{Mini Review} Independent Study - Joelle Charbonneau

Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau
Series: The Testing #2
Genre: YA Dystopian
Release Date: Jan 7 / 2014
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

In the series debut The Testing, sixteen-year-old Cia Vale was chosen by the United Commonwealth government as one of the best and brightest graduates of all the colonies... a promising leader in the effort to revitalize postwar civilization. In Independent Study, Cia is a freshman at the University in Tosu City with her hometown sweetheart, Tomas—and though the government has tried to erase her memory of the brutal horrors of The Testing, Cia remembers. Her attempts to expose the ugly truth behind the government’s murderous programs put her—and her loved ones—in a world of danger. But the future of the Commonwealth depends on her.

*spoilers for the Testing ahead*

Independent Study starts off right where the Testing left off.  Cia is now in the University and she is placed in the government / leadership program. The government had tried to erase her memories of her times in the Testing but she remembers. Even though she's in the University now, the game is still as deadly as ever with the Tosu City students. To pass the Initiation for her program, they're divided into groups to pass deadly challenges. That's probably my favourite part of the whole story. I love the challenges and how Cia has to think through all the possibilities to solve them. Now Cia is trying to expose the truths about the Testing by leading a rebellion, things are just getting better and better! I cannot wait for Graduation Day!