Surrender by Elana Johnson

Surrender by Elana Johnson


Release Date: June 5, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Series: Possession, Book 2
Rated: YA 14+
Format: eGalley
Source: Simon & Schuster Galley Grab
Buy: Amazon ❘ The Book Depository
Goodreads ◆ Website

Read my review of Possession HERE.

Forbidden love, intoxicating power, and the terror of control…

Raine has always been a good girl. She lives by the rules in Freedom. After all, they are her father’s rules: He’s the Director. It’s because of him that Raine is willing to use her talent—a power so dangerous, no one else is allowed to know about it. Not even her roommate, Vi.

All of that changes when Raine falls for Gunner. Raine’s got every reason in the world to stay away from Gunn, but she just can’t. Especially when she discovers his connection to Vi’s boyfriend, Zenn. Raine has never known anyone as heavily brainwashed as Vi. Raine’s father expects her to spy on Vi and report back to him. But Raine is beginning to wonder what Vi knows that her father is so anxious to keep hidden, and what might happen if she helps Vi remember it. She’s even starting to suspect Vi’s secrets might involve Freedom’s newest prisoner, the rebel Jag Barque....

WOW. This was one action-packed novel from start to finish! I swear, I loved Surrender even more than Possession. I've have never been more freaked out with every new development and every twist, gasping as truths come out, and my heart racing with every close call. This was one hell of a ride, I'll give you that.
I like the pacing of this one better than Possession. I found the first book to be a little slow, with a couple of dry spots, but this one was so full of rich descriptions and fantastic characters that I could not stop reading this one.

I love the change in perspectives! It totally helped me because I had read Possession a while ago and could only remember bits and pieces of it. Luckily this book was set quite differently from the first, but had returns of some of the old characters.

Raine was a great heroine. Headstrong, determined– quite like other dystopian heroines. I'm still not sure whether I liked her more than Vi from Possession, but she definitely is not as stubborn and "thick-headed" as Vi is, so I'm a little glad for that! But oh, the chemistry between her and Gunner was so swoon-worthy! I loved them even more than Vi and Jag, whose relationship was a little rocky. This new relationship was definitely less complicated (as far the daughter of the Director falling in love with the rebel goes).
As I mentioned previously, there's the return of old characters. Vi in this book is completely brainwashed. I felt sorry for her, but the road to her recovery was an interesting one. Zenn made a constant appearance in this book, and I definitely liked him better in Surrender than Possession. And Jag. Oh gods, how I missed him! His parts of the story were so good, I longed for more!

Director Hightower was so scary. Like, I'm literally freaked. That ending, oh gods, the ENDING was just the ka-bang! to the whole story. It totally twisted everything and was so intense. Elana Johnson better have something amazing in store for book 3!

Even though Surrender could be read on its own, I definitely recommend you check this whole series out, because it's one dystopian you DON'T want to miss out on. I loved this book so much– so much that it makes me want to pick it up again and again and again. I can't wait to read more from Johnson, and until then, I'll be eagerly filling myself with memories of Gunner, Jag, and this blow-your-mind plot.

If you like this, try...

• The Pledge by Kimberly Derting ◆ Goodreads
• Pure by Julianna Baggott ◆ Goodreads
• Delirium by Lauren Oliver ◆ Goodreads

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