29 April 2014

Book Review: Out of Control by Sarah Alderson

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16080353-out-of-control
(Click image to take you to Goodreads)

Format: PDF (earc)
Publishers: Simon & Schuster UK
Published: 22nd May 2014
Pages: 320
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Thriller
Main Characters: Liva, Jay
Date Read: 18th April - 26th April 2014
Rating Given:
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Synopsis:When 17 year old Liva witnesses a brutal murder she’s taken into police custody for her own protection. But when the police station is attacked and bullets start flying it becomes clear that Liva is not just a witness, she’s a target.
Together with a car thief called Jay, Liva manages to escape the massacre but now the two of them are alone in New York, trying to outrun and outwit two killers who will stop at nothing to find them.
When you live on the edge, there’s a long way to fall.

He is blown instantly backwards, the force of the bullet throwing him several feet across the room. Gunfire detonates all around. But I don’t notice. I’m just staring at the body of the cop, lying on the floor not fifteen feet from me, his face no longer recognisable as a face, just a crater foaming with red, with shards of white poking out of it.

Out of Control was my Waiting on Wednesday post a couple of weeks back and when Sarah Alderson had noticed she kindly offered me a copy as a thank you, which I am so grateful for as it was a great book.

I love this cover and was the second thing that drew me into the want of having this book. It looks different to any book cover that I have seen before with its vivid colours and different style of font. I feel like it is one of the most eye catching covers that I have seen in awhile.

As soon as I started this book I was hooked as I haven't read anything like it before and there was a lot of action happening but it wasn't too over powering. I loved that I never knew what was going to happen next which sure kept me guessing throughout the book with some shockers that I was not expecting. The added romance to this book that I wasn't actually expecting but I am glad of it as I do love romance in the books I read. With Out of Control being set within a day or two it was surprising how believable the romance was as in some books it feels rushed but not in this case as it was more of a grower. I would have liked a bit more in the romance department as I didn't feel like there was much closure for them. I think this is because the ending didn't feel like 'The End' as for me there seemed to be a couple of unanswered questions which is why I couldn't give it the full 5 out of 5 that I was going to give it until the end.

‘Why are you here?’ I ask, still reeling from shock but trying not to show it. Seeing him again has sent my pulse rate rocketing, even as my stomach folds over on itself. It’s not just the surprise of seeing him, it’s the fact that I wanted to be mad at him, expecting to be, but I find I'm not. I’m relieved. So relieved I could cry.

I loved all the characters even though I wasn't quite sure who Liva could trust. I didn't think I was going to like Liva as at the beginning she seemed a bit annoying as she seemed to be one of those weak characters that no one likes but this wasn't the case and after everything she went through anyone would understand the way she was at the beginning. She was really smart and knew how to hold her own which really surprised me but in a good way. Jay was great and like Liva I had a different idea of who he was at the beginning where he came of as a bad boy he was actually just misunderstood and he had me laughing out load at times too. There was a couple of other secondary characters that I liked mainly Yoyo he was great especially the dance scene.

Overall this book was great and if it wasn't for the ending it would have been amazing.

My mind chugs desperately, trying to piece together all the events of the last thirty or so hours, probing to see where the fear has gone. I come up empty. There’s no more fear. Gently it tests to see what else I'm feeling. Am I still numb? No. There’s an unrelenting pain in my chest, like a bullet has tracked a path right through me, and lodged in my heart. There’s hurt and grief and guilt and regret thrown into the mix too.