Middle Ground (Awaken, #2)

Nov 30, 2012 Ashley Fierro rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: lovely-covers, fan-fucking-tastic, mind-blowing-world

The AWAKEN series are problably one of the most interesting dystopiands series I have EVER read.

After reading Awaken too many stuff ran trough my mind, I just couldn't wait for what was going to happen next. You see, it just that I could so clearly see how the world is already well in it's way to becoming like the one described in this book.

Believe me when I say Middle Ground is the GREAT second installment for this series. Picks up with Maddie living with her brother in Los Angeles. I find mys...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Die Covergestaltung ist nicht wirklich aufwendig, einfach das selbe Cover vom ersten Teil, nur eben in blau statt rosa. Trotzdem gefällt es mir und es sieht im Bücherregal auch ziemlich schön aus.

Ich lasse den Inhalt mal als spoiler aus, da es ja ein zweiter Teil ist, also einfach draufklicken:
(view spoiler)...more Die Covergestaltung ist nicht wirklich aufwendig, einfach das selbe Cover vom ersten Teil, nur eben in blau statt rosa. Trotzdem gefällt es mir und es sieht im Bücherregal auch ziemlich schön aus.

Ich lasse den Inhalt mal als spoiler aus, da es ja ein zweiter Teil ist, also einfach draufklicken:
(view spoiler)

Am Anfang fand ich Maddies Freunde sehr nervig und Justin fand ich plötzlich unsympathisch. Ich weiß nicht wirklich woran es lag, vielleicht daran das ich mich auch kaum mehr an sie erinnern konnte. Maddie selbst, ist und bleibt der mutigste und stärkste weibliche Charakter den ich kenne. Sie traut sich immer zu sagen was sie denkt und tut auch was sie will. Ich hätte in vielen Situationen ganz anders reagiert als sie und dafür mag ich sie sehr.
Ich hoffe wir lernen im nächsten Teil noch mehr von ihrem Vater, in diesem Buch hat die Autorin versucht ihm mehr tiefe zu geben, aber ich finde da kann schon noch mehr kommen. Seine Person finde ich einfach sehr interessant.
Auch hoffe ich das der neue Charakter, (view spoiler), auch noch im nächsten Band eine große Rolle spielen wird, im Moment ist er mein Liebling.

Insgesamt fand ich das Buch spannend, logisch und eine gute Fortsetzung. Nur zu empfehlen. Auch wenn ich es persönlich dempremierend und traurig finde, zumindest im Mittelteil.
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Feb 16, 2013 Smash added it

Shelves: arc, read-2012, read-own-hardcopy, favorites

Courtesy of Smash Attack Reads

INTEREST IN BOOK: If you’ve been paying attention, you know that Awaken was a book that spoke loudly to me. I was very wrapped up in the possibility of the scenario. I was also very affected by experiencing Maddie’s awakening, when Justin assists her in “unplugging.” It was beautiful to watch her reconnecting with her senses and experiencing emotions she never knew existed. Being that I’m a social worker, I understand how very important socialization and social supp...more Courtesy of Smash Attack Reads

INTEREST IN BOOK: If you’ve been paying attention, you know that Awaken was a book that spoke loudly to me. I was very wrapped up in the possibility of the scenario. I was also very affected by experiencing Maddie’s awakening, when Justin assists her in “unplugging.” It was beautiful to watch her reconnecting with her senses and experiencing emotions she never knew existed. Being that I’m a social worker, I understand how very important socialization and social support is for human beings, and this series really drives this point home.

WORLD-BUILDING: The world expands in Middle Ground as Maddie endures a life-altering trip to a detention center for her rebellious behavior. In Maddie’s world, detention centers take care of those who are unwilling to remain plugged in and participate in a mostly-digital life. Digital School brought safety and security to society, at the cost of togetherness and intimacy. Maddie’s father is the creator of DS, so her involvement in the rebellion to bring intimacy back to society is quite the scandal. Maddie’s experience in the detention center is horrific and we learn a lot about what is being done to keep society in check. I think my only real issue with this scenario was how easy it was to sneak around inside the detention center. I get that security was low because they control the students psychologically, but it just seemed too easy…

CHARACTERS: Maddie grew a lot in this installment. She was always brave and stubborn, but she really puts herself in serious danger to save many. I found myself rooting for her, then yelling at her, many times. She surprised me with her mature, selfless decisions, though I should not have been surprised. Maddie has always been willing to go the extra mile or 50 to do what is right. And then we have Justin. Geez. I might have to add Justin Solvi to the tippy top of respectable, amazing, glorious book boyfriends. I didn’t think I could adore him more, but I certainly do. What grabbed me most were his vulnerable moments. As Maddie pointed out numerous times, he certainly has issues letting people in and being intimate, and in Middle Ground, we learn why. Justin has been carrying around a lot of guilt and Maddie does her best to encourage him to remove the blanket of guilt and shame from his heart and soul. Those moments between them were so damn beautiful.

Gabe is worth mentioning, as I find myself thinking a lot about him during this review. Gabe works in the detention center and was integral in the dangerous planning by Maddie, Justin, and gang. I think he was a huge part in keeping Maddie sane throughout the story. Of course, all the characters that have befriended Maddie throughout this series, and continue to fight the good fight with her, are great in their own ways. Love them.

LASTING IMPRESSIONS: It appears that we are going to have a third book in this series, as Maddie leaves us hanging with yet another heavy decision that she must make. In the end, I know she will do what she feels is right for humanity, but she will not be bullied. She has become quite the strong heroine, and she and Justin will stand up and fight until the war is over. Together.(less)

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May 19, 2013 Sharons Bücherparadies rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Nachdem ich schon den ersten Band gelesen hatte, stand für mich fest, dass ich auch den zweiten Teil dieser Reihe lesen muss und freute mich riesig, als ich das Buch vom Boje Verlag dann in den Händen hielt!

Es knüpft gleich an den ersten Teil an und beginnt damit, dass Maddie nun in L.A. bei ihrem Bruder wohnt und weiterhin gegen das Digital-School System angeht. Zunächst erzählt Maddie aus ihrem gewöhnlichen Alltag in L.A. wird dann aber beim Rebellieren gegen das System von der Polizei erwisch...more

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May 09, 2013 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Summary:
Maddie has been living in LA away from her father, but still under everyone's watchful eye. Claire and Maddie get all dressed up to go to a dance club, only to have their desires dashed to be going to a virtual club. This resembles a movie theater with everyone staring at a screen and interacting through digital devices. It's scary to see how little person to person contact people have. Maddie stirs things up, which of course, she gets into trouble for. Only this time, she's in deeper th...more Summary:
Maddie has been living in LA away from her father, but still under everyone's watchful eye. Claire and Maddie get all dressed up to go to a dance club, only to have their desires dashed to be going to a virtual club. This resembles a movie theater with everyone staring at a screen and interacting through digital devices. It's scary to see how little person to person contact people have. Maddie stirs things up, which of course, she gets into trouble for. Only this time, she's in deeper than normal. Maddie is sent to a detention center. While in the detention center, she's led to a room filled with digital screens. She's not allowed to talk to anyone and doesn't have any luxuries. She goes for counseling and is introduced to The Cure, a secretive treatment that attacks her mind and quells her desire to rebel. It is terrifying and torturous. The only thing that is keeping her fighting is her love for Justin. Is it enough?

My thoughts:
My favorite book is 1984. It led me to my favorite dystopian genre. I'm 90% more likely to pick up a book that has a dystopian feel to it than anything else. I was originally drawn to Awaken because of this dystopian digital storyline. I enjoyed it, but not even close to as much as I LOVED this book. Unusual for a sequel, I feel like the writing and character development within Middle Ground is superb. I really get to know Maddie. The tortures that she goes through are reminiscent of 1984 as they try to reprogram individuals to fit back into society. Love becomes the only thing to give hope to all of the characters within the book. It's really a great message, complete with flaws and pitfalls. Most dystopians focus on just one hero, but Middle Ground gives you a whole slew of supporting characters that are absolutely necessary. I rarely ever reread novels, but I'm thinking about going through this again. If it wasn't a sequel, I would consider teaching this novel for how to develop characters without just describing every detail. You learn about these characters through their memories (anecdotes) and through other characters. It's very important for other writers to know that you can do character development without telling me everything about the character; however Kacvinsky did have the benefit of already introducing the characters in book one, so the prior knowledge does help in Middle Ground. That's the only thing stopping me from ordering 35 copies and teaching this in my classroom.

Dear Ms. Kacvinsky,
I loved it! Please write me another one. :-)
Thank you! (less)

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Mar 17, 2013 Manja rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kurzbeschreibung:
Auch nachdem Maddie bei ihrem Bruder in L.A. eingezogen ist, setzt sie ihren Kampf fort. Gemeinsam mit Justin hilft sie Jugendlichen, die der Digital School den Rücken kehren wollen. Doch dann wird Maddie geschnappt und von der Polizei in eine Jugendstrafanstalt gesteckt. Hier werden alle inhaftiert, die sich gegen das System stellen. Isolationshaft und Gehirnwäsche sind im Gefängnis an der Tagesordnung und der Wille der meisten Insassen wird innerhalb kürzester Zeit gebrochen.
M...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Middle Ground is the second book in the Awaken series by Katie Kacvinsky. This book stars Maddie who is supposed to have integrated back into regular society after her brush with the law protesting digital school. After causing a commotion by hacking into a night club Maddie finds herself locked in a detention center for youths who are not integrating into digital society. This detention center is stuff of nightmares. Can Maddie survive? Will she able to change things for others in her same situ...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Glimmerfee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Im zweiten Band schließen sich die Tore hinter Maddie und sie wird in ein Umerziehungslager eingeschlossen. Von ihren Freunden, der Realität und ihrem Leben abgeschnitten, beginnt für Maddie ein Kampf um ihren Verstand. Mit seltsamen Drogen betäubt, durchlebt sie im Umerziehungslager die schlimmsten Albträume und es wird mit aller Macht versucht ihren Willen zu brechen.
Düstere Zeiten für Maddie, aber sie erhält auch die Chance wirklich etwas in ihrer Welt zu bewegen.

Der zweite Band dieser Juge...more Im zweiten Band schließen sich die Tore hinter Maddie und sie wird in ein Umerziehungslager eingeschlossen. Von ihren Freunden, der Realität und ihrem Leben abgeschnitten, beginnt für Maddie ein Kampf um ihren Verstand. Mit seltsamen Drogen betäubt, durchlebt sie im Umerziehungslager die schlimmsten Albträume und es wird mit aller Macht versucht ihren Willen zu brechen.
Düstere Zeiten für Maddie, aber sie erhält auch die Chance wirklich etwas in ihrer Welt zu bewegen.

Der zweite Band dieser Jugendbuchreihe war für mich wieder ein absolutes Lesevergnügen. Wie schon beim ersten Band hatte ich trotz einiger Schwächen das Gefühl immer weiter lesen zu wollen.
In diesem Teil sehen wir die noch viel dunklere Seite des Digital-School-Systems. Wer nicht in die digitale Welt passt und gar versucht zu rebellieren, wird in ein Umerziehungslager gesteckt. Das muss Maddie am eigenen Leib erfahren, als ihre Familie sich gegen sie stellt und sie dem Fängen fragwürdiger Psychologen aussetzt.
Wie schon im ersten Band zeichnet die Autorin ein düsteres und auch sehr glaubhaftes Bild von einer Zukunft in der die digitale Welt wichtiger geworden ist als die Realität. Menschen treffen sich größtenteils nur noch online und verstecken sich hinter ihren gutaussehenden Avataren.
So gut Katie Kacvinsky auch den Faden der digitalen Zukunftsvision weitergesponnen hat, so konnte mich ihre restliche Sci-Fi-Welt nicht überzeugen. Vollkommen auf ein Problem fokussiert, fehlen mir einfach all die anderen kleinen Fragmente die diese Zukunft real erscheinen lassen. Ihre Welt erscheint mir nicht wie das Jahr 2060 sondern eher wie ein sehr erschreckendes 2020.
Auch die Charaktere haben immer Momente in denen ich nicht glauben konnte wie naiv sie plötzlich handeln. Es war oft so als sei eine Sicherung durchgebrannt und es kam zu Handlungen, die in meinen Augen nicht zum Charakterprofil passten, nur um die Story wieder weiter anzutreiben und künstliche Schwierigkeiten heraufzubeschwören.
Zudem nervten mich nach einiger Zeit die gezwungen tiefsinnigen Gespräche, die schon fast wirkten wie eine Mahnung mit dem Zeigefinger.

Und dennoch, trotz all dieser kleinen Unebenheiten und Schwächen, habe ich es sehr genossen wieder mit Maddie ein wenig zu rebellieren. Ich war fasziniert von den Einfällen der Autorin und es erschreckte mich, wie schnell die Menschheit dank der Technik in dieser Dystopie landen könnte.

Es ist ganz klar ein Buch so spannend und aufregend wie ein Actionfilm. Auch der zweite Band ist wieder bestes ‚Popcorn-Kopfkino‘. Bei jeder Seite fühlte ich mich bestens unterhalten.

Ich freue mich jedenfalls schon auf den nächsten Band rund um Maddie Freeman und ihren Rebellen.
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Mar 30, 2013 Megan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ho.ly.crap. The best and worst thing about this series is that it doesn't seem far-fetched. I don't generally get into futuristic stuff but this is a world that, sadly, I can imagine becoming reality.

When Maddie is hauled off to a detention center, it's obviously not going to be a walk in the park. The truth behind the gates is actually quite terrifying. Jaw-droppingly scary. And once again, it's not difficult to imagine something like this happening which makes me so sad. Maddie's fight to kee...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Edie rated it 5 of 5 stars

*breathe, breathe*. Okay so when I read Awaken I fell in love with Katie Kacvinsky's writing style. Middle Ground was a step up.... But here's the thing: I didn't think that was possible. I thought since the main character, Maddie, gets into trouble and is sent to the detention center, my favorite character wouldn't be in it. And man was I wrong. Justin is in the whole book andin the parts he isn't in, there's a new character named Gabe who makes friends with Maddie at the Center. But Gabe was a...more

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Dec 15, 2012 Becky {Somewhere Between The Pages} rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, 5-stars, review, dystopia-and-or-post-apocalyptic, purchased

It's fascinating how much an author's writing can change from one book to the next, but I don't have the same reservations about Katie Kacvinskey now as I did in my review of Awaken. The writing is lyrical and descriptive, yet not overwhelmingly so. Middle Ground is just as dark, powerful, and thought-provoking as its predecessor, and if you haven't yet picked this series up, I highly recommend you do so. I swear, this series is up there with Delirium by Lauren Oliver, Divergent by Veronica Roth...more It's fascinating how much an author's writing can change from one book to the next, but I don't have the same reservations about Katie Kacvinskey now as I did in my review of Awaken. The writing is lyrical and descriptive, yet not overwhelmingly so. Middle Ground is just as dark, powerful, and thought-provoking as its predecessor, and if you haven't yet picked this series up, I highly recommend you do so. I swear, this series is up there with Delirium by Lauren Oliver, Divergent by Veronica Roth, and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It is that good.

All of the characters we met in Awaken get more layers to their personality, and they all complement each other extremely well whilst all being their own person. Each one is written fantastically, and I can't wait to see what happens to them next. Pat was the one that fascinated me the most. He's such a complex character, and some of the things he says and does just aren't what you expect. And it's so obvious he's completely in love with Maddie, I kind of feel sorry for him. The newest addition to the rebellious group is Gabe. Maddie meets him in the detention center, and they form a bond through their mutual dislike of the DC's methods. I don't think Maddie would have survived that place if it hadn't been for Gabe, and I can't wait to see how their friendship develops in the next book. He's an intriguing character, and I think he'll fit right in with our little group of unplugged misfits.

Middle Ground is definitely more focused on the romance right from the get-go, and while I adore the relationship that Justin and Maddie have, it did get a little tedious that they never seemed to progress through the stages of dating - at least not until very late in the book. I understand that it was hard for them whilst Maddie was locked away in the DC, but I do think it's the weakest part of this novel.

Nevertheless, I adored Middle Ground just as much - if not more - than Awaken. I will say this, though... it was a definite bridge book. Not a lot seemed to happen, story-wise - at least not much that I can remember, and if it's not memorable, what's the point? I think the writing and the character development were what I truly adored about this novel, and they were more than enough for me to give this book a stellar rating. I can't wait to see what happens after the ending of this novel. Absolutely breathtaking.

For more reviews, check out my blog at Somewhere Between The Pages.(less)

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Mar 27, 2013 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Maddie lebt nun in L.A. bei ihrem Bruder Joe. Doch der Drang aus der Online-Welt auszubrechen wird immer größer. Als es bei einer spontanen Befreiungsaktion Verletzte gibt, wird Maddie von ihrer Familie verraten - und in eine Jugendstrafanstalt gesteckt.

Der Kampf gegen das Center ist hart und verlangt Maddie alles ab - und noch viel mehr. Bald muss Maddie sich entscheiden, ob sie den Kampf wirklich will. Ob sie wirklich bereit ist alles dafür zu geben, sogar ihr eigenes Leben.

Was soll ich sagen?...more Maddie lebt nun in L.A. bei ihrem Bruder Joe. Doch der Drang aus der Online-Welt auszubrechen wird immer größer. Als es bei einer spontanen Befreiungsaktion Verletzte gibt, wird Maddie von ihrer Familie verraten - und in eine Jugendstrafanstalt gesteckt.

Der Kampf gegen das Center ist hart und verlangt Maddie alles ab - und noch viel mehr. Bald muss Maddie sich entscheiden, ob sie den Kampf wirklich will. Ob sie wirklich bereit ist alles dafür zu geben, sogar ihr eigenes Leben.

Was soll ich sagen? Ich bin einfach ein Fan von Katie Kacvinsky und ihren Büchern. So hat auch "Maddie - Der Widerstand geht weiter" mich begeistert und mehr als gut unterhalten.

Zum einen finde ich die Thematik dieser dystopischen Reihe unglaublich spannend, weil es einfach so Realitätsnah ist. Soweit von dieser Zukunftsvision sind wir aus heutiger Sicht gar nicht. Die Autorin öffnet dem Leser auf diese Weise ein klein wenig die Augen und bringt einem zum Nachdenken über seine Gewohnheiten und auch Abhängigkeit, was das Internet angeht.

Zum anderen sind mir die Protagonisten, insbesondere natürlich Maddie und Justin, einfach ans Herz gewachsen. Katie Kacvinsky hat einen sehr angenehmen Schreibstil. Ohne allzu überladen zu sein, schafft sie es mit Einfachheit alles auf den Punkt zu bringen und dabei den Leser zu unterhalten und ihnen etwas zu vermitteln. Auch mit den leisen Tönen lässt sich eine Geschichte voller Emotionen, Spannung und einer Portion Liebe auf eine sehr bewegende Art und Weise erzählen.

Überhaupt hat die Autorin mit Maddie und Justin zwei für mich sehr authentische Charaktere erschaffen, denen man sich einfach nicht entziehen kann. Sie haben einen Kacvinsky-Merkmal, der sie einfach ausmacht. Ich begleite sie unheimlich gerne auf ihrer Rebellion, die, wie ich noch erwähnen möchte, nicht immer mit einem riesigen Knall daher kommt. Sondern immer erst von innen anfangen muss.

Das Ende lässt den Leser ein klein wenig aufatmen und gönnt ihm eine kleine Verschnaufspause bis zum nächsten und finalen Band. Ich freue mich sehr auf ein weiteres Buch der Autorin und hoffe nur, dass wir nicht allzu lange warten müssen.

Fazit:

Für mich eine mehr als gelungene Fortsetzung, die mein kleines Leserherz von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite unterhalten hat. Ich will mehr von Maddie und Justin.(less)

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Apr 14, 2013 Shanti rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, young-adult, romance, owned-books

Pretty great sequel to Awaken. It feels real and gritty and it's not hard to get completely absorbed back into the world after a short absence. A good, strong plot, and despite the writing being a little rough and messy at the beginning, it definitely is very well written overall. The book is permeated with description and a richness that was really enjoyable.

This one deals with anxiety a lot, which hits close to home, and the depictions of Maddie's anxiety felt so real, it was a little alarming...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Quite a nice little dystopia novel, and is it ever about a reality that we could potentially experience! Her (rather heavy-handed) message about the dangers of living digitally is well-taken, even as I type out a book review on a website rather than start a conversation in a book group. ;)

The characters remain interesting, and the detention center is creepily possible. The coexistence of a minority real-life society alongside the majority digital-only society is something I could especially see...more

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Apr 07, 2013 ოɑℕⅆʏ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: already-read, favorites, 2012

The Awaken series and the Divergent series definitely are in a race for my heart seeing as how I am complexly love with both of them. Regarding Middle Ground, it was a book that I could not put down with the action, romance, and everything that makes up a great story. I literally had to force myself to go to sleep instead of finishing the book in one night. Kacvinsky is a phenomenal writer and I could imagine every word of the story. I could feel the fear, love, depression, every single emotion....more

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Mar 23, 2013 ☞Proud☜ ☺✌Bookworm☮♪ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazing-series, fantasy, good-read, great-characters, high-romance, liked, strong-main-character-s, ya-writers-challenge, for-anyone-and-everyone, favorites-forever

This was uber epic. I loved how the author portrayed Maddie's time in the DC, Maddie and Justin's adorable romance, Scott and Molly not actually being complete assholes, everything.
I also thought it was hilarious that there was a typo on the very last page, the very last thing said.
"Thanks," he breathed. "That all I needed to hear."
Really? Really?! If that was intentional, I really can't see Justin talking like that, especially in this book that was half depressing and half so deep I couldn't s...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Wendy Hines rated it 5 of 5 stars

In this anticipated sequel to Awaken, Middle Ground picks up with Maddie living with her brother in Los Angeles. The year is 2060. She's supposed to be in a detention facility, but her father has used his powers to do some fancy paperwork to make it look like she is. While Maddie is happy in LA, she misses her boyfriend Justin, who is working at intercepting other kids on their way to the detention facilities and inviting them to join their cause. It's their biggest goal to get rid of DS, digita...more In this anticipated sequel to Awaken, Middle Ground picks up with Maddie living with her brother in Los Angeles. The year is 2060. She's supposed to be in a detention facility, but her father has used his powers to do some fancy paperwork to make it look like she is. While Maddie is happy in LA, she misses her boyfriend Justin, who is working at intercepting other kids on their way to the detention facilities and inviting them to join their cause. It's their biggest goal to get rid of DS, digital school, a program that Maddie's father created.

They believe that kids should have the choice of online school or public school. They should be able to go out and meet friends face to face and get sun on their faces without everything being digitalized. But DS keeps kids safe and controlled, and those that run it will do whatever it takes to make sure it runs properly.

When Maddie goes to a virtual club with her brother and some friends, she can't help herself but try and show the kids the way things could be. All it does is get her into trouble and before long, someone is knocking at her door and she's on the way to the detention center for rehabilitation. This time, Justin and her friends can't get her out. What happens behind the locked doors in the center is horrific - they want the kids to be controlled and realize that it's not safe outside and they will do whatever it takes to get that through their heads. Maddie tries to endure but she can't do it alone.

Middle Ground is a great second installment in this series! Maddie and Justin's relationship is still moving along, but it has it's struggles. Especially since her father created DS and he leads the group that wants to demolish it. In a world where we all rely on so much technology, Kacvinsky's series puts things a bit in perspective. There has to be balance, and in her world, there isn't. I really empathized with Maddie and her plight, she made some good and bad choices. I also enjoyed getting to know Justin more in this installment. The book ends satisfactory, no horrid cliffhanger, but it does allude to another book in the series. I can't wait!(less)

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Jan 18, 2013 Elizabeth De Marco rated it 3 of 5 stars

I think Kacvinsky is a good writer and the book was engaging. I would have given it a higher rating except Maddie annoyed me in ways she didn't in the first book. She is a realistic teen character in that she is impulsive, rebelious, and lacks experience to see the whole picture sometimes; but I found it annoying. The message of technology gone wrong was repeated so much in this book, I found it irritating. like I get it! I also don't buy the premise that technology is so extreme in this society...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Jamie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I neeeeeed this book. What a beautiful cover! Can not wait!!

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Feb 20, 2013 olittlebear aka. Sophie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I really feel like nothing happened to significantly further the storyline. She goes into the DC. She gets out. Books over. And so what they rescued one place. Now all the people in every other one can't even leave when their time is up. How are they celebrating? They seem no closer to ending DS. I liked Gabe but he didn't seem to join their fight on getting out. Or even hooking up with Claire. It was never solidly decided who the rat was. And poor Pat is just made such a creep throughout this b...more

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May 02, 2013 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-mt-bookpile

Yes, another dystopian trilogy but this one actually poses some interesting questions and has a middle book that works as a stand-alone (I didn't know it was a series until I looked!).

Maddie's father was a principal at a school and for some reason has created Digital School, now mandated. For some reason (possibly explained in the first book) he feels that staying home, in a room filled with screens and interacting with teachers and other students virtually rather than face-to-face. Maddie, on t...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mixed-feelings, strong-female-character, friendship, betrayal, romance, series, ya-books, a-little-preachy, angsty-love, could-have-been-better, rocky-relationship, conspiracy, scary-andor-dark, 100-book-challenge-2013

I really love the first book but both of these suffer from the same problem. Despite this book being called "Middle Ground" which I believe has to do with compromising between the warring sides, this book doesn't have any middle ground in the text. There are comments here and there, thrown in, to make it SEEM like the author/Maddie/Justin respect other people's opinions about being connected to technology. But it is heavily weighted toward CONDEMNING it. That makes me uncomfortable. Here I am, t...more I really love the first book but both of these suffer from the same problem. Despite this book being called "Middle Ground" which I believe has to do with compromising between the warring sides, this book doesn't have any middle ground in the text. There are comments here and there, thrown in, to make it SEEM like the author/Maddie/Justin respect other people's opinions about being connected to technology. But it is heavily weighted toward CONDEMNING it. That makes me uncomfortable. Here I am, typing this review onto a website with my iPhone. I didn't listen to this particular book on cd, if there is one, I read the text in a book and on an ELECTRONIC READER. I love technology and I believe I am balanced in my view and use of it. So I find the book preachy and I resent it. But I was able to read both books and enjoy them and THINK about them and how I could learn from them. And I think that's a good thing. Because it isnt a love of technology or books or a fear of the outside that keeps me inside most of the time, but I do have a lack of appreciation and desire for being outside and this book makes me want to develop that more.

I have another problem with this story and it's how rushed it all was. You could tell the author was rushing to get Maddie into the DC so that the story could really start. But after reading the first book I liked how the second started and I wanted to read more about that track she was on. I didn't need to be thrust into this OTHER track right away. Oh well. Thats not huge, I just felt it.

I also wish that Maddie's experience in the DC had been described better. She was supposed to be so weak and scared but she was clearly capable of so much more than she should have been. I particularly wish that she had been scared of touching Justin, even though it would've been sad, it would've made the story stronger. You can write a good romance without your characters being able to touch, you know. I thought of Dark Angel, because he was actually allergic to touching her and would die but everyone watching wanted them to touch so badly! And it would've been so rewarding once Maddie recovered enough to hold him and kiss him. Instead of almost right away feeling an attraction to him and letting him hold her and her hand and that being the magic thing that kept her sane. It's pretty romantic but while I was reading I just wasn't convinced.

I sound unhappy with the story but I'm not. Over all I got what I wanted. Thank you.(less)

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Apr 01, 2013 Lianna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, paranormal-fantasy-other-worldly

The fact that I finished the first two books in Katie Kacvinsky's Awaken series in two days should prove what a fan I am of this series! Middle Ground is the second part of Justin and Maddie's story - as they continue to fight against a regimented world where online/plugged in communication is viewed as normal and face-to-face interaction is shunned. In Middle Ground, Maddie finds her past and rebellious streak finally catching up with her when she is forced into a detention center where the sta...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Tamara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: scifi-fantasy-paranormal-mix, dystopia, has-a-love-story, fiction, young-adult

More like 3 1/2 stars. I still have trouble accepting the jump from where our society is now to where it is in this series, with everyone being required to live online. It's probably the hardest thing for me with this series; my "willing suspension of disbelief" isn't so willing. But I still enjoy the story and the characters. (And thank goodness Maddie has stopped using "sexy" like it's the word-of-the-day every day.)

I found it hard to trust the new characters (and even some old ones) in this b...more

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Jan 04, 2013 April rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: part-of-a-series

I was overly excited to find out this book was out. So I bought it the moment I saw that it was out and started it on my plane ride on the 2nd. Let me just say that it was worth the wait.

Middle Ground starts with Maddie in LA with her brother while Justin is off doing whatever it is Justin does for the "rebels". Pat, Noah and Clare take Maddie out to a club, however it's not the type of club that Maddie is expecting it's a very high priced virtual club, that Maddie eventually shuts down, and in...more I was overly excited to find out this book was out. So I bought it the moment I saw that it was out and started it on my plane ride on the 2nd. Let me just say that it was worth the wait.

Middle Ground starts with Maddie in LA with her brother while Justin is off doing whatever it is Justin does for the "rebels". Pat, Noah and Clare take Maddie out to a club, however it's not the type of club that Maddie is expecting it's a very high priced virtual club, that Maddie eventually shuts down, and in the midst of this finds out Justin is there. Maddie and Justin after escaping the club spend some time talking about their relationship and Justin tells her he's moving to LA to be near her. However before he gets that chance Joe, Maddie's brother, turns her in and she ends up in the detention center the world actually thinks she already in.

That starts another whole set of things happening to Maddie. The detention center turns out to not be what it seems. While in the center Maddie fights the authority, the "cure" and befriends Gabe a worker there. Gabe ends up an ally and helps keep Maddie from ending up like the other "students" in the DC. We also see a scene with Kevin, Maddie's father that makes you wonder if he may change sides....maybe, but doubtful. After the found of the DC finds out that Maddie is resistant to the cure and the ring leader of whatever is awakening the other students he decides to try another therapy on her that in the past may be responsible for students death's, which prompts Gabe and Justin to take Maddie out of the DC.

This starts their next step of the plan where they break the students out and entrap the workers. Maddie and the rest of them end up back in Eden where Maddie talks to her father, who is willing to help but it comes with a price, go home and give up Justin and her friends. Will she do it now that to help change DS? That is the question left unanswered....so

I seriously hope there is a third book coming, otherwise that was a really abrupt and open way to end this book.

(less)

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Oct 25, 2012 Stephanie Ward rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, owned, blog-tour, will-trade

4.5 Stars

'Middle Ground' is the sequel to Awaken, a young adult science fiction fantasy where people are constantly plugged into technology and rarely do anything in "real life" any more. The heroine of the story, Maddie, finds herself staying with her brother in L.A. - attempting to stay out of trouble. After causing some trouble at a high-end dance club, Maddie finds herself in the place she always feared - a detention center where they brainwash the patients to accepting a completely digital...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Zoe Pope (The Book Lovers) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Middle Ground picks up where Awaken finishes. Maddie is now living in LA with her brother. If you read Awaken, you will know that Maddie is now a part of the rebels and because of something that happened in the first book, right now she should be in a Detention Centre, but her father, who designed and made the DS (Digital school), used his power to make it look like she was. He sent her to live with her brother and to make sure she didn’t get into anymore trouble. But come on, its Maddie!

While l...more Middle Ground picks up where Awaken finishes. Maddie is now living in LA with her brother. If you read Awaken, you will know that Maddie is now a part of the rebels and because of something that happened in the first book, right now she should be in a Detention Centre, but her father, who designed and made the DS (Digital school), used his power to make it look like she was. He sent her to live with her brother and to make sure she didn’t get into anymore trouble. But come on, its Maddie!

While living in LA, Maddie, albeit is happy, also misses her boyfriend Justin who is working at intercepting other kids who are on their way to the Detention centers and inviting them to join their cause. The cause is trying to get rid of the DS for good. They believe that people should have the right to go to school, interact face to face without everything being digitalized. But DS keeps kids safe; there is hardly any crimes and everyone who helps run this programme will do whatever it takes to make sure nothing happens to it.

But when Maddie and her friends go to a virtual nightclub, Maddie decides to test the people there and causes trouble in the club. But this incident is her last because before long, the feds are a-knocking and hauling her to the detention centre for rehabilitation into the DS world. Always being rescued by Justin and their friends, this time there is nothing they can do, and no way to get her out.

What goes on behind closed doors is something that no one will ever see or witness apart from the people inside. It is horrific. Maddie figures out that they are brainwashing the ‘patients’ to make them too scared to face the outside world so they will become dependent on the technology once more, and also Maddie is becoming scared too, her only ‘forbidden’ friend in the center is Gabe, who is a member of staff and has never touched a computer in his life. He helps Maddie through everything but it’s down to Maddie to live through the torment she is suffering and find a way out…her only hope of holding on is the love she has for Justin.

I absolutely fell in love with the second installment. I have to say that Katie’s writing has definitely gotten stronger (I mean no offense at all to this) and I loved how her style kept me captivated and wanting to keep reading right till the very end. The book is descriptive and it definitely gave me vision of what the detention centre was like and how much horror was behind those walls, hidden away from the outside world. The characters are developed so much that you begin to feel every little emotion they felt, especially Justin and Maddie. It was hard not to fall ever deeper in love with these two. Maddie is utterly besotted with Justin, her love for him is overwhelming, and it’s something that got her through her time in the center.

You could easily see that Justin was in love with Maddie too, and it aggravated me that he didn’t say it back to her, because it was completely obvious. But he would do anything to be with her and get her out of the center and back with him, where she belongs. When they are reunited each time they see each other, I just kept wishing she would run away and go with him, but Maddie was a tough thing and stay at the center, helping her friends to understand and discover exactly what was happening to the kids, along with the help of new recruit, Gabe, who fitted nicely into their little group.

The ending completely set it up for the next book. Albeit, it wasn’t a cliff-hanger but it does leave you wondering what Maddie is going to do. Cannot wait to the last book in this installment!

Again, much the same of my review about Awaken, it truly makes you think about a world where technology completely enters the world, where hardly any face-to-face interactions happen outside the house and you do everything on a computer. Yes, it may be ‘safer’ and crime free but you will always get people wondering about life outside a computer, much like the kids who are in the detention centres and of course, the rebels. Would you like to be confined to a computer world for the rest of your life without really any human contact? I know what my answer would be. A definite HELL NO.

(less)

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Nov 20, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian-utopian, reviewed-books

4 stars.
Think mental hospital meets high technology.

Maddie is living in Los Angeles with her brother. When she tries to defy the rules in a club one night, they catch on and she is carted off to a detention center where they reprogram people to hate the real world and love the digital one.

One of the things I love about this series is that I can actually picture this becoming the real sometime in the future. People are obsessed with time-saving and convenience. And with the rate that technology's...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Jenny J rated it 4 of 5 stars

In this book technology was the essence of life. You lived, you laughed, you dated on the computer. Nobody wanted to meet face to face or actually attend funerals but made them on the computer. This is really an inspirational and thought-provoking book. "At the end of the day who are we really? When the lights turn off, all alone which of those personalities that we take on and off are real?"
This book makes every teenager think about what the role of technology in our life is. How can it influen...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Amanda Croley rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have been waiting to get my hands on Middle Ground and hate to say I am a little disappointed. It was still good, still worth reading, and I will read the next book in the series. It just didn't shine like Awaken, or maybe my tastes have changed a bit since then. Middle Ground is another dystopian series, but I could see this becoming a reality, especially in light of recent events in America.
In the first book Maddie barely escapes being sent to a Detention Center after breaking her probation...more I have been waiting to get my hands on Middle Ground and hate to say I am a little disappointed. It was still good, still worth reading, and I will read the next book in the series. It just didn't shine like Awaken, or maybe my tastes have changed a bit since then. Middle Ground is another dystopian series, but I could see this becoming a reality, especially in light of recent events in America.
In the first book Maddie barely escapes being sent to a Detention Center after breaking her probation. Justin one of the DS (digital school) rebels shows her a whole new world of people who enjoy meeting face to face. They quickly hit it off and he takes her on a few interceptions. Their job with the interceptions is helping other teens escape the fate of the DC. She is sent to live with her brother instead of DC as long as she stays out of trouble. That's where Middle Ground picks up. Maddie has been with her brother for several weeks, and hasn't heard from Justin at all. He hasn't called to check on her much less visited. She knows his first priority is the rebellion but she is still disappointed that she doesn't even rank 2nd.

***Spoilers***
Justin surprises Maddie one night when they go out to a virtual club. She thought they were going to a real club, and when she figured out everyone was meeting in one place, just to get online in a virtual club and meet she got antsy. Instead of leaving she hacked into the server and starting in with the rebellion talk. Another person in the audience joined in, and that turned out to be Justin. The two of them were detained, but were able to quickly escape after turning on the alarms. On their train ride home the train comes to a complete stop to let someone on. That someone happens to be a kid running from the police who are trying to cart him off to DC. He was very lucky with what train he happened to hop on. They are able to get him away but not before a cop was injured in a wreck. Maddie and Justin were caught on camera, and before they could meet up again the next day her father has her picked up and sent to DC. She meets Gabe there and he is surprised that she can even make eye contact. In the last six years she is one of three that has. The DC uses drugs and mind readers to insert awful nightmares and hallucinations. They are so bad that after the first day the students hardly leave their room. Maddie forces herself to keep getting out of bed even though she would rather not. She and Gabe continue to talk and he helps her at some of her lowest points. Gabe shows her an old subway tunnel that he uses to set up meetings with her friends. They want her to leave but she decides to stay so they can finally bring down the DC. They test her blood but aren't able to find out what drugs they are using. Gabe gets one of the drugs they call the Cure and her friend Molly tests it. She then is able to create a counter drug in gas form they start pumping into the air system. All of the students wake up, start eating and feeling less fear. When they start leaving their rooms, the main guy tries to kill Maddie because she doesn't cooperate with their program. She escapes that night and they are able to eventually free all 800 kids in that one detention center. In the end her father agrees to work with her to come to a middle ground for the DS and DC but only if she agrees to cut all ties with Justin and the other rebels. She still hadn't decided when the book ended, but Justin finally told her he loved her so I am thinking she will stick with him. (less)

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Middle Ground (Awaken #2)

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