JADED (Nirvana Series 1)
By Kristy
Feltenberger Gillespie
Publisher: Keep Calm Publishing
Published: Feb. 16, 2014
ASIN: B00II0UUSQ
Amazon Synopsis:
Jade has spent her entire life within
the confines of the eye-color- obsessed Nirvana commune. She dreams of
experiencing freedom but travel to the Outside is forbidden. Besides, she’s a
dutiful daughter who never breaks the rules. As her seventeenth birthday
approaches, however, she realizes just how little she wants to follow the
commune rules. She doesn’t want to undergo another eye color surgery, or
immediately choose a life partner, or follow her parents’ life paths of
teaching or wine making. In fact, her green eyes suit her just fine, she’s
never even been on a date, and she’s passionate about photography. And yet
she’s resigned to do as she’s told because it’s easier for her to close her
eyes and follow orders.
Her Grandmother Ruby’s murder is the catalyst that causes Jade to open her eyes wide for the first time in her life. She’s devastated yet determined to find the killer and their motive. With help from her mysterious friend Tyrian, and Peaches, the commune leader’s sweet daughter, Jade unearths dark secrets which include her mother’s illicit affair, her maternal grandparents’ escape from Nirvana, and a plethora of murders. To make matters worse, someone is hell bent on ending Jade’s mission for the truth, and that someone is most likely the killer.
Jade can’t continue conforming to an evil society and yet she fears the Outside is just as corrupt. If she resolves to flee and is caught, the punishment is banishment to the slave cabins…and blinding.
Although Jaded is considered a young adult dystopian novel, adults will be able to relate to Jade’s plight.
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My Thoughts:
Jade is almost 17 years old and will soon be choosing her
life path, either following in her mother’s career as a teacher or her father’s
as a wine maker. At that time she will undergo an eye surgery to change the
colour of her eyes to indicate her life path choice. This is the rule of the
commune in which she lives.
When her grandmother, with whom she is very close, dies, and
secretly gives her a journal telling her to tell no one about it, but read it,
she does and realizes she has two choices, stay in this commune and follow the
rules that chafe at her, or risk trying to escape where failing means blinding.
But a successful escape would bring the possibility of bringing Outside
authorities in to stop the evil practices going on in her commune.
Jaded is a
fast-paced dystopian novel that grabs your attention from the first page and
doesn’t let go until the final word on the last page and still leaves you
wanting for more. This novel is full of plot twists and turns that will keep
you guessing. I didn’t want to put it down.
The author does an excellent job of creating characters
worth caring about. Their sorrow will touch you and their love for one another
will touch you. The romance between Jade and Ty is clean romance, so no need to
worry for your younger teen audience.
This book has something for mystery, suspense, romance,
dystopian, young adult, adult readers alike. It definitely goes into my
favourites category! I gave it a rating of 5 stars out of 5!
Thank you to the author for providing a copy of the book in
exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All
thoughts are my own.
About the Author:
Kristy
Feltenberger Gillespie lives in Warrenton, VA with her husband, two cats, and two
dachshunds. She's a middle school counselor, graduate student at Longwood
University, (pursuing a degree in School Library Media) blogger, short story
and YA novel writer. When she's not working, she's traveling or dreaming of
traveling. She's been to 39 states and is planning a 9 state road trip with her
mom in the summer of 2014.
Author Links
What a great review! Thanks so much, Kathryn!!!
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