Review: I Am Alive (I Am Alive #1)
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 03 7, 2013
'I Am Alive' is the first book in a young adult dystopian series that follows leading lady, Decca Tenderstone, as she navigates the futuristic and deadly Los Angeles - a place where teens are now ranked on a scale of one to ten in order to determine their future. When the unbelievable happens - Decca is deemed an Outrank - she must participate in the Monster Show, where a broadcasted sacrificial ritual occurs on live TV. The teens who must participate in the show are labelled as Monsters or Bad Kidz and then have to fight each other to survive. Every six hours, you must scream I AM ALIVE. If you don't do it - or don't scream loud enough - you die. Decca must hurriedly learn why she wasn't placed in the ranks and Leo - the beautiful yet cocky guy she's stuck with - is only causing her problems.This was an interesting book that definitely had lots of deeper themes below the dystopian surface. It dealt with heavy topics like finding yourself, love, life versus living, and believing in yourself and others. The characters were somewhat unique, although mostly stereotypical. The relationship between Decca and Leo was predictable, although I did enjoy their interactions with each other. The plot was intriguing, but the dystopian world full of teenage death via savage games for entertainment wasn't anything super original. The writing was solid and had a great pace throughout the book. The ending left some questions unanswered, which will serve as a great jumping off point for the next installment. Overall, this was a good book and fans of YA science fiction/dystopian fiction will enjoy.Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.