Behind the Gates

Tomorrow Girls #1

by Eva Gray

In a terrifying future world, four girls must depend on each other if they want to survive.Louisa is nervous about being sent away to a boarding school -- but she's excited, too. And she has her best friend, Maddie, to keep her company. The girls have to pretend to be twin sisters, which Louisa thinks just adds to the adventure!Country Manor School isn't all excitement, though. Louisa isn't sure how she feels about her new athletic but snobby Rosie and everything's-a-conspiracy Evelyn. Even Maddie seems different away from home, quiet and worried all the time.Still, Louisa loves CMS -- the survival skills classes, the fresh air. She doesn't even miss not having a TV, or the internet, or any contact with home. It's for their own safety, after all.Or is it?

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Middle Grade, Adventure, Childrens, Mystery

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 22, 2011

About the author

Eva Gray lives in Chicago and enjoys reading, cooking, and camping. Though she doesn't expect to need them in the near future, Eva keeps lots of extra batteries for her flashlight and a stock of canned food in her pantry.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Reviews

[Evelyn (Ev’s Novel Delights) · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Clean book review; Dystopian secular fiction)

Book one in the Tomorrow Girls series.

This wasn’t the first time I’ve read this book, but it was still a cute, and fun read!
Each book of the series has a different girl’s POV..and this first book was in Louisa’s POV.
Louisa was just a great person overall. The other girls: Rosie, Evelyn, and Maddie were all different but they helped balance each other out.. with Rosie being more of the leader-y athletic type, Evelyn (she has MY NAME btw!) being the smart thinking type, and Maddie being the worried and kind type. Louisa is like the glue in her friendship circles. She tries to keep her friends together; and that was sort of relatable to me! It was very refreshing to see.🌻

The plot was cool; not super twisty or intricate, but had a nice basis for the story.
And that ending was not an ending at all! (Small cliffhanger alert!🚨) Even now, that I’m older, I still wanted to snatch the second book from my shelf after reading this one!

Being honest, instead of being super annoyed at the school.. I actually kind of liked it, because of the curiosity it arose in me. 🙃

In conclusion, I enjoyed this reread! I could see young girls enjoying this Middle Grade/YA and relate to it.

⚠️ Age recommendation: 12+

My rating: 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ages 10-12 rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ages 13-14 rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ages 15-16 rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️


Sexual Content:
No romance.. just some talk of crushes and cute boys. A mention of not being boy crazy.
A mention of not being able to look into a certain boys eyes. Some noticing of boys, their appearance and affirming that they’re cute. Attraction.

Profanity:
A few stupids, and idiot was said once. Hellhole is said once (wasn’t a curse), and a form of heck.

Violence:
Very, very light.
Some mentions of wanting to vomit and a person actually vomiting. Evelyn has conspiracy theories about the school. Some mentions of having to kill an animal to eat while you’re in survival.

Trigger Warnings:
None

POV’s: Louisa Ballinger
211 pages


This was a great little story to finish in one night! I hope to review the second book soon!

[Giovanni Gelati · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Middle school book to share with my youngest daughter on occasion is fun and breaks things up a bit. Next week I will be reading a Brett Battles middle school novel, and sometime later I believe the new John Grisham YA novel also. Okay let’s get this rolling along and find out what is between the covers:
“In a terrifying future world, four girls must depend on each other if they want to survive.
Louisa is nervous about being sent away to a boarding school -- but she’s excited, too. And she has her best friend, Maddie, to keep her company. The girls have to pretend to be twin sisters, which Louisa thinks just adds to the adventure!
Country Manor School isn’t all excitement, though. Louisa isn’t sure how she feels about her new roommates: athletic but snobby Rosie and everything’s-a-conspiracy Evelyn. Even Maddie seems different away from home, quiet and worried all the time.
Still, Louisa loves CMS -- the survival skills classes, the fresh air. She doesn’t even miss not having a TV, or the internet, or any contact with home. It’s for their own safety, after all.
Or is it?”
I couldn’t imagine being involved in this stuff when I was at this age. If this is to be the future, it looks a bit bleak. Eva Grey creates a world that does not thrill me, so if I get to live to see the day when her novel takes place hopefully I will have my own private island where everybody is happy and secure. As bleak and foreboding as this all was though I enjoyed the characters, the dialogue and the plotline, I definitely will continue to read this series.
Things have changed around here. I am now the published author of “Down Low- Dead” with Vincent Zandri, “The Jersey Shore Has Eyes” with Big Daddy Abel”, “G.S.I Gelati’s Scoop Investigations Psychotic Detectives” with Thomas White, and the soon to be released “Who Whacked The Blogger” with Benjamin Sobieck, “Thad and The G-Man’s Most Awesome Adventure” with Thad Brown and “Hotel Beamont” with B.R. Stateham. All the stories are available @ Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and Smashwords. I am also the host of the wildly popular The G-ZONE blogtalk radio show. Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com

[Peep (Pop! Pop!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ended up liking this one. It almost could be Young Adult, not because of the subject, just because of the interactions between the girls. I don't know how many books are planned for the series, but if you took the first five books and squished them into one book, it could definitely pass as a young adult book. But because of the length and the lightness, it's more middle grade.

The way that Louisa and her friends interacted was good. At times I had to remind myself that they weren't 16 year olds, even if they acted like it (as far as maturity and interaction with one another goes). It's crazy to think that some of the YA books I read have characters that aren't even as mature as these girls.

It was a little slower than I'm used to, and not much action, but I think it's perfect for the targeted age group. I liked that the girls had to try to figure out who to trust and how to adapt to their new surroundings. Really, whenever I read about what life used to be like (in these dystopian books) it always gives me the creeps. Makes me wonder how in the world would I survive if I lived in their world.

The book ends on a pretty big cliffhanger, but it's a pretty good one that'll make you seek out the next book. I know I would love to see how things turn out. It's clean and pretty straight forward. You get a glimpse of what life is like, but it's not too graphic or anything. So all in all I'd say that this book is perfect for the younger teen just getting their feet wet in the dystopian world.

[Kelly (Maybedog) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The characters were very real to me but there wasn't really a plot through most of the book. It was obvious we are suppose to think the school is evil but it sounds like an amazing place, environmental, focusing on people and personal strength rather than technology. Phys Ed is constructive teaching the kids the kinds of thing they learn at outdoor camp. I also did t get a very good feel for the War and what was really happening in these girls lives before arriving here. But it was a decent read and I think it will appeal to some girls. I've started reading the next one to my daughter although she's not that thrilled.

[Sara Esa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I already finished reading this book, and it was really good, can't wait to read book 3 and 4

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slightly edited version is also posted on Luxury Reading and a shortened version is posted on my blog, Books and a Cup of Tea.


Louisa lives in a world plagued with war. Nothing is the same, and it seems nothing will ever be the same again.

In order to protect her and her friend Maddie, Louisa's parents send them to a boarding school called Country Manor School, where they have to pretend to be twin sisters. But when they arrive, things just start getting weirder and weirder. First, they have to hand over all electronics and jewelry for "safe keeping." They are told that there are no phone towers or anything to power their electronics. No phone service, television service, or internet service.

Then, they are repeatedly called the "girls of Tomorrow" and are taught outdoor surviving skills like sharp shooting, archery, making a fire, and foraging for edible plants and berries. Louisa is enjoying all these new and exciting things to do, but Maddie is not.

Maddie becomes friends with a conspiracy theorist, Evelyn and starts feeding into all the theories that Evelyn spouts off. Maddie starts believing that CMS is not quite what it seems, either.

So are they just paranoid? Or is there something else going on?


I hadn't heard much about Tomorrow Girls: Behind the Gates, but I decided to give it a shot anyway, because the premise sounded very intriguing. I'm quite glad I did.

I believe that Behind the Gates can be classified as middle grade fiction or juvenile young adult. The main characters are thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds and you can tell they sometimes have a younger voice. They do seem to have an older voice and opinion at times, though. This did not bother me at all. In fact, I enjoyed reading a younger view for a change. But if you prefer the main characters to be older or act older, then this will be a con for you.

Louisa is the main character of Behind the Gates, as the book is told in first person from her view. She likes CMS and doesn't see why some people don't like it. Her liking the school and Maddie disliking the school causes them to grow apart. Maddie starts annoying Louisa with all her negativity. This sort of bothered me about Louisa, because it seems like she plain just dropped Maddie. And she did, but she realizes her mistake and she tries to fix it.

Every character had a personality, but I believe that Gray could have gone more in depth with them. I'm reluctant on saying this fact, though, because I'm sure each character will continue to grow more depth as the series goes on. This is why this small set back didn't really bother me.

The writing was simple, but great. I got a picture in my mind of what Gray was telling me. My only disappointment with the writing, was that I wish Gray would have written more about the world and how the War came about and what exactly was going on. I was confused about those details, I just knew a war was going on. I am, again, reluctant on saying this, because I believe that Gray will go in more depth with the world as the series goes on.

With that said, the plot was great. The middle of the book could have had more action or something going on, as it was just Louisa going from class to class, liking the school more and becoming friends with Rosie, the fourth main character. And of course Evelyn still saying she had a bad feeling about the place.

Things finally pick up though at the end, and it left me wanting to read the next book, which of course is a good thing. I did not anticipate the ending and I was satisfied by it.

Overall, Behind the Gates was a very good first book in a series, and I will be reading the second. If you can look past the few gripes I had and have hope for the series, like I did, I'm sure you'll find this book enjoyable and a fast read.

I give Tomorrow Girls: Behind the Gates a 3 out of 5.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this middle grade dystopian focusing on four young teenage girls at a boarding school. Dystopian is the big thing right now and I'm excited to see it being written for the MG crowd as well. Tomorrow Girls is a fast, fun read that is perfect for the middle grade reader.


Eva Gray introduces the reader to a world that has been destroyed by war - a war that is still going on - and four girls that are sent to a boarding school by their parents. The main characters are Louisa and Maddie - best friends who are pretending to be sisters so Maddie can get into CMS with Louisa. CMS is suppose to be the best school for the girls - but when they get there weird things start to happen and Maddie starts to question her surroundings while Louisa thrives in the atmosphere.


When they get to CMS all the girls are stripped of any type of technology, jewlery, etc. - anything that has any meaning to them. When they question anything about the school they are given no answers and are not allowed to see/talk to their parents. Pretty scary, huh? I would be freakin' out. I'm 28 years old and talk to my mom at LEAST once a day. (Let's be real - it's probably 3 times a day.)


As Louisa and Maddie become more involved in the activities of the school - they start to realize that some things aren't as they seem and maybe it's not for their safety after all.


Being a middle school librarian, I was so happy to get this book for review. It is definitely something that I want on my shelves for them to read. While it is dystopian, it is also about survival, loyalty, and thinking for your self and not following the crowd. There were some things that I saw coming but if a younger student was reading this book I think they would totally be shocked. Gray really does a great job of crafting the story and taking a young reader on some twists and turns.


Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I don't mind that it is directed at a younger audience - it is still a fun, fast read and I'm thoroughly looking forward to the next book in the series to see how the girls survive all the twists that were thrown at them in Behind the Gates.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a different take on the usual high school theme. Four girls are sent to school in the future where the United States is at war with the Alliance. For their own safety, they surrender all electronic devices, jewelry, and even their personal identification bracelets. They are then trained in the fine arts of survival in the wild, archery, sharp shooting, canoeing, and occasionally English and other studies.

It's grueling. It's difficult. The roommates don't always like each other and they have different personalities that grate against one another. Rosie is the natural leader and is tough and cool. Louisa is the first person telling the story. She likes the school but has a few reservations. Maddie is Louisa's pretend twin. Maddie's parents are soldiers and have been missing from Maddie's life for long enough that Louisa's parents paid big money to change her identity to being Louisa's fraternal twin. She hates the school is buying into Evelyn's theories. Evelyn believes the school is not what it says it is and is into conspiracy theories and whatnot. She's gathering evidence and taking notes. She's gaining a small following and getting as many privileges as she can in order to infiltrate the secrecy.

Book 2 comes out in July and will be told in Rosie's voice.

This book is appropriate for my 7th grade daughter to read. Clean, interesting and fresh.

[Amy Jacobs · Rating 3 out of 5]

With all of the hype surrounding dystopia themed books lately, it is no surprise that the younger teen books are jumping in on the trend. In the tween book Behind the Gates by Eva Gray, we get to peek into the future of how schooling for our children could be if wars have destroyed our country.

At first, I couldn't really get into this book. While it had all of the elements that have sucked me into the dystopia world, I couldn't seem to make a connection with the characters. For me, there is a fine line between the way younger teens act and the way authors portray them. Yet as the story continued on, I started getting interested in the mystery of the school. I was intrigued about how they were treated within the walls of Country Manor and who could be on the bad side of the group.

While the story wasn't as great as I wanted it, the ending did bring out my curiosity for the next book in the series. I would recommend this book for the younger crowd who have not yet ventured into the books such as Hunger Games.

[Lisa Humbert Nathaus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book with my daughter, a reluctant reader who is a rising 6th grader. It captured her attention from the 2nd-3rd chapter in to the end. When the book ended she could not stop talking about the book, the characters and predictions about what book #2 will entail. We just got book number 2 and she is super excited to get going on the book. A Great read!

[Hazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

60% Interesting

Behind the Gates was good but the writing seemed very amateur- not very impressive. I'm still trying to decide weather or not to buy the next book.

[Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I completely forgot to add this! It was really good and clean!

[Malavika Malanthara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, it makes you want to read the next book so bad.

[Indi · Rating 4 out of 5]

awesome book! it's definitely for middle grades. very good plot twist and plot! very well written!

[Lisa Calvert]

in a sentence or so: since the war started, things have been very different for everyone. for Louisa and Maddie, they're shipped off to a secluded boarding school that teaches them about responsibility, writing without computers, and survival.

Louisa and Maddie are best friends under the guise of being fraternal twins. in order to ensure they end up at the same school, Maddie's ID bracelet is tampered with and both girls end up at Country Manor School. as if getting up at 5:30 every day isn't bad enough, the girls have absolutely no idea why they're secluded so far from home or why they're learning about archery and not geometry. the fact that they're stuck with the conspiracy theorist Evelyn and the queen bee Rosie as roommates certainly adds some unnecessary drama.

the girls have no idea what to expect when they get to CMS, but nothing could have prepared them for where they'd end up. Louisa bonds with Rosie over athletics and gets invited to the cool kids table. Maddie connects with Evelyn and gets caught up in trying to reveal the truth of why they're removed from society and what conspiracies lie beneath. Louisa and Maddie are slowly drifting apart, but time will prove there are some ties that are too strong to be broken...even by the teachers and staff of CMS.

the four roommates each bring something unique to the story. Evelyn is the conspiracy theorist who knows something is up and will not be left out of the information loop. she's super supportive and although she can be overwhelming, she's got only the best intentions. Rosie is the queen bee of the athletic beauties, but she's definitely got her poop in a group. she's resourceful, knows how to delegate responsibility, and takes their survival seriously. Maddie is the brooding woe-is-me girl who i'm sure has a purpose...but as of right now she's coming off like the leech of the group and contributes next to nothing of value. and finally our narrator Louisa, who is loving life at CMS and trying to find where she fits in while balancing the moody pretend-sister. she is the one i identify with most easily due to her being the most average and balanced personality of the four.

as the opening to a series, this book lays some groundwork for different personalities and the institution of which they are fighting against. i'm interested in seeing where these girls go and how they get there.

fave quote: "'Whether you accept the challenges that lie ahead or not, they will assuredly fall to you,' Mrs. Brewster says seriously. It's almost like she's been reading my mind. It actually scares me a little." (62)

fix er up: the social commentary on consumerism, though often fitting to provide context for their situation and the not too distant future, can be a bit heavy at times.

[Kait · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally reviewed and posted on Victor's Village

We usually don't talk about much outside The Hunger Games, but when we were contacted to review a young adult dystopian book that might appeal to Hunger Games fans, we couldn't resist!

The book is Behind The Gates, the first book in Eva Gray's Tomorrow Girls series.

The story is told from the point-of-view of Louisa Ballinger, a 13-year-old girl who is sent to the Country Manor School with her best friend, Maddie. She's not sent there because she's magical or even particularly special-- she's sent there for her own safety.

Louisa grew up in a dystopian Chicago. North America has been ravaged by a mysterious rebel force known as The Alliance. The only safety that the well-to-do can manage for their child is to send them off to hidden boarding schools like Country Manor, where the children are allowed not to communicate with the outside world under any circumstances. While Louisa feels safe at Country Manor, she and her roommates can't help but notice that there's something odd about their classes and surroundings.

First off, let's start off the review portion by saying that Behind The Gates (and the whole Tomorrow Girls series, we assume) is skewed to a MUCH younger audience than The Hunger Games. The YA age system is a bit odd in that sense. While I think many people would categorize The Hunger Games as 14 and up, Tomorrow Girls falls more into the range of 10 to 16 year olds. The book is just over 200 pages long with large text.

That being said, Tomorrow Girls is a great book to introduce a younger audience to the idea of dystopian society without introducing them to the more violent, gritty aspects of books like The Hunger Games or Divergent. Louisa and her friend still run around in the forest, they still shoot guns and arrows, but they're not running around killing people. Basically, it's got a Hunger Games Lite feel that's more appropriate for young readers.

As an individual book, Behind the Gates functions as a setup for the larger series. There have been three Tomorrow Girls books released since May 1, 2011 with a fourth coming out November 1. It's hard to judge the characters accurately, as most of them are a bit one-note in the first book (with perhaps the exception of Rosie), but we can only guess there will be more revealed about each character as the series goes on.

As an adult reading the series, my only complaint would be the lack of crisp descriptions. The plot is smart, the characters work well together, and there's nothing completely ridiculous that made me want to chuck the book across the room at any point, but the writing is very simple and thus Louisa's world lacks a certain enticing appeal.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first middle grade dystopian and I enjoyed it quite a lot. Eva Gray created a unique and frightening future, where no one is safe. In so many dystopian novels of late, the focus is on older teens and their experiences, but Behind the Gates focuses on four thirteen year olds. This was refreshing and made it all the more interesting. It also made me wonder- would I have been able to do the things they did at that age?

The novel opens when Louisa and her best friend Maddie are leaving to attend boarding school for "their own safety" and Maddie is pretending to be her twin sister. Soon, the girls arrive at the new school and things aren't at all what they expected. Soon, Louise, Maddie, and their two roommates (Evelyn and Rosie) are involved in a variety of adventures and learn that things may not be how they originally thought.

Of the four girls, I liked Louisa the best. While she didn't always think things through all the way and didn't realize when their situation wasn't the best, she did have a good head on her shoulders and kept the other girls upbeat. Her friendship with Maddie is tested and their room is soon divided between those who like the school (Rosie and Louisa) and those who don't trust it (Maddie and Evelyn). I liked getting to know the four girls and learning about their own backgrounds and strengths. There are a few secondary characters that are introduced, but the novel mainly focuses on those four. They go through a lot together and I am anxious to see where Eva takes them in the sequel.

The plot was quite original, even though the background wasn't always that clear, and there were some fun plot twists that kept the story moving. Since the girls were so used to depending on technology, it was intriguing to watch them get used to writing with pencils and finding food for themselves. All of the girls were very strong and determined and it was nice to watch their strength and endurance grow.

The Tomorrow Girls series is perfect for those readers not quite ready for books like The Hunger Games or Wither. It is entertaining for older readers as well, and was a very quick read for me. The ending was a huge cliffhanger, but the next books in the series are releasing a few months apart, so we don't have to wait long to become immersed in more of Louisa, Maddie, Evelyn, and Rosie's adventures. I am anxious to see what happens next.

Overall, Behind the Gates was a great and original new series by Eva Gray. It will greatly appeal to fans of middle grade adventure stories and I am eagerly anticipating the next installments in the series.

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

[Yadira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was definitely one that I enjoyed reading from the beginning to the end. Even though it is fiction there are events that occurred and can happen in real life. These four girls Louisa, Maddie, Rosie, and Evelyn are friends who attended a boarding school. Their initial thought was that it would all be an exciting adventure until they realized the secrets that the school was hiding. The whole idea of the book is based on war and survival skills. It gives a pretty good idea on governmental and political issues for those who may not know much about it.

I think that this book was intended for an older elementary audience for example. for a fifth or sixth grade class. The reason is because of the main character Louisa who is a fourteen-year-old girl going through hard things. While she is dealing with war she is also going through problems with her friends. By reading the book I can tell that Louisa is talking to the audience as a teenage girl. This can make students in the upper elementary grades focus more on the reading since it is someone who is not too much older than them, speaking. This book is not only interesting, but it can also teach lessons. Since friendship is very important in this book, it can teach students how to work with one another through difficult times even when it may not be the easiest thing to do.

Dystopian literature is a way to teach kids history even though it is fiction. This book especially is great because it is an easy read and short, but very interesting that keeps the reader focused. This book can be incorporated as a part of a history lesson for a sixth-grade class where I can see it being read the most. Before I read this book I did not Know who the author was. I searched her up and noticed that there is a whole series of this, I am looking forward to reading more of these books.

[Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books is about these for girls Louisa, Maddie, Roise, and Evelyn. This book is in Louisa's point of veiw. There are four books in the series and each book is about one of the girls. The theme of this book is these four girls are figuring out why before the war they have to leave and where they are leaving to and then when will they get to come home. They figure out they are on the boarder line of Canada at a camp called Country Manor School(CMS). Then the conflict is the four girls are on this adventure to get out of this Count Manor School and to get back to Chicago where they live and help out.
This book's word choice is amazing when she is describing something you feel like you can touch and see the thing she is describing. Like this: "I'm clammy cold and frozen with fear. I listen in horror as Mrs. Brewster goes on." The setting of this book is somewhere on the boarder line of Canada out in the bunys out in the woods so they can practice how to survive out in the wilderness. This author made the books withe a very bad cliff hanger so you have to read the next book right away.

[Selma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay. I was looking for an easy read, and this book caught my attention. However I felt like the characters were always complaining, and it got annoying. But I did like the overall plot of the book.

A terrible war has broken out, and Louisa's parents have enough money to send her and her best friend Mattie off to a boarding school, which is supposed to keep them safe.
Once there, all of the girls' electronics are confiscated, for their safety they're told. They meet their room mates the free-spirited Evelyn who believes everything, even the school, is a big conspiracy. And Rosie, whom isn't too happy to be stuck with them.
Once classes start Louisa finds herself enjoying them, especially swimming and wilderness survival. And she also begins to befriend Rosie.
But Mattie is depressed about being there, and drifts more towards Evelyn, who doesn't really like the school either.
Soon the girls are sent on a hike through the forest to test the skills they've learned. But when things don't exactly go as planned, can the girls work together and help each other survive?

[D.M. Dutcher · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's half a book. Four young girls are bussed off to an exclusive private school in the Minnesota woods, and with the rest of their class, are taught things like wilderness survival and naturecraft. It's set in the backdrop of a mildly dystopian USA at war with a shadowy alliance. Of course, the school has more sinister plans.

Unfortunately, it ends just as a normal book would start. The book sets up the conflict, and not too well. The character's aren't bad, and neither are the details, but the book and the second in the series really should have been combined to one volume. There are flaws, but in a bit of irony, the preview of the next book has the characters actually discuss them, as if the writer knew how implausible they must have seemed. If they had combined both, I think I would have given it a much higher score.

[KWinks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this! Dystopian lit for tweens!! I know many Middle Grade girls who would love this series. It has a little bit of action, a little bit of friend drama, some survival skills, and more. I think this series will be popular.
I also love when characters in books read books. The books mentioned in this book are A Tale of Two Cities and Julie of the Wolves. This opens this book up as a great partner book for a tween book club or classroom read.
From the preview of the next book in the galley I read, it appears that each of the four girls will get a chance to take over as the narrator.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this future the US is at war with the Alliance. The Alliance has almost completely conquered Canada and Louisa's parents send her from Chicago to Country Manor School to assure her safety. But CMS is a little strange. It is isolated and the girls there have no contact with the outside world. They spend a lot of time learning survival skills like canoeing, camping and shooting with a bow and arrow or .22. Louisa likes the school because she excels at these skills. However, at least one of her roommates is sure that there is a conspiracy and secrets at the school. This is the setup book for the series and would be a good middle school adventure story.

[Jeff Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one of those that you appreciate more as you get toward the end of it. What starts out as a garden variety boarding school conspiracy tale ends up being a lot more once you get through to the end, and it ends up working well enough where I'll be actively seeking out book two.

The best part, for me at least, is that it's (finally) a different take on the whole dystopian rush we've been seeing as of late. Some nice government conspiracy (which doesn't occur enough in kids books) and some good, albeit stereotypical characters, made this a very solid read for me.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Girls too young for the Hunger Games might give this preteen thriller a try. It didn't really hook me until then end, but I can see it being popular with the 9-11 year-olds who've been forbidden to dive into the brilliant brutality that this books YA counterparts offer.

For adults: 2 stars in the beginning, 3 stars at the end just in time for the next book (simultaneously releasing). Lack of stars more for the writing than the story/plot.
For kids: maybe 3-4 stars?

Yay! for the Chicago and Minnesota setting in this book.

Is this a pen name for the prolific Suzanne Weyn?

[LauraW · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, high quality literature, this is not. But exciting and interesting it is. There is enough foreshadowing to make a forest, but still, somehow, the book grabbed me and kept me interested in reading further. I like the shifting and believable interactions between the characters.

But there is one thing that annoys me - these half-books (or part-books). The ending is such a cliff-hanger that it is hard to think that it really counts as a whole book. I suppose that means that they get to sell more books - you have to buy at least two books to get the whole story.

[Scott Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great middle-grade dystopian tale. It seems like this is the first in a four-part series that will come out every two months throughout 2011. I plan on giving it to my 10-year old to read. Perfect for that age group.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A different read from what I would normally pick up and I was pleasantly surprised by this one. It was fast paced and such an easy read. The plot was great and Eva Gray has done a great job with writing the characters.

[Tiah Varner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahhh so good! I'm just really disappointed, I cant find these anywhere at the local library and on Libby and GPDL. You can only buy them and not get them for free. :( But this series is really fun! 7/10

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good kids' dystopian lit. It was age appropriate which is rare in MG/YA. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.