Flash Point

Nov 06, 2012 Katy rated it 2 of 5 stars

After reading 500+ pages, I have to ask. WHAT THE HECK ARE PHANTOMS?!? Can someone please tell me? Kress set up the beginning by making a big deal out of these things, and I guess they kind of lead Amy into her decisions, but I can't tell if they're voices in her head or shadow-like things. And the book alludes to some genetic code, but I'm not sure if they're some sci-fi thing or paranormal gift. And for something that has such a significant impact on Amy, they disappear for a good chunk of t...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Skyla rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: won-through-razorbill, free, arc, reality-tv, ya, dystopia, world-building-sucks, wtf, american-author, author-needed-to-do-more-research, books-i-own, book-throwing, disappointment, first-time-reading-this-author, i-hate-these-characters, info-dump, the-hunger-games-it-is-not

A copy was kindly provided by Razorbill for an honest review.

I was expecting so much more from this book from that description and from the authors reputation but it was just terrible. Incredubly incredibly bad.

Honestly I don’t know where to begin with this review so this might get a little ranty. And to be perfectly honest a skimmed the last 200 pages or so and the last 100 pages I barely paid any attention too because I just couldn’t take anymore.

Characters:

The characters were flat. The 6’4” c...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Kara rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, annoying-protagonist, arc, dystopian, for-review, huge-pile-of-crap, net-galley, sci-fi, slut-shaming, so-glad-it-s-over

Going into this book I had no expectations. I didn't know what I was going to be reading. I had never read this author before, and to be frank, I doubt I will be reading this author again after this experience, which was not a very good one. Trying to articulate this in words will be fairly difficult, but I'm gonna try the best that I can.

World-Building:

First thing you should know, I love dystopian books. Though most dystopians are not actually dystopians, and that is the case once again with t...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Jessi Courier rated it 2 of 5 stars

So, I have to say I was pretty disappointed in this book. When I picked it up, the story line intrigued me...I loved THG and The Selection, both of which had a reality TV angle. I'll admit I had pretty high expectations for the book...almost all of which were not met.
I'll start with what I did like. I liked the story...it was actually pretty interesting and the only thing that made me finish the book. I feel like the bones of the story line were legitimately good.
Now comes everything I didn't li...more So, I have to say I was pretty disappointed in this book. When I picked it up, the story line intrigued me...I loved THG and The Selection, both of which had a reality TV angle. I'll admit I had pretty high expectations for the book...almost all of which were not met.
I'll start with what I did like. I liked the story...it was actually pretty interesting and the only thing that made me finish the book. I feel like the bones of the story line were legitimately good.
Now comes everything I didn't like:
-The author's writing style. I don't like books written in third person in general, but this one especially grated my nerves. I felt like the author said the characters' names every other sentence, which was boring and made me feel like she didn't expect me to catch on to which characters were doing what. I didn't need every little thing spelled out for me.
-I can honestly say that I didn't really like any of the characters. Even Amy got on my nerves. I felt like the author was trying to convey the multiple dimensions of people but her characters fell flat...they weren't necessarily predictable, just extremely unlikable. Probably the one character I did like was Waverly, the "mean girl", but she was judged so harshly by the other characters that I couldn't really discover who she was.
-What was the deal with the Kayla/Kaylie thing?!?!?!? This probably made me the most angry in the book. Kaylie is in no way short for Kayla. Just pick a name already!
-What exactly were the phantoms and what purpose did they serve? And why were they not defined by the author right after the first on happened? It wasn't until a couple of chapters later that we got an explanation which I still didn't really understand.
-A lot of the dialogue and descriptions were just so cheesy. By the last 100 pages of the book, I was actually laughing at the way the story was written.
-There were still some typos in the book...not okay.
-Why were there so many fashion references? Really...I don't care what brand shoes you're wearing. It felt a little like name (or in this case brand) dropping every chapter.
-Why were there always so many exclamation points? Exclamation points are a huge pet peeve of mine if they're overused. Especially if I have no idea why the character is yelling...

So I could probably go one, but I'll stop. Basically, I finished the book because I liked the plot. (Hence the 2 starts) By the end I was fed up with wading through everything else that drove me crazy...I just wanted to finish it and be done. Overall, now I didn't really like it and would not recommend it to anybody.(less)

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Dec 30, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a really good book, and a very good addition to the genre. Especially believable circumstances (the world building was very good, though not exceptional, I found myself wanting to know more about this future world but not getting it - although that may be personal taste), slightly weak main character - not strong enough character development for her, it feels like her character development was a tad overlooked in favor of developing the whole cast of characters. The cast of characters w...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Vitallia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: terribad

I was hooked by the concept of this book very early on...I was pretty disappointed upon finishing it.

The main character, Amy, translates very well and she is relatively easy to relate to; most of the other characters fell flat or weren't really explored. I was disconcerted because there was a lot of character complexity and depth implied without being fully explored for quite a few of the peripheral characters and I felt like I was left hanging with a lukewarm idea of the motivations and reasons...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Tara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, kindle

Review:

This is definitely a book for fans of The Hunger Games. As you can probably tell from the synopsis, the premise for this book is very similar to THG – I wouldn’t say that it’s ultimately a bad thing, but it does result in it being very easy to draw comparisons between the two. Unfortunately in this case, I felt a little like it led me to feeling a little like Flash Point was a watered down version of a very popular book.

However, that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the book. On it’s own meri...more Review:

This is definitely a book for fans of The Hunger Games. As you can probably tell from the synopsis, the premise for this book is very similar to THG – I wouldn’t say that it’s ultimately a bad thing, but it does result in it being very easy to draw comparisons between the two. Unfortunately in this case, I felt a little like it led me to feeling a little like Flash Point was a watered down version of a very popular book.

However, that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the book. On it’s own merit, I liked the characters in this book. I liked Amy, and the sense she had of having to take control of her situation. I liked Myra in the sense that I could really grow to dislike her and the way she operated, and I loved the complex layers that Kress manages to create in Rafe, Violet and even Waverly. That’s definitely something I couldn’t complain about.

I also liked the pacing of the story. There was always something going on, and I felt like events moved along well – not only in the “show” world created by Myra and her scenarios, but also with the snippets of this post-collapse world that Kress has created.

However, having mentioned that, I do have to mention that I didn’t feel that the world building was actually as good as it could have been. I didn’t feel invested in the world – why there’s this huge divide between the rich and the poor isn’t ever really explained, as are a few other things. Basically, I felt like I wanted some back story, or some more glimpses at least so I could really feel like I understood what was going on and why.

Another thing that bothered me was Amy’s Phantoms. They seem to be like visions, and are initially introduced into the book in a big way, leading me as a reader to believe they’d really play some role in the story. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case, and at the end of the book I was almost left wondering why they’d been mentioned at all. I’m not sure if there will be a sequel in which the Phantoms will be useful as a plot device, but in the way the book was left, it didn’t seem to be.

Basically, what I’m trying to say is that whilst I did enjoy this book, I did feel that there were certain things that needed to be explored more, certain things (such as Amy’s fashion choices) that needed to be described less, and that whilst the storyline was generally good and enjoyable, I felt there needed to be a few things explained better, or left out all together.

That all said, if you enjoyed THG, or fancy picking up a fairly light, accessible dystopian novel, this is one I’d recommend to you.

Overall rating: 3/5
Writing: 4/5
Originality: 3/5
Characters: 5/5
My Enjoyment: 3/5
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Dec 22, 2012 Joshua Zucker rated it 4 of 5 stars

A super-fun read with some clever plot twists at times. The great part is the way some of the plot twists were about things that you thought were what they seemed turning out not to be while others are exactly the opposite -- and there are definite parallels between the reader's experience and the characters' going through it that are fun to examine as well.

Some reviewers here seem not to have liked the way that the characters were all unsympathetic in one way or another. I liked that, (view spo ...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Hmr28 rated it 5 of 5 stars

SPOILERS AHOY!
Unlike others I did not find the characters flat at all. In fact, I think the author did a very unique thing. Since everything is seen through the eyes of the main character only, we view the characters through HER eyes and she views things very one dimensionally. It is only as time goes on that the actions of her fellow contestants begin to color her views as to what type of people they are that she realizes that they are NOT what she originally thought. The handsome hero is a spi...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Melodie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a predystopian story about a bunch of teen who live in a near-future post-economic Collapse America, and who sign up to participate in a reality TV show for various reasons.
The heroine, Amy, is struggling and failing to provide for her dying grandmother and younger sister. Her job barely covers the rent but not medical care for Grams. So when this opportunity comes up...an opportunity she guesses will cost her far more than what she's paid - she doesn't refuse. The full medical care is...more

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Nov 04, 2012 ABookVacation rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

To see my full review:

http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...

The synopsis of this book really piqued my interest as it sounded like a highly engaging dystopian novel, very Hunger Games-esk, as it were. But in reality, it’s actually nothing like The Hunger Games, which I found refreshing, further adding to the uniqueness of this novel. However, my feelings toward the novel are a bit mixed.

While the beginning of the novel helped set the stage, I have to admit that it moved a little too s...more 3.5 stars

To see my full review:

http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...

The synopsis of this book really piqued my interest as it sounded like a highly engaging dystopian novel, very Hunger Games-esk, as it were. But in reality, it’s actually nothing like The Hunger Games, which I found refreshing, further adding to the uniqueness of this novel. However, my feelings toward the novel are a bit mixed.

While the beginning of the novel helped set the stage, I have to admit that it moved a little too slowly for me. We meet Amy and her family, hear about how she has no money and doesn’t think she’ll amount to anything, and then we meet the soon-to-be cast for the reality TV show. I know the background does need to be explained, but it just didn’t draw me in, and, based on the negative reviews I’d seen prior to reading, I began to worry. But, rest assured, the novel did quickly start to pick up, though it occasionally slowed down again, and I was confused by a few things.

Number one, I wasn’t sure what the Collapse was (and I’m going to say that this is my own fault, and not the authors). In my mind—since this novel is obviously very high tech, what with TLN having the ability to create holograms and film, unnoticed, anywhere—I thought this was the distant future and that there was some sort of war that caused the Collapse, but I didn’t find anything in the text that really explained it to me, so I was confused about what the Collapse really was. Now, I do feel a little idiotic as I didn’t realize it right away, but the Collapse seems to be another term for Crash, as in, the Crash from 1929. While this novel isn’t set in 1929 (it’s definitely the close future), the Collapse and the events leading up to it, as far as I can tell from the story, mirror what we actually experienced eighty plus years ago. It’s fictionalized, of course, and with much more technology, but for some reason I just didn’t even think about that when I began the story. I’ll guess I just had it in my head that the Collapse happened due to war because I’ve read so many dystopian novels that start that way, so I couldn’t fathom that the setting for the Collapse was as simple as a “depression.” And, obviously, this is my own fault. I think I was about 40% into the novel before I figured it out… and trust me, I feel a little stupid for not realizing it sooner. But, I didn’t, so I thought I’d throw it out there for potential readers so they know what the Collapse really is. I think it helps the reader really understand what’s happening if they know and aren’t constantly wondering, like I was…

Number two, I don’t know what a phantom is. For the most part, the novel seemed like it was realistic. Yes, there is highly advanced technology and they can do things that aren’t currently possible in real life, but the people’s dispositions and problems were very down to earth. However, Amy has these “phantom” experiences where she visualizes strange things and somehow tries to connect them to what’s happening around her. I don’t know, perhaps I missed something as I was reading that would have clued me in, but I just didn’t get it. Here, in the midst of the realism, is a random paranormal type insertion, and I never did understand them as I read. Instead, I began to gloss over the “phantoms” because it just didn’t make sense.

But most everything else was great! I found the characters to be extremely real, and I truly felt for them. Amy has a huge struggle: continue the reality TV show knowing each scenario is going to be stranger and scare her even more, or go back to having no money and watching her grandmother die without medical help. While I yelled at Amy all the time, I think I would have continued to work for TLN, too. I mean, money isn’t supposed to be everything, but when it’s the only way to help your sick family member, well… it becomes really important. More important than a few scares, at least.

Now, this is where the story itself gets tricky. Kress is writing a novel about a reality TV show, in which scenarios are created to up the ante and see how people react. I’m not going to lie, I’d watch that show. People amaze me and I love to guess what they’ll do next. Of course, I wouldn’t think they were in harm’s way at any point during the filming, but that isn’t necessarily true in this reality show. But neither the cast, nor the audience know it… So anyway, this is where it gets tricky. Kress is writing the TV scenarios in order to show how the ratings go up, and then down, so of course, some of the scenarios are going to be a bit… boring. If they weren’t, the ratings wouldn’t be going down. But here’s the thing: boring scenarios for TV equal boring scenarios in a novel. Make sense? Now, not all of them were lackluster. There’s definitely a fair share of really interesting scenarios, especially the very last one, but there were also points while reading the novel that I found it slowing way down because the interactions amongst the cast just wasn’t all that interesting. But I don’t fault the author at all. What’s Kress is trying to do is extremely difficult and I think she did it well. I wouldn’t be able to imagine half of what she does, let alone get it down on paper, and I think Kress really did an amazing job. This story is very unique, but the audience really needs to know what they’re walking into when they pick up this book, or they just might not enjoy the novel as much as they could...
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Sep 30, 2012 Ioana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, loved-it, my-reviews, netgalley, romance, scifi, young-adult

This was GREAT! It was off the bat crazy and that made it so much better for me. Excellent with a capital e. And before any of you ask, no, it is not similar to The Hunger Games.

This is Big Brother meets Candid Camera, with a dangerous twist. Six teenagers agree to be part of a new reality show called Who Knows People, Baby – You?. They are told almost from the start that they will be filmed while being put through, seemingly, dangerous situations. The point of the show is guessing correctly wha...more This was GREAT! It was off the bat crazy and that made it so much better for me. Excellent with a capital e. And before any of you ask, no, it is not similar to The Hunger Games.

This is Big Brother meets Candid Camera, with a dangerous twist. Six teenagers agree to be part of a new reality show called Who Knows People, Baby – You?. They are told almost from the start that they will be filmed while being put through, seemingly, dangerous situations. The point of the show is guessing correctly what the teens will do in said situations, all for a huge money prize. Only things take a dark turn when ratings seem to be dropping and the show’s producers need to step it up.

The country’s the USA, the year is 2016. After a big financial crisis, dubbed the Collapse, leaves the economy in shambles, people seem to be divided into two types: the wealthy and the really, extremely poor. Both a hint at what this futuristic world is like and a reason why the kids don’t just quit the show when things get rough.

However, as far as world-building goes, I feel it lacked a great deal. I wanted to know more, along the lines of what this world was like, what exactly happened, what did they lose, what were the shows producers motivations, what exactly were these “phantoms” that Amy experienced etc. Then I realized, it didn’t matter. I had all I needed to know to enjoy this book and I did, very, very much so.

The characters were great! I couldn’t help but LOVE Amy. She’s smart, adorable, feisty, honest with herself. She’s a fighter and I loved her to bits.

Her relationships and interactions with each and every one of the other characters were believable and complex. I especially liked her and Rafe, because you get to witness that friendship changing, from start to finish, and it reads very real. It’s not corny, it’s not cliché, it’s damn sweet.

For once, I actually welcomed the two different POVs. The narrator was omniscient, but the points of view switched between seeing events unfold from Amy’s side and seeing them from the producers side. It worked perfectly. The switch was smooth, the voices differed and it did add to the story. There’s no question the showmakers lost it; the question is how will the teens get out of it in one piece.

Even though the action took a while to start, there was a sense of foreboding even from the beginning. The psychological torment of not knowing what to expect and when to expect it, only knowing you need to expect something, was handled extremely well. Then things started escalating in mad, crazy ways and it made for an excellent, engaging read.

I think Kress is a very talented writer, with serious chops when it comes to storytelling and characterization and you should definitely give this book a shot. Pick it up, read it, it’s a must.

*I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged.

You can read this review and more here:

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Oct 12, 2012 Shiloh (SnarkyWriter) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, young-adult

The economy has crumbled, nearing Great Depression levels. The middle class is all but gone, leaving only a massive struggling lower class and a small, incredibly wealthy upper class. America is dying, foreign interests taking over. The public is simmering, on the edge of a massive revolution--a flash point. In the midst of this chaos, a TV network is planning a reality show which places people in dangerous situations and allows viewers to bet on the people's reactions to these situations. Amy i...more The economy has crumbled, nearing Great Depression levels. The middle class is all but gone, leaving only a massive struggling lower class and a small, incredibly wealthy upper class. America is dying, foreign interests taking over. The public is simmering, on the edge of a massive revolution--a flash point. In the midst of this chaos, a TV network is planning a reality show which places people in dangerous situations and allows viewers to bet on the people's reactions to these situations. Amy is sixteen, the guardian of her fifteen-year-old sister and her dying grandmother. She auditions for the show in hopes of landing a full-time job, having no idea that she's trying out for a reality show. As the show progresses and the situations become more dangerous, the economic situation also erupts, leading to riots and other uprisings.

The premise for this book was very interesting, and Amy's motivations were clear and easy to understand. The book was readable, fun, and generally enjoyable.

However, there were some issues that kept it from being a 5 or even 4-star book. The worldbuilding is shaky; politically and economically, Kress has done a lot of work, but culturally, not so much. Despite the book being centered on a reality TV show, not a lot is made of the current pop cultural climate, and what is there is not much different than today's. The book seems to be set a few years--maybe as many as 10--in the future, yet Lady Gaga is still a recognizable name. There's no indication that the influx of foreign elements has led to a similar takeover in popular culture--or even a pushback against things like K-pop in the culture.

Also, despite nobody being able to afford anything, there's a lot of technology flying around. Even people who aren't part of the upper-class or faux-upper-class world (which the TV show contestants inhabit for awhile) have cell phones, tablets, internet access, and TVs, despite the apparent scarcity of work. Amy's life pre-TV show is set up as extreme poverty and squallor, with indications that a majority of Americans are living in similar conditions.

Similarly, the characters don't have a lot of depth, and very few of them are likable. While they're shown to have several sides and motivations that Amy wasn't aware of immediately (because, frankly, she's not that socially aware), those sides don't add a lot to their personalities, just to the intrigue of the plot itself.

While the nearly-dystopian setting of the novel is very interesting, there seems to be too much going on. It's almost as if Kress wanted to write a post-apocalyptic dystopia, but couldn't think of a way or reason to just tell that story, so she added the whole thing about the TV show (or vice versa, possibly). Unfortunately, the TV show aspect was the less interesting (to me) but ended up being the vast majority of the plot. And as the viewers complain, the scenarios are boring and repetitive, and having holograms is just cheating.

Finally, I really don't know that I would classify this as young adult (as being published by Penguin Young Readers would indicate that it is). The characters engage in very adult behavior and very adult language, frequently and at the drop of a hat. While I don't mind salty language, parents might, and they should probably be aware that it's in here.

Overall, a good, quick rainy-day read, but not something you want to think about too hard.(less)

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Nov 26, 2012 Chrissy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Okay, so I'm really conflicted on my thoughts on FLASH POINT by Nancy Kress, so join me in this review where I attempt to sort out these 500+ pages and hopefully manage to say something coherent about the plot and characters too, right?

For starts, FLASH POINT takes place in a futuristic society after a major scenario called THE COLLAPSE, in which the entire US government and economy pretty much fall apart, leaving the majority of people desperate, destitute, and starving, unemployed and complete...more

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May 01, 2013 Larry Thompson rated it 2 of 5 stars

Let me preface my review with the acknowledgement that I am not the target audience of this Young Adult novel. Perhaps a teenager would enjoy it more than did I.

It was a good idea for a story poorly executed. The dialogue and action was stiff, obvious, and tedious. The timeline for the "Collapse" and the event of the novel seem a jumble. Payphone? Really? When is the last time anyone saw a payphone anywhere--much less in an upscale hotel.

If the events of today, ten years from now and twenty year...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Pam rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks-read-in-2012, read-in-2012, ya-read-in-2012

The world is different after the Collapse destroys the economy. There is two classes of people. The rich and the poor there is no in between anymore. Amy struggles to support her sick grandmother and younger sister. Her dreams of going to college are gone and she needs to find work. When an interview for a new tv show leads to Amy getting a job on a reality show called Who Knows People, Baby - You she thinks things may be turning around. She has medical care for her grandmother, money to help k...more The world is different after the Collapse destroys the economy. There is two classes of people. The rich and the poor there is no in between anymore. Amy struggles to support her sick grandmother and younger sister. Her dreams of going to college are gone and she needs to find work. When an interview for a new tv show leads to Amy getting a job on a reality show called Who Knows People, Baby - You she thinks things may be turning around. She has medical care for her grandmother, money to help keep her sister out of trouble and money for college. Things aren't as all good when ratings start to drop the reality show becomes more dangerous maybe even deadly.

Amy is a hard character to describe. At times I did like her and at times I wanted to strangle her. For someone who has it rough she is very concerned about clothes. She thinks about them constantly. Yes i know people who don't have much do think about having nicer things but she goes a little to far. She is strong in the fact she tries to take care of her grandmother and sister but she appears weak most of the time. The show makes her seem like the weak link. Most of the time she wants to appear strong but Phantoms distract her and make her week. Her sister Kaylie is a better character and I wanted to know more about her. Yes she is selfish and greedy and out for herself no matter what or who she has to step over to get there. Why is she a better character to me? Because you understand her more and she is what you see. There is a whole cast of characters that you get to see. Rafe is one of my favorites. He is the nerdy boy who tries his best to help Amy.

I enjoyed this book and in ways it is similar to other books out now. I think the reason I enjoyed it so much is because it could happen. I could see another depression happening and the way these people act could happen. My problems with this book are just a few. You never do really figure out what Phantoms are. You just kinda have to guess. It is just implied what happened in the Collapse it doesn't come out and say what did happen. The characters could have used more detail and the world building lacked some. Still it was a good read. The things the show put them through at first aren't that bad till the end. That is when things really kick off and you get to see more of what makes the characters kick but you still want more. All in all if you want a quick read and enjoy distopian type books you may give this one a try.

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.(less)

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Mar 05, 2013 Ann Carpenter rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

An okay book, fairly average near-future collapsing government, all the usual tropes. I thought the phantoms that Amy experienced felt out of place to the rest of the book, as if the author had been told that paranormal was what sells books and she felt obligated to through in a semi-psychic power. It never really went anywhere, and never gave Amy an insight that couldn't have been achieved through other means. The scenarios were interesting but a lot was made about the Lab Rats being constantly...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, ya-fiction, fiction

This was pretty good - a suspenseful story of a girl whose poverty forces her to accept a job on a reality television show in which she is put into dangerous and scary situations for the entertainment of the audience. Kress displays her trademark concern for the poor throughout the book, and several of the set pieces are really suspenseful and exciting.

I found the main character's constant concern for and fascination with name-brand fashion to be kind of off-putting and boring. (It's inevitable...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Amanda rated it 2 of 5 stars

the idea of this book was great and the potential for the plot line to be even more amazing was there. problem was, this book was poorly executed and a disappointment. I didn't really feel like the scenarios were that bad and I was never on the edge of my seat.

I liked Amy but didn't care for any of the other characters, especially her horrible sister, Kaylie. I waited the whole book for the love story to blossom with the gorgeous Cai and was disappointed yet again with Rafe. the love story was...more

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Apr 19, 2013 Anna (Gatsby's Girl) added it

I had to stop reading this book about 20% of the way through, due to an extreme lack of interest and serious dislike for the main character. There wasn't anything specifically wrong with her - unless you count the fact that her personality was non-existent and I just couldn't stand to read about her. I honestly couldn't have cared less whether or not she won the money, etc. The world-building, characterizations, plot and overall structure of this novel were flat as Hell and I really wanted to li...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Book Twirps rated it 3 of 5 stars

In the near future — a future that is a little too close, and a little too plausible for comfort — the economy has collapsed and the US as we know it is starting to change. There is no more middle class. You are either well off, or you’re not, and those that are not really struggle to keep their heads above water. Amy, the main character, is doing everything she can to take care of her ailing grandmother and her kid sister, but things aren’t looking good for them. They have no insurance, and can...more In the near future — a future that is a little too close, and a little too plausible for comfort — the economy has collapsed and the US as we know it is starting to change. There is no more middle class. You are either well off, or you’re not, and those that are not really struggle to keep their heads above water. Amy, the main character, is doing everything she can to take care of her ailing grandmother and her kid sister, but things aren’t looking good for them. They have no insurance, and can’t afford her grandmother’s medical bills. When the opportunity to appear on a reality game show presents itself, Amy sees an easy way out. Sure, it’s risky, but should she win, the money would ease her worries significantly, pay for her grandmother’s healthcare costs and allow Amy to return to school. The idea behind the show is that the contestants will be placed in dangerous situations and the television audience votes on how they think the contestants will fare. For each successful mission the contestants complete, there’s a hefty cash reward. But when ratings begin to slip, the producers grow desperate and increase the danger level for the challenges. Amy wants desperately to win so she can provide for her family, but how far is she really willing to go?

I have very mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, I really liked the premise, and the fact that we have come so close to similar economic ruin made it all the more creepy. Also, America’s obsession with reality TV made it even more realistic. On the other hand, there were several things that I felt fell flat.

My biggest problem was that I didn’t feel like I had a complete grasp on the world. I got the politics and the economic/class divide, but I would have liked a little more depth and consistency in those areas. For instance, why did so many of the lower class people have the latest and greatest gadgets? Wouldn’t they be too poor to afford them? I guess I just needed more of the why to balance out the what if you will. I also would have liked a little more variation on the game itself. After a while the challenges all felt repetitive. It was like there was a formula, and they didn’t hold an element of shock or surprise after a while.

I did like Amy a lot, and wanted her to succeed. Unfortunately, none of the other characters did it for me. I could see where the author was going with them — trying to break stereotypical molds by bringing out the “true” person inside when faced with a dire situation — but I would have liked a little more depth. They all just felt a little flat to me.

This isn’t a bad read and even though it did seem to drag in spots, I was still able to enjoy it. I was just hoping for more of a punch and a few more twists. It didn’t build the way I hoped it would.(less)

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Nov 29, 2012 Kristen My Bookish Fairy Tale rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really, really wanted to all out love this book and there were parts that I really enjoyed but if fell kind of flat for me. The general premise of the book was interesting and I enjoyed that the character's were in a reality t.v show but the back story just wasn't doing it for me.

I enjoyed the characters. They seemed pretty well developed and dynamic and they meshed well with each other. The editing really bothered me with this one though. There were some blatant errors in the editing of this...more

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Dec 25, 2012 A Canadian Girl rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: viking, 2-stars, 2012

Since Flash Point by Nancy Kress was available as an automatic download on NetGalley, I snagged a copy without knowing much about it or having any sort of expectations. Although I found the novel easy to get through, I also thought the worldbuilding was severely lacking – we’re never given any information as to how something akin to the Great Depression 2.0 comes about – and the challenges quite boring for reality TV. As well, the characters were ridiculously flat and the main character hard to...more

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May 11, 2013 Ryan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: heavy-on-the-expletives, new-adult, young-adult, science-fiction, dystopian, read-aloud-to-my-wife

For the most part, this book was awesome. It felt like a more realistic version of Hunger Games. Totally unpredictable.
There were problems, however. (Which is why I didn't give it five stars.)
First of all, the ending was not at all satisfying. I think part of it is Kress's ability to write unpredictably. It's great for starting out, but trickier with endings. Although she attempted to bring it all together, the conclusion felt random and thrown together.
Second was Amy's "special ability". It was...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Gwen Nicodemus rated it 4 of 5 stars

I think if this book had come out before the Hunger Games, it could have been as popular.

Some aspects are similar: you have a bunch of teens stuck in a deadly reality show. The main heroine is out to save her family, and the country has gone severely downhill.

But, that's where the similarities end.

Amy's (the main character) world is crappy, but not nearly as bad as the Hunger Games World. Amy's world is recognizable. It's what our world could be in a dozen years or less if things go a certain wa...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Marissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi

Flash Point had a very believable dystopian set-up, combining potential ramifications of obsession with reality TV and the uncertain state of the economy. I found Amy's grandmother's story to be the most compelling, especially since she provides the background for the Collapse and some insight into the possible future for the book's United States.

The reality TV angle was an interesting exploration of what our current obsession with it could lead to, featuring plenty of its own politics, some my...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Kaitlyn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: annoying-heroines, painfully-boring-to-read

I was so excited when I got an ARC of this in the mail. It looked absolutely amazing, and I couldn't wait to read it! But I've been disappointed by many dystopians lately, so I was careful not to let my hopes get up too high - which was a good thing, because Flash Point was very disappointing to me.

The world-building: or rather, lack of. I knew this was a sort of sci-fi dystopian when I started it. But spread throughout the story, there's quite a few references to Twitter, Facebook, and e-mail,...more I was so excited when I got an ARC of this in the mail. It looked absolutely amazing, and I couldn't wait to read it! But I've been disappointed by many dystopians lately, so I was careful not to let my hopes get up too high - which was a good thing, because Flash Point was very disappointing to me.

The world-building: or rather, lack of. I knew this was a sort of sci-fi dystopian when I started it. But spread throughout the story, there's quite a few references to Twitter, Facebook, and e-mail, which really took away the credibility of the dystopian-ish world, at least to me. And what was the Collapse mentioned in the summary? That wasn't made very clear until much later on in the story. And what on earth were the "phantoms" (some kind of vision in her head - I think?) that Amy kept experiencing at random moments in the story? This book needed some serious world-building.

With the large cast of characters, I was sure I could find at least one or two that I cared about, but...guess what...they are all flat and boring. The main character Amy drove me nuts, and her little sister is even more annoying. All the other characters who are on the reality show are boring, as well. It felt like they are all plot devices. I couldn't bring myself to care about any of them.

One thing that was a huge let-down is when Amy's grandmother dies about two-third or three-quarters through the story. (This isn't really a spoiler, because her grandmother is really ill throughout the story and her death is expected.) Now during the beginning of the story, Amy is constantly worrying over her grandmother and doing everything possible to keep her well. She really cares for her grandmother. But when Amy's grandmother dies, only a page or two is spent talking about it, and then Amy moves on with life as if she's perfectly fine. It's not really mentioned at all during the rest of the book. What on earth?! You'd think Amy would've spent more time grieving.

This book was just a huge disappointment to me. It's a great concept, but it all fell flat. Not to mention that it's 500 pages long. I don't mind long books, but this was just way too long. There were so many times when I wanted to not finish it, and when I was finally done, I was just glad it was over and didn't even care what had happened to the characters. Not recommended - there are so many better dystopians out there!

*Thanks to Penguin Teen for sending me a copy of this!

Check out this review and many more on my blog: http://dragongirl28.blogspot.com/2012...(less)

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Jul 01, 2012 Yearning To Read marked it as to-read

Ummm Hunger Games, anyone?

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Jan 20, 2013 TheBookSmugglers rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, survival-adventure, young-adult

Reviewed as one of Thea's Feats of Strength (50 word reviews):

50-word Review: Compulsively readable, eerily plausible, Kress’ first YA novel examines a near future in which the economy has collapsed and a desperate teenager accepts a spot on a sadistic reality TV show. Writing and concept are impeccable, but characters of the stock variety (although hardscrabble heroine Amy is wonderful). Fun, recommended.

Final Thoughts: Like Ana, I think I'm getting the hang of these micro-reviews - but also li...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Shannon (aka Readergirl) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-arc

I had mixed feelings about this story. On the one hand I liked it, because I really liked the main character, but on the other hand there were a few things that kept me from really immersing myself in the book.

First, there were quite a few characters that I just didn't like, first being Amy's sister Kaylie. This was, to me, one of the most spoiled, selfish girls I've ever met in a book. And I couldn't understand really why she was that way because it's not like they had a lifestyle that could sp...more I had mixed feelings about this story. On the one hand I liked it, because I really liked the main character, but on the other hand there were a few things that kept me from really immersing myself in the book.

First, there were quite a few characters that I just didn't like, first being Amy's sister Kaylie. This was, to me, one of the most spoiled, selfish girls I've ever met in a book. And I couldn't understand really why she was that way because it's not like they had a lifestyle that could spoil someone. But she was kind of rotten, so hard on her older sister, and so very unappreciative. I hated reading scenes that she was in because I knew she was just going to run down her sister, say something ugly or act like a brat.

On the flip side, Amy was my favorite character. She was kind, brave, and took care of her family selflessly. I hated some of the things she had to go through, and truly hated it whenever the viewing public would be down on her in their internet posts because I knew they weren't getting to see the real her.

It seems like everyone in the story turns out not to be who you expected though, except for Amy. There's more to Rafe, there's less to the other guy, Violet had secrets, and the other girl had more humanity than I gave her credit for.

My biggest problem came with the actual show itself. While I could definitely understand why the viewing public might watch such a show (after all, this world is one of poverty for the common man, so the chance to win millions would be a big draw), but the way the show scenarios were created just didn't seem to be all that interesting. It was a good concept, but I felt like the actual scenes were kind of pointless and uninteresting, at least up until the end. The last scenario was the best and redeemed things for me a bit. It also showed the truth about most of the characters, and my judgement about them proved to be pretty spot on. I loved Rafe and Amy the most and was glad how things ended for them.

Bottom line, the story, world-building, Rafe, Amy, and the writing were interesting and entertaining. I do wish a bit more had been done with the reality show aspect earlier on in order to make things a bit more serious and suspensful though.
(less)

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