Acid by Emma Pass - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

Apr 26, 2013 Zemira Warner added it

Shelves: dystopia

She is in an all-male prison?! o_O Don't know if I should jump up and down or bite my fingernails.

Review to come,maybe.

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May 05, 2013 Ashley (Nose Graze) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: requested

Nose Graze — Young Adult book reviews

2.5-ish stars

Oh, ACID . You could have been amazing. You could have been wonderful. With a cover like that and a badass main character, you could have been the love of my bookish life. But, alas. After a glorious start, you kind of crashed and burned.

I have a handy dandy enjoyment graph to illustrate my thoughts:

ACID by Emma Pass - Enjoyment Graph

ACID starts out strong—with a 17 year old badass who can take on fully grown, perverted men, and an epic prison break. I LOVED how Jenna kicked some...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Amy marked it as to-read

Shelves: gorgeous-covers

EDIT: I have now purchased the book. Don't know how long it will take to get here in my possession, but I can't wait. For those who feel the same way I do, I recommend Better World Books as the route you take. Free shipping and a book gets donated for every book you buy. If not, then The Book Depository.

I wish that whoever made the page for this book didn't put the UK release date right before the US one (which is just a year, not even an actual release date, which I doubt the book might have a...more

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Apr 19, 2013 Vivienne Serendipity Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, received-to-review

Originally posted on www.serendipityreviews.co.uk
I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of the most anticipated UK debuts of the year when I attended a blogger brunch at Random House. I feel like I have been waiting forever to get my hands on this book, so I was really pleased when I got the opportunity to read it early. I wasn’t disappointed.

Emma Pass has created an excellent dystopian perspective of the UK in 2113. Alongside Claire Merle, she has shown that UK authors can write excellent dy...more Originally posted on www.serendipityreviews.co.uk
I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of the most anticipated UK debuts of the year when I attended a blogger brunch at Random House. I feel like I have been waiting forever to get my hands on this book, so I was really pleased when I got the opportunity to read it early. I wasn’t disappointed.

Emma Pass has created an excellent dystopian perspective of the UK in 2113. Alongside Claire Merle, she has shown that UK authors can write excellent dystopian YA just like our favourite American writers. The world Emma has created has a strong feel of Orson Well’s 1984 to it and you get the sense that everyone is watched and all are brainwashed to believe the information told to them. The world is stifling and unbearable for the residents, so it isn’t any wonder that many are in the throes of a revolt. There are also elements of Total Recall and Bourne Identity to the story, that just give the plot an even meatier filling.

When you meet Jenna on the first page, you don’t feel sorry for her, because she has ‘tough little cookie’ branded and emblazoned into her mannerisms. She knows how to look after her self in a style similar to Lara Croft. Any man stupid enough to pick a fight with her will not make the same mistake twice, that’s saying he can even speak again when she has finished with him. As the book progresses, you realise their is so much more to Jenna than the first impressions you were given. There is a softer side to her that she had wrapped up and hidden in order to protect it. With the help of others she has learnt how to look after herself purely for protection. In the blurb she is described as a real tough nut, and you wonder if she is devoid of feeling, but as you read the book you really feel for Jenna; she has been hurt, used and abused and she is just getting by. I felt the blurb might be misleading a little as I was expecting this book to be rather violent all the way through, and thankfully it isn’t as the book is a really gripping thriller as one girl searches for the truth.

I really enjoyed the budding relationship between Jenna and Max, especially while on the run. There were so many hidden secrets between them, you find yourself on pins waiting for the truth to come out. It was interesting to read Jenna’s thoughts on love as she tried to determine what she actually felt for Max, based on her sparse experience with boys.

I loved the newspaper snippets which really helped to bring the world dominated by ACID to life. Not only did they discuss Jenna Strong, but they also gave an insight into living under the ruthless dictatorship of ACID.

The plot twists and turns from the first page and you are sucked into the story instantly. The writing was furious at times and fast paced in others, providing many breath holding moments.

The ending of the story is pleasantly fulfilling; I didn’t feel disillusioned about waiting for the cliff hanger to be resolved in the following book, although there is a strand in the last few pages that will probably be the main story in the next book.

This book is definitely worth reading. It’s a fast paced twisting rollercoaster of a read. An excellent dystopian debut from a rising talent. I look forward to reading more about Jenna in the future. (less)

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May 09, 2013 Charlotte Comrie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I didn't like this book at first; I didn't like the style it was written in and I didn't like how quickly the story was moving. I hate books where we find nothing out about what's happening or why, and that's what this book was like.

Then it got oh so good! We met Max and I realised that I was actually really really enjoying it, hence why I stayed up until 2am to finish it, I loved the plot twists that just kept on popping up and I eventually came to like the first person present tense style it...more

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May 09, 2013 DMS rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

This is an epic level of mediocre packaged with a summary that is half outright lies and half willful misrepresentation. Seriously, the mystery hinted at on the back cover isn't something the main character thinks is a mystery, and is solved in a single paragraph on the same page it's introduced to her. Well past the 300 page mark.

Also, there's never any reason given for her to have been in an all male prison. Ever. It's scarier than one with a mixed population? Or prison rape doesn't happen in...more This is an epic level of mediocre packaged with a summary that is half outright lies and half willful misrepresentation. Seriously, the mystery hinted at on the back cover isn't something the main character thinks is a mystery, and is solved in a single paragraph on the same page it's introduced to her. Well past the 300 page mark.

Also, there's never any reason given for her to have been in an all male prison. Ever. It's scarier than one with a mixed population? Or prison rape doesn't happen in women's prisons? (Not that it happens in this book. This is good, clean YA - where teenagers share beds without moving past hand holding.)

Pass hits the highlights for most of the classic dystopias you were forced to read in high school, but with less effective regimes. Remember how Winston Smith had a single place in his apartment that he didn't think his screen could monitor him from? Under Acid's rule, citizens are advised to keep their screens on for so many hours a day, and the indication is that they just monitor power usage, and only if they get suspicious. Which strikes me as odd since the current day best selling console peripheral is already capable of better surveillance than Orwell described. The UAV's and helicopters described are just idiotic in terms of both usage and design. Of course, while hardware and software technology levels will have fallen over the next hundred years, you can now get extensive plastic surgery, to include changing hair color and texture and eye color, seemingly overnight with no swelling and very short recovery periods.

Also, apparently everyone gets married and starts working at 17, so we have a society devoid of individuals with higher education. That probably explains pretty much every issue I have with the oddness of their society and how dumb and ineffective the supposedly "brutal, controlling police force in history" is. Though, how the hell has their biomedical engineering gotten so fab?

It's not actually terrible, just kind of bland and not as advertised. Some of the action sequences are even fun. Pass misses an opportunity for delving into some interesting territory on the nature of identity in favor of . . . getting to kiss a boy.

Sigh.

I guess at least there's no love triangle?

God how my standards have been lowered.(less)

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Jun 23, 2012 Janita rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, fiction, futuristisch, read-in-2012, romance, young-adult

Stel je een realiteit voor waarin er geen internet meer bestaat, een organisatie alles wat je doet in de gaten houdt en je bij de kleinste overtreding in de gevangenis kunt belanden. Dit is de wereld van Jenna Strong. Het verhaal wordt vanuit het gezichtspunt van Jenna verteld, zo weet je precies wat zij denkt, hoe ze zich voelt en wat haar beweegredenen zijn. Ik kon me goed in Jenna verplaatsen en met haar meeleven.

Dit boek zet je ook weer aan het nadenken over de toekomst en dit verhaal speel...more

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May 03, 2013 Elaine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3stars, 2013, badass-females, reviewed

So here is how it is. This book is super awesome. The plot is well thought out. Things from the beginning and middle tie into the end. It has enough action to make it more than a romance. BUT it lacks detail. We've all read book series that were clearly written as a one shot novel but were stretched into a trilogy/series to make more money and the story suffers for it. ACID has the opposite problem. It either needed to be written as a series or a Game of Thrones-style 1000 page novel.

So many ex...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Kirsty (overflowing library) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-books, uk-author

I loved acid! What a cracking story and kick-ass heroine. I couldn't read it quickly enough and was hooked from page one.

Acid is set in a future Britain and is the story of Jenna Strong. Jenna is 17 and has just broken out of a high security prison that she was put into for murdering her parents. Throughout the course of the book you get an insight into a corrupt totalitarian world where the people are watched every minute of every day and any slight disoriented is punished harshly.

I loved sev...more

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May 10, 2013 Vicki rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, teen-ya

The pace of this novel moved quite quickly and I found myself wanting to keep reading in any spare moment I could. (whilst making dinner, in the middle of housework and at work while I should be working to name a few...) It was a great concept for a story line and the way it ended I'm unsure as to whether it will have a follow on story or not.

I enjoyed all of the characters but did feel there was a bit of depth missing from them all. Sometimes when an author is writing about a character you can...more

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May 07, 2013 Tarran rated it 5 of 5 stars

Set in a bleak futuristic Britain, we follow the story of Jenna Strong. Jailed for murdering her parents, she escapes and goes on the run. ACID are the corporation who have taken over Britain for the last 50-60 years. There is no internet, no libraries, no free speech. The London is divided into three, the Upper, the Middle and the Outer. Jenna has to fight to survive and to learn the truth about what sent her to prison!

Fantastic read, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I hope Emma Pass writes m...more

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May 12, 2013 Rea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, thriller, young-adult

It took a little while for me to really get into the swing of things but once I was there I only once very briefly lost my crazed interest - when "Jessica" is introduced. I see why she's necessary to the plot but I found her less inspiring and pretty insipid.

I liked that as the reader you're just thrown into the world presented here. It's 2113 and a lot has changed in Britian, now the IRB (Independant Republic of Britain). The reader is allowed to discover the world bit by bit as it becomes rele...more

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May 06, 2013 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I’ve been excited about this book for quite a while now. I usually buy my books on kindle but being in Ireland we have to buy from the American store so imagine my panic when I logged on to discover it wasn’t available. I rang my local book store on release day and stayed on hold and made them search through the delivery boxes they received the day before and find me a copy. Good thing I did, they had only received TWO! Needless to say they learned not to come between me and my...more Rating: 3.5 Stars

I’ve been excited about this book for quite a while now. I usually buy my books on kindle but being in Ireland we have to buy from the American store so imagine my panic when I logged on to discover it wasn’t available. I rang my local book store on release day and stayed on hold and made them search through the delivery boxes they received the day before and find me a copy. Good thing I did, they had only received TWO! Needless to say they learned not to come between me and my books
Acid was a breath of fresh air. I had been bemoaning the quality of dystopian YA fiction released recently and if it wasn’t for Dan Well’s Partials series I would have given up on buying it so I was hoping Acid would deliver and for the most part it did.
Jenna Strong is kick-ass. A 17 year old girl accused of murdering her parents, she is sent to the toughest and scariest all-male prison in Britain after being tried and convicted as an adult. She learns pretty quickly to defend herself against the many pervs wanting to take advantage and has moulded herself into one deadly weapon. When her only friend in the prison risks his life to break her out, she must uncover the secrets from her past in order to survive.
I loved the setting of Acid, it was refreshing to read about a murky, harsh, future in Britain rather than America. For me it made things seem more “real” as I could recognise place names and had walked down the same streets that Jenna walked. The A(gency) C(rime) I(nvestigation) D(efence) police state really reminded me of a late 90′s show called “Dark Angel” starring Jessica Alba. The brutal tactics, laws and sectors of the IRB (Independent Republic of Britain) were frightening and Pass did a good job of unveiling a totalitarian corrupt world where people who step out of line are brutally put back in place. Everything is regulated down to choice of “Life-Partner”, when a child can be born and what job they can have. Overall I thought the world building was quite strong, I would have liked a little more but in comparison to recent rival books it was great. Pass uses newspaper articles and bulletins to give the reader an overview of how the world is run and I thought this was a really interesting and unique way to get the point across.
Jenna was a great MC that I couldn’t help but root for. She was brave, loyal and sympathetic. At times I grew frustrated by how willing she was to go with the flow and accept her surroundings but I assume that was due to her background which is explained in the book. I loved the character of Max, with whom Jenna builds a friendship with whilst on the run and the other secondary characters whilst we didn’t get to know them as well I thought were well rounded and interesting.
Plot wise: I thought the story was really unique and original however about two-thirds of the way through it proved problematic as the reader is immediately aware of a plot twist for the character where her memory is affected which holds no suspense as we always know she will get her memory back. The use of re-constructive surgery was also a bit irksome for me as the tech seemed a little too unbelievably advanced despite the futuristic setting and it seemed a little too “convenient” to move the plot along. I thought the writing was superb I just felt that at times the plot was too rushed and I would have enjoyed more explanation into how the society came about and more mention of the outside world.
Overall, I thought Acid was edgy, fun and un-put-down-able at times and I’m excited to read more from this début author.

See more reviews at What Danielle Did Next>(less)

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May 14, 2013 Donna {Book Passion for Life} rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-dystopian-scifi-thriller, most-anticipated, for-review, from-publishers

I was excited to receive ACID that I started it within a few days of receiving it, and while the story had such a strong start, after a few chapters it slowly started getting weaker. And so in the end, it was impossible for me to love it, but I certainly didn't hate it.

As I said before the plot started off strong but no sooner than things getting interesting, I started to lose interest. It was pretty easy to figure out what had happened to Jenna before she did, and because of this there was no e...more I was excited to receive ACID that I started it within a few days of receiving it, and while the story had such a strong start, after a few chapters it slowly started getting weaker. And so in the end, it was impossible for me to love it, but I certainly didn't hate it.

As I said before the plot started off strong but no sooner than things getting interesting, I started to lose interest. It was pretty easy to figure out what had happened to Jenna before she did, and because of this there was no excitement and nothing to grip me to the edge of my seat with anticipation. So of course, by the time Jenna figured everything out, I was over it and all the surprise was taken out of what I was reading.

As for Jenna, she starts out as a strong main character. We see her kicking the butt out of a guy who she's in prison with, and we see her trying to get on with her life as much as she possibly can. However, when she's sprung from prison, Jenna doesn't come across as the kick-ass character that she once was - which was slightly disappointing. It isn't until the last few chapter's that we start to see her once again, becoming the kick-ass character she was. I guess you could say my expectations were very high when it came to Jenna. I'd seen all the glowing reviews comparing her to likes of Lara Croft, so of course I was expecting awesomeness from her, but in my opinion Jenna never came across that way. I felt she was somewhat lacking as a character, and although she did have her moments, I don't feel like the author took the time to explain what it was really like for her to be in the prison or what it was like to 'kill' her parents.

Max as the love interest was a weak character. Nothing screamed out to me about him, even when he's gone in part of the story, it was easy to forget he was even in the story. It was good how his character was wove into the story but that's about it. Sorry Max!

The government; ACID, were probably the highlight of the book for me, even though they were the bad guys. It was interesting to unravel the laws that had put in place and how they kept everyone under control. As a dystopian, Emma Pass did a good job bringing something dreadful and scary to the table, and making it work so well. Especially since ACID aren't the only players in this story. We have two other groups trying to take control, and that's NAR and FREE. Once again, I enjoyed their stories and loved seeing how they wanted to make an impact if they could over throw ACID.

The story did have many good and bad points and some of the information I felt was irrelevant and some was not. Near the end, there were a few chapters that I felt didn't need to be there because they didn't really have any impact on the story. But then everything picked up again towards the end.

The ending, I guess I could say it was enjoyable, if not predictable at times. I think it could have been put together better but still, it was one of the best parts of the story. The epilogue was a good added bonus that I believe felt right. Not a lot of authors take the time to write epilogues, but I'm glad Emma Pass did and I felt everything was concluded well.

In all, Emma Pass's ACID didn't live up to my expectations, but it was still an enjoyable read. I still believe many people will love, so it's definitely worth a read. (less)

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May 12, 2013 June Luu rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: action, have-to-have, favorites, mystery, romance, thriller, dystopian

Originally reviewed at The Page Turners

OH MY WORD! THIS BOOK WAS EPICLY AWESOME!!

I just received this book yesterday from Amazon and I finished it in less than a day. It was packed with action, which I love, a little bit of mystery and a twist of romance. I LOVE IT!!

This book was so addicting, I couldn't put it down and I couldn't get to sleep without reading another word, which then led me to sleep at around 2am. The action in here was so...realistic, I just wanted to join all of the fights and...more Originally reviewed at The Page Turners

OH MY WORD! THIS BOOK WAS EPICLY AWESOME!!

I just received this book yesterday from Amazon and I finished it in less than a day. It was packed with action, which I love, a little bit of mystery and a twist of romance. I LOVE IT!!

This book was so addicting, I couldn't put it down and I couldn't get to sleep without reading another word, which then led me to sleep at around 2am. The action in here was so...realistic, I just wanted to join all of the fights and shout "YEAH! GO JENNA, YOU BAD-ASS GIRL!!"

Jenna Strong was prisoned for murdering her parents at the aged of 15. Or so everyone thought. Jenna was the sort of character that I loved straight away from reading the first sentence. She's bad-ass, brave, the sort of girl who could kick your ass in under 10 seconds, or maybe even 5. I love her. She doesn't whine, and she wasn't weak and she wasn't all "oh I'm good at fighting, so I'll show off". Jenna was just....Jenna. Everyone should know by now that I LOVE a bad-ass main character who is a girl, and I have to say, Jenna is one of them.

ACID is the most brutal police force ever created--who also rules the country which used to be called the United Kingdom--of course, everybody knows I love Police officers and all of that, but ACID wasn't even like police officers at all, they were like...soldiers...very cruel soldiers. You wouldn't want to mess with them. Emma then tells us about how ACID rules the whole of the IRB, and how it was split into three parts. Outer, Middle, and Upper. It was like, from the poor to the rich.

The world that Emma created was absolutely amazing! She created a world that was a whole level above my imagination, and believe me when I say I have a pretty wide imagination. I love how she created such a cruel world that I was so addicted to. I couldn't stop turning the pages and I just couldn't put the book down.

There are also other characters in here too, and they were all completely amazingly created. Like Jon and Mel, they are LifePartnered. I love them both, they were protective and was really likeable.

Overall, I COMPLETELY LOVE THIS BOOK!! It'd been a while since I've read a book that I completely love so much, and this book had just made my day. So amazing!

For anyone that loves an action-packed mixed with mystery and mixed with a good romance, YOU NEED TO PICK UP THIS BOOK NOW!! IF YOU DON'T, I WILL SEND JENNA AFTER YOU!! Lol!(less)

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Apr 27, 2013 Ornella rated it 2 of 5 stars

*Slightly Spoilerish*

I wanted to like this book so bad! Maybe my expectations were too high, but when the blurb talks about a girl who has survived in an all male prison for 2 years, it's hard not to expect awesomeness.

At the start, Jenna was everything I was expecting. She was smart, tough, didn't take crap from anyone, and would kick anyone's butt who so much as looked at her wrong. Then she gets broken out of prison and that's when things started going downhill for me. Jenna changes a little...more *Slightly Spoilerish*

I wanted to like this book so bad! Maybe my expectations were too high, but when the blurb talks about a girl who has survived in an all male prison for 2 years, it's hard not to expect awesomeness.

At the start, Jenna was everything I was expecting. She was smart, tough, didn't take crap from anyone, and would kick anyone's butt who so much as looked at her wrong. Then she gets broken out of prison and that's when things started going downhill for me. Jenna changes a little too much. It's as if the person she was in prison is no longer there. When she wakes up again, she demands her answers, and does a very flimsy attempt at escaping, and then she just goes with flow...She should have been questioning everything much more, or tried to break out or something, but she just takes it all, nods her head and keeps going. It wasn't even just that, it was that she stays and plays her part for like a month, and the only reason things start moving along is because Cade leaves her, not the other way around. She never asks more of Cade, tries to get information out of him, it was all just a little underwhelming.

Then there are the coincidences. There are a bit too many of them to let them be just coincidences. Even Jenna questions them. She randomly stumbles upon Max, they randomly end up in that library with those people, when it's time to infiltrate Innis, the girl missing is not only sick but her perfect size..Really? Just like that?

I also wanted her to do something more against Jacob, but it was like her IQ dropped once she stepped outside that prison. We only get to see her being that strong, kickass girl again when, guess what? She is back in prison. Go figure.

The pacing was kinda slow as well, or should I say it had a lot of ups and downs. It started out with a bang, then got kinda boring, picked up again, then kinda boring again, and then picks up again. It was just enough action to keep you going, and the twists weren't surprising since I saw them coming anyway. I did like how there were little reports, letters and memos as the start of each section, it was pretty neat. The writing was supereb as well, it was just the background that lacked.

My biggest issue wasn't even Jenna, it was the world-building. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be shallow. It had all the elements there, but none where expanded upon to the point where it was hard to really believe in such a world. All we are told is that there was some kind of economic crash and the world went to the crappers and this militia basically takes over and takes charge of the UK. Ok till then, problem is, this militia is incredibly messed up, they make up the Lifepartner system, there is cognitive realignment and the separation of London, the upper class from the lower class, and my issue is, what the hell happened to the rest of the world?! Is no one else watching? Are there no immigrants/tourists allowed in? And if not, how can no one think this is strange and look into it? It's as if the UK (which is now called IRB) was completely isolated from the rest of the world. And yet, how do they take down the tyrant? By taking him against the European Criminal Justice Bureau. So the rest of the world is there! But we don't know anything else about it, and it seems as if they aren't on the same boat as the IRB, so what gives?

In short, as much as I wanted to love this book and how promising it looked, it failed to deliver for me. If you are a fan of Dystopian, you could give it a try anyway, might end up liking it for than me.
(less)

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Apr 03, 2013 Nobonita rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Nobonita by: Myself

Shelves: 2013-d-a-c, arc-paperback, random-house-uk, hardback-review-copy

Originally posted at Daydreaming Bookworm

** I received an Advanced Reading Copy/Uncorrected Proof of this book from Random House U.K in exchange for an honest review.**

With a bad ass heroine like Lara Croft and a fast paced plot like Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series,ACID is one debut that you definitely must keep an eye on when it comes out!

Dystopia has now become quite a dangerous genre to base your story on,given the rise in competition on that particular genre.At least,that's what I thin...more

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May 07, 2013 Kate Ormand rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-releases, ya, signed

ACID is a dark dystopian thriller with a smart, fierce heroine. Jenna hurtles from one danger to the next, under constant threat, and I raced through the book alongside her.
ACID, which stands for Agency for Crime Investigation and Defence, is a sinister police force that runs the UK, now renamed the IRB. Their reign is brutal, and they watch everyone and everything. The building of this terrifying world is impressive—set one hundred years in the future in a Big Brother style society. The mystery...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Kit Grindstaff rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm not usually a fast reader but Emma Pass's writing reached out from the pages and pulled me through them. I was hooked from the first moment.

As the title and book cover suggest, this is a gritty read. Set in a dystopian future, ACID is the name of future England's totalitarian government--a government that incarcerates anyone who is a threat to it, even teenagers. Main character Jenna Strong is tough, and doesn't let anybody pull one over on her. We know from word Go why she's behind bars...O...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Empire of Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes a book really, really surprises you. You look forward to it for well over a year and then you get to hold it, finally, in your grubby little hands, knowing that you can devour every last page and no one can stop you. You fully expect to enjoy it, like it, love it even, but then sometimes, something magical happens. You don't love it. You adore it. You worship it even. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what happened to me when I read this book. ACID by Emma Pass.

Announced by publisher, Ran...more Sometimes a book really, really surprises you. You look forward to it for well over a year and then you get to hold it, finally, in your grubby little hands, knowing that you can devour every last page and no one can stop you. You fully expect to enjoy it, like it, love it even, but then sometimes, something magical happens. You don't love it. You adore it. You worship it even. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what happened to me when I read this book. ACID by Emma Pass.

Announced by publisher, Random House, way way WAY back in late 2011, excitement has been bubbling away and steadily increasing for ACID. A dystopian with an unmistakable British feel. Yes, it's set in the UK... or should I say the Independent Republic of Britain, rather? It makes a nice change to read something like this and it not be set in America. In a world of Hunger Games and Divergents which are obviously set in America/Panem, it's refreshing and really helps ACID to stand out in the crowd. That and the fact that it is freaking awesome!

ACID is a stunning and unmistakable British dystopian debut that stands out from the crowd and wows. Right from the start it's action packed. It's so cinematic - honestly it would be perfect for a Hollywood adaptation, or a mini-series on TV or something. It's just so beautiful and full of great imagery that really gets to you deep inside your head. You can imagine it so well - such is the quality of Pass' writing.

Firing on all cylinders Jenna Strong is determined to get away from ACID, the over-baring, manipulating and brainwashing, horrific police force that rule the country in a grip stronger than iron - they control everything. Who you marry, when you can and children and even if it will be a boy or a girl! They control if you can have a job, and where. It's illegal to do so many things - freedom has well and truly been taken away from the people. And while ACID may want people to look like they're good, helping their country to regain some sense of prosperity, they are far darker and evil that can first be antipated. They have a slight liking of brainwashing, or as they call it, cognitive realignment with some devastating effects.

Written in first person, you really get a grip on the world encased within that gorgeous, striking cover. There are twists and turns that will leave you reeling, gasping "NO! NO NO NO NO NO! THAT CANNOT HAPPEN... THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN... NOOOOO!" and still have you begging for more, continuing on until the very end before you even realise it. And the ending. Gah. Just such a good ending that brings with it some closure, is satisfying and yet still leaves you demanding a sequel... There's more... Please Emma... Tell me there's more!!!

At the start of the book, Jenna is in Mileway. An all male prison - she is the lone female in the prison but her crime was so bad that she deserves to be there in ACID's eyes... She killed her parents. With the help of a relative stranger, Jenna breaks out of prison and goes on the run, her life in more danger than it ever has been before and this takes her further than she is used to. From London she travels to Newcastle, with a little trip to Manchester along the way too but the less I say about that now, the more you'll be "OMG"-ing when you read it...

Because you're going to read it. Right? You have to. It's not a suggestion! I honestly cannot stress enough just how much people need to get this book now and read it straight away. Now. It's so well written, so well thought out, and so well executed that it's instantly become a firm favourite of mine and I cannot wait to see what Emma does next. I've gushed like a right little fangirl all week to Emma on twitter and every chance I've had I've told people they just need to read this book - no matter what! The little taster for Fearless, Emma's next book, out next year, already has me salivating at the mouth just dying to read it!

Thanks to Random House for my review copy. You guys are awesome! And thanks Emma! You got me out of a little reading funk there and really shook things up! My Top 10 of 2013 is going to be a toughie this year... So many stunning reads already! ARGH!
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Apr 29, 2013 Sophie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: uk-author, 2013-debut, for-review

*4.5 stars*

I’ve been looking forward to read Emma Pass’ debut for such a long time that I can’t really remember not wanting it! But I have to say, ACID was definitely worth the wait.

Jenna is an amazing protagonist. I was expected a strong, kickass heroine and yet she still surpassed my expectations. She’d been so dragged through the mud that you’d forgive her for a being a little fragile and broken, but no. She learned how to fight back and hold her own. I loved her against the backdrop of a sex...more *4.5 stars*

I’ve been looking forward to read Emma Pass’ debut for such a long time that I can’t really remember not wanting it! But I have to say, ACID was definitely worth the wait.

Jenna is an amazing protagonist. I was expected a strong, kickass heroine and yet she still surpassed my expectations. She’d been so dragged through the mud that you’d forgive her for a being a little fragile and broken, but no. She learned how to fight back and hold her own. I loved her against the backdrop of a sexist dystopia; she’s fiery, loyal and can look after herself.

Emma Pass created a terrifying world in ACID. Not just because of the scary social hierarchy, militant government and powerlessness of the people, but more the extents to which bad people will take their power and resources. I don’t want to mention anything specific in case of spoilers, but those who’ve read ACID will (hopefully) know exactly what I mean. I was also really shocked by the idea of LifePartnering and a woman’s control and say in that, as well as her prospects is she wasn’t LifePartnered. It took this world that’s a hundred years ahead of ours to over a hundred years behind us.

As well as a myriad of characters to love, some of them unexpectedly, there was also a fair share of truly horrible enemies. Obviously, I was no fan of the General, but I actually disliked Jacob even more. Oh, he got on my nerves that one! There were lots of tantalising plots twists centred around Jenna and her companions and the past that often had me gasping aloud. I took a good twist!

One of my favourite things about ACID was the reports, articles and extra bits that were interspersed between the chapters. It gave an extra dimension to Jenna’s story, giving us background and reasons to panic about things that we know Jenna didn’t know about yet; I thought that was very clever. Also, I’m pretty sure ACID is a standalone. I got that impression from start to finish, well until the very last page that is. Standalones are rare in dystopian YA and I think this does it perfectly and it made me so happy to think that it is. Although, that tease at the end of the novel could launch more books, but I’d like it to just remain as a hint that this isn’t the end of Jenna’s story and that she’ll live beyond the end of ACID.

Break-neck pace, a heroine you can’t help but love and a terrifying world, ACID is a debut that you won’t forget about in a hurry. I cannot wait for Emma Pass’s next book.(less)

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May 11, 2013 Rayne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-april, action, between-the-3-and-the-4, dystopian, kickass-heroine, there-s-romance-in-there-somewhere, victims-of-the-insta-love-monster, young-adult, thriller

Okay, so this book should not be a four star one. Even though it comes with a kickass protagonist, a fairly nice plot, a good concept of dystopia and enough action to never make it boring, there's something off about it all. There's not enough background info and almost every aspect of the story lacks the details to make it solid and realistic. The progression of the plot depends entirely on chance and coincidence and there's no depth to any of the characters and the bad guys are completely cart...more

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May 07, 2013 Jodie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, cover-love, favourite-ladies, want-to-reread

This book is super awesome - those are the only words I can think of to describe it. It's incredibly action packed, well-thought out, Jenna is badass and an amazing heroine, and the plot twists sucked me in. I loved Jenna and Max's relationship. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for all the secrets to pour out. The newspaper parts really made the novel. Not only did they show how everyone viewed Jenna, but they showed exactly how much ACID controlled.

As for that ending - it ended happily, b

...more

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May 07, 2013 Erica rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

I just did not connect with any of the characters at all, especially not the MC and the entire thing ended up feeling pretty flat and entirely put-downable, which is why it took so long to finish. I really, really didn't care whatsoever if they would manage to topple the ACID regime. I think the plot was a little too action driven for my tastes, which made it hard for me to connect. Sure, you can tell me Jenna comes to realise she really really wuuuves Max, but you have to make me believe it too...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Demitria Lunetta rated it 5 of 5 stars

This fast-paced dystopian has a very 1984 “big brother” feel, but definitely with an updated kick-ass heroine. The world building is great…just like with any good dystopian you can see how society became the way it did. I also loved the plot progression…everything flowed along really well from one tense situation to another. It also wrapped everything up nice and neat with a hint of trouble that could be a second book.

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Dec 23, 2012 Lara marked it as top-priority

Shelves: unreleased

I'm not sure how to make of this book - comparing the MC to Lisbeth Salander sets a pretty high bar itself already. I really loved Lisbeth - so I'm not sure how much this MC in ACID can prove her worthy. From this I'm already a bit skeptical, but all the same, I'm really stoked for this book to come out!

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Dec 25, 2012 Ashira marked it as to-read

The Cover and The Title..

The Synopsis..

Can't wait to read this... sounds very interersting!!!

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May 08, 2013 Jenna rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked this book a lot the first half had me in his grip and I kept trying to read faster so I could see what happens next. WAUW Jenna's is strong and my daughters name is Jenna to so yeahh I liked her character a lot. She can fight and has some balls, but in the same sentence she doesn't turn her head for injustice.

This book was action packed but the second half suddenly goes very slowly. I would have given four stars if this was not the case.
I liked Max he's nice and vulnerable. Jenna did try...more

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May 15, 2013 Ramsha rated it 5 of 5 stars

OMG!!! THIS BOOK WAS AWESOMEE!! I loved the whole idea about the corruption and so because in some places it's real. I loved how they portrayed the futuristic Britain. But hat got me the most excited was when Jessica was introduced!! Loved this :)

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May 05, 2013 Monica rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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