Blog Tour: Review: Shutdown by Heather Anastasiu with Excerpt & Giveaway

Release Date: July 2nd 2013

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Series: Glitch, Book #3
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

The battle is all but over, and hope seems to be lost. Zoe and her fellow Resistance fighters are on the run, having lost their home, their protection, and their leader. They are outnumbered and outmatched by the powerful corporation that controls the world, and the cruel Chancellor is inches away from completing a scheme that would kill most of humanity. Zoe's only remaining option is to chase the impossible dream of upending the Link system, freeing the world from the hardware that controls their thoughts and emotions, and hope it will trigger a revolution. 

The plot requires a nearly impossible mission to infiltrate the dangerous Community, and it is a task that Zoe must unfortunately complete alone. With challenges and surprises at every turn, nothing goes according to plan. Adrien's visions of the future now show two possible outcomes: one in which they succeed, and one in which humanity falls. It all lies in Zoe's hands. 

Full of romance, high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Shutdown is a heart-pounding conclusion to an exciting sci-fi adventure trilogy for young adults. 

The thrilling conclusion to an action-packed sci-fi trilogy.

Review

I want to keep this spoiler free for the whole series, but it might be hard, and I apologise up front if I give away any small details. I promise to keep the big things to myself though. =)

This series got better with every book. I enjoyed Glitched, but loved Override more. Now I love Shutdown more again. 

We were left heartbroken in Override, and to be honest, until about the 90% mark the heartbreak doesn't ease up. At the 60% - 70% mark I was like this:

Source

I'm not joking. I was so torn up by everything that had happened, and what was happening that if I wasn't reading in bed, I would have been on the floor like that! 

I love the characters in this story, including the ones I didn't like - I loved that they were that way. People are like that and it was nice to see realistic characters. The backstabbing, the lying, the honest, and even the ones that change. 

While the trilogy ends positive, its not the overly happy ending you think. There are shocks, and one of the twists I kind of guessed but wasn't sure how it would happen until it did. 

This is definitely one of my favourite series. It's action packed, emotional, and quick to read. I'm sad this trilogy is now over, but it one I definitely want to read again. 

★★★★★ 

It Was Amazing

Author Bio

Heather Anastasiu grew up in Texas and recently moved to Minneapolis with her family. When she's not busy getting lost exploring the new city, she spends most days writing at a café or daydreaming about getting a new tattoo.

www.heatheranastasiu.com | twitter.com/h_anastasiu

Previous Books in the Series

 

Giveaway

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ARC Review: Override by Heather Anastasiu

Title: Override

Author: Heather Anastasiu

Series: Glitch, #2

Publication Date: February 12th, 2013

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia

Source: eARC provided by St Martin's Press via Netgalley

Description

Zoe is free. She has escaped the enslavement of the Community, disconnected from the hardware that had controlled her every thought and emotion, and evaded capture by the Chancellor intent on killing her. She is finally free, but she is far from safe.

Zoe and Adrien hide themselves from detection at the Foundation, an academy that trains teen glitchers to fight in the Resistance movement. Together, Zoe and her new team of superhuman fighters must risk their lives to rescue other glitchers and humans from the Chancellor's control. Challenges abound at every turn, and Adrien, who has become silent, distant, and tormented by his visions of the future, only adds to the growing certainty of defeat. But worst of all, as Zoe's team fights against impossible odds, distrust and betrayal leads to the terrible discovery that their greatest threat could already be lurking behind the safe walls of the Foundation.

Full of high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Heather Anastasiu's Override is an exciting continuation of this popular young adult trilogy.

Review

In Override we find that Zoe has escaped and working with the Rez. Override is an action packed sequel to Glitch. 

I actually enjoyed Override more then Glitch. I can only put that down to the character development and the amount of action in this novel. From the close call escapes to the thrilling rescue, down to the sad realisation and loss. It all made for an amazing read. 

Zoe grows in this novel both within herself and her power. The other glitchers that are with the Rez go through that same development. With all characters having there own issues, from who they are, to who they have to work with, to them evolving through the novel to the point that they can work together in the most difficult circumstances. 

Both Max and Adrien play important roles in the story, with twists I never saw coming and shocking realisations. I can only hope something positive comes from it all. 

I can not wait to see what Shutdown, the third (and I believe final?), book in the series is going to bring. If Override is any indication, it's going to be epic. 

★★★★★ 
It Was Amazing

Quotes

"No!" I screamed. A high-pitched buzzing erupted in my ears as all the Regulators turned toward me. I felt the rage gathering in my chest, building until it pouinded against my lungs. I couldn't contain it, and I didn't want to. My small frame shook until my teeth rattled, and then, with sudden hard pulse, my power exploded outward." (Loc 675, 22%, on my Kindle)

"Amazing, isn't it?" Adrien whispered. "I thought you might like to remember what beauty looks like. That, out there, that's freedom. Beauty. Life. Everything we're fighting for." (Loc 1504, 49%, on my Kindle)

"Adrien?" My Voice was small in the dark room. I couldn't see his face to tell whether he'd seen another vision, or if the weight of the world had suddenly secured itself back on his shoulders.He swore under his breath, jumping back to his feet. "I'm sorry. I can't do this." (Loc 2236 73%, on my Kindle)

These quotes are taking from an uncorrected proof and might change at the time of publishing. 

Author Bio

Source

Heather Anastasiu grew up in Texas and recently moved to Minneapolis with her family, and when she’s not busy getting lost exploring the new city, she spends most days writing at a café.  

 Author Links

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Review: Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Title: Glitch

Author: Heather Anastasiu

Series: Glitch, #1

Publication Date: August 7, 2012

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia

Source: Own

Description

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

Review

Glitch is set in a world where the atmosphere above ground is deadly and living underground is the only option. People are implanted with a chip that controls human emotion, effectively making them living breathing robots. 

Zoe is our protagonist and she has found herself 'glitching'. That is her connection to the Link (a network that the chip connects all people too) fails, letting her experience emotions and life for "real". Having grown up with the link connection, you can understand her naivety in the situations she gets caught up in. I liked Zoe as a character and found her to develop well considering the situations she was put in and that she couldn't let any one know she was glitching. 

Max is Zoe's friend, and I have no intention of giving any of the story away, so the only thing I can say about him is that I didn't like him. He was a well written character, who I believe you really aren't meant to like. 

The world building was well done, I had no problems picturing the situations and locations, nor the world that it was. 

I made the mistake of holding out to write this review until after I have read Override so I could write and publish both around the same time. My lack of notes on this one isn't helping either. It is also difficult to discuss the story without giving anything away. So the only thing I can say is if you like dystopian based novels, give this a whirl. I enjoyed it, it well written, and the following book, Override, was even better. ;)

★★★★

Really Liked It

Book Trailer

Author Bio

Source

Heather Anastasiu grew up in Texas and recently moved to Minneapolis with her family, and when she’s not busy getting lost exploring the new city, she spends most days writing at a café.  

 Author Links

Website
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter