I just have to say, I’m a total sucker for fictional, mysterious, bad-boys, (and I mean the bad-boys that are a little shy, awkward, hide their emotions, but are totally strong, skilled and confident in their abilities, yet still loving and protective. NOT the arrogant, aggressive, controlling, cold and heartless bad-boys who pretend to be in love just so they can get into someones pants -C.L.) Ok, so that being said, Susanne hit my total weakness the moment she introduced the character Coal! As soon as he came into the story I knew exactly what type of character he was going to be and I was practically smiling with glee.
Yes, this book is similar to a lot of other dystopian novels out there, humanity are living in an extreme environment controlled by closed societies, and it takes a couple of heroes/heroines to discover that everything they believe to be true, is wrong, and of course there is a love triangle. It very much feels a little like The Hunger Games, Under The Never Sky, Divergent, The Last Survivors, etc, etc. However despite its similarities it is different, and Susanne has managed to put her own unique spin on this genre. I had only one niggle with this first book, but then I think it will be sorted and dealt with in the followups.
From The Current Reviews:
The Good: ‘It had action, an amazing female main character, great side characters, just enough romance not to make me throw up and an awesome writing style‘, ‘I was immediately taken with the premise of the story and wished I had thought of it first‘, ‘This is a great story with loads of action, tension, speeding pace and wonderful characters‘, ‘Chained is a fast paced young adult novel suitable for high school students and up. It is packed with action, adventure and a little romance. Nothing explicit though! The story was rather violent with a lot of fighting and deaths, including the use of weaponry such as knives and guns.‘, ‘logical and developed plot’, ‘engrossing story line’, ‘There are no predictable zombies outside or anything like that, it basically comes down to shit hitting the fan and greedy politicians trying to take all the power from the people and keep them locked away doing their bidding.‘, ‘a great dystopian story, and though targeted for young adults, it was written maturely and without the childish drama that something like the Vampire Diaries has which is wonderfully refreshing.‘, ‘ It grabbed my attention from the very beginning and kept me trapped to the very end‘, ‘smooth writing’, ‘enjoyable read’, ‘exciting and a thrilling adventure‘, ‘A book which shows lots of girl power and it felt really good to read about strong girls like Alicia, Laurie and Maya.‘
The Bad: ‘I had expected a little less cliché with this book‘, ‘I really enjoyed the world that was created, but some of the details surrounding the characters just weren’t really my taste‘, ‘I don’t think there was enough dramatic tension to make this entirely realistic.‘, ‘Certain plot points were pretty predictable and easy to see coming, and I was confused about a lot of the “city” moments‘, ‘It does sort of fall a bit flat overall, though‘, ‘I rate the premise of this book much higher than the execution.‘
The Darn Right Ugly: (None so far on Amazon Uk or Goodreads -C.L.)
The Unicorns: ‘Susanne Valenti did a great job with this book and I think she deserves all the awards for writing such a terrific novel‘, ‘Susanne Valenti is such a great storyteller, you will forget you’re reading a book at all. She has an amazing imagination, and knows how to put it to paper!‘, ‘Someone needs to pick this series up and make it into a show or movie. It would be HUGE.‘, ‘FAVOURITE DYSTOPIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR’, ‘Ordered my copy this morning and already I cannot put it down!‘
This Book Has Been Compared/Likened To: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Divergent by Veronica Roth, and The Island by Jen Minkman, Delerium by Lauren Oliver, Studio Ghibli film Princess Mononoke, television show The Walking Dead, The Maze Runner by James Dashner.
Release date: 1st October 2015
Pages: 313
Age Range: 13+
Contains: Descriptions of violence
Genre(s): Dystopia/Science Fiction/ Young Adult
About The Book:
Terrified of the contamination and the creatures it has created, humanity hides behind The Wall. No one knows what lies beyond the wasteland. Maya has never thought much about what might still be out there, lurking in the forgotten places. But when she’s thrust into the unknown, she is forced to question everything she has ever been told. Not everyone outside died, some of them became something… else. As her heart is torn in two, every choice she makes is harder than the last. What she discovers will change her forever. She knows she will probably die, but Maya has seen enough of death and she won’t let it have her without a fight.
Amazon Kindle Rating: 
(4.7 Stars)
Goodreads Rating: 
(4.19 Stars)
Where to Buy? Amazon: Kindle Ed, £1.99. Paperback, £9.99.
Find out about the author at her website here –> http://susannevalenti.com/about/
Author’s Links:
Website: Http://www.SusanneValenti.com
Twitter: @susannevalenti
Disclaimer: The reviews and opinions above are either from online sources or my own, and have been collaborated together for the ease and benefit of potential new readers. All ratings have been collected from the date of this blog’s publishing and will potentially change in the future.
