This is an interesting starting point for what I guess is a trilogy, and it sets that up well, but I thought the first story was not finished. We ended at a strange place with too many questions unanswered. There is also not enough back story, no explanations of how we got to where we are or what made the world change to this form. These are things I expect in the first part of any serial story. I don't have enough to think about to bring me back to the next book.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. ( )

PURENET is a pretty quick paced and easy to read story. I liked the world and the author did a good job of explaining the characters and their place in the story.

I didn't fully connect to the characters. I liked them fine and Skylier played a strong female role, I just wasn't fully invested. I was highly disturbed by her brother's obsession with her to host his and his wife's baby (which is wrong considering it would really be Skyler and his baby, if I read into that right). There is a bit of a love triangle in PURENET, but it doesn't really get into a romance.

A LOT happens but its really quick and to the point. The ending was decent and unpredictable which was nice. It does end on a bit of a cliffhanger though. Will I read more? Maybe, it was a short book so I think book 2 might be as well and the story does have potential.

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Years ago, humans destroyed most of the planet creating a world of harmful UV radiation and scarce food. Under the dome of the Purenet, the wealthy live a carefree life with engineered food and protection from the sun. Skylier and her family live in Cueva, an underground system outside of Purenet. Skylier and her brother want nothing more than to be able to raise enough money to buy medicine for their mother's cancer. To do this, they must go to Purenet and be chosen for the Sanction Games or to be a Host and bear a child for a Purenet family. When Skylier gets to Purenet, she realizes that there are many secrets hidden from her and that everything is what it seems.

This was a quick, fun dystopian read. After the initial info-dump about the Cueva, Purenet, the Sanction Games and some of Skylier's family history, I was able to actually get to know the characters a little more and get a feel for the setting. Things picked up for me when Skylier was in Purenet and realized that she could read the thoughts of someone other than her brother and that the leaders of Purenet were harming the outsiders. I didn't feel an instant connection with Skylier, but the book was pretty short. Some of her decisions were good, some not so good. There is a lot of action going on through the last half of the book and some unexpected twists that kept me excited. I actually could have used a little more information about how the world came to be so volatile and some more background on some of the people that Skylier met in Purenet, just not in info-dump form. I would be interested in the next book to see what happens to the characters and what they decide to do with the information that they have learned.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ( )

2.5 Stars

Full review to come! ( )