The Forsaken by Lisa Stasse

Author: Lisa M. Stasse

Pages: 375

Genre:  YA Futuristic Suspense

Published by: Simon & Schuster 2012

From the Back of the Book ~

Alenna Shawcross hasn't seen her parents since they were dragged out of her house by government soldiers of the UNA, a new nation formed from the remnants of Canada, the USA, and Mexico.  And, now, as a sixteen-year-old orphan, she has failed a government personality test designed to diagnose subversive tendencies.

As punishment, Alenna is banished to the wheel, a mysterious island where all the kids who fail get sent.  A place where the conditions are brutal, and a civil war rages between two very different tribes of teenagers.

So when Alenna meets Liam, a charismatic warrior who is planning to escape, she must find the strength to make a difficult decision: to either accept her new life on the wheel, or to embark on a journey that will uncover shocking secrets about the UNA - and her own identity as well.

My Thoughts ~

I don't even know where to begin to explain how this book made me feel.  From the Prologue, I was hooked.  The setup of the story was one of the most gripping I have read in a while.  If I had had the time and energy, I probably would have never put this book down.  I wish I could say that this was a very unique book of its type but I saw several similarities in this book as maybe The Hunger Games, Divergent, and yes, The Cabin in the Woods (the movie, because I have not read the book).  It's more serum, experimenting with minds, another game with teenagers and a gigantic twist at the end.  

However, what sets this book apart is the way the author pulls in the characters.  Alenna is NOT a Katniss Everdean!  She started out weak and vulnerable with little athletic skill whatsoever.  She didn't know who she was or what to do.  It was her will and determination that kept her in the game and opened up her true identity.  The strong characters in the book are Alenna's friends.  Gadya (the warrior), Rika (the heart), Liam (the strength) and David (the brain) each bring a special touch to the story. 

Another part that's unique about this book is that you never know what's going to happen.  There is shock and sadness and just those "whoa" and "wow" moments that keep The Forsaken truly a must read.