ARC, 408 pages
Release Date: March 4, 2014Published by: HarperCollinsStand-aloneSource: Around the World ARC ToursFor fans of: Action, Thriller, Romance, YAPanic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.
Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.
Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn’t know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.
For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.
*MY THOUGHTS*
“‘No one had ever told her this basic fact: not everyone got to be loved.“
pg. 264 (ARC)
I loved that this book was pitched as a thriller and it actually was. So many things had me on edge with this book. From the challenges, to the romances that were developing, to all the other things that the characters went through. I seriously read this in about 26 hours (minus about 7 hours of sleep). I was hooked from the beginning. In those few hours that I spent reading this I chewed all my fingers down to nubs. One was so bad I had to put a band-aid on it. I never wanted to put this book down. And by the way, I saw somewhere that this is listed as a dystopian…. But it doesn’t say anything about it being after a specific event. Just that in that town where the kids there were young, bored, and dumb.
“‘When you love someone, when you care for someone, you have to do it through the good and the bad. Not just when you’re happy and it’s easy.“
pg. 354 (ARC)
One thing I didn’t like though was the way it was obvious some things happened specifically to move along the plot. Now I get it, it’s a book… EVERYTHING happens to move the plot, but do you have t make it obvious? I mean…. Tigers? (You’ll see what I mean when you read it…) Fortunately, with all the action going on, one is able to overlook this situation.
“‘The bravery was in moving forward, no matter what.“
pg. 408 (ARC)
Lastly, this wouldn’t be an Oliver book without the romance. I have to admit, this one confused me. I definitely expected them to end up differently in the beginning, but as the story went on, I could see the direction everything was going. Also, since this was a thriller, it wasn’t heavy on the romance which I loved. I mean let’s be real, there is WAYYYYY too much going on to be worried about a boyfriend/girlfriend and a fight that y’all are having. Which makes me mad because this is basically what fueled it all. I was so mad that this caused her to do this. I hate that he had the power to make Heather feel that way. But in the end, she proved herself.
“‘There was always a way up and out and no need to be afraid.“
pg. 408 (ARC)
Overall, this is already one of my favorites for the year! It’s convinced me to go back to Oliver’s Delirium series and finish it because I need to get back to her writing. In this thriller you will meet a girl and a guy who are both trying to win the most dangerous game they’ve ever played, all for the love of someone else.
I'm so glad you enjoyed this book, because this is actually the first positive review I've seen for it. I haven't read anything by Lauren Oliver yet, and I wanted to read her Delirium series, but the mixed reviews put me off a bit. I think I'll still read Panic – I really want to know what the tigers are about now!