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Out of Control
When 17 year old Liva witnesses a brutal murder she’s taken into police custody for her own protection. But when the police station is attacked and bullets start flying it becomes clear that Liva is not just a witness, she’s a target.
Together with a car thief called Jay, Liva manages to escape the massacre but now the two of them are alone in New York, trying to outrun and outwit two killers who will stop at nothing to find them.
When you live on the edge, there’s a long way to fall.
Together with a car thief called Jay, Liva manages to escape the massacre but now the two of them are alone in New York, trying to outrun and outwit two killers who will stop at nothing to find them.
When you live on the edge, there’s a long way to fall.
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 22, 2014
66 people are currently reading
3,368 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Alderson
26 books2,606 followersHaving spent most of her life in London, Sarah quit her job in the non profit sector in 2009 and took off on a round the world trip with her husband and princess-obsessed daughter on a mission to find a new place to call home. After several months in India, Singapore, Australia and the US, they settled in Bali where they lived for five years.
She finished her first novel, Hunting Lila (winner of the Kingston Book Award), just before they left the UK, wrote the sequel on the beach in India and had signed a two book deal with Simon & Schuster by the time they had reached Bali.
A third book, Fated, about a teenage demon slayer, was published in January 2012.
The Sound, a thriller romance set in Nantucket, was published in August 2013 and this was followed by the critically acclaimed Out of Control in May 2014.
Her first non-fiction book - CAN WE LIVE HERE? - based on her blog of the same name, was published in August 2015 by Blink.
She also writes New Adult romance for Pan Macmillan (UK) / Simon & Schuster (US) under the pen name Mila Gray.
You can find Sarah on facebook and at www.sarahalderson.com or follow her blog at www.canwelivhere.com
She finished her first novel, Hunting Lila (winner of the Kingston Book Award), just before they left the UK, wrote the sequel on the beach in India and had signed a two book deal with Simon & Schuster by the time they had reached Bali.
A third book, Fated, about a teenage demon slayer, was published in January 2012.
The Sound, a thriller romance set in Nantucket, was published in August 2013 and this was followed by the critically acclaimed Out of Control in May 2014.
Her first non-fiction book - CAN WE LIVE HERE? - based on her blog of the same name, was published in August 2015 by Blink.
She also writes New Adult romance for Pan Macmillan (UK) / Simon & Schuster (US) under the pen name Mila Gray.
You can find Sarah on facebook and at www.sarahalderson.com or follow her blog at www.canwelivhere.com
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September 4, 2014
Bailiff: Hear ye, hear ye! Court will now come to order! Please stand for your judge, the Honorable...
*Khanh beckons, whispers into Bailiff's ears*
Bailiff: ...make that the Dishonorable Khanh. All rise! Your Dishonor...where's your gavel?
Khanh: Lost it. I'm using this hammer instead. I think it's appropriate. Close enough.
Bailiff: ...
Khanh: We are here in The Reader's Court for the pre-trial of Readers vs. Liva, the 17-year old main character of Out of Control. She stands here accused of being a dumbass. What are the detailed charges?
Bailiff: There are 19 charges, your dishonor. She stands accused of racial profiling, slut-shaming, girl-on-girl hate...
Khanh: Ain't nobody got time for that. Make it brief. Keep it to 4.
Bailiff: She stands accused of:
1. Showing all signs of being a Mary fucking Sue
2. Falling in love with complete fucking douchebag full of...
*pauses* Your Dishonor, do I really have to read this?
Khanh: YES
Bailiff: ...full of...UNF...CUBAN MACHEESMO.
Khanh: Attaboy.
Bailiff:
3. Having the wrong fucking priorities all the fucking time
4. Having dumb fucking trains of thoughts. *hesitates* CHOO CHOO.
*pauses* Your Dishonor, are these charges correct? I don't recall so much profanity being used in any of the pleadings that I've...
Khanh: YES THEY ARE. Wait a minute. Did you say racial profiling?
Bailiff: Yes, your Dishonor.
Khanh: Ok, I'm curious now. Go on, man. What's up with that, yo? Let me read through this briefing.
*pauses* You gotta be fucking kidding me, girl. Did you really think the guy's a gang member because he's Latin-American looking and carries a fucking bandana?
Liva: Um...
Khanh: YEAH, DUDE, NO. LOOK HERE. And I quote:
And look here again. A Latin-American woman, of course you think she's fat and speaks with an accent. Of course every Latino and Latina in the book is horribly stereotypically portrayed. Look here, did you really think a fucking Latin American woman would talk like this?
Liva: I swear I'm not racist, your honor! I mean, I went to an international school! I was born and raised abroad. I lived most of my life in Oman and Nigeria! I've had a great education! I'm really, really smart!
But um, your Dishonor...where's the jury? Aren't I entitled to a fair jury trial here?
Khanh: This is 'Murica. Our fair trial is by name only. I am your judge, jury, and executioner.
Liva: THIS ISN'T FAI---
Khanh: *loudly interrupts* SO HERE ARE THE CONTEXT OF YOUR CHARGES. You are a 17 year old beauty who is being pursued by people wanting to kill you. Naturally, you run away with a guy you thought might be a potential murderer, since the first time you saw him, he was in handcuffs in the Homicide Department. Is that correct?
Liva: *gulps* Yes, your Dishonor...but---
Khanh: NO BUTS. See Exhibit 1. You thought he was a killer. And you ran away with him anyway.
Liva: You're sounding rather angry. I can't help it if my parents are rich.
Khanh: I'm not angry because you're rich. I'm angry because you're a Mary Sue.
Live: *splutters* Your Dishonor, please! I am not!
Khanh: You're not, eh? *leans off her podium and glares* ARE YOU DENYING THE FACT THAT YOU'RE AS GOOD AS AN ORPHAN, WITH BOTH PARENTS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES?
Liva: No, your Dishonor...
Khanh: ARE YOU DENYING THE FACT THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS FELT DIFFERENT, THAT NOBODY CAN EVER UNDERSTAND YOUR HEART AND SOUL?
Liva: No, your Dishonor...
Khanh: ARE YOU DENYING THE FACT THAT YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, WITH A BALLET DANCER'S FIGURE THAT'S FUCKING FLAWED. FLAWED!!!!!!!!!!!!! BECAUSE IT'S TOO THIN, YET TOO CURVY? LOOK AT FUCKING EXHIBIT 2!!!!!!!
Khanh: SAVE IT, BITCH. ONTO THE NEXT CHARGE. You fell in love with an asshole. Is that correct?
Live: No, your Dishonor! I would never!!!!
Khanh: LIAR! LIAR!!!!! LOOK AT THIS!!!! Throughout the entire fucking book, he ogles you like a fucking douche. Not once. Not twice, a million times over. Exhibit 3!!!!!!!
Khanh: WRONG AGAIN! SEE EXHIBIT 5!
Speaking of which...your fucking priorities. Where the fuck are they? You are being chased by god knows how many people. All of whom want to murder you or kidnap you. Where the fuck is your head concentrated?
I'll tell you where. Jaime's muscles. Pronounced HIIIIIIIII-MEEEEEEEE. HI! ME! LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT HIM! THAT'S ALL YOU FUCKING DO.
Right after you just witnessed a multiple homicide. You notice his fucking good looks. Exhibit 6.
*hyperventilates*
Liva: Your dishonor! I swear it wasn't my fault. I didn't mean to fall in love with him! Look at Exhibit 11!
Liva: I'm a teenager, your Dishonor! I can't help it if my hormones get the better of me!
Khanh: Fine, you can't be blamed for your emotions, BUT HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN YOUR TERRIBLE WAY OF THINKING? My god, girl, your metaphors and similes are straight out of bullshit university. EXHIBIT 12 AND 13!!!!
*Khanh jumps off her podium and begins to chase Liva*
Liva: Your Dishonor! This is really quite uncalled---
*Khanh smashes Liva into oblivion*
Khanh: Hmm. Interesting. She survived countless murderers, but not one lonely book reviewer. Whatever. I did you all a favor anyway.
Bailiff: *splattered with blood* C...c...court a--adjourned.
*Khanh beckons, whispers into Bailiff's ears*
Bailiff: ...make that the Dishonorable Khanh. All rise! Your Dishonor...where's your gavel?
Khanh: Lost it. I'm using this hammer instead. I think it's appropriate. Close enough.
Bailiff: ...
Khanh: We are here in The Reader's Court for the pre-trial of Readers vs. Liva, the 17-year old main character of Out of Control. She stands here accused of being a dumbass. What are the detailed charges?
Bailiff: There are 19 charges, your dishonor. She stands accused of racial profiling, slut-shaming, girl-on-girl hate...
Khanh: Ain't nobody got time for that. Make it brief. Keep it to 4.
Bailiff: She stands accused of:
1. Showing all signs of being a Mary fucking Sue
2. Falling in love with complete fucking douchebag full of...
*pauses* Your Dishonor, do I really have to read this?
Khanh: YES
Bailiff: ...full of...UNF...CUBAN MACHEESMO.
Khanh: Attaboy.
Bailiff:
3. Having the wrong fucking priorities all the fucking time
4. Having dumb fucking trains of thoughts. *hesitates* CHOO CHOO.
*pauses* Your Dishonor, are these charges correct? I don't recall so much profanity being used in any of the pleadings that I've...
Khanh: YES THEY ARE. Wait a minute. Did you say racial profiling?
Bailiff: Yes, your Dishonor.
Khanh: Ok, I'm curious now. Go on, man. What's up with that, yo? Let me read through this briefing.
*pauses* You gotta be fucking kidding me, girl. Did you really think the guy's a gang member because he's Latin-American looking and carries a fucking bandana?
Liva: Um...
Khanh: YEAH, DUDE, NO. LOOK HERE. And I quote:
It’s then that I notice the bandana hanging out the back pocket of his jeans. I know what that little scrap of material signifies. He’s a gang member. I shake my head to myself.See? What the fuck is that? Racist much?! Guuuuuuuurl.
And look here again. A Latin-American woman, of course you think she's fat and speaks with an accent. Of course every Latino and Latina in the book is horribly stereotypically portrayed. Look here, did you really think a fucking Latin American woman would talk like this?
‘She’ll stand out like a habanero chilli in an ice-cream store if she goes dressed like that,’ Marissa snaps back.Seriously? SERIOUSLY?
Liva: I swear I'm not racist, your honor! I mean, I went to an international school! I was born and raised abroad. I lived most of my life in Oman and Nigeria! I've had a great education! I'm really, really smart!
But um, your Dishonor...where's the jury? Aren't I entitled to a fair jury trial here?
Khanh: This is 'Murica. Our fair trial is by name only. I am your judge, jury, and executioner.
Liva: THIS ISN'T FAI---
Khanh: *loudly interrupts* SO HERE ARE THE CONTEXT OF YOUR CHARGES. You are a 17 year old beauty who is being pursued by people wanting to kill you. Naturally, you run away with a guy you thought might be a potential murderer, since the first time you saw him, he was in handcuffs in the Homicide Department. Is that correct?
Liva: *gulps* Yes, your Dishonor...but---
Khanh: NO BUTS. See Exhibit 1. You thought he was a killer. And you ran away with him anyway.
I contemplate for the first time the fact that I’m sitting in a stolen unmarked police car with a murderer who I just helped escape from custody.Where's your fucking fancy international education now? Did it serve you well? I WENT TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL WITH 2000 STUDENTS.
Liva: You're sounding rather angry. I can't help it if my parents are rich.
Khanh: I'm not angry because you're rich. I'm angry because you're a Mary Sue.
Live: *splutters* Your Dishonor, please! I am not!
Khanh: You're not, eh? *leans off her podium and glares* ARE YOU DENYING THE FACT THAT YOU'RE AS GOOD AS AN ORPHAN, WITH BOTH PARENTS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES?
Liva: No, your Dishonor...
Khanh: ARE YOU DENYING THE FACT THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS FELT DIFFERENT, THAT NOBODY CAN EVER UNDERSTAND YOUR HEART AND SOUL?
Liva: No, your Dishonor...
Khanh: ARE YOU DENYING THE FACT THAT YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, WITH A BALLET DANCER'S FIGURE THAT'S FUCKING FLAWED. FLAWED!!!!!!!!!!!!! BECAUSE IT'S TOO THIN, YET TOO CURVY? LOOK AT FUCKING EXHIBIT 2!!!!!!!
'You got what my mum would call good posture. And your legs. You have a dancer’s legs.’Liva: I really am not beautiful, I mean I have all these freakish red hair and stupid slanted, exotic eyes inherited from my Slavic mother.
I don’t naturally have a ballet dancer’s build. I’ve got boobs and hips for a start, long legs but also a long torso.
Khanh: SAVE IT, BITCH. ONTO THE NEXT CHARGE. You fell in love with an asshole. Is that correct?
Live: No, your Dishonor! I would never!!!!
Khanh: LIAR! LIAR!!!!! LOOK AT THIS!!!! Throughout the entire fucking book, he ogles you like a fucking douche. Not once. Not twice, a million times over. Exhibit 3!!!!!!!
I feel his eyes skimming the top of my breasts.And Exhibits 3A-3ZZZZZZZ. All examples of him ogling you like a fucking jailbird who hasn't seen a woman in 30 years of solitary confinement. Then there are examples of him acting like a fucking asshat and commenting about other women's weight. EXHIBIT 4.
‘You got no worries there. You should see my cousin Maria. She’s one Krispy Kreme away from having her own zip code.’Liva: But your honor! He's in love with me! He respects me!
Khanh: WRONG AGAIN! SEE EXHIBIT 5!
‘You don’t drink coffee, don’t take sugar, don’t eat cream. What are you,’ he asks through his mouthful, ‘anorexic?’RESPECTING YOU DOESN'T MEAN HE SIMULTANEOUSLY ACCUSES YOU OF BEING ANOREXIC WHILE CALLING ANOTHER GIRL FAT.
Speaking of which...your fucking priorities. Where the fuck are they? You are being chased by god knows how many people. All of whom want to murder you or kidnap you. Where the fuck is your head concentrated?
I'll tell you where. Jaime's muscles. Pronounced HIIIIIIIII-MEEEEEEEE. HI! ME! LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT HIM! THAT'S ALL YOU FUCKING DO.
Right after you just witnessed a multiple homicide. You notice his fucking good looks. Exhibit 6.
I could easily imagine him gracing a billboard advertising some hipster fashion brand. Instead, I think to myself, he’s posing for mug shots.Right after you almost got murdered again. Exhibit 7.
I note the strips of muscle running the length of his arms and the fact that they are trembling ever so slightly.As you're about to break and enter. Exhibit 8.
He headed on around to the front modelling the NYPD sweater and a swagger straight out of Miami Vice.Wondering what to do and where to go next. Exhibit 9.
I notice the beads of water still clinging to his hair and the fact that his T-shirt is sticking to him like a second layer of skin, revealing every line of muscle.FINDING OUT THAT JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIME IS IN DEEP DEEP SHIT. Exhibit 10.
I put a hand on his forearm, feeling the hardness of muscle, rigid with anger.It's like every single fucking action you made has to emphasize his hard fucking muscles. He has muscles! I GET IT! I DO, TOO. WE ALL DO. GET THE FUCK OVER IT. PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO KILL YOU!!!!!!!
*hyperventilates*
Liva: Your dishonor! I swear it wasn't my fault. I didn't mean to fall in love with him! Look at Exhibit 11!
I don’t fall for guys. I don’t fall. Period.Khanh: BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU FUCKING DID. FOR THE ENTIRE FUCKING NOVEL YOU FALL INTO INSTA-LOVE WITH A DOUCHEBAG/CRIMINAL WITH A HEART OF GOLD. CAN YOU BE ANY MORE FUCKING CLICHéD?!
Liva: I'm a teenager, your Dishonor! I can't help it if my hormones get the better of me!
Khanh: Fine, you can't be blamed for your emotions, BUT HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN YOUR TERRIBLE WAY OF THINKING? My god, girl, your metaphors and similes are straight out of bullshit university. EXHIBIT 12 AND 13!!!!
He’s watching me with a mixture of wariness and worry, as though I’m an unexploded landmine.Khanh: ENOUGH! ENOUGH! BURN HER! BURN HER!!!!!
He’s staring at me fiercely, his jaw clenching and unclenching as though he’s trying to dislodge a tooth.
*Khanh jumps off her podium and begins to chase Liva*
Liva: Your Dishonor! This is really quite uncalled---
*Khanh smashes Liva into oblivion*
Khanh: Hmm. Interesting. She survived countless murderers, but not one lonely book reviewer. Whatever. I did you all a favor anyway.
Bailiff: *splattered with blood* C...c...court a--adjourned.
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February 2, 2019US BLOGGERS! I have ARCS to give away so if you want one send me a message or leave a comment!
The idea for the book came from a few things - Ryan Gosling in Drive ;) and the opening scene, which is a massacre in a police station, is a homage to one of my favorite movies growing up - Terminator!
The idea for the book came from a few things - Ryan Gosling in Drive ;) and the opening scene, which is a massacre in a police station, is a homage to one of my favorite movies growing up - Terminator!
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May 11, 2015I love thrillers. An as I've said many times, teen thrillers often have (inevitable) believability issues. While this book was able to convince me that a teenage girl could be a gun-wielding badass, the overall plot was a little sketchy. Though I admired that the book tried to highlight the problem of human trafficking, that part of the plot wasn't terribly convincing. Ditto for a gang subplot that made the gang members (the Latin Blades) seem like something out of West Side Story.
The book featured one of those "thrown together and might die so let's get it on" insta-relationships, but the romance had its sweet moments, with Liva being more of the pursuer and Jay more reluctant. (Liva's continued obsession with her tantalizing glimpse of Jay's man parts at a time when they were running for their lives did make me snort a few times.) There was a twist that most readers will see a mile away. It seemed obvious that Jay's gang plot and Liva's narrow escapes from death had to have a connection, and there was really only one thing that made sense.
And yet, I enjoyed this. It was a fast-paced piece of brain candy with a surprisingly sweet romance (if you don't mind a little narrow-escape-from-death induced insta-lust) and some funny banter between Liva and Jay. I also loved the part about Liva's former bodyguard.
P.S. I do not accept Liva as a nickname for Olivia. Livvie? Liv? Livia? Ollie? Why was this so distracting to me?
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
The book featured one of those "thrown together and might die so let's get it on" insta-relationships, but the romance had its sweet moments, with Liva being more of the pursuer and Jay more reluctant. (Liva's continued obsession with her tantalizing glimpse of Jay's man parts at a time when they were running for their lives did make me snort a few times.) There was a twist that most readers will see a mile away. It seemed obvious that Jay's gang plot and Liva's narrow escapes from death had to have a connection, and there was really only one thing that made sense.
And yet, I enjoyed this. It was a fast-paced piece of brain candy with a surprisingly sweet romance (if you don't mind a little narrow-escape-from-death induced insta-lust) and some funny banter between Liva and Jay. I also loved the part about Liva's former bodyguard.
P.S. I do not accept Liva as a nickname for Olivia. Livvie? Liv? Livia? Ollie? Why was this so distracting to me?
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
May 29, 2014
'For a moment it's hard to tell what's real and what's not. It's like watching a television show. But I can't tell which side of the screen I'm on any more.'
Sarah Alderson works her story-telling magic again, in Out of Control - a novel that is fast-paced and super-duper addictive. Get caught in the mystery and prepare yourself for the chase of your life!
WARNING: this book features a guy character that is hotter than a habanero chilli. Ladies, prepare to swoon.
Sarah Alderson works her story-telling magic again, in Out of Control - a novel that is fast-paced and super-duper addictive. Get caught in the mystery and prepare yourself for the chase of your life!
WARNING: this book features a guy character that is hotter than a habanero chilli. Ladies, prepare to swoon.
June 9, 2014
Actual Rating 3.5
***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato
If nothing else, one can always count on Sarah to deliver a book that is fun. This book is far from perfect but in spite of all the issues I had, I still ended up enjoying it and I wouldn’t expect anything less from Sarah because to this day, I haven’t read a single book by her that I didn’t enjoy.
This book, like her Lila series, is full of action and will keep you on your toes and on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what will happen next.
Her characters, for the most part, are pretty lovable but Liva could be hard to get behind at times. I absolutely loved how she was willing to take a lead and while she needed help, and WANTED it too, she could actually take care of herself. Her emotional baggage, however, could at times be tiresome. I felt like if she hadn’t been so set against not feeling and constantly feeling guilty, it would have been easier for me to enjoy her character a lot more.
Jay on the other hand was pretty damn awesome, like the rest of Sarah’s love interests. He was swoon worthy and oh-so-sweet. I loved how supportive he was but at the same time I was a little surprised by his willingness to help her. It could just be the cynic in me but I wouldn’t usually risk my life to help someone I had just met, but again, had he not helped her the story would have been completely different and most likely not nearly as enjoyable. My only other qualm with him was when he said he was a fast learner and asked Liva to hand him a gun. Yeah.. no. You cannot be a fast learner when it comes to guns because there are so many rules you need to know before you can actually use a gun safely. It bother me a little when he said that but not nearly enough to take away from my overall love for his character.
The one thing I cannot make up my mind about, even now, is the romance. It had an insta-love feel to it especially when Liva went on and on about how he made her feel again after she had forced herself to stop feeling. Add to that the fact that they had barely known each other for a day so I definitely ended up having issues with the romance but at the same time, I enjoyed it. It’s probably Sarah working her magic and making me like something that would have usually ended up becoming a huge problem for me and would have ended up taking from my overall experience of the book but Sarah knows how to captivate her readers so that wasn't really a huge problem.
The plot didn’t let me down. I saw the major plot twist coming from miles away, but even so, when it was finally revealed, my heart was beating erratically and I was biting my fingernails and trying to read as fast as I possibly could to get to the bottom of it. It was just so well done. It was full of action and there wasn’t a single minute when I was bored. There were some situations that were probably unrealistic but it just works. Sarah knows how to make it work.
Even with my problems, Out of Control was a thoroughly entertaining read and it also dealt with an important issue in today’s world, human trafficking. It was one of my most anticipated reads and while I’ll admit to being let down, I still enjoyed it and thought it was totally worth it. Reading it did make me extremely nostalgic for the Lila series though.
I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a quick read that while is not the best thing ever, will not fail to keep readers on their toes and will grasp their attention and not let go until the end.
***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato
If nothing else, one can always count on Sarah to deliver a book that is fun. This book is far from perfect but in spite of all the issues I had, I still ended up enjoying it and I wouldn’t expect anything less from Sarah because to this day, I haven’t read a single book by her that I didn’t enjoy.
This book, like her Lila series, is full of action and will keep you on your toes and on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what will happen next.
Her characters, for the most part, are pretty lovable but Liva could be hard to get behind at times. I absolutely loved how she was willing to take a lead and while she needed help, and WANTED it too, she could actually take care of herself. Her emotional baggage, however, could at times be tiresome. I felt like if she hadn’t been so set against not feeling and constantly feeling guilty, it would have been easier for me to enjoy her character a lot more.
Jay on the other hand was pretty damn awesome, like the rest of Sarah’s love interests. He was swoon worthy and oh-so-sweet. I loved how supportive he was but at the same time I was a little surprised by his willingness to help her. It could just be the cynic in me but I wouldn’t usually risk my life to help someone I had just met, but again, had he not helped her the story would have been completely different and most likely not nearly as enjoyable. My only other qualm with him was when he said he was a fast learner and asked Liva to hand him a gun. Yeah.. no. You cannot be a fast learner when it comes to guns because there are so many rules you need to know before you can actually use a gun safely. It bother me a little when he said that but not nearly enough to take away from my overall love for his character.
The one thing I cannot make up my mind about, even now, is the romance. It had an insta-love feel to it especially when Liva went on and on about how he made her feel again after she had forced herself to stop feeling. Add to that the fact that they had barely known each other for a day so I definitely ended up having issues with the romance but at the same time, I enjoyed it. It’s probably Sarah working her magic and making me like something that would have usually ended up becoming a huge problem for me and would have ended up taking from my overall experience of the book but Sarah knows how to captivate her readers so that wasn't really a huge problem.
The plot didn’t let me down. I saw the major plot twist coming from miles away, but even so, when it was finally revealed, my heart was beating erratically and I was biting my fingernails and trying to read as fast as I possibly could to get to the bottom of it. It was just so well done. It was full of action and there wasn’t a single minute when I was bored. There were some situations that were probably unrealistic but it just works. Sarah knows how to make it work.
Even with my problems, Out of Control was a thoroughly entertaining read and it also dealt with an important issue in today’s world, human trafficking. It was one of my most anticipated reads and while I’ll admit to being let down, I still enjoyed it and thought it was totally worth it. Reading it did make me extremely nostalgic for the Lila series though.
I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a quick read that while is not the best thing ever, will not fail to keep readers on their toes and will grasp their attention and not let go until the end.
September 23, 2014
When the people she is staying with are murdered Liva is taken into protective custody while the police try to figure out who was behind their deaths. Before she can even finish giving her statement the police station is attacked and Liva finds herself in the middle of a gun fight. She escapes with the help of a car thief called Jay but now the two of them have to stay one step ahead of the killers who will do whatever it takes to find her. Can Liva and Jay figure out who the killers are before they end up the last in a long line of victims?
It's no secret that Sarah Alderson is one of my favourite authors, I've devoured all of her books and loved every one of them so I couldn't wait to get started on Out of Control. I think this is her most action-packed book to date, the intensity is high from the very beginning and it doesn't let up until the end, I actually have to thank Sarah for yet another lost night of sleep because I just couldn't put it down!
Liva is a fantastic main character, she is smart and incredibly kick ass. She grew up with bodyguards and has had self defence training since she was a young girl so she knows how to stand up for herself. As a dancer she is physically fit but she is also mentally tough and her ex-military father taught her to use every weapon available to her - not just guns or knives but also her brain. Liva is thrown into a nightmare situation and she comes very close to losing it in the beginning but once her brain has time to catch up with what is going on she really starts to come into her own. She takes control of the situation and starts to make plans to ensure her own safety.
Jay was at the police station after getting arrested for car theft and now they're on the run he's technically a wanted criminal but there is a lot more to him than first meets the eye. I don't want to say too much about his character because it's better for you to discover his secrets for yourself but he was nothing like I imagined he would be and I loved how protective he was of Liva even when she was pretty much a stranger to him. He is the kind of guy who goes out of his way to help others even when that means putting himself at risk and you have to admire that about him.
Out of Control is a fast-paced thrill ride that kept me on the edge of my seat and it has some fantastic twists guaranteed to shock you. Sarah Alderson touches on some very difficult issues in a way that enhances the story without overwhelming it. There is a hint of romance but since the story happens over such a short period of time the characters don't fall madly in love by the end of the book which is something I found much more realistic. Liva and Jay have been thrown together and they have to learn to trust each other quickly, they share some fantastically intense kisses but the focus of the story isn't on them falling in love. Although this story works well as a stand alone I'd actually love to revisit these characters in the future. If you're looking for a pacey thriller with non-stop action, great characters and a fantastic setting then look no further - I can't recommend this one highly enough!
It's no secret that Sarah Alderson is one of my favourite authors, I've devoured all of her books and loved every one of them so I couldn't wait to get started on Out of Control. I think this is her most action-packed book to date, the intensity is high from the very beginning and it doesn't let up until the end, I actually have to thank Sarah for yet another lost night of sleep because I just couldn't put it down!
Liva is a fantastic main character, she is smart and incredibly kick ass. She grew up with bodyguards and has had self defence training since she was a young girl so she knows how to stand up for herself. As a dancer she is physically fit but she is also mentally tough and her ex-military father taught her to use every weapon available to her - not just guns or knives but also her brain. Liva is thrown into a nightmare situation and she comes very close to losing it in the beginning but once her brain has time to catch up with what is going on she really starts to come into her own. She takes control of the situation and starts to make plans to ensure her own safety.
Jay was at the police station after getting arrested for car theft and now they're on the run he's technically a wanted criminal but there is a lot more to him than first meets the eye. I don't want to say too much about his character because it's better for you to discover his secrets for yourself but he was nothing like I imagined he would be and I loved how protective he was of Liva even when she was pretty much a stranger to him. He is the kind of guy who goes out of his way to help others even when that means putting himself at risk and you have to admire that about him.
Out of Control is a fast-paced thrill ride that kept me on the edge of my seat and it has some fantastic twists guaranteed to shock you. Sarah Alderson touches on some very difficult issues in a way that enhances the story without overwhelming it. There is a hint of romance but since the story happens over such a short period of time the characters don't fall madly in love by the end of the book which is something I found much more realistic. Liva and Jay have been thrown together and they have to learn to trust each other quickly, they share some fantastically intense kisses but the focus of the story isn't on them falling in love. Although this story works well as a stand alone I'd actually love to revisit these characters in the future. If you're looking for a pacey thriller with non-stop action, great characters and a fantastic setting then look no further - I can't recommend this one highly enough!
May 21, 2014
3.5 stars
It seems like ages that I last devoured a full length novel by Sarah Alderson. Her novellas from her Lila series have since being keeping me occupied, but I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her latest thrilling release.
Out of Control was definitely a lot different than what I was expecting it to be; it had a great mystery, lots of suspense and of course swoony characters. Liva finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, the Goldman’s who were meant to be looking after her ended up dead, Liva barely made it out and to the police station. What is meant to be a secure place, ends up being attacked to with police officers dead all over the place, a suspect who was bought in whilst Liva was sharing her story with a cop, ends up being the one who helps her to get out on the run from who knows what. Liva had a lot to deal with in a small amount of time, she’s only been in New York for a week, her dad is in Ghana and her mum in Oman, and she’s all alone and has a mad gunman for who knows what reason chasing her. And she has to trust some guy who she doesn’t know and who can be a criminal of all sorts.
I liked how we were thrown into the mix of things right from the beginning, Liva had to rely on a guy she only just met and we were left guessing what was going on right until the very end. Despite things being very tense early on, Alderson was able to infuse some great light hearted scenes through Jay’s character (the supposed criminal Liva meets). Liva was quick to make judgements about his character, but he was forever thoughtful risking his and his family’s life to help protect Liva, but he also had a cheeky sense of humour too. He could easily lighten a dire situation with his cheeky comments and have your brain getting ahead of itself and thinking things that you wouldn’t have considered (I really found myself blushing on so many occasions). Liva and Jay also did end up making an incredible team together, with your life in danger and being thrown together with some random hot guy, could throw anyone off, but Liva and Jay slowly began to trust one another and form a brilliant relationship.
Alderson had a lot going on in this book, but she was able to work it all well together. If you’re looking for a fast paced story, with a guy who will create all the swoons with his dimpled grin and a mystery that will keep you continually guessing, I recommend giving Out of Control a go!
It seems like ages that I last devoured a full length novel by Sarah Alderson. Her novellas from her Lila series have since being keeping me occupied, but I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her latest thrilling release.
Out of Control was definitely a lot different than what I was expecting it to be; it had a great mystery, lots of suspense and of course swoony characters. Liva finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, the Goldman’s who were meant to be looking after her ended up dead, Liva barely made it out and to the police station. What is meant to be a secure place, ends up being attacked to with police officers dead all over the place, a suspect who was bought in whilst Liva was sharing her story with a cop, ends up being the one who helps her to get out on the run from who knows what. Liva had a lot to deal with in a small amount of time, she’s only been in New York for a week, her dad is in Ghana and her mum in Oman, and she’s all alone and has a mad gunman for who knows what reason chasing her. And she has to trust some guy who she doesn’t know and who can be a criminal of all sorts.
I liked how we were thrown into the mix of things right from the beginning, Liva had to rely on a guy she only just met and we were left guessing what was going on right until the very end. Despite things being very tense early on, Alderson was able to infuse some great light hearted scenes through Jay’s character (the supposed criminal Liva meets). Liva was quick to make judgements about his character, but he was forever thoughtful risking his and his family’s life to help protect Liva, but he also had a cheeky sense of humour too. He could easily lighten a dire situation with his cheeky comments and have your brain getting ahead of itself and thinking things that you wouldn’t have considered (I really found myself blushing on so many occasions). Liva and Jay also did end up making an incredible team together, with your life in danger and being thrown together with some random hot guy, could throw anyone off, but Liva and Jay slowly began to trust one another and form a brilliant relationship.
Alderson had a lot going on in this book, but she was able to work it all well together. If you’re looking for a fast paced story, with a guy who will create all the swoons with his dimpled grin and a mystery that will keep you continually guessing, I recommend giving Out of Control a go!
February 13, 2017
SO GOOD. EVERYTHING SHE WRITES IS AMAZING.
July 17, 2017
I don’t understand what kind of editor would let this book to be published. The plot is full of holes, the protagonist is plainly stupid and the romantic relationship is so forced and without any basis, that my head hurts from constantly rolling my eyes. The book is a complete waste of time and I recommend it to no one.
Olivia is being hunted and her guardians are killed, which is why she is taken to the police station where all police station gets killed by a supposed hitman. Therefore, Olivia escapes with the guy who he is handcuffed next table in the homicide department. Wise, right? When she runs away and has the chance to stay as far as possible from the possible murderer, she doesn't, of course. She starts to have feelings for him, because he's hot.
Honestly, nothing about this book seems realistic. Why would I care about the stupid twist with her father when I know nothing about him nor their relationship. Since the central plot is whether the protagonist lives or dies, how am I supposed to care about her destiny if the author didn't dedicate any time to make me empathize with her? This book is just horrible. Where is the tension? Where is the fear for their lives? Where is the action? Where is anything else besides sitting in a cozy apartment and eating pasta? The entire story lacks of consistency and validity and nothing makes much sense.
Olivia constantly had the wrong priorities. Being an angsty rich girl with her frequent waves of racism, shallowness, absence of logic and shots of nebulous stereotypes, it was really hard for me to believe how she escaped trained and experienced assassins. If anything, I was cheering for them to get to her.
Both Olivia and Jay were idiots. Honestly, I lost count on how many stupid ideas they had and how many times they backfired. Also, I’m not sure that Olivia respects him much since she thought he’s a gang member just because he’s a Latin American and carries a bandana. Of course, it didn’t ring any bell that she found him in a homicide department. His only purpose in the book was to be a love interest, and even that wasn’t particularly praiseful. Near the end, there was a cheap use of suicide attempt as a plot device to bring protagonist and love interest closer., which made me really angry.
Olivia is being hunted and her guardians are killed, which is why she is taken to the police station where all police station gets killed by a supposed hitman. Therefore, Olivia escapes with the guy who he is handcuffed next table in the homicide department. Wise, right? When she runs away and has the chance to stay as far as possible from the possible murderer, she doesn't, of course. She starts to have feelings for him, because he's hot.
Honestly, nothing about this book seems realistic. Why would I care about the stupid twist with her father when I know nothing about him nor their relationship. Since the central plot is whether the protagonist lives or dies, how am I supposed to care about her destiny if the author didn't dedicate any time to make me empathize with her? This book is just horrible. Where is the tension? Where is the fear for their lives? Where is the action? Where is anything else besides sitting in a cozy apartment and eating pasta? The entire story lacks of consistency and validity and nothing makes much sense.
Olivia constantly had the wrong priorities. Being an angsty rich girl with her frequent waves of racism, shallowness, absence of logic and shots of nebulous stereotypes, it was really hard for me to believe how she escaped trained and experienced assassins. If anything, I was cheering for them to get to her.
Both Olivia and Jay were idiots. Honestly, I lost count on how many stupid ideas they had and how many times they backfired. Also, I’m not sure that Olivia respects him much since she thought he’s a gang member just because he’s a Latin American and carries a bandana. Of course, it didn’t ring any bell that she found him in a homicide department. His only purpose in the book was to be a love interest, and even that wasn’t particularly praiseful. Near the end, there was a cheap use of suicide attempt as a plot device to bring protagonist and love interest closer., which made me really angry.
May 8, 2015
This was my first full length novel by Alderson and to say the least, I was pretty ramped up about it. I was so looking for something action packed and adventures by the time I picked this up and that I was in anticipation to dive into a good solid mystery and was seriously hoping Alderson would deliver in Out of Control.
And oh boy did she deliver! This was truly a nonstop action packed thriller with just the right amount of romance to really get your heart pumping.
I adored Jay and Liva both and lately that seems to be rare in books like these, where I like all the main characters but these two were just so fleshed out that it was impossible not to like them.
So many twists, turns, and deceptions that this left me always on my toes flipping the pages eager for more.
This may have been my first Alderson book but it most certainly won't be my last. I loved every single thrill ride moment of it.
And oh boy did she deliver! This was truly a nonstop action packed thriller with just the right amount of romance to really get your heart pumping.
I adored Jay and Liva both and lately that seems to be rare in books like these, where I like all the main characters but these two were just so fleshed out that it was impossible not to like them.
So many twists, turns, and deceptions that this left me always on my toes flipping the pages eager for more.
This may have been my first Alderson book but it most certainly won't be my last. I loved every single thrill ride moment of it.
June 3, 2014
Bad guys, hoy guy, Kick ass girl, danger, being on the run and so much action and chemistry, I swear this book was made especially for me. I'll just pretend it was. These are some of my favorite kind of storylines and I was so excited when I first heard about this book on Sara's (@ Forever 17 Books) WOW post. Then I saw that this book was inspired was inspired by Ryan Gosling in Drive and I immediately added it to my 'OMG I want it now!' shelf on Goodreads. I was shocked and excited when I got an email from the author asking me if I wanted a review copy. It felt like a trick question. After politely replying 'hell yes!' I added this to the top of my TBR and read it as soon as I was finished reading my current book. This book and I, it was like love at first sight.
The book starts with a bang when the family friends that Liva is staying with at in New York are murdered and she witnesses the murderers. She's taken to the police station to give her statement where she meets Jay, who is also there under arrest. In the middle of her statement, the police station is attacked and after witnessing several police officers getting shot or killed, Liva help Jay out of his cuffs and they make a run for it. When they are attacked again, it becomes clear that someone is after Liva. Instead of leaving Liva on her own, Jay stays with Liva since he helped him from escaping the police station and getting shot. On their own in New York City and on the run, Jay and Liva must stay one step ahead from the killers who will stop at nothing to catch them. With no one to trust, they have to learn to trust each other if they plan on making it out alive.
I love action in my books, but I sometimes feel bored just 'reading' about the action going on. Sarah Alderson truly has a gift because I could almost visualize all the action scenes and car speed chases. The action was intense and on-the-edge-of-your-seat-exciting! I also loved the vivid way New York City was described. I ended up Googling some of the places and loved being able to have a picture to put with setting. The plot had some pretty shocking twists and turns that had me addicted. I loved the chemistry between Liva and Jay and how it slowly progressed from barely tolerating each other to trusting each other. The chemistry between them was yummy and I loved how it slowly grew, even though they hadn't known each other that long. One of my favorite scenes involved kissing and guns. See, I told you this book was made for me :)
I've heard so many great things about Alderson's Losing Lila series and after reading this, I'm really excited to read the series. She is also releasing a New Adult book, Come Back To Me under the pen name Mila Gray, which I'm also excited to read. It's no surprised that I loved this book and I'm bummed that Amazon doesn't carry a print copy so that I can buy one for my shelves. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for it though. While the ending wrapped up nicely, it left an opening for a possible sequel. I'm really hoping that there will be a sequel because I can't get enough of Jay and Liva and I want more! If you like action, romance and a some danger thrown into the mix, you won't want to miss out on Out of Control!
5 out of 5 stars!
***
Read full review & more of my reviews at Mostly YA Book Obsessed
The book starts with a bang when the family friends that Liva is staying with at in New York are murdered and she witnesses the murderers. She's taken to the police station to give her statement where she meets Jay, who is also there under arrest. In the middle of her statement, the police station is attacked and after witnessing several police officers getting shot or killed, Liva help Jay out of his cuffs and they make a run for it. When they are attacked again, it becomes clear that someone is after Liva. Instead of leaving Liva on her own, Jay stays with Liva since he helped him from escaping the police station and getting shot. On their own in New York City and on the run, Jay and Liva must stay one step ahead from the killers who will stop at nothing to catch them. With no one to trust, they have to learn to trust each other if they plan on making it out alive.
I love action in my books, but I sometimes feel bored just 'reading' about the action going on. Sarah Alderson truly has a gift because I could almost visualize all the action scenes and car speed chases. The action was intense and on-the-edge-of-your-seat-exciting! I also loved the vivid way New York City was described. I ended up Googling some of the places and loved being able to have a picture to put with setting. The plot had some pretty shocking twists and turns that had me addicted. I loved the chemistry between Liva and Jay and how it slowly progressed from barely tolerating each other to trusting each other. The chemistry between them was yummy and I loved how it slowly grew, even though they hadn't known each other that long. One of my favorite scenes involved kissing and guns. See, I told you this book was made for me :)
He shifts his weight slightly and his thigh presses against my hip. I draw in a breath. My free hand- the one not holding the gun, rests on his upper chest. I slide it up and over his shoulder and with my eyes still on him I pull him even closer, until he's pressed completely against me and I can feel the hardness of muscle through his T-shirt and his jeans. My heart explodes in my chest as I tilt my head back further, reaching on tiptoe, and his mouth finds mine in the darkness.
His kiss is hard, full of heat, uncontrolled.
I've heard so many great things about Alderson's Losing Lila series and after reading this, I'm really excited to read the series. She is also releasing a New Adult book, Come Back To Me under the pen name Mila Gray, which I'm also excited to read. It's no surprised that I loved this book and I'm bummed that Amazon doesn't carry a print copy so that I can buy one for my shelves. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for it though. While the ending wrapped up nicely, it left an opening for a possible sequel. I'm really hoping that there will be a sequel because I can't get enough of Jay and Liva and I want more! If you like action, romance and a some danger thrown into the mix, you won't want to miss out on Out of Control!
5 out of 5 stars!
***
Read full review & more of my reviews at Mostly YA Book Obsessed
January 9, 2015
2.5 stars
This was an okay story, but the main characters were just stupid at times.
Liva and Jay were both okay characters on the surface, and I did like them a little bit, but their poor decisions just really started to annoy me after a while. Even when Jay said something intelligent one moment, he then went and did something that totally went against what he said! Why keep doing things that you know will get you caught?
The storyline in this was book was also annoying for the same reason. Even though this pair were trying to evade whoever was after them, they kept doing things that kept alerting the bad guys to where they were and what they were doing! Why go to somewhere where it is obvious that you will go? Why make phone calls that are traceable?
There was some romance, and there was one particularly steamy scene, which was actually pretty entertaining!
The ending to this did have a bit of a twist that I didn’t expect, but it still didn’t make me love this book.
Overall; okay story, but the characters made some stupid decisions.
5 out of 10
This was an okay story, but the main characters were just stupid at times.
Liva and Jay were both okay characters on the surface, and I did like them a little bit, but their poor decisions just really started to annoy me after a while. Even when Jay said something intelligent one moment, he then went and did something that totally went against what he said! Why keep doing things that you know will get you caught?
The storyline in this was book was also annoying for the same reason. Even though this pair were trying to evade whoever was after them, they kept doing things that kept alerting the bad guys to where they were and what they were doing! Why go to somewhere where it is obvious that you will go? Why make phone calls that are traceable?
There was some romance, and there was one particularly steamy scene, which was actually pretty entertaining!
The ending to this did have a bit of a twist that I didn’t expect, but it still didn’t make me love this book.
Overall; okay story, but the characters made some stupid decisions.
5 out of 10
January 3, 2015
(I received a copy from Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.)
Actual rating - 2.25
This started out alright, but it went downhill.
I felt sorry for Liva, as she went through quite a bit in this. Other than feeling sorry for her though, i thought she was an idiot, and so was Jay. I lost count on how many stupid ideas they had.
The first few chapters of this were good, but after that it went downhill. I was bored, I had a headache because Liva and Jay's stupidity was annoying me so much, and i just wanted the book to be over.
Overall, Not a very enjoyable read for me.
Actual rating - 2.25
This started out alright, but it went downhill.
I felt sorry for Liva, as she went through quite a bit in this. Other than feeling sorry for her though, i thought she was an idiot, and so was Jay. I lost count on how many stupid ideas they had.
The first few chapters of this were good, but after that it went downhill. I was bored, I had a headache because Liva and Jay's stupidity was annoying me so much, and i just wanted the book to be over.
Overall, Not a very enjoyable read for me.
May 3, 2019
die perfekte Story für zwischendurch.
Es geht nicht sonderlich in die Tiefe, oder überrascht einen, aber man hat Spaß beim Lesen und fiebert mit.
Zudem sind beide Protagonisten sehr sympathisch und nicht Klischee YA. Also man kann sich auf mutige Charaktere ohne nervige Naivität freuen.
Süße Szene werden immer wieder durch Spannung unterbrochen und deswegen fliegt man nur so durch die Seiten.
Also mir hat's gefallen xD
Es geht nicht sonderlich in die Tiefe, oder überrascht einen, aber man hat Spaß beim Lesen und fiebert mit.
Zudem sind beide Protagonisten sehr sympathisch und nicht Klischee YA. Also man kann sich auf mutige Charaktere ohne nervige Naivität freuen.
Süße Szene werden immer wieder durch Spannung unterbrochen und deswegen fliegt man nur so durch die Seiten.
Also mir hat's gefallen xD
September 28, 2015
Out of Control is a novel I was quite interested in reading because of Nereyda from Mostly YA Book Obsessed stellar review - the premise sounded exactly like something I would love, I like the concept of a couple on the run with the bad guys chasing them by the second. The mixture of crime, romance, adventure usually gets to me - It sounds like Bonnie & Clyde. Liva resides in New York City with her father, one night, she witnesses a brutal murder happen. The point is she never actually saw the murderer.. Liva is taken into police custody for her safety and she is underage as well. The police station turns into a shoot out soon, she turns to the help of a car thief by the name of Jay who was being charged in the station, did I mention he is of course, handsome? Now they're on the edge, running from the world..
First Thoughts: Well hello, dangerous romance and kickass action.. Out Of Control is a novel that is addicting, I enjoyed this novel immensely - I could not put this book down! This is probably going to be a gushing review so YOU'RE WARNED... I loved reading this book, it's kind of obvious with the premise it's meant to be with me. I had to finish it one setting - It is not a long book, it's moderate. I stayed up until 3 A.M to finish this novel - nowadays, it takes me a couple of chapters to get really into the book, it was not the case with this book. The very first page of the novel is intriguing - I tried to read the book as fast as possible because I could not wait to find what happens next - it's just wonderful.
Characterization & Romance: Liva is half middle-eastern and half Russian, Jay is Spanish. How exotic would their children be. I did like the character growth of Liva, she goes from being judgmental and matures as the story progresses. I actually loved both of the characters. The characters were lovable especially the male lead Jay. Jay was swoon worthy for sure, and I love how supportive he was of Liva. They're complete strangers, yet they take care of each other in more ways than possible. Maybe, he's the hero so he was doing such a noble deed, otherwise I'm not sure If I would endanger my life where there is no hope to save someone else's. The only expectation would be my immediate family and close friends. The romance was pretty sweet, I completely adored it - I wouldn't say it was insta love, but it was more on the lust side after the second meeting. The slow burn and chemistry was intense - Liva and Jay must depend on each other to save their lives, under unfortunate circumstances -you have to take help from wherever you can get it to stay alive. The romance keeps you on edge and keeps you on your toes, I ADORED THIS BOOK, I cannot stress that enough.
Plot: There's nothing about the novel Out of Control that I actually disliked. The plot was engaging and fantastic - I did like that novel also had a realistic concept to it as well with human trafficking. I didn't expect to see that plot twist coming! I would really like to see a movie of this novel, it's mostly romance with action and the vivid imaginary was spectacular. It was an entertaining read that I would really commend - I would have liked one more chapter after the ending though - I'm hoping there is a sequel for this book since I do want to know how do they cope with the relationship now? Does it last? I have some questions left unanswered. There is a bit of stereotypes in this novel that shouldn't have been there, but it's showing characters through fiction and Liva does develop character growth by the end of the book - I would give Out of Control 5 butterflies, it's one of my newest favorites and I'm quite excited for more of the author's work! This novel is clearly being added to my recommendations list - I'm definitely looking into her Lila series and Come Back To me.
Source: Review Copy was sent via Simon Pulse
Recommended for Becoming Rain, and Bonnie & Clyde.
First Thoughts: Well hello, dangerous romance and kickass action.. Out Of Control is a novel that is addicting, I enjoyed this novel immensely - I could not put this book down! This is probably going to be a gushing review so YOU'RE WARNED... I loved reading this book, it's kind of obvious with the premise it's meant to be with me. I had to finish it one setting - It is not a long book, it's moderate. I stayed up until 3 A.M to finish this novel - nowadays, it takes me a couple of chapters to get really into the book, it was not the case with this book. The very first page of the novel is intriguing - I tried to read the book as fast as possible because I could not wait to find what happens next - it's just wonderful.
Characterization & Romance: Liva is half middle-eastern and half Russian, Jay is Spanish. How exotic would their children be. I did like the character growth of Liva, she goes from being judgmental and matures as the story progresses. I actually loved both of the characters. The characters were lovable especially the male lead Jay. Jay was swoon worthy for sure, and I love how supportive he was of Liva. They're complete strangers, yet they take care of each other in more ways than possible. Maybe, he's the hero so he was doing such a noble deed, otherwise I'm not sure If I would endanger my life where there is no hope to save someone else's. The only expectation would be my immediate family and close friends. The romance was pretty sweet, I completely adored it - I wouldn't say it was insta love, but it was more on the lust side after the second meeting. The slow burn and chemistry was intense - Liva and Jay must depend on each other to save their lives, under unfortunate circumstances -you have to take help from wherever you can get it to stay alive. The romance keeps you on edge and keeps you on your toes, I ADORED THIS BOOK, I cannot stress that enough.
Plot: There's nothing about the novel Out of Control that I actually disliked. The plot was engaging and fantastic - I did like that novel also had a realistic concept to it as well with human trafficking. I didn't expect to see that plot twist coming! I would really like to see a movie of this novel, it's mostly romance with action and the vivid imaginary was spectacular. It was an entertaining read that I would really commend - I would have liked one more chapter after the ending though - I'm hoping there is a sequel for this book since I do want to know how do they cope with the relationship now? Does it last? I have some questions left unanswered. There is a bit of stereotypes in this novel that shouldn't have been there, but it's showing characters through fiction and Liva does develop character growth by the end of the book - I would give Out of Control 5 butterflies, it's one of my newest favorites and I'm quite excited for more of the author's work! This novel is clearly being added to my recommendations list - I'm definitely looking into her Lila series and Come Back To me.
Source: Review Copy was sent via Simon Pulse
Recommended for Becoming Rain, and Bonnie & Clyde.
October 19, 2014
Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars
Out of Control was kindly provided to me by the author and is a stand-alone YA thriller that is a heart-pounding thrill ride; it was literally go go go right from the onset and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.
The intrigue is over-flowing from the first moment we meet 17 year old Liva who was witness to a brutal murder; when she is taken into police custody for her own protection, she isn’t expecting to be the one dodging bullets and on the run with someone she thinks is a criminal.
Handcuffed to a chair and about to be charged is Jay Moreno who assists in Liva’s escape, mysterious and sweet I was curious about him and what he had done but he proved worthy and protective of Liva and I came to feel quite sorry for him with the predicament he was in, his story could almost be another book in itself. The chemistry between them was smouldering and despite the events occurring only over a matter of days the romantic aspect never felt rushed.
Literally from the first chapter we are thrust into a fast-paced adventure, we are right there with Liva and Jay as they tried to evade the bad guys all the while utilising Liva’s kick butt skills she learnt over the years from her father to stay one step ahead of the enemy. We also get to meet a few interesting secondary characters, Yoyo and Marisa especially.
The plot was action-packed and filled with many twists and turns that I definitely didn’t expect and I adored the New York setting and Alderson’s descriptive details. As much as I enjoyed Out of Control, it felt incomplete, I would have loved an epilogue or something telling us what happened to the main characters and the villain/s after the final event but it was left open ended.
Overall, well-crafted, action packed and a thrilling pace, I highly recommend Out of Control.
Out of Control was kindly provided to me by the author and is a stand-alone YA thriller that is a heart-pounding thrill ride; it was literally go go go right from the onset and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.
The intrigue is over-flowing from the first moment we meet 17 year old Liva who was witness to a brutal murder; when she is taken into police custody for her own protection, she isn’t expecting to be the one dodging bullets and on the run with someone she thinks is a criminal.
Handcuffed to a chair and about to be charged is Jay Moreno who assists in Liva’s escape, mysterious and sweet I was curious about him and what he had done but he proved worthy and protective of Liva and I came to feel quite sorry for him with the predicament he was in, his story could almost be another book in itself. The chemistry between them was smouldering and despite the events occurring only over a matter of days the romantic aspect never felt rushed.
Literally from the first chapter we are thrust into a fast-paced adventure, we are right there with Liva and Jay as they tried to evade the bad guys all the while utilising Liva’s kick butt skills she learnt over the years from her father to stay one step ahead of the enemy. We also get to meet a few interesting secondary characters, Yoyo and Marisa especially.
The plot was action-packed and filled with many twists and turns that I definitely didn’t expect and I adored the New York setting and Alderson’s descriptive details. As much as I enjoyed Out of Control, it felt incomplete, I would have loved an epilogue or something telling us what happened to the main characters and the villain/s after the final event but it was left open ended.
Overall, well-crafted, action packed and a thrilling pace, I highly recommend Out of Control.
February 13, 2015
Sarah Alderson has done it again! Out of Control had my mind reeling, jaw dropping and loving the blossoming romance. I loved every second of it. Time flew by when I was reading this. One minute I was at 3% and the next it was 97%, I had to double take because I couldn’t believe how fast time had gone by!
Liva (Olivia), a girl traumatized as a murder witness, meets Jay who’s also at the police station, though his reasons are vastly different to hers. She’s a witness to a murder; he’s getting done for grand theft auto. Then dangerous circumstances bring them together and the find themselves running for their lives, and not fully understanding why.
The action gets your heart pumping- even if action isn't your thing- and routing for Liva and Jay. Speaking of Liva.. bad ass female, anyone? She sure can kick ass. What I loved about her is she start off as being portrayed as this innocent, naïve girl but blossoms into a independent, smart, looks-can-be-deceiving woman. What does that tell you? Don’t judge a book by its cover, people! And Jay, I loved his humour. More than once I found myself smiling away at what he’d said. Typical double meaning/dirty minded teenager.
As the story gets on things start to unravel, things start clicking into place. If there’s one thing Sarah’s good at, it’s the plot twists. Never, in any of her books, do I expect what I get. I gasp (and curse a little) with a “did not expect that one coming” when all is revealed. My heart broke a little for Olivia, then swelled for Jay. But the ending was perfect. This is definitely one of my 2014 favourites!
Liva (Olivia), a girl traumatized as a murder witness, meets Jay who’s also at the police station, though his reasons are vastly different to hers. She’s a witness to a murder; he’s getting done for grand theft auto. Then dangerous circumstances bring them together and the find themselves running for their lives, and not fully understanding why.
The action gets your heart pumping- even if action isn't your thing- and routing for Liva and Jay. Speaking of Liva.. bad ass female, anyone? She sure can kick ass. What I loved about her is she start off as being portrayed as this innocent, naïve girl but blossoms into a independent, smart, looks-can-be-deceiving woman. What does that tell you? Don’t judge a book by its cover, people! And Jay, I loved his humour. More than once I found myself smiling away at what he’d said. Typical double meaning/dirty minded teenager.
As the story gets on things start to unravel, things start clicking into place. If there’s one thing Sarah’s good at, it’s the plot twists. Never, in any of her books, do I expect what I get. I gasp (and curse a little) with a “did not expect that one coming” when all is revealed. My heart broke a little for Olivia, then swelled for Jay. But the ending was perfect. This is definitely one of my 2014 favourites!
September 1, 2018
Eine rasante Verfolgungsjagd durch New York? Da muss man mich nicht zwei Mal fragen. Als mich der Verlag fragte, ob ich nicht Lust hätte, das neue Buch von Sarah Alderson zu lesen und zu rezensieren, war ich zuerst etwas skeptisch. Wenngleich ich das Cover von Anfang an unglaublich schön und ansprechend fand, vermittelte es mir den Eindruck, als handelte es sich bei dieser Geschichte um eine typische New Adult Story, die mir am Ende doch wieder nicht gefallen würde. Es war letztendlich die Tatsache, dass das Buch in New York spielt, die mich doch dazu veranlasste, das Buch zu lesen. Glücklicherweise haben sich meine Erwartungen nicht erfüllt, sondern als überaus falsch herausgestellt.
Eigentlich ist die 17-jährige Olivia nach New York gekommen, um hier ein neues Leben zu beginnen. Als Tochter eines Mannes, der für eine Sondereinheit arbeitet, die Menschenhändler und organisierte Bandenkriminalität bekämpft, hatte sich ihr Leben schon immer etwas interessanter und aufregender gestaltet, als das anderer Mädchen in ihrem Alter. Während ihre Mutter zurückgeblieben ist in Olivias alter Heimat, dem Oman, im Nahen Osten, und ihr Vater noch beruflich in Nigeria unterwegs ist, verbringt sie ihre erste Woche in New York bei einer befreundeten Familie ihres Vaters. Noch immer unter dem Jetlag leidend, fällt es ihr schwer, nachts einzuschlafen und um den Kopf freizubekommen, klettert sie eines nachts auf das Dach des Hauses ihrer Gasteltern. Sie liebt das Klettern, hohe Gebäude und den Nervenkitzel. Als ihre Gasteltern in derselben Nacht überfallen und kaltblütig ermordet werden, ist Olivia zutiefst erschüttert. Und plötzlich gestaltet sich ihre erste Woche in New York komplett anders, als sie es sich vorgestellt hatte. Statt sich auf den Unterricht in der Tanzakademie vorzubereiten, ist sie nun Zeugin in einem Mordfall. Schnell allerdings findet sie heraus, dass hinter all dem viel mehr steckt, als anfangs vermutet und ehe sie sich versieht, wird sogar sie selbst zur Zielscheibe und wird verwickelt in eine halsbrecherische Verfolgungsjagd durch die Stadt, die niemals schläft.
Erzählt wird die Geschichte durchgehend aus Olivias Sicht und liefert dem Leser somit nicht nur jede Menge Action und Spannung, sondern auch Einblicke in ihre Gedanken- und Gefühlswelt, was es dem Leser ermöglicht, sie unglaublich gut kennenzulernen. Olivia hat mich gleich von Anfang an beeindruckt. Anders als in anderen Jugend- oder New Adult Romanen ist sie eben nicht die kleine Prinzessin, die um Hilfe schreit und gerettet werden muss. Olivia weiß nicht nur was sie vom Leben will, sie ist auch selbständig und selbstbewusst, weiß sich zu verteidigen, ist redegewandt und ziemlich klug. Was mich jedoch am meisten beeindruckt hat ist die Tatsache, dass sie sich nicht blenden lässt von ihren Gefühlen. Sie tut das, was sie für richtig hält und kämpft dafür bis zum bitteren Ende.
Olivia ist kein gewöhnliches Mädchen. Auf der einen Seite tanzt sie Ballett, ist Daddy's Little Girl und hält sich an sämtliche Regeln, auf der anderen Seite allerdings schlummert diese Abenteurerin in ihr; diese Sucht nach Nervenkitzel. Sie ist von der Schule geflogen und liebt es, auf hohe Gebäude zu klettern. Außerdem beherrscht sie die Grundlagen der Selbstverteidigung und weiß auch, wie man mit Waffen umgeht. Zwei völlig unterschiedliche Welten schlummern in ihr und machen sie zu einer ganz besonderen und beeindruckenden Persönlichkeit. Sie ist unglaublich taff und eindeutig die Heldin dieser Geschichte. Allerdings nicht, weil sie weiß, wie man schießt, sondern weil sie einfach echt und menschlich ist. Sie weiß sich zu wehren, leidet aber ebenso unter ihren Ängsten, wie jeder andere Mensch auch.
Auch Jaime, der sympathische Junge, der unverhofft zu ihrer größten Stütze wird, mochte ich gleich von Beginn an. Er ist nicht nur Olivias Ruhepol, sondern sorgt gleichzeitig auch für eine emotionale Achterbahnfahrt.
Ein Romantic Thriller mit Tiefgang, genau so würde ich dieses Buch bezeichnen. Ein Buch, in dem es weder nur um die Romanze zwischen den Protagonisten geht, noch um das Aufklären des Mordfalls, sondern gleichzeitig auch um politische und moralische Themen wie Menschenhandel. Das Buch unterhält nicht nur, es regt auch zum Nachdenken an und genau das ist es, was ich an solchen Büchern so liebe; wenn sie uns beweisen, dass so viel mehr in ihnen steckt, als Cover und Klappentext womöglich vermuten lassen.
Das Buch zeigt uns, dass man im Leben nicht immer alles kontrollieren kann, dass es vollkommen in Ordnung ist, Angst zu haben und auch, dass es sich lohnt, Gefühle zuzulassen, auch wenn man damit Gefahr läuft, am Ende mit einem gebrochenen Herzen dazustehen. Diese Gefühle machen uns lebendig, sie machen uns menschlich und genau dies ist die Botschaft, die das Buch versucht, uns zu vermitteln, wenn wir nur gewillt sind, auch einmal zwischen den Zeilen zu lesen.
Gleichzeitig verfügt das Buch auch über jede Menge Action und Spannung, werden wir als Leser mit genommen auf eine Art Schnitzeljagd durch die Stadt, die niemals schläft. Die Orte, die Olivia und Jaime besuchen, sind unglaublich gut beschrieben. Man hat das Gefühl, selbst mitten drin zu stecken und sie auf ihrer Flucht zu begleiten, während man gleichzeitig versucht, das Rätsel zu lösen und hinter das Geheimnis zu kommen. Von Kapitel zu Kapitel nimmt die Geschichte mehr an Fahrt auf und man möchte das Buch gar nicht mehr aus der Hand legen, weil man unbedingt wissen muss, wie es weiter geht.
Und obwohl mich das Buch begeistern und unterhalten konnte, hat es leider doch nicht ganz gereicht, um zu einem Lesehighlight zu werden, dabei kann ich gar nicht genau sagen, woran es gelegen hat. Das Setting ist großartig, die Geschichte tiefgründig und die Charaktere sehr gut ausgearbeitet und doch hat mich das Buch leider nicht vom Hocker hauen können.
LOHNT SICH DAS BUCH?
Auf jeden Fall, und das nicht nur für Fans von New York, auch wenn insbesondere diese natürlich wirklich sehr auf ihre Kosten kommen. Die Geschichte ist actionreich und spannungsgeladen, die Handlung aufregend und tiefgründig und die Charaktere liebenswert und interessant. Die Mischung aus Romance und Thriller passt in meinen Augen hier einfach perfekt. Wer Krimis mag, nichts gegen eine kleine Romanze hat und Fan davon ist, wenn ernste und politisch wichtige Themen mit in den Verlauf der Geschichte mit eingeflochten werden, sollte sich dieses Buch auf jeden Fall ganz schnell auf die Wunschliste setzen. Von mir bekommt dieses Buch eine klare Leseempfehlung.
Eigentlich ist die 17-jährige Olivia nach New York gekommen, um hier ein neues Leben zu beginnen. Als Tochter eines Mannes, der für eine Sondereinheit arbeitet, die Menschenhändler und organisierte Bandenkriminalität bekämpft, hatte sich ihr Leben schon immer etwas interessanter und aufregender gestaltet, als das anderer Mädchen in ihrem Alter. Während ihre Mutter zurückgeblieben ist in Olivias alter Heimat, dem Oman, im Nahen Osten, und ihr Vater noch beruflich in Nigeria unterwegs ist, verbringt sie ihre erste Woche in New York bei einer befreundeten Familie ihres Vaters. Noch immer unter dem Jetlag leidend, fällt es ihr schwer, nachts einzuschlafen und um den Kopf freizubekommen, klettert sie eines nachts auf das Dach des Hauses ihrer Gasteltern. Sie liebt das Klettern, hohe Gebäude und den Nervenkitzel. Als ihre Gasteltern in derselben Nacht überfallen und kaltblütig ermordet werden, ist Olivia zutiefst erschüttert. Und plötzlich gestaltet sich ihre erste Woche in New York komplett anders, als sie es sich vorgestellt hatte. Statt sich auf den Unterricht in der Tanzakademie vorzubereiten, ist sie nun Zeugin in einem Mordfall. Schnell allerdings findet sie heraus, dass hinter all dem viel mehr steckt, als anfangs vermutet und ehe sie sich versieht, wird sogar sie selbst zur Zielscheibe und wird verwickelt in eine halsbrecherische Verfolgungsjagd durch die Stadt, die niemals schläft.
Erzählt wird die Geschichte durchgehend aus Olivias Sicht und liefert dem Leser somit nicht nur jede Menge Action und Spannung, sondern auch Einblicke in ihre Gedanken- und Gefühlswelt, was es dem Leser ermöglicht, sie unglaublich gut kennenzulernen. Olivia hat mich gleich von Anfang an beeindruckt. Anders als in anderen Jugend- oder New Adult Romanen ist sie eben nicht die kleine Prinzessin, die um Hilfe schreit und gerettet werden muss. Olivia weiß nicht nur was sie vom Leben will, sie ist auch selbständig und selbstbewusst, weiß sich zu verteidigen, ist redegewandt und ziemlich klug. Was mich jedoch am meisten beeindruckt hat ist die Tatsache, dass sie sich nicht blenden lässt von ihren Gefühlen. Sie tut das, was sie für richtig hält und kämpft dafür bis zum bitteren Ende.
Olivia ist kein gewöhnliches Mädchen. Auf der einen Seite tanzt sie Ballett, ist Daddy's Little Girl und hält sich an sämtliche Regeln, auf der anderen Seite allerdings schlummert diese Abenteurerin in ihr; diese Sucht nach Nervenkitzel. Sie ist von der Schule geflogen und liebt es, auf hohe Gebäude zu klettern. Außerdem beherrscht sie die Grundlagen der Selbstverteidigung und weiß auch, wie man mit Waffen umgeht. Zwei völlig unterschiedliche Welten schlummern in ihr und machen sie zu einer ganz besonderen und beeindruckenden Persönlichkeit. Sie ist unglaublich taff und eindeutig die Heldin dieser Geschichte. Allerdings nicht, weil sie weiß, wie man schießt, sondern weil sie einfach echt und menschlich ist. Sie weiß sich zu wehren, leidet aber ebenso unter ihren Ängsten, wie jeder andere Mensch auch.
Auch Jaime, der sympathische Junge, der unverhofft zu ihrer größten Stütze wird, mochte ich gleich von Beginn an. Er ist nicht nur Olivias Ruhepol, sondern sorgt gleichzeitig auch für eine emotionale Achterbahnfahrt.
Ein Romantic Thriller mit Tiefgang, genau so würde ich dieses Buch bezeichnen. Ein Buch, in dem es weder nur um die Romanze zwischen den Protagonisten geht, noch um das Aufklären des Mordfalls, sondern gleichzeitig auch um politische und moralische Themen wie Menschenhandel. Das Buch unterhält nicht nur, es regt auch zum Nachdenken an und genau das ist es, was ich an solchen Büchern so liebe; wenn sie uns beweisen, dass so viel mehr in ihnen steckt, als Cover und Klappentext womöglich vermuten lassen.
Das Buch zeigt uns, dass man im Leben nicht immer alles kontrollieren kann, dass es vollkommen in Ordnung ist, Angst zu haben und auch, dass es sich lohnt, Gefühle zuzulassen, auch wenn man damit Gefahr läuft, am Ende mit einem gebrochenen Herzen dazustehen. Diese Gefühle machen uns lebendig, sie machen uns menschlich und genau dies ist die Botschaft, die das Buch versucht, uns zu vermitteln, wenn wir nur gewillt sind, auch einmal zwischen den Zeilen zu lesen.
Gleichzeitig verfügt das Buch auch über jede Menge Action und Spannung, werden wir als Leser mit genommen auf eine Art Schnitzeljagd durch die Stadt, die niemals schläft. Die Orte, die Olivia und Jaime besuchen, sind unglaublich gut beschrieben. Man hat das Gefühl, selbst mitten drin zu stecken und sie auf ihrer Flucht zu begleiten, während man gleichzeitig versucht, das Rätsel zu lösen und hinter das Geheimnis zu kommen. Von Kapitel zu Kapitel nimmt die Geschichte mehr an Fahrt auf und man möchte das Buch gar nicht mehr aus der Hand legen, weil man unbedingt wissen muss, wie es weiter geht.
Und obwohl mich das Buch begeistern und unterhalten konnte, hat es leider doch nicht ganz gereicht, um zu einem Lesehighlight zu werden, dabei kann ich gar nicht genau sagen, woran es gelegen hat. Das Setting ist großartig, die Geschichte tiefgründig und die Charaktere sehr gut ausgearbeitet und doch hat mich das Buch leider nicht vom Hocker hauen können.
LOHNT SICH DAS BUCH?
Auf jeden Fall, und das nicht nur für Fans von New York, auch wenn insbesondere diese natürlich wirklich sehr auf ihre Kosten kommen. Die Geschichte ist actionreich und spannungsgeladen, die Handlung aufregend und tiefgründig und die Charaktere liebenswert und interessant. Die Mischung aus Romance und Thriller passt in meinen Augen hier einfach perfekt. Wer Krimis mag, nichts gegen eine kleine Romanze hat und Fan davon ist, wenn ernste und politisch wichtige Themen mit in den Verlauf der Geschichte mit eingeflochten werden, sollte sich dieses Buch auf jeden Fall ganz schnell auf die Wunschliste setzen. Von mir bekommt dieses Buch eine klare Leseempfehlung.
June 5, 2014
Thrilling and action-packed, this book made me feel restless the entire time I was reading it.
The book started with our main character, Liva, at a police station giving statement for a crime that she witnessed. It was only when the police station got attacked and she had been chased, she realized that she was the target instead of being a witness. Starting from that moment till the end, the whole book was very fast-paced and it didn't slow down for a moment, and when it did, it was only a buildup for another adventure.
I wouldn't call the plot very original; I feel like I'd read and seen stories like this before. And the characters weren't that intriguing either. She was pretty and he was hot. The plus side was that Liva wasn't one of those annoying female characters who were always whiny, spoiled and in need of a strong male character to be in her rescue all the time. Actually I did think that Liva was going to be a damsel-in-distress at first but she kind of proved me wrong in the end. At least, she wasn't annoying. Liva and Jay both had secrets but nothing too dark nor disturbing. They were both OK and I didn't hate them or love them. But the thing was that...even though I wasn't overwhelmed by the whole plot or characters, the combination of all of them made Out of Control a very enjoyable read somehow.
I didn't swoon, but I liked it.
The book started with our main character, Liva, at a police station giving statement for a crime that she witnessed. It was only when the police station got attacked and she had been chased, she realized that she was the target instead of being a witness. Starting from that moment till the end, the whole book was very fast-paced and it didn't slow down for a moment, and when it did, it was only a buildup for another adventure.
I wouldn't call the plot very original; I feel like I'd read and seen stories like this before. And the characters weren't that intriguing either. She was pretty and he was hot. The plus side was that Liva wasn't one of those annoying female characters who were always whiny, spoiled and in need of a strong male character to be in her rescue all the time. Actually I did think that Liva was going to be a damsel-in-distress at first but she kind of proved me wrong in the end. At least, she wasn't annoying. Liva and Jay both had secrets but nothing too dark nor disturbing. They were both OK and I didn't hate them or love them. But the thing was that...even though I wasn't overwhelmed by the whole plot or characters, the combination of all of them made Out of Control a very enjoyable read somehow.
I didn't swoon, but I liked it.
March 7, 2015
I started reading this book expecting to enjoy it like I enjoyed and loved Sarah Alderson's other works. I was totally wrong.
First of all, the entire story lacked of consistency and plausibility and didn't have much sense at all.
Secondly, the characters acted stupidly for no reason at all. For example, I still can't understand how the main character is smart and acts in a calculative and rational manner in a chapter and in the next one she does a completely stupid thing without acknowledging that it's stupid. Really, it's totally nonsense.
I'm sorry to rate this book with only a star but it just disappointed me.
First of all, the entire story lacked of consistency and plausibility and didn't have much sense at all.
Secondly, the characters acted stupidly for no reason at all. For example, I still can't understand how the main character is smart and acts in a calculative and rational manner in a chapter and in the next one she does a completely stupid thing without acknowledging that it's stupid. Really, it's totally nonsense.
I'm sorry to rate this book with only a star but it just disappointed me.
May 19, 2014
Exciting! I was also a bit surprised with some of the twists. When I was theorizing I'm surprised I didn't think of it myself. Jay was hot and fun of course. Great chemistry between them.
September 4, 2017
Es mi segunda oportunidad leyendo las historias de Sarah Alderson y esta autora me gusta bastante. Out of Control es una novela juvenil de mucha acción, intriga y romance que me ha mantenido pegada a sus páginas. La novela se parece a las películas de Tom Cruise (Misión Imposible) o Matt Damon (Bourne), en que hay mucha espionaje y persecuciones. Sin embargo no le di 5 estrellas porque su final me pareció un poco apresurado, creo que la historia se merecia al menos un pequeño epílogo....
June 10, 2014
You can find more of my reviews at Forever 17 Books.
4.5 stars!
I was immediately hooked with this premise. I mean, two characters on the run for their lives after a massacre from which they escaped? Sounds heart-pounding, right? And believe me it is right from the get-go!
Liva is a witness to a murder, but not just any random murder but one of a family whom she was staying with while her father was out of the country with work. As she is giving her statement at the police station, it becomes under attack and she manages to escape with Jay, a boy being booked on grand theft auto charges. And this is just the very beginning! I am a huge fan of cop dramas on television and I felt like that was what I was reading. Everything was detailed and exciting. I was immediately hooked and anxious to find out what was going on, especially when it starts to look like Liva herself was the intended target of all of this. Forced on the run with seemingly no one to trust, Liva strikes up an unlikely comradery with Jay. Both had some preconceived notions about each other but once those were stripped away their connection sizzled! Jay had this real bad boy vibe, snark and all, but with heart-warming sincerity. Liva had a tendency to bottle up her feelings and blame herself for things she could not control. And as they put the pieces together of what was happening and how to get themselves out the mess they were both in, we really get to see both these two let go and open up about their lives.
I honestly had a blast reading this! It was exciting, action packed, and well-paced with characters to root for! The mystery to solve kept me guessing, adding to my enjoyment, making it hard to put it down when I so needed answers. I also appreciated the involvement and awareness of human trafficking in the storyline, a very real problem that doesn’t get as much press and acknowledgement that it should; reminding me of another book I hold dear, Sempre by J.M. Darhower. I would absolutely recommend this book and I look forward to checking out more of this author’s work! (In fact I am currently reading Come Back to Me by Mila Gray, a New Adult novel under Sarah Alderson’s pen name)
4.5 stars!
I was immediately hooked with this premise. I mean, two characters on the run for their lives after a massacre from which they escaped? Sounds heart-pounding, right? And believe me it is right from the get-go!
Liva is a witness to a murder, but not just any random murder but one of a family whom she was staying with while her father was out of the country with work. As she is giving her statement at the police station, it becomes under attack and she manages to escape with Jay, a boy being booked on grand theft auto charges. And this is just the very beginning! I am a huge fan of cop dramas on television and I felt like that was what I was reading. Everything was detailed and exciting. I was immediately hooked and anxious to find out what was going on, especially when it starts to look like Liva herself was the intended target of all of this. Forced on the run with seemingly no one to trust, Liva strikes up an unlikely comradery with Jay. Both had some preconceived notions about each other but once those were stripped away their connection sizzled! Jay had this real bad boy vibe, snark and all, but with heart-warming sincerity. Liva had a tendency to bottle up her feelings and blame herself for things she could not control. And as they put the pieces together of what was happening and how to get themselves out the mess they were both in, we really get to see both these two let go and open up about their lives.
I honestly had a blast reading this! It was exciting, action packed, and well-paced with characters to root for! The mystery to solve kept me guessing, adding to my enjoyment, making it hard to put it down when I so needed answers. I also appreciated the involvement and awareness of human trafficking in the storyline, a very real problem that doesn’t get as much press and acknowledgement that it should; reminding me of another book I hold dear, Sempre by J.M. Darhower. I would absolutely recommend this book and I look forward to checking out more of this author’s work! (In fact I am currently reading Come Back to Me by Mila Gray, a New Adult novel under Sarah Alderson’s pen name)
“You have to let go of this idea that we’re in control of life. We’re not.”
June 11, 2015
What is up with all these disappointing reads promising me cars and then not giving me cars?
You can't just put an oldschool striped out muscle car on your cover, mention "car thief" in your blurb, and then not deliver any cars.
Honestly. There was one promising scene right in the beginning and then literally no other cars (aside from taxis) show up until the end.
And that last car?
An SUV.
Jesus.
I digress. This wasn't awful - probably a 2.5 - it just didn't have that extra oomph to make it memorable.
Alderson tried to add a complex, meaningful character arc but it fell really flat and formulaic. The family tension was fine, and you need some inner conflict in your characters anyway to make a reader really care.
But Liva's rules and climbing and "I can't feeeeeeeeel things" issues were pretty one-note and felt tacked in as a way to make her ~interesting~ and ~complex~ without the actual effort of making an interesting or complex character.
Honestly, it would have been better if Alderson had dropped the "angsty rich girl problems" undercurrent and let it be the simple, high flying action thrill ride it should have been, with simple but high flying and entertaining characters.
Also, please. Miss me with that "my lips are too big my torso is too long and I have hips and a chest and also long legs I look so weird I'm not skinny I'm lean" bullshit. I like my heroines so much more when they either a) are confident in themselves because hell yeah if you're looking on point girl you be proud of that, b) don't mention their looks at all, or c) actually have physical features that are not considered conventionally "beautiful."
Like, if you aren't going to address societal beauty standards and the negative impact on teen girl self-esteem in a nuanced, thematic way, then don't fucking give your character body image issues - especially when you then describe her with features that are actually considered beautiful and have everyone and their mother gush about how gorgeous she is. You can't have your cake and eat it too.
Like Liva had some bullshit "I'm a dancer and the body image pressure is insane" reasoning which - okay, true. That is an Awful Thing that exists. But that doesn't account for her complaining about her large lips and exotic Eastern European eyes. Like bitch, you just described a Russian supermodel get out of here.
But I digress. Again.
Not awful, not amazing, solid C, woulda been a B with about 95% more car theft/chase scenes.
You can't just put an oldschool striped out muscle car on your cover, mention "car thief" in your blurb, and then not deliver any cars.
Honestly. There was one promising scene right in the beginning and then literally no other cars (aside from taxis) show up until the end.
And that last car?
An SUV.
Jesus.
I digress. This wasn't awful - probably a 2.5 - it just didn't have that extra oomph to make it memorable.
Alderson tried to add a complex, meaningful character arc but it fell really flat and formulaic. The family tension was fine, and you need some inner conflict in your characters anyway to make a reader really care.
But Liva's rules and climbing and "I can't feeeeeeeeel things" issues were pretty one-note and felt tacked in as a way to make her ~interesting~ and ~complex~ without the actual effort of making an interesting or complex character.
Honestly, it would have been better if Alderson had dropped the "angsty rich girl problems" undercurrent and let it be the simple, high flying action thrill ride it should have been, with simple but high flying and entertaining characters.
Also, please. Miss me with that "my lips are too big my torso is too long and I have hips and a chest and also long legs I look so weird I'm not skinny I'm lean" bullshit. I like my heroines so much more when they either a) are confident in themselves because hell yeah if you're looking on point girl you be proud of that, b) don't mention their looks at all, or c) actually have physical features that are not considered conventionally "beautiful."
Like, if you aren't going to address societal beauty standards and the negative impact on teen girl self-esteem in a nuanced, thematic way, then don't fucking give your character body image issues - especially when you then describe her with features that are actually considered beautiful and have everyone and their mother gush about how gorgeous she is. You can't have your cake and eat it too.
Like Liva had some bullshit "I'm a dancer and the body image pressure is insane" reasoning which - okay, true. That is an Awful Thing that exists. But that doesn't account for her complaining about her large lips and exotic Eastern European eyes. Like bitch, you just described a Russian supermodel get out of here.
But I digress. Again.
Not awful, not amazing, solid C, woulda been a B with about 95% more car theft/chase scenes.
July 23, 2014
Sarah Alderson is one of my favourite authors so it's a big event when she has a new book out! Her stories are always varied and different and her writing remains top quality from start to finish. I couldn't wait to get my hands on 'Out of Control' and when I did I devoured it in one sitting.
The story is set in one of my favourite places, New York and features Liva and Jay as they go on the run and try to outwit and outrun the men who are chasing them. With no idea why they are being hunted, they can't trust anyone as they flee police custody and try desperately to stay alive. The big question is who wants them and why?
The opening of the book has to be one of the best that I've ever read. Sarah Alderson has said that it's based on one of her favourite movies Terminator and it certainly grabbed me and had me absolutely hooked and on the edge of my seat. Explosive, action packed, tense and exciting, it set the scene for the rest of the story and laced everything with an element of real danger. I also enjoyed trying to puzzle out why someone would want to capture a teenage girl and although I had a few theories, none of them were correct. The big reveal when it came was therefore absolutely gripping and totally surprising.
There is some romance in the book between Liva and Jay but this develops slowly, as they have little time for flirting. There are some spine tingling scenes between them but for once I liked the fact that the romance took a backseat to the main plot and to the action driven scenes which dominated the book. I don't think it would have worked if it had been the other way around.
The ending of 'Out of Control' was awesome and so tense that I couldn't put it down. This is Sarah Alderson at her very best and was a five star read which I will definitely be recommending.
The story is set in one of my favourite places, New York and features Liva and Jay as they go on the run and try to outwit and outrun the men who are chasing them. With no idea why they are being hunted, they can't trust anyone as they flee police custody and try desperately to stay alive. The big question is who wants them and why?
The opening of the book has to be one of the best that I've ever read. Sarah Alderson has said that it's based on one of her favourite movies Terminator and it certainly grabbed me and had me absolutely hooked and on the edge of my seat. Explosive, action packed, tense and exciting, it set the scene for the rest of the story and laced everything with an element of real danger. I also enjoyed trying to puzzle out why someone would want to capture a teenage girl and although I had a few theories, none of them were correct. The big reveal when it came was therefore absolutely gripping and totally surprising.
There is some romance in the book between Liva and Jay but this develops slowly, as they have little time for flirting. There are some spine tingling scenes between them but for once I liked the fact that the romance took a backseat to the main plot and to the action driven scenes which dominated the book. I don't think it would have worked if it had been the other way around.
The ending of 'Out of Control' was awesome and so tense that I couldn't put it down. This is Sarah Alderson at her very best and was a five star read which I will definitely be recommending.
May 25, 2014
Out of Control is a fast-paced, heart-stopping action thriller which will grab you from page one and keep hold of you right until the very last word.
In Out of Control we meet Liva and Jay who are thrown together under crazy circumstances and have to work together to overcome them. There are massive twists and turns throughout the plot which will leave you incapable of putting this book down. That's all I'm saying on the plot, the less you know the more you're going to enjoy discovering.
If you've read Sarah's books before (See Hunting and Losing Lila, Fated Series, The Sound) you'll have got a taste for how well she writes action scenes - Out of Control ups the game another level altogether. Not only does the action get your adrenalin pumping but it's so well described that you can imagine yourself as Liva trying to process what's happening around you and how you might fight to survive.
Liva is FIERCE. She is a total bad-ass. But she's also flawed, she has her demons. She's a great great multi-dimensional and complicated character and she more than holds her own alongside a stellar line-up of strong female characters in young adult fiction. Jay is as swoonworthy as the leading men from Sarah's other books, but he's also edgy, passionate, strong and facing many complications himself. I'd love to read a little from his perspective. They are the heart and soul of the story and they carry it well.
One of the things I really loved about this book was how the setting - New York - was almost another character itself. We're taken all over the city, making good use of the sights, sounds and smells of New York. It was so visceral I felt I was there again.
With non-stop action, real emotions and a brilliant suspense driven plot this is a ride and a half. I loved it.
In Out of Control we meet Liva and Jay who are thrown together under crazy circumstances and have to work together to overcome them. There are massive twists and turns throughout the plot which will leave you incapable of putting this book down. That's all I'm saying on the plot, the less you know the more you're going to enjoy discovering.
If you've read Sarah's books before (See Hunting and Losing Lila, Fated Series, The Sound) you'll have got a taste for how well she writes action scenes - Out of Control ups the game another level altogether. Not only does the action get your adrenalin pumping but it's so well described that you can imagine yourself as Liva trying to process what's happening around you and how you might fight to survive.
Liva is FIERCE. She is a total bad-ass. But she's also flawed, she has her demons. She's a great great multi-dimensional and complicated character and she more than holds her own alongside a stellar line-up of strong female characters in young adult fiction. Jay is as swoonworthy as the leading men from Sarah's other books, but he's also edgy, passionate, strong and facing many complications himself. I'd love to read a little from his perspective. They are the heart and soul of the story and they carry it well.
One of the things I really loved about this book was how the setting - New York - was almost another character itself. We're taken all over the city, making good use of the sights, sounds and smells of New York. It was so visceral I felt I was there again.
With non-stop action, real emotions and a brilliant suspense driven plot this is a ride and a half. I loved it.
June 10, 2014
5 stars the title is so fitting, my heart was beating out of control, I was talking to myself (like a lunatic) and I feel like I just went on a roller coaster ride.
This book was high paced, action packed an the writing was excellent.
The story/plot and love was believable and for love to bloom in so short of time and for me to like it, is freaking miracle.
Liva has just arrived to New-York to go live with her dad, but she can't fall a sleep due to the jet lag. To get some relaxation she climbs the roof. At the moment the lives with friends of her dad, her night turns into a nightmare when someone kills the people she is staying with.
When giving her eye witness testimony to the police she meets Jay a car thief and within in minutes from meeting each other their lives are entwined when they have to flight together to stay alive.
I loved Liva, Jay was a fantastic character I liked the scenes with his cousin.
But I need to know will there be a sequel???
I have so many questions.
Can you please write another book???
pretty please with a cherry on top???
May 29, 2014
I had high hopes for this book, and it sure didn't let me down!! This was pure awesomeness!
From the first page and throughout the book it was thrilling! I couldn't stop reading it!
Action, Gun-Fire, Roof-Climbing, Romance, Humor, Sadness, Betrayal, Blood, Bullets, Criminals, Agents and Car-Chases and.. more gun-fire and of course, Hot Guy!!
Yeah, this was Goooood! Like an awesome action-movie, but better, because it's a book.. Read It!!
From the first page and throughout the book it was thrilling! I couldn't stop reading it!
Action, Gun-Fire, Roof-Climbing, Romance, Humor, Sadness, Betrayal, Blood, Bullets, Criminals, Agents and Car-Chases and.. more gun-fire and of course, Hot Guy!!
Yeah, this was Goooood! Like an awesome action-movie, but better, because it's a book.. Read It!!
January 21, 2016
Ничего так история, вроде бы сразу экшен, замут, приятный герой с отличным чувством юмора...но не затянуло меня. Недели две мусолила я эту книгу. Мне понравилась любовная линия, классно описывает мини моменты, аж до мурашек пробирало. Красиво, непошло. Ну еще юмор. Сама история показалась чересчур серьезной для героев двадцати лет, которые из себя ничего особенного не представляли, но умудрялись вляпаться по самое «не хочу»! Все время на языке крутилось «не верю» :)
May 29, 2014
This was like 320 pages of pure perfection! Fast paced, kick ass heroine who knows how to use a gun, set in the course of one day. .. It's like book heaven! Definitely the best book I have read this year. .
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