Don’t Turn Around
By Michelle Gagnon
August 28, 2012
Ages 13 and up
Harper Collins
Reviewed: ARC
Order from Amazon
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Read the Prequel Novella, NO ESCAPE
Sixteen-year-old Noa has been a victim of the system ever since her parents died. Now living off the grid and trusting no one, she uses her computer-hacking skills to stay safely anonymous and alone. But when she wakes up on a table in an empty warehouse with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there, Noa starts to wish she had someone on her side.
Enter Peter Gregory. A rich kid and the leader of a hacker alliance, Peter needs people with Noa’s talents on his team. Especially after a shady corporation threatens his life. But what Noa and Peter don’t realize is that Noa holds the key to a terrible secret, and there are those who’d stop at nothing to silence her for good.
Filled with action, suspense, and romance, this first book in a new trilogy offers readers nonstop thrills.
JENNA’S REVIEW
Are you ready for a wild ride that would easily appeal to fans of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Harlan Coben? Have you ever wished to find more “geek” in your reading material? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to read a technological thriller for teens? If any of the above applies to you, then DON’T TURN AROUND by Michelle Gagnon should probably be your next read.
The book starts with an bang and your heart begins to race (and will continue to race for the duration of the story) when the orphaned hacker, Noa, wakes up on the very first page in a seemingly abandoned warehouse. The atrocities done to her are mysterious and alarming, the truth about her circumstances are revealed over the course of the book. The book is told in the alternating perspectives of Noa and the /ALLIANCE/ hack team leader, Peter. Their stories are initially told separately, but then quickly race toward the point in which the two perspectives intersect. Through their perspective you are able to see the larger picture of what appears to be a truly epic corporate/medical conspiracy and possible government coverup.
If you want romance, you ain’t gonna get it here. Personally, I love it when the character’s circumstances and their situations drive the story rather than romance and possible love interests. It was refreshing not to be tangled up in that sort of melodrama for a change. Yet, while the lack of a romantic sub plot was appealing, what I did not particularly care for was the fact that SO MUCH of the story was concentrated on the action and the character’s circumstances that some fleshing out of the characters (also known as “character development”) was sacrificed. I know that Peter was a rich boy who knew computers and was being kicked out of his house and dumped by his girlfriend. I know that Noa was an orphaned girl who also knew computers and was involved in some mysterious conspiracy. Aside from that, I really know very little about the characters. It’s the first book in the series, though, and for an action-packed installment, come lack of character development can be forgiven.
I enjoyed all of the little facts about hacking, online aliases and other geek lingo that were scattered throughout the book. The inner geek in me was jumping around a bit when sites such as 4chan and the quality of Mac machines were made mention of. And while I am pretty much like Noa at the mention of WoW, it did take me back a few years when I was surrounded by players of the online game. Yes geeks, eat your heart out. They are talking to YOU in this book.
In addition to the cool references, the events that occur with in the book are at times alarming. The medical discoveries and class differences (for example the manner in which kids in the foster system are treated) are not for the faint of heart. The topics involved in this story bring INTENSITY in YA to a whole new level. In addition, not all the characters will survive this installment, and those that do will likely need some serious therapy when all is said and done.
While lacking in the areas of character development, DON’T TURN AROUND is an exciting start to what promises to be an intense series. Your heart will be racing until the very last page. Luckily, you’ll have plenty of time to catch your breath, since unfortunately there is no set date for book two in the series at this time.
Plot: 8
Characters: 7
Setting: 8
Pacing: 10
Style: 8
Grade: 91
THIS OR THAT:
We asked Noa and Peter a few ‘This or That’ questions, which they so graciously responded to below. These may be a few hints toward items you can expect to read about in the book! ;)
- Mac or PC
- Routine or Adventure
- Fact or Fiction
- WoW or Halo (for Peter, at least; Noa would probably prefer Halo)
- Light or Dark
- 4chan or Tumblr
- Harry Potter or Twilight
- Tom or Jerry
- Fight or Flight
- All or Nothing
THE GIVEAWAY:
Enter to win an ARC of DON’T TURN AROUND by Michelle Gagnon!
Open to US/Canada residents aged 13 or older.
Ends Friday, September 21, 2012 at midnight.
DON’T TURN AROUND /ALLIANCE/
(Oops… I mean Tour Stops)
8/22 – The Mod Podge Bookshelf— Character of Names
8/23 – Book Twirps— Movie Dream Cast
8/24 – A Good Addiction— Author Interview
8/27 – Reading Lark— Author Interview
8/28 – Confessions of a Bookaholic— Guest Post
8/29 – Bookalicious— Author Interview
8/30 – Once Upon a Twilight— Author Interview
8/31 – Making the Grade— Character This or That
9/3 – A Life Bound By Books— Author Interview
9/4 – The Irish Banana— Author Interview
Sounds like a good one!
Face paced, action & adventure. That sounds like a huge change of pace from the typical TA I read, but I like the elements that this book seems to have going for it. I’ll definitely be giving it a try. Great review.
Sounds like a change of pace from the paranormal romance books I’ve been drawn to lately! Thanks for the giveaway! Love the cover too!
This sounds like a great book, I can’t wait to read it. Thanks for the giveaway!
Thank you so much for doing a giveaway. This sounds like such a great book. I can’t wait to read it.
Great review! I love the way you put an actual grade on the book. Can’t wait to read this :)
Blog Tour is the most
I didn’t have too much interest in this book for the longest time but the more I hear about it and the more great reviews roll in, I feel like I NEED it now! Thanks for the giveaway and review.
“Have you ever wished to find more “geek” in your reading material?”
YES YES YES!!!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your review and the this or that!! I literally just started reading this book last night! I’m nto very far in yet — like 35 pages — but I’m loving it so far!! I’ll admit I’m a little scared of the lack of romance. I usually like to have at least *some* romance in all my books. So hopefully the rest of the book is good enough to make up for it. ;)
Great review! I have been dying to read this book FOREVER!! Thanks so much for the giveaway!
So Psyched to read this! Thanks for the cool stop!
Oh, this one sounds fantastic! There is a serious lack of thinking-based YA books in the tech geek subset. I only wish this had been out when I was a kid! :)
OMG this sounds like an amazing story!! How scary to be all alone your life and then wake and find out you are trapped/ captured. What a great story idea! Can’t wait to read it!Thank you for the great giveaway!
Eep! This book has been on my to-read list for quite a while AND got its own Cover Love post, so I’d be ecstatic if I won! Go geeks!
Thanks for the great review! I was already planing on reading it, but this made me want to read it that much more : ) Thanks for the giveaway!
Awesome review! I’ve been seeing this book around a lot lately and have wanted to read it, and now I *really* want to check it out after that review!
Very lovely review. I have been wanting to read this book since I knew about it. Sounds like you liked it.
Thank you for this great giveaway!
- Beckie