A review by melbsreads
Out of Control by Sarah Alderson

tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

Content warnings: murder, violence, gun violence, mentions of gangs, human trafficking, mentions of incarceration, blood, disordered eating.

What the hickity heck did I just read. I picked it up on a whim because the kids at work seem to LOVE this, and I knew within a handful of pages that it probably wasn't going to end well for me. And it didn't. 

Liva - short for Olivia and NOT an abbreviation that works well in an Australian accent, let me tell you - is clearly supposed to be a strong female character but I honestly found her pretty gross, especially with the racist assumptions she makes about Jay. The human trafficking plotline wasn't well handled and the way it played out was largely unsatisfying. Liva is also a ballet dancer, so she's got a hefty dose of disordered eating going on, which definitely didn't help my enjoyment. 

I *will* say that it's a very fast paced and action packed story and I absolutely flew through it. So for that reason, I'm giving it 2.5 stars. But just know that deep down, I'm giving it 1.5 stars.