As a fellow indie author, it's always a thrill to find another indie author with a book I'm actually interested in reading. My current playlist is firmly set to Dystopian teen fiction, and when I stumbled across Configured, by Jenetta Penner, I had no idea what just happened.
That's not to say this was a bad thing. I finished reading a really terrible dystopian by a NY Times Bestseller and was pretty jaded. So I was much more careful about my next selection. I can't even tell you what book I was looking at, but it didn't excite me. It was interesting, but I just didn't feel compelled.
And Amazon decided to tell me what else I might like. Unsure if I should trust their judgment -- after all, their last suggestion did me so wrong -- I figured I would check out the cover and read the blurb.
And Configured had me intrigued -- something none of the other books had done so far. But I still wasn't convinced, so I went to the reviews. They were so fantastic I figured I was an idiot if I passed up.
Boy, am I glad I didn't!
Yet, it wasn't until I received the book that I realized it was by an indie author. I was shocked and a little bit worried. There are some real gems out there, but I'm also honestly well aware of the fact that there are some seriously unvetted books as well.
One chapter into the book, I was hooked. It was like a drug, and I wanted more. You know those books you can't put down because you just HAVE to know what happens next? Yeah, it was in my hands.
Configured is about a society where everyone has learned to suppress emotions. They're too risky and increase the likelihood of crime, war, and more. At the age of seventeen, everyone is configured into society. They are outfitted with a job and optimal marriage matches.
Avlyn isn't like everyone else though. She actually feels something and tries so hard to hide her emotions behind an ordinary mask. But as the truth of what's going on in her city -- and in the government -- begins working its way into her life, she has no choice but to stand up and fight.
So Avlyn is recruited by a rebellion that is -- quite literally -- underground. They open her eyes and give her the tools she needs to come into her own.
I don't want to say much more because I really don't want to spoil this book. Suffice it to say I was giddy that I found an indie author in my genre who had a very strong handle on how to weave a story. From the beginning to the end I was captivated and couldn't wait to turn the pages.
If I had to say I was disappointed about anything, it was the formatting of the book. For the most part, the grammar and punctuation were very clean, but some of the justification was off, making paragraphs offset and I found about three pages in the book at the end of a chapter that shouldn't have been there.
But let's be honest people. If the worst thing I have to pick about in an indie author's book is a few formatting issues, I'm really just digging.
Would I recommend this book? Heck yes, I would! Penner does a fantastic job creating relatable and sympathetic characters that I wanted to see win. And I'm already armed with book two.
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Popular Highlights in this book
No one should die for the right to love. That kind of freedom is worth fighting for.Highlighted by 247 Kindle readers- The reality is that the anger I feel is so much greater than any sadness.Highlighted by 202 Kindle readers
- The higher your Intelligence Potential, the more you're required to stay focused, display less emotion.Highlighted by 191 Kindle readers
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Reviews with images
A New Dystopia
Imagine if Hunger Games and Divergent had a baby...that's what you get for Configured!Although this book resembles those famous trilogies, it can certainly stand on its own. With the 22nd century tech and a terrible ruling government, this book is unqiue. We follow Avlyn Lark as she tries to find her place in the world, and the world may just depend on this self-discovery.
Top reviews from other countries
LillyWinter92
Interesting read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 11, 2020
Cassie
Interesting, Fast paced and Creative
Reviewed in Canada on September 4, 2021