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nannyf's review
5.0
A virus has killed at least half the worlds population. It has been decided that, in order to save the remaining population, shields put up to seal the holes in the ozone layer should come down. The hope is that the resulting increase in heat will kill off the virus.
Shelters have been built to house people for at least 2 years. Only those deemed acceptable may enter, those who are clear of the virus and are young enough to be of use.
Willow Mosby and her family are one of the families waiting to be allowed into the shelter. After being examined, however, only Willow and her father can enter.
Life is strange inside the shelter, but normal life continues in some ways. Children go to school, men work, but the children are also given work duties outwith school life. Through her work Willow meets Alec, Connor and Claire. They quickly become friends and decide to explore their surroundings a bit more.
What they find on these explorations will change all of them for ever. It quickly becomes obvious that there is something more going on in the shelter than just a place to stay.
This story is almost like two in one. The first part is about people trying to survive in a strange place, a confined space, and learning to get along with each other. Or not as the case may be.
The second part is about the developing abilities of Willow, Alec, Connor and Claire and how they deal with the fallout from them.
The authors have written a story which draws you in very quickly. The development of the characters, and the relationships they form, is very well done. They then turn the story into something else completely, which I was not expecting. The story doesn't feel rushed in any way, nor does it seem too slow, it is paced just right, and it kept my attention all the way through.
The ending provides a promise of something more, a bit different, in the next book of the series. I am now away to buy the next 3 books from Smashwords.
Shelters have been built to house people for at least 2 years. Only those deemed acceptable may enter, those who are clear of the virus and are young enough to be of use.
Willow Mosby and her family are one of the families waiting to be allowed into the shelter. After being examined, however, only Willow and her father can enter.
Life is strange inside the shelter, but normal life continues in some ways. Children go to school, men work, but the children are also given work duties outwith school life. Through her work Willow meets Alec, Connor and Claire. They quickly become friends and decide to explore their surroundings a bit more.
What they find on these explorations will change all of them for ever. It quickly becomes obvious that there is something more going on in the shelter than just a place to stay.
This story is almost like two in one. The first part is about people trying to survive in a strange place, a confined space, and learning to get along with each other. Or not as the case may be.
The second part is about the developing abilities of Willow, Alec, Connor and Claire and how they deal with the fallout from them.
The authors have written a story which draws you in very quickly. The development of the characters, and the relationships they form, is very well done. They then turn the story into something else completely, which I was not expecting. The story doesn't feel rushed in any way, nor does it seem too slow, it is paced just right, and it kept my attention all the way through.
The ending provides a promise of something more, a bit different, in the next book of the series. I am now away to buy the next 3 books from Smashwords.
raeanne's review
4.0
The Good:
+Typical characters grow
+well-done world building
+Lots of teen drama and fun
+No instalove or (tri)angles
The Bad & The Other:
-Cliffhanger
-Saw plot points coming
-Absentee parents
When first reviewed, they had a blonde on the cover and I found a homophone mix up. Both have been fixed.
World Building:
I like how it's up front and takes in consideration some very real implications.
The Virus is a genre stable but it's different how they're handling it. (At least from what I've read.) In Willow's world, they' installed panels to repair the ozone and cope with Climate Change.
Not going to lie, first reading that, it sounded weird and made me think of a giant dome. At least they bring up the mind boggling amount of energy it's taking to do so.
Even after finishing the series, I don't know if it's literal panels or a simplified explanation like how most people understand the Big Bang or Evolution. Either way, I'm okay with it and if it's too much for you it's all of 5 pages in so you bail without loss. (Or just not pick it up after reading this, lol)
This matters because to cope with The Virus, they're taking down the panels to heat the Earth's surface and kill it. Catastrophic for every other living thing? Yep, but I wouldn't put it past humans. And you just know not everyone is making it in leaving them to fend for themselves AKA die during Global Warming pt. 2: Quick & Intentional.
From there, the story revolves around their new shelter life. The way it's structured rings so true, especially as they discover more along their adventure.
There's of course the predictable bad guys but again, those bros exist and I was fine just riding through and hating them too.
But I HATE the mid-leap cliffhanger.
Willow:
I love how she goes from completely sheltered to broken and crowded. That sounds sadistic on my part, but it's as awkward and sweet and fun as you would expect.
She's understandably naive and young for 15 but I found it endearing though I'm usually hitting the darker, mature YA. Her perspective won me over.
I was so wrapped up in Willow and fun, I'd forgotten about the powers until they showed up around halfway through. Oh! What a welcome surprise that'd otherwise I'd be waiting for as it's mentioned in the blurb. LOL.
Romance:
Thank fuck they avoided the love (tri-)angle. It's not instalove though they crush immediately and begin dating shortly after. There's no throwing the “love” word around or acting like their the end all be all soul mates type shit.
Plus, Willow has some honest ponderings, like worrying about little things and wondering if she's just feeling this way because it's her first.
+Typical characters grow
+well-done world building
+Lots of teen drama and fun
+No instalove or (tri)angles
The Bad & The Other:
-Cliffhanger
-Saw plot points coming
-Absentee parents
When first reviewed, they had a blonde on the cover and I found a homophone mix up. Both have been fixed.
World Building:
I like how it's up front and takes in consideration some very real implications.
The Virus is a genre stable but it's different how they're handling it. (At least from what I've read.) In Willow's world, they' installed panels to repair the ozone and cope with Climate Change.
Not going to lie, first reading that, it sounded weird and made me think of a giant dome. At least they bring up the mind boggling amount of energy it's taking to do so.
Even after finishing the series, I don't know if it's literal panels or a simplified explanation like how most people understand the Big Bang or Evolution. Either way, I'm okay with it and if it's too much for you it's all of 5 pages in so you bail without loss. (Or just not pick it up after reading this, lol)
This matters because to cope with The Virus, they're taking down the panels to heat the Earth's surface and kill it. Catastrophic for every other living thing? Yep, but I wouldn't put it past humans. And you just know not everyone is making it in leaving them to fend for themselves AKA die during Global Warming pt. 2: Quick & Intentional.
From there, the story revolves around their new shelter life. The way it's structured rings so true, especially as they discover more along their adventure.
There's of course the predictable bad guys but again, those bros exist and I was fine just riding through and hating them too.
But I HATE the mid-leap cliffhanger.
Willow:
I love how she goes from completely sheltered to broken and crowded. That sounds sadistic on my part, but it's as awkward and sweet and fun as you would expect.
She's understandably naive and young for 15 but I found it endearing though I'm usually hitting the darker, mature YA. Her perspective won me over.
I was so wrapped up in Willow and fun, I'd forgotten about the powers until they showed up around halfway through. Oh! What a welcome surprise that'd otherwise I'd be waiting for as it's mentioned in the blurb. LOL.
Romance:
Thank fuck they avoided the love (tri-)angle. It's not instalove though they crush immediately and begin dating shortly after. There's no throwing the “love” word around or acting like their the end all be all soul mates type shit.
Plus, Willow has some honest ponderings, like worrying about little things and wondering if she's just feeling this way because it's her first.
noemielise's review
1.0
This book sucks. Like really.
It had potential: a society trying to survive a natural disaster, and blah blah blah, but the main character sucks. "I act like i don't care because i am a teenager"
"Oh no, i lost my mom and brother.. But my boss is cute"
"Oh, he sent me a letter! 'Will you be my girlfriend? Check yes or no' I squeal like a school girl, i guess thats ok because i am a schoolgirl" isn't this the cheesiest line ever?
"We are exploring a underground tunnel. 'I wonder where it leads to', he asks. We don't answer because we don't know the answer." Well duh!
I mean, im tolerant of bad books, but this is in a class of its own.
Update: when you read stuff like "more and more freakier" you wonder if its a five-year-old that wrote the book...
It had potential: a society trying to survive a natural disaster, and blah blah blah, but the main character sucks. "I act like i don't care because i am a teenager"
"Oh no, i lost my mom and brother.. But my boss is cute"
"Oh, he sent me a letter! 'Will you be my girlfriend? Check yes or no' I squeal like a school girl, i guess thats ok because i am a schoolgirl" isn't this the cheesiest line ever?
"We are exploring a underground tunnel. 'I wonder where it leads to', he asks. We don't answer because we don't know the answer." Well duh!
I mean, im tolerant of bad books, but this is in a class of its own.
Update: when you read stuff like "more and more freakier" you wonder if its a five-year-old that wrote the book...
valeriew's review against another edition
4.0
Ohhhh now that's a cliff hanger!!! Pretty good book. I do feel like it took a little long to get to the point.
greatbutuseless's review against another edition
3.0
Kind of cool, but not enough technical writing to keep me interested in the plot, and not enough plot to have me continue the series.
kelbell182's review against another edition
1.0
I’m not sure how I feel about this book. It feels incredibly juvenile. Yes, it is written from the POV of a sheltered 16 year old girl, but other YA books have managed to do the same thing while coming off more… I don’t know.. polished I guess?
(full review below)
Book Info
Point of View: First person (Willow)
Length: 334 pages
Series
Project ELE (ELE, #1) 1 of 5 stars
Finding ELE (ELE, #2) 3 of 5 stars
Exposing ELE (ELE, #3) 1 of 5 stars
Surviving ELE (ELE, #4)
Ending ELE (ELE, #5)
Review
I think that if I didn't read as much as I do, I would have enjoyed this book more. Let me explain… because I read so much (several books a week) I know what it feels like to have a really good book suck you in and make you feel part of it. A book that, if you manage to put down, you do nothing but think about the characters until you can pick it back up again. While the story did keep me mildly entertained,(there were some parts where I had to force myself to keep reading rather than giving up on the book completely) it did not grab my attention and allow my mind to escape into that world.
I do like the premise, but everything else felt a bit lacking. There isn't much character depth, the world building leaves a lot to be desired and the dialog is stiff.
It kills me to start a series and not finish it, even when they are bad. I’m giving this series one more book to win me over before I call it quits on the ELE Series.
duchessnikki's review
4.0
14% in this book had me feeling sad and weepy. This book had all the little details that I want during world building. The bad guy had some pretty cheesy lines but most baddies do. Willow, the protagonist was very teen girl. I don't know how she managed to try for a normal life with out some therapy. I just have one question for the author.
Spoiler
Why didn't the FEMA library have e-books?condygurl's review
4.0
Project ELE is a page turner. We meet Willow who is in a shelter with her father and her younger brother and mother. I immediately fell in love with her younger brother because he just sounded so adorable. What happens next is a family’s worst nightmare. Willow, her father and mother all receive and accepted stamp on their passports but her younger brother does not, so the family decides that Willow and her father would go inside and they mother and brother would remain outside and hope for the family to be re-united in 3 years after the project is over. I can say that the author did an amazing job at character creation because I so wanted to scoop Sebastian up and run off with him to protect him from the evil nurses and government officials. The same can be said for all the characters they all seem so very life-like.
The story continues with Connor and Claire and Alec meeting Willow and becoming close friends. They start to adjust to their new lives in the shelter and then they discover that strange and unusual things are going on in what is there new home.
If you like stories where the characters start getting paranormal powers and a bit of a mystery of who is behind it you will love the story.
The only thing I didn’t like was how the book ended. I thought it was a bit abrupt of an ending. I do recommend this book for YA and Adult readers alike.
Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
The story continues with Connor and Claire and Alec meeting Willow and becoming close friends. They start to adjust to their new lives in the shelter and then they discover that strange and unusual things are going on in what is there new home.
If you like stories where the characters start getting paranormal powers and a bit of a mystery of who is behind it you will love the story.
The only thing I didn’t like was how the book ended. I thought it was a bit abrupt of an ending. I do recommend this book for YA and Adult readers alike.
Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
gabs_myfullbookshelf's review
2.0
I had many high hopes for this book when I read the reviews. It seemed like a perfect book for me. But the many grammar errors in this book made it lose much of its luster. And I had the revised version, I am sure of it, because it has the revised version cover.
The first thing I did not like about this story was, as stated above, the spelling and grammar errors. At one point, I had to giggle when I read this sentence:
Excitement coerces through me when we reach our cave.
(In case you missed it: coerce means to force somebody. It should be course.)
But that was not the only spelling/grammar mistake that had me groaning. There were almost never question marks after questions, and commas were repeatedly left out, making it confusing to read the story. I'm not being an English teacher here; I wouldn't care, but I like reading my story without being confused as to what the heck that sentence was supposed to mean. Even people who may not care about grammar in stories can find this annoying.
I also wasn't a big fan of all the gushy names. Alec and Zach almost always called Willow sugar, baby, honey, etc. I just wanted them to call her by her actual name for once; a few times is cute, but if you never call her by her real name, it gets annoying.
And, the romance was cheesy. Sorry. Claire and Connor weren't too bad, but in every other scene Willow and Alec are making out and Alec is saying something like, 'I am so glad you didn't die because I can't imagine life without you in it.' That's paraphrased; it sounded worse when I read it.
Also, at the beginning it seems like Willow is this kick-butt, Maximum Ride-ish heroine. Nope. She has her moments, but at most parts I saw her as being rather weak.
There were things I liked, of course. The ending was amazing. The beginning was too. It was the main part that I hated.
The big question is, will I read the next book in the series? I don't know that myself; with that ending I may just have to. Let's hope it's edited this time, though!
dvester's review
2.0
I rated this book a two because I’m not exactly sure how I feel about it. In the beginning things were interesting as her family got separated, it broke my heart. It took awhile for me to see the main character as an older teenager, in most of the book she honestly sounded like a ten year old girl. I guess I was wanting more a survival tale, it seemed like she didn’t care that her family was separated.
I enjoyed the book towards the end, after the kids developed their powers; it’s where a real plot starts that makes you want to keep reading to see what happens. Her making it out of the shelter and finding her mom makes me want to read the second book.
I enjoyed the book towards the end, after the kids developed their powers; it’s where a real plot starts that makes you want to keep reading to see what happens. Her making it out of the shelter and finding her mom makes me want to read the second book.