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The Immortal Ones #1
Chosen
One dose is all it takes to become immortal.
Every year, a lottery is held for the hard-working people of Lutum.
The prize? Eternal life.
And everyone wants it. Well, everyone except for seventeen-year-old Silverstasia Blackwood. She doesn't think it's fair that the rich get to live luxurious lives, while the people of Lutum are enslaved, forced to work hard every day to support the immortals.
When something unexpected happens during this year's annual lottery, Silver makes a bold move that surprises everyone.
Now, everything is about to change.
Every year, a lottery is held for the hard-working people of Lutum.
The prize? Eternal life.
And everyone wants it. Well, everyone except for seventeen-year-old Silverstasia Blackwood. She doesn't think it's fair that the rich get to live luxurious lives, while the people of Lutum are enslaved, forced to work hard every day to support the immortals.
When something unexpected happens during this year's annual lottery, Silver makes a bold move that surprises everyone.
Now, everything is about to change.
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2021
1209 people are currently reading
3283 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
January 19, 2023
It is a bleak future. The world has been torn apart by wars, natural disasters, and famine. Only the rich--the elite thrive in the Capitol, and in district 12 a young girl, Katniss Everdeen--
Wait. Wrong book, same set up. My bad.
Let's start over, shall we?
In 1984, civilization has been ravaged by world war, civil conflict, and revolution. Airstrip One---
Gosh, dammit did it again.
Okay, okay. Hopefully I get it right this time.
In the not so distant future, Offred is one of the few remaining fertile women in Gilead---crap!
This review is turning into a complete mess. I promise, one last time, and if i can't get it right, I'll just throw in the towel.
So here it goes, one more college try... in the future the world has fallen apart by wars and economic callapse thanks to a serum that allows people to live forever. However, only the rich could afford the serum. The only drawback, they become infertile. Still, the world is divided into the elite and everyone else. And everyone else wants to be the elite.
In Lutum people live like slaves while the Elite thrive in Olympus and breed the poor. Every year the people in each division of Lutum hope to win the annual lottery that promises them a better life and immortality in Olympus. While the promise of a life of luxury gives the people of Lutum hope, Silverstasia Blackwood doesn't trust the system or the people of Olympus. But it is just her luck that on the year of her 17th birthday, Silver becomes the lucky winner of the lottery and learns that all that glitter isn't gold in Olympus.
What can I say about Chosen? If I'm being honest, I'd say that it is just another series in a long line of YA dystopian novels trying to ride The Hunger Games wave. In fact, the book is almost a carbon copy of the first HG novel. There's the Capitol--called Olympus. Districts, which the author called divisions. Poor citizens and a train from the divisions to Olympus. It even has its own version of Effie Trinket. The main character has to travel around the divisions convincing the citizens of Lutum that Olympus is swell to give then hope. There's a president Kane who is very much like President Coin. It's like the author took elements from The Hunger Games and changed just enough to avoid a lawsuit. Listen, I get it, sometimes people get inspired by other stories, but this was too much heavy borrowing. And it wasn't even that great of a book. There were a lot of dangling plot lines, too many side characters, and too many story threads. It was like the author was confused on what plot she wanted to write. And it was like okay, I'll just have multiple plots.
The main character, Silver, was highly annoying. For some reason her first thoughts are always in question form and after awhile, it started to grate on my nerves. It was like she had a toddler level understanding of the world throughout the book. The constant questions about objects like tables and appliances seemed silly since she's only one generation removed from the great war that supposedly divided the world. In fact, the grandmother character is always telling her how things used to be when she was younger. Which means it wasn't that far in the past. The most annoying part was how Silver understood things like psychotherapy but couldn't tell you what a plastic chair or a coffee maker was. I don't care how poor the people of Lutum were supposed to be in the story, 60 years isn't long enough to forget what simple objects are. It wasn't like the world got blasted to the stone age.
Another thing that bothered me about the book was the pacing. It was sloooooow. There was nothing really driving the plot, which seemed to struggle once the author stopped jacking material from The Hunger Games. The whole forced procreation thing was a snooze fest. The supporting characters were boring. The so called villain was boring. Even the relationship between Silver and her grandmother was blah. For me, you had to squint to see the stakes in this book because they were so low.
The novel ends on a cliffhanger, which I guess if you were interested enough to pick up, you could. Personally, I really struggled through the last 20% of the book. I just wanted it to be over so I didn't have to DNF my first book of the year. I only kept reading because I was waiting for something interesting to happen and the book would get good. For me, that never happened. I definitely will not be finishing this series, and you could skip it too. There are far better YA dystopian.books out there. And before you read the Great Value version of The Hunger Games, just read The Hunger Games. I promise you'll enjoy that much more than this rip off.
Final thoughts:
A poor man's Hunger Games.
An even poorer man's 1984.
And a bootleg Handmaids Tale.
One star because the author tried it.
Wait. Wrong book, same set up. My bad.
Let's start over, shall we?
In 1984, civilization has been ravaged by world war, civil conflict, and revolution. Airstrip One---
Gosh, dammit did it again.
Okay, okay. Hopefully I get it right this time.
In the not so distant future, Offred is one of the few remaining fertile women in Gilead---crap!
This review is turning into a complete mess. I promise, one last time, and if i can't get it right, I'll just throw in the towel.
So here it goes, one more college try... in the future the world has fallen apart by wars and economic callapse thanks to a serum that allows people to live forever. However, only the rich could afford the serum. The only drawback, they become infertile. Still, the world is divided into the elite and everyone else. And everyone else wants to be the elite.
In Lutum people live like slaves while the Elite thrive in Olympus and breed the poor. Every year the people in each division of Lutum hope to win the annual lottery that promises them a better life and immortality in Olympus. While the promise of a life of luxury gives the people of Lutum hope, Silverstasia Blackwood doesn't trust the system or the people of Olympus. But it is just her luck that on the year of her 17th birthday, Silver becomes the lucky winner of the lottery and learns that all that glitter isn't gold in Olympus.
What can I say about Chosen? If I'm being honest, I'd say that it is just another series in a long line of YA dystopian novels trying to ride The Hunger Games wave. In fact, the book is almost a carbon copy of the first HG novel. There's the Capitol--called Olympus. Districts, which the author called divisions. Poor citizens and a train from the divisions to Olympus. It even has its own version of Effie Trinket. The main character has to travel around the divisions convincing the citizens of Lutum that Olympus is swell to give then hope. There's a president Kane who is very much like President Coin. It's like the author took elements from The Hunger Games and changed just enough to avoid a lawsuit. Listen, I get it, sometimes people get inspired by other stories, but this was too much heavy borrowing. And it wasn't even that great of a book. There were a lot of dangling plot lines, too many side characters, and too many story threads. It was like the author was confused on what plot she wanted to write. And it was like okay, I'll just have multiple plots.
The main character, Silver, was highly annoying. For some reason her first thoughts are always in question form and after awhile, it started to grate on my nerves. It was like she had a toddler level understanding of the world throughout the book. The constant questions about objects like tables and appliances seemed silly since she's only one generation removed from the great war that supposedly divided the world. In fact, the grandmother character is always telling her how things used to be when she was younger. Which means it wasn't that far in the past. The most annoying part was how Silver understood things like psychotherapy but couldn't tell you what a plastic chair or a coffee maker was. I don't care how poor the people of Lutum were supposed to be in the story, 60 years isn't long enough to forget what simple objects are. It wasn't like the world got blasted to the stone age.
Another thing that bothered me about the book was the pacing. It was sloooooow. There was nothing really driving the plot, which seemed to struggle once the author stopped jacking material from The Hunger Games. The whole forced procreation thing was a snooze fest. The supporting characters were boring. The so called villain was boring. Even the relationship between Silver and her grandmother was blah. For me, you had to squint to see the stakes in this book because they were so low.
The novel ends on a cliffhanger, which I guess if you were interested enough to pick up, you could. Personally, I really struggled through the last 20% of the book. I just wanted it to be over so I didn't have to DNF my first book of the year. I only kept reading because I was waiting for something interesting to happen and the book would get good. For me, that never happened. I definitely will not be finishing this series, and you could skip it too. There are far better YA dystopian.books out there. And before you read the Great Value version of The Hunger Games, just read The Hunger Games. I promise you'll enjoy that much more than this rip off.
Final thoughts:
A poor man's Hunger Games.
An even poorer man's 1984.
And a bootleg Handmaids Tale.
One star because the author tried it.
June 5, 2022
This is such a great dystopia type novel. You truly get saturated into the author's created world. Such a GREAT book! I enjoyed all of it. Had me read it in one sitting as it was so good! The ending is UGH! ABSOLUTE CLIFF HANGER! I'm eager to check out the next few novels so I can see where this story takes us. Great read for anyone into fantasy/dystopia type books.
I received this book from BookSirens and the publisher to read and review. All comments above are my own opinions after fully reading this book.
I received this book from BookSirens and the publisher to read and review. All comments above are my own opinions after fully reading this book.
October 25, 2021
It is such a shame that this didn't come out during the dystopia heyday as this is fantastic.
There is no doubt that it will be touted as Hunger Games meets 1984 but I think this does it a disservice as the idea is very unique and the execution is brilliant.
I thought Silver's character was realistic and engaging and her rationale for things made more sense than a lot of teen or YA protagonists.
I don't want to spoil anything by adding details about what actually occurs within Olympus and why those 'lucky' ones are chosen by the Elite to come to Olympus but I was guessing along with the main character and it was such nice feeling to not know exactly what was going on.
It was also great for there not to be a love story. I know this is only book 1 and the story ends on a cliff-hanger but I much prefer the character to be driven by circumstances than romance.
If you would like to re-immerse yourself into the YA dystopia without worrying about all of the tropes and cliches then this is definitely one you want to read.
Highly recommend.
There is no doubt that it will be touted as Hunger Games meets 1984 but I think this does it a disservice as the idea is very unique and the execution is brilliant.
I thought Silver's character was realistic and engaging and her rationale for things made more sense than a lot of teen or YA protagonists.
I don't want to spoil anything by adding details about what actually occurs within Olympus and why those 'lucky' ones are chosen by the Elite to come to Olympus but I was guessing along with the main character and it was such nice feeling to not know exactly what was going on.
It was also great for there not to be a love story. I know this is only book 1 and the story ends on a cliff-hanger but I much prefer the character to be driven by circumstances than romance.
If you would like to re-immerse yourself into the YA dystopia without worrying about all of the tropes and cliches then this is definitely one you want to read.
Highly recommend.
November 12, 2022
This book starts with an interesting premise but quickly devolves. The main character is supposed to be seventeen but acts much younger- YA lit shouldn’t mean stupid. She’s clueless. The writing is at maybe a 3rd grade level. Just skip it.
July 26, 2025
This YA dystopian novel had a solid premise and an MC with a strong moral compass. She was easy to root for and her sense of right and wrong anchored the chaos in this one.
I liked the MC, but I wanted more from her. It was so much of the same thing all the time. Maybe more dimension, more shadows, more light....maybe even a solid sidekick to help round things out. It felt like the same version of her without evolution. One last thing I'll mention about the MC is that toward the end, there were moments that were leading to a Moses and the Red Sea kind of scene. And she didn't even have to lift a big stick. Big bright flashing neon signs are not my favorite.
The world building had merit. There were many moments that worked well but again, I wanted a little more. I liked this one, but there were some flaws. Overall, this one didn't stand out in a crowded genre, so 3 stars.
I liked the MC, but I wanted more from her. It was so much of the same thing all the time. Maybe more dimension, more shadows, more light....maybe even a solid sidekick to help round things out. It felt like the same version of her without evolution. One last thing I'll mention about the MC is that toward the end, there were moments that were leading to a Moses and the Red Sea kind of scene. And she didn't even have to lift a big stick. Big bright flashing neon signs are not my favorite.
The world building had merit. There were many moments that worked well but again, I wanted a little more. I liked this one, but there were some flaws. Overall, this one didn't stand out in a crowded genre, so 3 stars.
October 25, 2021
I received a copy of this book from the author in the hope of an honest review. I only give honest reviews so here are my thoughts.
This book had me hooked from the first page. In truth, even the title piqued my curiosity.
The first sentence reminded me of “The Hunger Games” and “The Apotheon Trials” but there is where the similarity ends.
In this book the “selection day” process is to choose someone from each division to go into a lottery to become an elite and win immortality.
For those chosen, sadly the reality is very far from this ideal as Silver soon discovers.
Her life is irrevocably changed along with her family and her five new roommates.
There are twists and turns that I did not expect and the chapters soon fell away. Before I knew it I had reached the end. However, although this was the end of this book there is another to look forward to.
Shade Owens writes a story in an easy to read style that you can immerse yourself in.
This book had me hooked from the first page. In truth, even the title piqued my curiosity.
The first sentence reminded me of “The Hunger Games” and “The Apotheon Trials” but there is where the similarity ends.
In this book the “selection day” process is to choose someone from each division to go into a lottery to become an elite and win immortality.
For those chosen, sadly the reality is very far from this ideal as Silver soon discovers.
Her life is irrevocably changed along with her family and her five new roommates.
There are twists and turns that I did not expect and the chapters soon fell away. Before I knew it I had reached the end. However, although this was the end of this book there is another to look forward to.
Shade Owens writes a story in an easy to read style that you can immerse yourself in.
August 23, 2022
Great dystopian story. Wasn't sure where things were going when I hit the middle. Took a wonderful turn and here we are, 5*. Recommend if you like a female protagonist with an attitude she just can't control.
March 17, 2025
So...I get there is a YA formula, I get they have the same 5 themes...but why? This is just more of the same with nothing that stands out!
June 25, 2024
2024 52 Book Challenge - 36) Has Futuristic Technology
This is like a knock off Hunger Games, but with less compelling characters.
The main character is annoying and very childlike, she's said to be seventeen, but the way she talks is more like a ten year old. The side characters, of which there are many, are all cardboard cutouts with barely any characterisation.
The pacing is simultaneously fast and slow. Fast because things keep physically happening, but none of them feel like they have any reason behind them, and the book itself feels like it happens in the space of a week, but it also feels slow because the characters never develop and so everything that is happening, the characters react in the exact same way every time.
I read this on a short flight, so one benefit is if you read it, it won't take very long.
This is like a knock off Hunger Games, but with less compelling characters.
The main character is annoying and very childlike, she's said to be seventeen, but the way she talks is more like a ten year old. The side characters, of which there are many, are all cardboard cutouts with barely any characterisation.
The pacing is simultaneously fast and slow. Fast because things keep physically happening, but none of them feel like they have any reason behind them, and the book itself feels like it happens in the space of a week, but it also feels slow because the characters never develop and so everything that is happening, the characters react in the exact same way every time.
I read this on a short flight, so one benefit is if you read it, it won't take very long.
April 7, 2025
Alright, I’ll be honest 😅 I did complain a bit(A LOT) at the beginning. It does have serious Handmaid’s Tale energy. And yes, Silver can be absolutely infuriating and stubborn for no goddam reason 😤😒 she really knows how to get on your nerves. Just follow the BLOODY RULES. You know it will NOT end well so why rebel so hard all the time ? But in the end? It was actually a decent read 📚✨
There are moments where the plot feels a bit all over the place 🌀 and not so believable and at times the plot doesnt't quite click nor flow. But do I care? Not really. I still enjoyed myself. I read the last page walking out of my local train station.
Was I completely hooked from page 1? Yes. Then not so hooked 25% in. Then really had to make an effort to keep going until the middle. It kept me hooked from the middle onwards 📈 or near ending onwards...But that’s perfectly fine by me.
Now I’m eyeing up the second book 👀 It’s got a better rating. I’m curious to see what all the fuss is about... 🤔
There are moments where the plot feels a bit all over the place 🌀 and not so believable and at times the plot doesnt't quite click nor flow. But do I care? Not really. I still enjoyed myself. I read the last page walking out of my local train station.
Was I completely hooked from page 1? Yes. Then not so hooked 25% in. Then really had to make an effort to keep going until the middle. It kept me hooked from the middle onwards 📈 or near ending onwards...But that’s perfectly fine by me.
Now I’m eyeing up the second book 👀 It’s got a better rating. I’m curious to see what all the fuss is about... 🤔
September 17, 2024
3.5 stars. It’s giving knock off Hunger Games. Also the main character drove me NUTS. she constantly asked dumb ass questions when they kept telling her to stop asking them😭 it felt very rushed and they didn’t really give the characters depth at all. however, the plot was good (even tho it’s very similar to hunger games, but that’s why i liked it) so i read it pretty fast. but i probably won’t be finishing the series lol
September 12, 2024
DNF. I tried so hard to finish this book but I gave up at 80%. The plot is interesting but I couldn’t get into because of the main FC. I think she’s supposed to be rebellious and a nonconformist bust it did not seem like it. She came across as a naive and clueless child.
September 28, 2021
In a dystopian society an unlikely and unassuming heroine emerges. A hero that does not want immortality and the perks of being an Elite. Driven by love of family and morality instilled by her grandmother Silver is relatable and likable. Characters in this book come alive and bring you into this new society. Would you want to be immortal? At what cost? I loved this book. Strong female characters were throughout the book. The characters were real and allowed you to become totally immersed in the world the in which the characters were living/surviving. I appreciated that the foreshadowing was subtle and look forward to the next book in the series to find out if I was right!
September 22, 2021
Dark, Stark, Dystopian novel.
This grew on me the more I read it.
It was a grim existence the people living in the various districts led, some worse than others forced to work from a very young age right up to the very old.
All day every day producing and picking food in the large gardens trying to collect points to take part in a draw for selection day in the hope of joining the Elite in Olympic city, reminds me of the echoes of Nineteen Eighty-Four, but all promised is not what is seems. Really surprising ending which left me waiting for the next one.
I received a free review copy from the author but this is my honest opinion.
This grew on me the more I read it.
It was a grim existence the people living in the various districts led, some worse than others forced to work from a very young age right up to the very old.
All day every day producing and picking food in the large gardens trying to collect points to take part in a draw for selection day in the hope of joining the Elite in Olympic city, reminds me of the echoes of Nineteen Eighty-Four, but all promised is not what is seems. Really surprising ending which left me waiting for the next one.
I received a free review copy from the author but this is my honest opinion.
June 28, 2023
3.75 stars
honestly, i was reading this to cope and recover from reading a really sad series and wasn’t expecting anything good from this but i was pleasantly surprised. the world introduced in chosen is the stereotypical world with two distinct classes: the privileged upper class that leeches off the slaving lower class. think hunger games except most of the people in the capitol are immortal. i knew that something was gonna be off about olympus as there is always something corrupt or wrong in any dystopian society, but i was genuinely caught off guard as to the purpose of the lottery. it was refreshing to see something unique like that. i also enjoyed the diversity of strong female characters in this book, like silver and star. actually they’re all strong and cool like that in their own ways and respectful to all the other women (no lila bards here). aside from that, the plot was kinda predictable and cliche but it’s okay, i just wanted to read something dystopian again. probably will continue, we’ll see
honestly, i was reading this to cope and recover from reading a really sad series and wasn’t expecting anything good from this but i was pleasantly surprised. the world introduced in chosen is the stereotypical world with two distinct classes: the privileged upper class that leeches off the slaving lower class. think hunger games except most of the people in the capitol are immortal. i knew that something was gonna be off about olympus as there is always something corrupt or wrong in any dystopian society, but i was genuinely caught off guard as to the purpose of the lottery. it was refreshing to see something unique like that. i also enjoyed the diversity of strong female characters in this book, like silver and star. actually they’re all strong and cool like that in their own ways and respectful to all the other women (no lila bards here). aside from that, the plot was kinda predictable and cliche but it’s okay, i just wanted to read something dystopian again. probably will continue, we’ll see
September 21, 2021
This book was just wow. I don’t usually go for books without romance and in the dystopian genre but this book was absolutely phenomenal. Since the beginning of the book, I was hooked.
Silver was an amazing protagonist, I loved her mind and you could clearly see how much she cared for her loved ones. Despite that, you could still see how she sometimes struggled with her decisions.
Overall this book was amazing and I cannot wait to see what happens in book two!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Silver was an amazing protagonist, I loved her mind and you could clearly see how much she cared for her loved ones. Despite that, you could still see how she sometimes struggled with her decisions.
Overall this book was amazing and I cannot wait to see what happens in book two!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 27, 2023
To start off, I want to say that I was intrigued by the premise of this book. The idea behind it is interesting, although it's clear that some inspiration was drawn from The Hunger Games. However, in my opinion, the pacing of the book was too fast, which left many questions unanswered.
The main character seemed to constantly create problems, as if she didn't understand the concept of staying quiet and avoiding trouble. When the story moved to Olympus, some aspects of the world-building didn't quite make sense to me. As a result, the book felt a bit scattered and hard to follow at times. I was hoping to learn more about the history and present of the world in which the story takes place.
The main character seemed to constantly create problems, as if she didn't understand the concept of staying quiet and avoiding trouble. When the story moved to Olympus, some aspects of the world-building didn't quite make sense to me. As a result, the book felt a bit scattered and hard to follow at times. I was hoping to learn more about the history and present of the world in which the story takes place.
May 7, 2024
The storyline is really good and I enjoy it a lot. However, 3 stars just due to the writing. It’s difficult to read in some spots - mostly when it comes to descriptions of things, which I don’t even know if I can really refer to it as describing. I also think the main character is kind of annoying and whiny, I’m hoping that changes in the future books 🥴
July 1, 2023
I had high hopes for this book and it's been awhile since I sat down with a dystopian novel. As other reviewers mentioned there are way too many similarities to Hunger Games. Even when I was telling people about this book I was saying, "The world has 10 districts who are isolated from each other and where each district is responsible for making a particular resource. Then once a year they use a lottery system to choose a person for a reward that's not really a reward and they cart them off to the capital."
And then I'd stop and be thinking... I feel very much like I'm repeating the Hunger Games setup. So since other reviewers did a great job of highlighting that issue I'll let it lie.
The pacing was slow. The characters failed to entice me. All our MC does is ask questions that she never gets answers. I don't understand why the questions labeled her as "trouble". You can't tell me that EVERY person that came through that environment wouldn't have questions. I hardly think her asking what things are and where she is going and what's going on is unique.
We never really get to see the Elite town or any Elites, or any breeders outside of their cell. Like, surely this town isn't repopulating off one cell of like 7 breeders. And they're all sent to this area to work with the teenagers. So are there other Breeders in there that just never get mentioned? Or do they work elsewhere?
Like the MC I had tons of questions with little to no answers and it became frustrating.
There's a piece of paper with a stupid two lines on there that the MC takes FOREVER to read. I would've read that so much sooner. And of course both people who read it solved it right away or shortly after. And honestly... if it wasn't for the fact the author wrote them answering correctly they never would've got it. "There's a broken column" would not translate to there's a growing rebellion outside to anyone else.
Also we have these isolated districts that manage to catch wind of the MC turning down an option to be an Elite and she has to travel to all the districts speaking to them about how grateful she is to the capital and how happy she is for her life there.... No really. All that to calm them down from rebelling. But then she gets to her district
Also there's some sort of superstition about killing people on Capital soil so they take people elsewhere to off. Yet we have a plus random murders here and there for disobedience. So clearly they don't mind killing people in the area outside of the capital. So why would they not just take people from the capital into the countryside where the districts are and kill them there? Why It's not like there's any moral hesitation over anything they're doing. Nothing should be holding them back from just killing them. But instead they do something that's crazy because there's a chance they will make it!
Talk about making all of their own problems. If they had just left what's her noodle in her district and let her had her choice to not go then no one would've thought anything of it. But by forcing her to go they created problems in the districts and the capital. By
Also where does this train go?! Because it doesn't go to the districts and there's no mention of any other city or place besides the capital and the districts. Do we legit have a train track that runs a couple hundred miles into the middle of nowhere just to ? That seems a crazy waste of resources.
In the end I really didn't enjoy the story and had so many problems with it that the thought of continuing on isn't palatable at all.
And then I'd stop and be thinking... I feel very much like I'm repeating the Hunger Games setup. So since other reviewers did a great job of highlighting that issue I'll let it lie.
The pacing was slow. The characters failed to entice me. All our MC does is ask questions that she never gets answers. I don't understand why the questions labeled her as "trouble". You can't tell me that EVERY person that came through that environment wouldn't have questions. I hardly think her asking what things are and where she is going and what's going on is unique.
We never really get to see the Elite town or any Elites, or any breeders outside of their cell. Like, surely this town isn't repopulating off one cell of like 7 breeders. And they're all sent to this area to work with the teenagers. So are there other Breeders in there that just never get mentioned? Or do they work elsewhere?
Like the MC I had tons of questions with little to no answers and it became frustrating.
There's a piece of paper with a stupid two lines on there that the MC takes FOREVER to read. I would've read that so much sooner. And of course both people who read it solved it right away or shortly after. And honestly... if it wasn't for the fact the author wrote them answering correctly they never would've got it. "There's a broken column" would not translate to there's a growing rebellion outside to anyone else.
Also we have these isolated districts that manage to catch wind of the MC turning down an option to be an Elite and she has to travel to all the districts speaking to them about how grateful she is to the capital and how happy she is for her life there.... No really. All that to calm them down from rebelling. But then she gets to her district
Also there's some sort of superstition about killing people on Capital soil so they take people elsewhere to off. Yet we have a plus random murders here and there for disobedience. So clearly they don't mind killing people in the area outside of the capital. So why would they not just take people from the capital into the countryside where the districts are and kill them there? Why It's not like there's any moral hesitation over anything they're doing. Nothing should be holding them back from just killing them. But instead they do something that's crazy because there's a chance they will make it!
Talk about making all of their own problems. If they had just left what's her noodle in her district and let her had her choice to not go then no one would've thought anything of it. But by forcing her to go they created problems in the districts and the capital. By
Also where does this train go?! Because it doesn't go to the districts and there's no mention of any other city or place besides the capital and the districts. Do we legit have a train track that runs a couple hundred miles into the middle of nowhere just to ? That seems a crazy waste of resources.
In the end I really didn't enjoy the story and had so many problems with it that the thought of continuing on isn't palatable at all.
July 7, 2022
The hard-working people of Lutum don’t have much joy in their lives, and even when they do, they’re not allowed to express it. Almost all of the products they cultivate or produce are taken away to sustain the wealthy Elites, who live in Olympus, a name chosen to reflect their god-like status. The reason they consider themselves to be gods is that they hold the key to one of humanity’s oldest dreams: immortality. The discovery of the serum that grants eternal life changed the course of history forever. The Elites decide who will be granted the right to Ascend, and each year, that right is promised to one of Lutum’s own. Through a lottery system designed to motivate them to work as hard as they can, one person may win an eternal life of luxury among the Elites.
When our protagonist and first-person narrator, Silverstasia “Silver” Blackwood unexpectedly wins the lottery, her reaction to her good fortune surprises the Elites and the people of Lutum alike. Driven by her love for her family and a keen sense of right and wrong rather than by a desire to be rich and immortal, Silver breaks the mold of what the Elites have come to expect from the people of Lutum. From her first day in Olympus, Silver gets the chance to look behind the facade and discover the kind of place this really is. She can’t reconcile everybody’s instructions not to question the Elites with the reality of how her people are treated. Her realizations tighten her resolve not to let injustice stand, as she tries to figure out whom she can trust and who wields the power that could make or break her.
While there are clear echoes of seminal dystopian works such as The Hunger Games and The Handmaid’s Tale in the oppressive system in place, Owens manages to make the story her own and give the characters depth. The plot moves forward rather quickly, as more and more of the secrets of Olympus come to light. The worldbuilding is immersive, even though it is limited to what Silver knows or sees, and there is often the sense that we would like to see more of Olympus. The flashbacks of Silver’s past are nicely incorporated into the story, but it would have been nice to see even more of her life in Lutum before she goes to Olympus in order to get to know her better so she doesn’t have to describe herself to the reader as part of her characterization. Her habit to parrot back words to the people she talks to as a question
(“Mr. Darwin knocked on the counter and I flinched. ‘Marble.’ ‘Marble?’ I repeated.”
“‘I will be providing your services today.’ ‘Services?'”)
might come across as a bit annoying, but it’s worth remembering that she’s a naturally curious teenager in a brand new place full of things she may have heard of, but never seen in Lutum.
The young women she meets and shares her lodgings in Olympus with are very diverse and interesting to read about. Regarding their characterization, again, it would have been more effective to show rather than tell what they are like, but it’s easy to understand that the space is limited and the author wanted to get on with the plot, which is very exciting. In light of the very traumatic things that happen to them, it would be great to see their feelings about what they go through addressed.
Chosen opens the YA dystopian series, "The Immortal Ones", and ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, as is transparently stated at the beginning of the book. There is certainly more to the story to be revealed in later books, and it promises to be a very thrilling ride. Apart from the tension and action, more worldbuilding and characterization, exploring the social issues at the core of the story will surely be among the most rewarding takeaways from the series.
When our protagonist and first-person narrator, Silverstasia “Silver” Blackwood unexpectedly wins the lottery, her reaction to her good fortune surprises the Elites and the people of Lutum alike. Driven by her love for her family and a keen sense of right and wrong rather than by a desire to be rich and immortal, Silver breaks the mold of what the Elites have come to expect from the people of Lutum. From her first day in Olympus, Silver gets the chance to look behind the facade and discover the kind of place this really is. She can’t reconcile everybody’s instructions not to question the Elites with the reality of how her people are treated. Her realizations tighten her resolve not to let injustice stand, as she tries to figure out whom she can trust and who wields the power that could make or break her.
While there are clear echoes of seminal dystopian works such as The Hunger Games and The Handmaid’s Tale in the oppressive system in place, Owens manages to make the story her own and give the characters depth. The plot moves forward rather quickly, as more and more of the secrets of Olympus come to light. The worldbuilding is immersive, even though it is limited to what Silver knows or sees, and there is often the sense that we would like to see more of Olympus. The flashbacks of Silver’s past are nicely incorporated into the story, but it would have been nice to see even more of her life in Lutum before she goes to Olympus in order to get to know her better so she doesn’t have to describe herself to the reader as part of her characterization. Her habit to parrot back words to the people she talks to as a question
(“Mr. Darwin knocked on the counter and I flinched. ‘Marble.’ ‘Marble?’ I repeated.”
“‘I will be providing your services today.’ ‘Services?'”)
might come across as a bit annoying, but it’s worth remembering that she’s a naturally curious teenager in a brand new place full of things she may have heard of, but never seen in Lutum.
The young women she meets and shares her lodgings in Olympus with are very diverse and interesting to read about. Regarding their characterization, again, it would have been more effective to show rather than tell what they are like, but it’s easy to understand that the space is limited and the author wanted to get on with the plot, which is very exciting. In light of the very traumatic things that happen to them, it would be great to see their feelings about what they go through addressed.
Chosen opens the YA dystopian series, "The Immortal Ones", and ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, as is transparently stated at the beginning of the book. There is certainly more to the story to be revealed in later books, and it promises to be a very thrilling ride. Apart from the tension and action, more worldbuilding and characterization, exploring the social issues at the core of the story will surely be among the most rewarding takeaways from the series.
April 18, 2022
Primero de todo, muchas gracias a la autora y a BookSirens por darme una copia de este libro.
## ADVIERTO QUE ESTA RESEÑA ES TOTALMENTE VOLUNTARIA##
Sinceramente, tengo que decir que este libro se me ha sido otorgado hoy a las 13:56. Digo esto dado que son las 22:03, lo cual ya demuestra lo mucho que me ha enganchado el libro ya que en unas meras 6 / 7 horas me lo he terminado.
Tengo que añadir que últimamente estoy pasando por una fase en las que quiero leer sólo libros de romance, por lo que me ha sorprendido lo mucho que me ha gustado este libro.
Este libro mucha gente lo compara con los "Hunger games" y es verdad que encuentro las similitudes, pero es que a mi personalmente, el último libro de "the Hunger games", no me gustó nada de nada por lo que hacía tiempo que no me metía a fondo con una serie de libros distópica.
Bueno, en resumen, el libro está chulo, vale la pena leerlo, es verdad que hay momentos en los que me hubiese gustado que la autora los explicase mejor dado que era como ¡BAM! y pasa (no sé si me explico jajajaja) pero en general es un buen libro y aceptable para casi todas las edades.
ADVIERTO QUE TE DEJA CON GANAS DE MÁS DADO QUE TIENE UN FINAL BRUSCO
### REVIEW IN ENGLISH ###
First of all, many thanks to the author and BookSirens for giving me a copy of this book.
##PLEASE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT THIS REVIEW IS ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY##.
Honestly, I have to say that this book was given to me today at 13:56. I highlight this, given that right now I'm writing the review at 22:03, which already shows how much I was hooked by the book as in a mere 6 / 7 hours I finished it.
I have to add that I'm going through a phase lately where I want to read only romance books, so I was surprised at how much I liked this book.
A lot of people compare this book to the "Hunger games" and it is true that I find the similarities, but for me personally, the last book of "the Hunger games", I didn't like it at all, so it had been a long time since I got into a dystopian book series and I hope that the next books are as good as this one and they don't go down from here.
Well, just keeping it simple, the book is cool, worth reading, it is true that there are moments in which I would have liked the author to explain them better since it was like BAM! and it happens (I do not know if I am explaining myself hahahaha) but in general it is a good book and acceptable for almost all ages.
I DO WARN THAT IT LEAVES YOU WANTING MORE SINCE IT HAS AN ABRUPT ENDING.
## ADVIERTO QUE ESTA RESEÑA ES TOTALMENTE VOLUNTARIA##
Sinceramente, tengo que decir que este libro se me ha sido otorgado hoy a las 13:56. Digo esto dado que son las 22:03, lo cual ya demuestra lo mucho que me ha enganchado el libro ya que en unas meras 6 / 7 horas me lo he terminado.
Tengo que añadir que últimamente estoy pasando por una fase en las que quiero leer sólo libros de romance, por lo que me ha sorprendido lo mucho que me ha gustado este libro.
Este libro mucha gente lo compara con los "Hunger games" y es verdad que encuentro las similitudes, pero es que a mi personalmente, el último libro de "the Hunger games", no me gustó nada de nada por lo que hacía tiempo que no me metía a fondo con una serie de libros distópica.
Bueno, en resumen, el libro está chulo, vale la pena leerlo, es verdad que hay momentos en los que me hubiese gustado que la autora los explicase mejor dado que era como ¡BAM! y pasa (no sé si me explico jajajaja) pero en general es un buen libro y aceptable para casi todas las edades.
ADVIERTO QUE TE DEJA CON GANAS DE MÁS DADO QUE TIENE UN FINAL BRUSCO
### REVIEW IN ENGLISH ###
First of all, many thanks to the author and BookSirens for giving me a copy of this book.
##PLEASE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT THIS REVIEW IS ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY##.
Honestly, I have to say that this book was given to me today at 13:56. I highlight this, given that right now I'm writing the review at 22:03, which already shows how much I was hooked by the book as in a mere 6 / 7 hours I finished it.
I have to add that I'm going through a phase lately where I want to read only romance books, so I was surprised at how much I liked this book.
A lot of people compare this book to the "Hunger games" and it is true that I find the similarities, but for me personally, the last book of "the Hunger games", I didn't like it at all, so it had been a long time since I got into a dystopian book series and I hope that the next books are as good as this one and they don't go down from here.
Well, just keeping it simple, the book is cool, worth reading, it is true that there are moments in which I would have liked the author to explain them better since it was like BAM! and it happens (I do not know if I am explaining myself hahahaha) but in general it is a good book and acceptable for almost all ages.
I DO WARN THAT IT LEAVES YOU WANTING MORE SINCE IT HAS AN ABRUPT ENDING.
June 18, 2025
I wanted to love Chosen by Shade Owens. The concept? Awesome. An immortality serum handed out once a year to the elite via lottery while the rest of society toils away in hunger and hopelessness? Yes, please, sign me up for the trauma. But unfortunately, this book ended up being like that one friend who tells you they’ve got the plan, and three hours later you’re still in their car, halfway through a detour that makes zero sense.
Let’s start with the obvious: if you’ve read The Hunger Games, get ready for some serious déjà vu. We’ve got Divisions (which are just Districts in a knockoff wig), a stoic girl with a tragic past, a rigged selection ceremony, and a whole lot of “down with the system!” energy. But it didn’t feel like a tribute—it felt like déjà vu that overstayed its welcome.
Then there’s Silver, our leading lady, who somehow manages to cause absolute chaos by doing... the opposite of what anyone with eyes and instincts would do. Every time someone warns her, she hears “challenge accepted” and sprints toward the danger like it's an Olympic sport. I wanted to root for her, I tried, but by page 150, I was mentally yelling “girl, PLEASE” every five minutes.
And the pacing. Oh boy. Imagine an entire book preparing you for something big, layering on mystery after mystery, and then BAM—the ending slaps you in the face like a plot twist on fast-forward.
Honestly, the ending was great. It was bold, intense, and made me go “OH!” Out loud. But it also came out of nowhere and left me with more questions than answers. Like being served a three-course meal where the appetizer is a six-hour explanation of the ingredients, the main course is missing, and dessert is a pie to the face.
So yeah, 3 stars for ideas and what it could have been. I mean the premise is there. But between the recycled world-building, the runaway-train protagonist, and the overstuffed setup with a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it payoff… I just didn’t love it.
Pros: Cool concept. Killer ending. Excellent use of the phrase “Ambrosia Serum.”
Cons: A main character who has never met a bad idea she didn’t love. Feels like The Hunger Games’ less organized cousin. Spent 300 pages, building suspense, and 5 throwing hands.
Final thoughts: Would I read the sequel? ... probably not. but I’m petty, and I need closure, so who knows.
Let’s start with the obvious: if you’ve read The Hunger Games, get ready for some serious déjà vu. We’ve got Divisions (which are just Districts in a knockoff wig), a stoic girl with a tragic past, a rigged selection ceremony, and a whole lot of “down with the system!” energy. But it didn’t feel like a tribute—it felt like déjà vu that overstayed its welcome.
Then there’s Silver, our leading lady, who somehow manages to cause absolute chaos by doing... the opposite of what anyone with eyes and instincts would do. Every time someone warns her, she hears “challenge accepted” and sprints toward the danger like it's an Olympic sport. I wanted to root for her, I tried, but by page 150, I was mentally yelling “girl, PLEASE” every five minutes.
And the pacing. Oh boy. Imagine an entire book preparing you for something big, layering on mystery after mystery, and then BAM—the ending slaps you in the face like a plot twist on fast-forward.
Honestly, the ending was great. It was bold, intense, and made me go “OH!” Out loud. But it also came out of nowhere and left me with more questions than answers. Like being served a three-course meal where the appetizer is a six-hour explanation of the ingredients, the main course is missing, and dessert is a pie to the face.
So yeah, 3 stars for ideas and what it could have been. I mean the premise is there. But between the recycled world-building, the runaway-train protagonist, and the overstuffed setup with a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it payoff… I just didn’t love it.
Pros: Cool concept. Killer ending. Excellent use of the phrase “Ambrosia Serum.”
Cons: A main character who has never met a bad idea she didn’t love. Feels like The Hunger Games’ less organized cousin. Spent 300 pages, building suspense, and 5 throwing hands.
Final thoughts: Would I read the sequel? ... probably not. but I’m petty, and I need closure, so who knows.
August 10, 2024
First of all, as a fan of The Hunger Games (and dystopian stories in general), as well as most vampire novels, I really enjoyed the concept of 'Chosen', the first book in The Immortal Ones series by Shade Owens. Even though much of the storyline in this book is quite similar to The Hunger Games (the different divisions, instead of districts, producing a specific item for the benefit of President Crane as opposed to President Snow, and has defenders rather than peacekeepers, along with a teenaged girl chosen by lottery who's ready to take down the system), this story, for the most part, does become its own... and it's good.
That said, Silver drove me to the edge of insanity. I almost gave up listening 3 or 4 times. The overall plot itself is what kept me going. While the narrator did fine, I'm unsure whether her delivery helped make Silver so annoying (because I think it might have emphasized how clueless Silver was... about anything and everything). Silver had to be the dumbest main character in all the many, many books I've read (or listened to) which made her unlikeable. That fact alone would've kept me from going any further with the series, except for the reviews of the second installment of The Immortal Ones, which assures Silver isn't nearly as annoying or clueless in book 2. Therefore, since I'm curious just how Silver and the camp of girls training to take on Olympus (sorry if it's misspelled; I listened rather than read the book) will fare, I'm gonna give it a shot.
So, here's the deal. If you can handle a main character who stupidly questions literally everything... for example (and I may be paraphrasing by a word or two): 'maybe I shouldn't have asked,' or 'maybe I shouldn't have done that,' et al. No duh! How many times were you told not to ask or not to do that?! ... then I would recommend 'Chosen'. However, if you can't abide seriously clueless main characters (even though they are supposedly destined for great things), you might want to give this book a pass.
That said, Silver drove me to the edge of insanity. I almost gave up listening 3 or 4 times. The overall plot itself is what kept me going. While the narrator did fine, I'm unsure whether her delivery helped make Silver so annoying (because I think it might have emphasized how clueless Silver was... about anything and everything). Silver had to be the dumbest main character in all the many, many books I've read (or listened to) which made her unlikeable. That fact alone would've kept me from going any further with the series, except for the reviews of the second installment of The Immortal Ones, which assures Silver isn't nearly as annoying or clueless in book 2. Therefore, since I'm curious just how Silver and the camp of girls training to take on Olympus (sorry if it's misspelled; I listened rather than read the book) will fare, I'm gonna give it a shot.
So, here's the deal. If you can handle a main character who stupidly questions literally everything... for example (and I may be paraphrasing by a word or two): 'maybe I shouldn't have asked,' or 'maybe I shouldn't have done that,' et al. No duh! How many times were you told not to ask or not to do that?! ... then I would recommend 'Chosen'. However, if you can't abide seriously clueless main characters (even though they are supposedly destined for great things), you might want to give this book a pass.
April 7, 2022
This story takes place in a world where immorality is attainable, in the aftermath of the wars that destroyed our structed way of life. Where the class lines have become a chasm. Elites the ruling class are individuals with wealth and power, brought their dose of immorality, live in the opulence of Olympus. While the working class of Lutum have been divided into divisions forced to work their assigned task until they lay down and die. Looking forward only to the day when their division is chosen to participate in the lottery. The lottery gives one "lucky" winner the opportunity to go to Olympus, gifted their dose of immortality and to live out the rest of their lives in peace. Too bad everything is not always what it seems. Silver is one of this years winners causing an uproar when she declined the offer to Olympus and immoratilty. As this is not allowed Silver is taken and shown the reality of her situation and world. This story would have been at home when dystopians were really popular in the early 2000's. I would recommend to anyone that enjoyed reading "Handmaiden's Tale”, "Hunger Games" and Joe Hart's "The Last Girl". This was heavily influenced by the first two and no one can tell me different besides the author. I was little disappointed by Silver's personally, she should be alot more scrappy. She is basically a closeted bookworm, naïve and lacks a survival instinct. She usually gets out of situations with nothing more than dumb luck and a moral compass that always points north. It does end on somewhat of a cliff hanger nothing to bad. "Beyond the horzion,a crumbled solum will reach the sky" cannot wait to see how that looks. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 22, 2022
I’ll be honest … I was floored by this book. I went into it with medium expectations, and it blew me away. Fast-paced and well-written, I totally zoned out and time stood still as I was reading.
Shade Owens is a new author to me and I’m excited to read more of her books. At the start, there was a definite Hunger Games vibe which lessened as the story went on and became more involved. I absolutely LOVED The Hunger Games – movies and book series – so I very much enjoyed Chosen.
Chosen is basically about two groups of people: the people of Lutum and the Elites in Olympus. Lutum is where all the hard-working people are kept, basically slaves. The Elites are self-entitled, corrupt, and unlikeable, but everyone in Lutum wants to be an Elite so that their lives are better.
The main character, Silverstasia Blackwood (mostly known as Silver), is a really believable and likeable character, brave and honourable. She has just turned 17 and lives in Lutum with her mother and grandmother. Chosen takes us on her journey of discovering who she is and what she’s willing to do for herself and for others. There are lots of twists along the way and things aren’t what they seem.
If you’re looking for an edgy, sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat, twisty page-turner with every emotion, then this one is for you. If it weren’t for life getting in the way, I would have read Chosen in one sitting (I hated having to put it down). Beware though, Chosen ends in a cliff-hanger.
Thank you to the author for providing me with this free eBook in exchange for an honest review! For my full book review, please head over to my blog, chocolatebookscats.wordpress.com.
Shade Owens is a new author to me and I’m excited to read more of her books. At the start, there was a definite Hunger Games vibe which lessened as the story went on and became more involved. I absolutely LOVED The Hunger Games – movies and book series – so I very much enjoyed Chosen.
Chosen is basically about two groups of people: the people of Lutum and the Elites in Olympus. Lutum is where all the hard-working people are kept, basically slaves. The Elites are self-entitled, corrupt, and unlikeable, but everyone in Lutum wants to be an Elite so that their lives are better.
The main character, Silverstasia Blackwood (mostly known as Silver), is a really believable and likeable character, brave and honourable. She has just turned 17 and lives in Lutum with her mother and grandmother. Chosen takes us on her journey of discovering who she is and what she’s willing to do for herself and for others. There are lots of twists along the way and things aren’t what they seem.
If you’re looking for an edgy, sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat, twisty page-turner with every emotion, then this one is for you. If it weren’t for life getting in the way, I would have read Chosen in one sitting (I hated having to put it down). Beware though, Chosen ends in a cliff-hanger.
Thank you to the author for providing me with this free eBook in exchange for an honest review! For my full book review, please head over to my blog, chocolatebookscats.wordpress.com.
February 11, 2022
thank you for the book! it was a great story:
I choose it for the prologue and I couldn't put it down in 3 days.
The story got me from the first page, a distopian country where they are so poor and so mistreated it made me wonder why they were like that and I wanted to know from the beggining.
We have a main character who is Silver. A girl who was born in Lutum the poor side of the country.
Despite being in this enviroment, she is very innocent, intelligent and with a born sense of justice.
I really enjoyed the difference of this character from the others that we had read like other distopian stories.
Silver was content to live that lifestyle because she didn't know better and she was so smat that I was surprised that she understood situations, words and things so quickly.
I felt that Silver was the character that I understood very well but the others I haven't gotten to know better I hope that in the other books they will be better presented to us.
I also liked how the author described the buildings, houses, costumes and the places where the characters stood. It was so well written.
But, sometimes I felt that some situations weren't explained. As if a situation had to have happened before that made them reach a conclusion but you didn't What it was.
I keep feeling that the story have more potential I don't know if in the next books will explain better. I really hope so.
Besides this I would recommend 100% the book if you are starting with dystopian stories you will enjoyed.
I choose it for the prologue and I couldn't put it down in 3 days.
The story got me from the first page, a distopian country where they are so poor and so mistreated it made me wonder why they were like that and I wanted to know from the beggining.
We have a main character who is Silver. A girl who was born in Lutum the poor side of the country.
Despite being in this enviroment, she is very innocent, intelligent and with a born sense of justice.
I really enjoyed the difference of this character from the others that we had read like other distopian stories.
Silver was content to live that lifestyle because she didn't know better and she was so smat that I was surprised that she understood situations, words and things so quickly.
I felt that Silver was the character that I understood very well but the others I haven't gotten to know better I hope that in the other books they will be better presented to us.
I also liked how the author described the buildings, houses, costumes and the places where the characters stood. It was so well written.
But, sometimes I felt that some situations weren't explained. As if a situation had to have happened before that made them reach a conclusion but you didn't What it was.
I keep feeling that the story have more potential I don't know if in the next books will explain better. I really hope so.
Besides this I would recommend 100% the book if you are starting with dystopian stories you will enjoyed.
September 21, 2021
This is the kind of story that I can’t really talk about the story or I will give spoilers, so I will talk about my feelings about this book, at first, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to read it all and I was getting a bit bored and lost at how the story was going, and this was until the first punch on the face moment… less than 12% into the book.
And after that I got entangled on the story, I couldn’t really put the kindle down, and when I couldn’t read, I was thinking about Silverstasia and the things she didn’t know or that she learned about her situation and her world. She was the kind of hero in a dystopia that I love, she knows that things are messed up on her world and she reacts even before thinking, sometimes she regrets others she just keeps on… I loved her grandma and hatted her mother, we learn, later in the book, about another parent on her sector and what happened before, but I don’t think that explains her mother hardness, maybe we’ll learn more about that in the next book.
This was a great read!, I recommend this one to people who love dystopic stories in where things aren’t what they seem. It’s a fast read, at first seems a bit slow and the tittle of the book comes true before 12% in the book and is after that that things start moving and happening, and truth be told, they start happening fast! I really want to see this story finished.
I got an ARC of this book for free through bookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
And after that I got entangled on the story, I couldn’t really put the kindle down, and when I couldn’t read, I was thinking about Silverstasia and the things she didn’t know or that she learned about her situation and her world. She was the kind of hero in a dystopia that I love, she knows that things are messed up on her world and she reacts even before thinking, sometimes she regrets others she just keeps on… I loved her grandma and hatted her mother, we learn, later in the book, about another parent on her sector and what happened before, but I don’t think that explains her mother hardness, maybe we’ll learn more about that in the next book.
This was a great read!, I recommend this one to people who love dystopic stories in where things aren’t what they seem. It’s a fast read, at first seems a bit slow and the tittle of the book comes true before 12% in the book and is after that that things start moving and happening, and truth be told, they start happening fast! I really want to see this story finished.
I got an ARC of this book for free through bookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 13, 2021
Dystopian novels aren't really my cup of tea but since I wanted to explore a different genre, I decided to pick up this copy.
At first, after reading the synopsis it gave me Hunger Games vibe which was a novel that I read way back in my younger years. It has a lottery, price, and even like the hunger games have districts that, but if you are looking for a side of romance well, unfortunately, this book does not have it.
Imagine a world of no books, no studies, and even a display of emotions and having to work all day to earn points for a chance to win the lottery and receive the serum for immortal life, sounds exciting well for Silver it is not. At the start of the story, we already know why it was the title of the book, simply because she refused it but when she was forced to go to Olympic, that is where the story truly became exciting as the secrets of the rich start to unravel and how the lottery, the picture of dreams, hope and aspirations are not true but it was another way of how the rich exploit the poor. Here we see the protagonist, Silver fight for the injustices with her unwavering strength.
The book at first didn't pick my interest but as I read more it made me want to read faster to know the ending, the book literally made me grip on my chair as I was reading and I can't wait for the next book for this series to know what will happen to Silver.
I received an advance review copy for free from booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
At first, after reading the synopsis it gave me Hunger Games vibe which was a novel that I read way back in my younger years. It has a lottery, price, and even like the hunger games have districts that, but if you are looking for a side of romance well, unfortunately, this book does not have it.
Imagine a world of no books, no studies, and even a display of emotions and having to work all day to earn points for a chance to win the lottery and receive the serum for immortal life, sounds exciting well for Silver it is not. At the start of the story, we already know why it was the title of the book, simply because she refused it but when she was forced to go to Olympic, that is where the story truly became exciting as the secrets of the rich start to unravel and how the lottery, the picture of dreams, hope and aspirations are not true but it was another way of how the rich exploit the poor. Here we see the protagonist, Silver fight for the injustices with her unwavering strength.
The book at first didn't pick my interest but as I read more it made me want to read faster to know the ending, the book literally made me grip on my chair as I was reading and I can't wait for the next book for this series to know what will happen to Silver.
I received an advance review copy for free from booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 7, 2023
Dystopia is one of my favorite genres, and sometimes books or series of this genre don’t seem to stand out as wholly unique, initially. I waited to review this book for several days and at this point I’ve finished the fourth book.
These books are written brilliantly and they are quite original. It actually makes me sad how few reviews/ratings there are because I think they should be mainstream. Maybe dystopia isn’t as popular as it once was? But if you live in the USA like I do, I think you should be reading all of the dystopia you can get your hands on.
Silver wasn’t my favorite character at first, but the girl has grown on me. Maybe her lack of education and world experience was part of it, I’m not sure, but it certainly isn’t fair to her. Growing up a slave to people who are literally immortal gives a person a lot of leeway in not knowing much. She’s really a brave person, and willing to do a lot more than the average person in this series, simply because it’s right. You have to love these kinds of characters.
Anyway, something else I really enjoy about these books, which of course I’ll be vague as this is the first book, is that it isn’t romance driven. I know smut and “spicy” is really in right now, and that’s awesome for the people who love it. But I need substance and plot and sometimes, I don’t want to see a spark at all between my characters lol.
I’ve been reading these books in roughly 3 hours or so, so it isn’t heavy reading, but the world building is there. I’ve had wet eyes a few times, I’ve cheered for the successes and mourned their setbacks. I will absolutely recommend this series to anyone I know who likes dystopia. Unfortunately most of my friends don’t read. But hey, a girl can try, right?
TL;DR: if you like dystopia, read these books.
These books are written brilliantly and they are quite original. It actually makes me sad how few reviews/ratings there are because I think they should be mainstream. Maybe dystopia isn’t as popular as it once was? But if you live in the USA like I do, I think you should be reading all of the dystopia you can get your hands on.
Silver wasn’t my favorite character at first, but the girl has grown on me. Maybe her lack of education and world experience was part of it, I’m not sure, but it certainly isn’t fair to her. Growing up a slave to people who are literally immortal gives a person a lot of leeway in not knowing much. She’s really a brave person, and willing to do a lot more than the average person in this series, simply because it’s right. You have to love these kinds of characters.
Anyway, something else I really enjoy about these books, which of course I’ll be vague as this is the first book, is that it isn’t romance driven. I know smut and “spicy” is really in right now, and that’s awesome for the people who love it. But I need substance and plot and sometimes, I don’t want to see a spark at all between my characters lol.
I’ve been reading these books in roughly 3 hours or so, so it isn’t heavy reading, but the world building is there. I’ve had wet eyes a few times, I’ve cheered for the successes and mourned their setbacks. I will absolutely recommend this series to anyone I know who likes dystopia. Unfortunately most of my friends don’t read. But hey, a girl can try, right?
TL;DR: if you like dystopia, read these books.
February 1, 2022
4.5 stars!
I received an advance review copy of this eBook for free from the author and BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily as a courtesy.
As other reviewers have said, this book is in the vein of The Hunger Games and 1984 (and I think with a wee bit of A Handmaid's Tale with the Breeders idea). However, this dystopian novel takes us on a wholly original and engaging journey of a young woman as she is chosen for immortal life in Olympus. A life that she does not want.
The people of Lutum are the Producers. They slave away (literally) to give the Elites of Olympus all of the food and other goods that they could ever want or need, all in the hopes of winning a spot in the lottery to be chosen for immortal life. But this supposed immortal life isn't all it's cracked up to be, and the winners of the lottery find themselves as slaves in a much stranger way.
This book caught me hook, line, and sinker, and reeled me in so fast and hard that I couldn't let go! This dystopian tale is one that you don't want to miss. It will keep you turning pages up until the cliffhanger at the end! Shade Owens does not disappoint and I look forward to following this tale when it continues!
I received an advance review copy of this eBook for free from the author and BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily as a courtesy.
As other reviewers have said, this book is in the vein of The Hunger Games and 1984 (and I think with a wee bit of A Handmaid's Tale with the Breeders idea). However, this dystopian novel takes us on a wholly original and engaging journey of a young woman as she is chosen for immortal life in Olympus. A life that she does not want.
The people of Lutum are the Producers. They slave away (literally) to give the Elites of Olympus all of the food and other goods that they could ever want or need, all in the hopes of winning a spot in the lottery to be chosen for immortal life. But this supposed immortal life isn't all it's cracked up to be, and the winners of the lottery find themselves as slaves in a much stranger way.
This book caught me hook, line, and sinker, and reeled me in so fast and hard that I couldn't let go! This dystopian tale is one that you don't want to miss. It will keep you turning pages up until the cliffhanger at the end! Shade Owens does not disappoint and I look forward to following this tale when it continues!
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