State of Grace Review and Giveaway

State of Grace
Author: Hilary Badger
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont
 State of Grace
Nothing and no-one exists beyond the garden where Wren and the others live, but that’s okay- they have everything they could possibly need right there, in paradise. The trees are laden with fruit and the water in the lagoon is clear as crystal. Wren’s world is a utopia.
If only Wren could stop the strange visions she’s started having: flashes of another world, where there are people she doesn’t know- couldn’t possibly know- but who somehow feel familiar. And what does Blaze, the most beautiful and mysterious of creations, know about what’s going on in Wren’s head?
When she uncovers the lies that are propping up everything she has ever believed in, Wren must choose: remain in blissful ignorance or face the ugly truth?

My review
My thoughts on the book: Ok I have to start of this review admitting that for around the first 100 pages I didn’t really like the book and was bored, everything was just too perfect. Nothing seemed to be happening until Wren meets and outsider called Dennis. Once Dennis was on the scene I was hooked and couldn’t read quick enough.
Ok so I can’t really get into the storyline too much otherwise I will give away the whole book and I don’t want to do that. State of Grace is about Wren, one of many teenagers who are in this Utopia world where everyone worships DOT and does everything the Dotly way (DOT is basically their God). They follow The Books (kind of like their bible with chapters such as The Book of Kidness) and hope to be picked as one of the special few by Dot on Competition night for being so Dotly. Suddenly Wren is having flashes of another world where things are very different and she thinks that Dot is setting her a test to prove how much she believes in Dot. Then while swimming one night someone new is there (Dennis) and Wren believes once again that he is her test. I really can’t go into much more about what happens but I had an idea of what was happening but not to the extent that it did. At the end there was one person who we found out was someone that we thought we knew we really didn’t and it really surprised me. I kind of hope that there is another book just so I can find out what happens.
State of Grace is a fantastic story that brings into the light what some people will do to forget their past and some issues that every teenager is faced with. It will appeal to people who loved Pandora Jones: Admission by Barry Jonsburg as it has some of the same storyline concepts.

Favourite character:  I think it would have to be Blaze. Once he starts having these visions he stops at nothing to figure out what is happening to him and then when he discovers what has actually happened he accepts it and doesn’t shy away from the truth. He is such a string character and has been through so much in his short life and for him to be the person that he is at the end of the story is a great achievement.

Favourite quote/part:
“I’ll come talk to Gil!”
It’s Luna. She rushes forward, pulling Fern with her. Somehow Luna scrambles onto someone else’s shoulders until she’s right in front of Gil, kissing him directly on the mouth like the two of them are going to hook up right there on the balcony.
‘I tasted Dot. I really did,’ she squeals.
(This might not seem that funny but once you read the book you will understand just how funny it is).


Rating: 4/5 (for the slow start I took a point off)

Giveaway

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