters later, the story begins to develop and there's no turning back. Wow. The Author sure have imagination, the plot is original, she presents a dystopian/apocalyptic type of world that I have never read before. The humanoids and "animalistic" characters are portrayed so good, the main character, Trinity is really likeable, but I have a soft spot for Mirra.
The storyline is full of great dialogues, action, plagued with twists and turns, L.O.S. Escape is a fantastic read!!
Highly Recommended
*I received a Free copy in exchange for an Honest Review*
95 reviews10 followers
August 29, 2016
Got this book from the author to Review.
The story's about Trinity, a sixteen year old young producer, who lives in a world where class distinction means the difference between imprisonment and freedom.
It was a very average read. I particularly hate politics and things related to it so maybe that's why I liked this book less than its worthy of. But I read it by heart and felt it to be very average.
I would have given it 2 stars but gave it 3 as a little improvement may be there in the later parts after what the ending had to offer.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
227 reviews64 followers
August 9, 2015
This is a very interesting story. I can't wait to read more about Trinity. There are a few words that do not seem to make sense for the context they are used. It is reminiscent of an auto-correct change.

*I have updated from a four star to a five star. Linda did what I wish more authors would do. She asked what her reader found incorrect. Then she corrected the error.

This a fantastic start to, what's sure to be a enthralling new series.
81 reviews1 follower
August 15, 2016
Worth the read

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
It is a good book. Bit hard to get into at first. But once you get into the storyline...yo u don't want to put it down. You feel sorry for the main character and her friends/family. You want to punch clarabella and Randy. And hope they get eaten instead of her mom. And you instantly want to read the next book.
Profile Image for Valadia.
155 reviews4 followers
March 1, 2015
Incredible!!

The only problem is, it ended. It needs to continue. It grabs you and won't let you go. It is one heck of a ride, I just wish it have to end. I seriously hope that she has more books like this. Fantastic author!
1,678 reviews18 followers
March 15, 2015
Now this is a really different on dystopian. It is filled with myths that turn out to be truths. Trinity is special, but how we don't really understand yet. I'm hoping we find out in further installments.
633 reviews7 followers
January 23, 2016
Intriguing...

I was curious about this lake of sins. I found it to be a very detailed and accurate descriptions of another world. I loved Trinity and her courage to find out the truth. She wanted the knowledge of what happened to her kind..producers.
Profile Image for Shantelle Hazelton.
93 reviews1 follower
March 31, 2019
Great book!

Right away I was sucked into this new world. I read it in one day. I couldn’t put it down and can’t wait to continue onto the next book to see what happens!
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