This has been my least favorite of The Program series so far. Most of the book was waiting for something to happen, I found it frequently hard to follow, and the ending is way too similar to the ending of The Treatment. ( )

The Epidemic is the follow-up novel to The Remedy, it continues the story of Quinn who is now on the run from the people she worked for. She is driven by her desire to discover her true identity and uncover the reasons behind the spread of the suicide epidemic. Only one man holds the answer to her question - Arthur Pritchard. Those who've read The Program and The Treatment will remember who Pritchard is, it was interesting to learn his backstory and his motivations behind his actions.

Quinn learns some troubling information about the people closest to her, including Deacon, thus pushing her to set out on her own. She finally meets Virginia, Arthur Pritchard's daughter, and attempts to befriend her in hopes of getting valuable information. Will Quinn succeed in stopping the epidemic and will she finally uncover who she really is? Will Quinn and Deacon have a future together?

As much as I like this series, I think this book is weak compared to the other books. It started out strong, but by the middle it felt like the story was just going round and round without a definite direction. Towards the end though it gained a bit of momentum, I liked the twist in the end as it was unexpected. Also, I suggest you read this series when you're feeling upbeat as the subject matter is quite dark and depressing. I didn't mind it for the most part, as mentioned I enjoyed this series. However, I read The Epidemic while I was recovering from a knee injury, hence I was in bed for several days and reading this book made me feel down. I wasn't satisfied about the explanation on how the epidemic started, I'm hoping there will be a more gratifying explanation in the next book. Yes, there is another book - The Adjustment which just came out this month.

I give The Epidemic 4 out of 5 stars. ( )

This is the sequel to "The Remedy" and it answers questions and explains the suicide epidemic found in "The Program." I didn't think things would turn out well- they looked bad, bad, and worse, but they actually work out in a really good way. I also had a few suspicions from the first book confirmed. It was interesting watching them try to stop the epidemic that is already a given in "The Program," too. ( )

The Epidemic by Suzanne Young is a riveting story that I could not put down. While it is part of the Program series, it definitely can be read as a stand alone novel but I must admit that after reading this book, I went straight on to working my way through the wholes series!

The Epidemic's plot and it's characters are fascinating. The story line is compelling and it just grabbed me at my deepest emotions and wouldn't let go. This story has stayed with me with me a long time after reading this book and for me, that is a sure sign of having read a great book. I rate it @ 4.5 stars!

Thank you to Simon Pulse and Edelweiss for the gift of this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )

The Epidemic picks up at the exact moment The Remedy ends. While this is usually cause for concern, especially if you are like me and did not go back to re-read any of the previous books to refresh your memory, Ms. Young does a fantastic job picking up the strands of the narrative and weaving into them enough of the backstory to cause no hiccups in understanding. At the same time, she does not linger overlong on such backstory elements but rather allows Quinn’s story to move forward at its own pace. Given how temporary her life is within the opening pages, this means the action starts quickly and really never pauses for breath. The reader is along for the entire ride.

All of the favorites from The Remedy are back for Quinn’s journey for answers, which is a good thing. Quinn’s friends bring humor and add much-needed lightness to a story that could very easily get bogged down in the cryptic and depressing. It is key to remember that the next story in this “series” is The Program, so The Epidemic is never going to be a happy and charming novel. Still, things are not quite as bad as they are later, and the moments of levity are a welcome emotional palate cleanser.

Quinn’s struggles regarding identity are intriguing if not a little overly dramatic. Then again, if you had no idea what your true name was or grew up switching names and imitating others as fluidly and as often as one changes shoes, the idea of identity does tend to take on an entirely different meaning. Still, this is one of the weaker areas of the story, as Quinn hashes and rehashes her concerns, her angst, and her drive to find answers. It is not only redundant but somewhat boring as all teens struggle with the idea of identity during their formative years. It is part of the growing-up process after all.

So much time is spent on Quinn’s internal musings in fact that the explanation for and fight against the pending epidemic are anticlimactic. The explanation is cursory at best, confusing at worst and altogether lacking in specificity. Given that this epidemic is the driving force behind four novels, I expected more pages devoted to it. What we are given seems rather lacking, and frankly, I don’t buy it. While I could accept the idea of closures, of drugs that target selected memories and erase them, and other memory manipulation drugs, I struggle to accept the rationale behind the epidemic. While the psychology exists, the contagion seems rather extreme, and therein lies my issue.

However, as much as I may have been bored at times with Quinn’s angst-fueled reflections and as much as I do not accept the explanation given for the epidemic, I still enjoyed the novel. A lot. Deacon manages to exude the right balance of sexy, vulnerability, and confidence that will drive most girls wild. Quinn is rather kick-ass when it comes to getting answers. Her plans may lack a lot, but she takes decisive action, something you automatically respect. The action itself is practically nonstop, as Quinn takes off running during the first chapter and really never finishes running. The whole story comes to a nice conclusion, setting the stage for Sloan and James to make their entrance in the next novel. It’s a satisfying end to a great series.