Lockdown – Book Review

Lockdown by Tarah BennerI received an advanced reader copy of Tarah Benner’s brand new book Lockdown so I wanted to post a review of it. I’ve included her other books on my Things I’m Loving and so she sent me an ARC of this newest book. I am a HUGE fan of Tarah’s work and was super excited to read this newest installment of her Fringe series.Lockdown picks up right where Outbreak left off. Harper is stuck in jail, on trial for treason and collusion with the enemy. Celdon is working with Constance and trying to keep it a secret from those around him. Eli is stuck in a small dark room being tortured by Constance for disobeying the leader.While I absolutely loved this book, it was definitely a slower pace than the previous ones in the series, still I highly suggest it! The story seemed to me to be the bridge between the fast paced beginning and the explosive ending. One thing it really had going for it was that there was some fantastic character development due to the slower plot lines.Although for much of the story Harper and Eli are apart I really feel this was a great decision on the part of the author. It really seems to deepen and strengthen their relationship and it gives Benner time to develop their personalities separately. I really enjoy the fact that the author has developed Eli into something more than just the brooding bad boy he started out as. It makes him seem real, rather than just a character for a plot.There were several new characters introduced and developed in this book. We also get a deeper look into Eli’s brother Owen. I found reading his side of the story compelling, especially since I didn’t really love him in the previous books.  You really get to see how what he has been through on the Fringe has really made him the complicated character you’re reading about today.Another character I really began to love was Harper’s friend Sawyer. I’m not sure why Benner has waited until the fourth book to develop her character so much because she is absolutely fantastic! In the previous books, she seemed to be a slightly whiny, results-obsessed, one-sided character. However, with this book she really came alive. I cannot wait to see how her storyline ends. I’m especially interested to see what her parents have been working on in the virtual reality world.Again, this book deals with adult themes and has a huge amount of language so it is not geared towards younger children. If you’re on the fence about letting your child read it, make sure to pick up the book first and check it out. I guarantee you’ll be hooked from the first moment you begin reading!Lockdown is available now wherever e-books are sold! Make sure to check out the previous books in the Fringe series if you're new to this author's work. I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say, I can't wait for the final book in this series!!!Make sure to follow Tarah on social media!FacebookInstagramTwitterTarahBenner.com

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This post has not been sponsored, all opinions are my own. I received a complimentary copy of the book for review purposes only. I have not received compensation in any form for the writing of this post.

Outbreak - Book Review

Outbreak by Tarah BennerI was fortunate enough to receive an advanced reader copy of Tarah Benner’s book Outbreak so I thought I would post a review on it. I’ve included her other books on my Things I’m Loving and so she sent me (and Olivia!) an ARC of this newest book. I highly suggest any of her books since they are all a fantastic read.Outbreak is the third book in her Fringe series. The setting is a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has survived a nuclear holocaust by building biodomes and remaining inside for several generations. When students “graduate” they are placed into work programs based on aptitude scores. The main characters, Harper and Eli are both placed into the Recon program. Recon workers are the ones who journey outside the dome in order to scout the area and protect it. I hesitate to tell you too much more of the story since I don’t want to ruin it!This book picks up right where the previous installment left off. If you haven’t read her previous books in the series they are a MUST read before this book. They are (in order) Recon and Exposure.  The story fast paced and the characters are constantly on the move. The author does an absolutely fantastic job of showing you the environment the characters are working in. This lends itself to the reader being completely immersed in a very realistic world.One thing I really love about this series is the unique setting. I’ve never considered what life would be like if I was forced to live inside a self-contained biodome. I also can’t say that I’ve ever read a story with this premise. This in itself, makes for one VERY unique read. The author does an excellent job of detailing what life would be like under these circumstances. Her research in this area really shows through.Another thing the author does exceedingly well with is getting you to really “fall in love” with the characters. You really begin to understand who they are and where they are coming from. You really start to care about what they are going through and you feel their struggles. This makes for a great read in my opinion since I’m all about the character development in ANY story.My one complaint regarding this book (and series) is the amount of language the author uses. I understand she is using them to convey the characters distress and displeasure, but in my personal opinion there are better ways to do so. The amount of language is not enough for me to change my recommendation of the book, however I wouldn’t recommend it for children/younger teens for this reason.Overall this book is an excellent, quick read. You will enjoy the storyline and the characters are riveting. Also the highly unique setting of a biodome is enough to keep any reader glued to the pages.  Definitely a book and series you should pick up!