Het experiment

Persefone #1

by Michelle Gagnon, Annemarie Dragt (Translator)

Noa wordt wakker op een geïmproviseerde operatietafel met een vers litteken op haar borst en heeft geen idee hoe ze daar is terechtgekomen. Ze zet het op het lopen en kan ternauwernood ontsnappen…

Als Peter door de dossiermappen van zijn vader snuffelt, vindt hij een map over Project Persefone. Hij besluit meer informatie te zoeken op internet en vlak daarna wordt zijn deur ingetrapt door een groep onbekende mannen…

Noa en Peter zijn beide begenadigd hacker en besluiten hun skills te bundelen om erachter te komen wat er aan de hand is. Ze raken verstrikt in een web van multinationals, medische experimenten, straatkinderen en corruptie. Ze moeten alles op alles zetten om het gruwelijke geheim te ontrafelen en om in leven te blijven.

Voor liefhebbers van boeken met twee superstoere hoofdpersonen die te maken krijgen met actie, corruptie, afpersing, dodelijke geheimen en elkaar…

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Science Fiction, Fiction, Suspense, Dystopia

351 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2012

About the author

Michelle Gagnon is a former modern dancer, bartender, dog walker, model, personal trainer, and Russian supper club performer. Her bestselling adult thrillers THE TUNNELS, BONEYARD, THE GATEKEEPER, and KIDNAP & RANSOM have been published in North America, France, Denmark, Spain, Argentina, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Australia. BONEYARD was a finalist for a 2009 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.

The first book in her Young Adult PERSEFONE trilogy, DON'T TURN AROUND, was selected as one of the best books of 2012 by the American Library Association, Entertainment Weekly Magazine, and Kirkus. It was nominated for an ITW Thriller award, and was a Junior Library Guild and Indienext pick. Along with DON'T LOOK NOW and DON'T LET GO, the entire series received multiple starred reviews and state library awards.

UNEARTHLY THINGS is a modernized, deconstructed version of Jane Eyre set in the world of San Francisco high society. (SoHo Teen, 2017)

Her latest adult novel, KILLING ME, is a neo-noir thriller about unlikely heroines who hunt serial killers.

Michelle lives in Los Angeles, where she is currently attaining a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology.

Follow her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MichelleGagno...
or Twitter: @Michelle_Gagnon

Reviews

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wildly exciting with never ending action, Don't Turn Around is perfect for fans of Lisbeth Salander and Bourne Identity.

With a bang, we begin this fast paced, nail biting thriller that takes us inside a story filled with conspiracies and lies, and how two hackers are gunning for the truth. If you're looking for a high-action plot you're definitely at the right place. There is no room to breathe in this novel, let alone relax. It begins and ends with your adrenaline pumping. It's exciting; keeping me up reading late at night, though it does have a few quirks that holds it back from becoming a truly amazing read. Like character development.

First we meet Lisbeth Noa who has hacked herself into an independent life to escape the evils of foster care. I liked her instantly. Although not as mentally messed up, nor as characteristically fleshed out, Noa's hacking and resourcefulness reminded me quite a bit of Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Greater development would have helped make her a more memorable characters like our dear Lisbeth, but I did enjoy her nonetheless. Noa's foster care upbringing was not ideal, so what we do get is an apprehensive, keep-to-oneself, young woman who is just now starting to let people in. Thus, we do still glimpse at who she is at large, and for a first book in a series with so much happening, lack of greater depth is not a very prominent issue. At least, it didn't stop me from absolutely devouring this novel! Alongside Noa, we're introduced to Peter who is vastly different from her if only for the fact that he grew up in a rich household, and with parents who seem to have gotten way over their heads into something abysmal. I found Peter's character to be even less established than Noa's, never quite getting a feel of who this kid is except a hacker. I still found his voice fairly easy to like.

With dual gender POVs some of you may expect a romance, so let me tell you that this book does not have a romantic subplot, which didn't bother me in the least as I felt it wouldn't be a good fit for this story in any case. Still, the author tries to work a tiny bit of romance in the plot which, as the novel fails to bring forth any chemistry between the characters beyond a mere acquaintance relationship, I found these instances quite awkward and out of place. I think I will be disappointed if any romantic relationship does germinate between them in the future. They make a great team as hackers, romance doesn't always need to pop it's head - especially when it's ugly.

As others have mentioned, I do agree that we're left with an abundance of questions when the book ends. We do amass some details throughout the book relating to the major plot points, but we only merely scratch the surface, leaving a mountain to discover in the next installments. I'm particularly interested in digging deeper inside the medical side of the plot; a new terrible disease that targets teenagers is just what I need to quench my thirst for some terrifying mutated illnesses that kills. What? Is this a weird fetish?

With its freaky, creepy cover, I highly recommend Don't Turn Around for readers who enjoy action packed, incredibly fast paced thrillers that include fascinating medical evolution and research.

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Noa has spent almost her entire life in the system, changing foster parents far too often. Along the way, she became extremely good with computers and she somehow managed to create a false foster family for herself, make a lot of money online under the name of her non-existent foster father and rent a great apartmen. But because of her lack of personal connections, she is targeted by a group that performs illegal medical experiments on human subject. At the beginning of Don’t Turn Around, she wakes up in a warehouse on an operating table with a huge scar on her chest and with absolutely no recollection of how she got there. She somehow manages to run, but she is cut off from her money and her things, and she has nowhere to go.
Peter’s parents are obscenely rich, but ever since his brother died from a rare disease, he might as well be an orphan. His year older girlfriend just started college and is drifting away and he’s not really interested in anything but the website he created for his group of hacktivists. One day, while going through his father’s files, he stumbles upon a URL and when he tries to access it, armed men storm into his house, threaten him and take away his laptop. Completely terrified, but still curious, Peter turns to the best hacker from his site, which happens to be Noa. Pretty soon it becomes clear that their goal is the same, but that doesn’t mean they instantly trust each other.

Don’t Turn Around is an action-packed adventure that leaves you no time to relax, blink or even breathe. Before I started reading, I was curious about the title, but it soon became very clear. The main characters are being chased from one place to the next throughout the book and turning around to look at their pursuers is rarely a good idea. Although separately, both Noa and Peter are on the run the entire time, always trying to find somewhere safe to huddle with a laptop and learn more about the people hunting them. Since they’re both on their own, running, hiding and fighting back using minimal resources, the book has very little dialogue, but it is very fast-paced. The rapid pacing was exhilarating at first, but it soon became exhausting - it left me a bit dizzy and actually physically tired.

Fans of romance will be heavily disappointed. Dual perspective has been growing in popularity, especially in YA, and in most cases it means that the two main characters will eventually fall in love, sometimes very early in the story, sometimes a bit later. Noa and Peter don’t even meet properly until the second half, and even then there’s a lot of distrust between them, so there’s really no real romance to speak of. Peter is heartbroken and Noa is, for the most part, just broken, and even though they’re occasionally attracted to each other, that’s as far as it goes. Personally, I didn’t mind that one bit, but I know there will be a lot of frustrated readers out there.

If you’re expecting any kind of closure from this book, you will be disappointed. The ending is not exactly a cliffhanger, but nothing is resolved either. At one (pretty random) point, the story just stops. Nevertheless, I have no intention of reading the sequel, I just didn't develop any emotional attachments to these characters.

Also posted at The Nocturnal Library

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Initial thoughts: I really wanted to like this novel more than I did, but for the sparse worldbuilding and lack of connectivity as far as the characterization and events goes, this didn't deliver. I'm hoping I can explain more in my full review.

Full review:

Thriller/suspense/technological stories are usually right up my alley. I love the thrill of the chase, and watching the MCs of such tales grapple with their outer (and inner) adversaries to ultimately come to terms as the story winds down. "Don't Turn Around" initially caught my attention not only for the premise and genre, but also for the cover. It makes you think this is going to be one of those novels that keep you on the edge of your seat for a good long while. For a while, it actually does, switching between the perspectives of its two primary characters: Noa and Peter, and a third POV from Amanda, Peter's love interest for some time. The comparison to "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" also intrigued me.

Sadly, I felt what was a promising start to "Don't Turn Around" didn't really give me any kind of satisfactory resolutions, and had too many inconsistencies to boot. It tries to be so many things - technological, medical thriller/suspense - but never clearly delivers on any of those notations, and this is the start to an ongoing series that leaves a LOT of plot threads hanging.

I can see the comparisons to "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" because Noa is a girl full of fire and resources to match. She's self reliant and yet she's a girl on the run. Those might be the only similarities that they have. Noa, when we begin the story, wakes up in an unfamiliar place with a large incision on her chest. She doesn't remember how she got there, and the people who are in charge of her are suspect. An orphan and notably alone most of her life, she uses her instincts and ability to fight back and manages to escape. She eventually comes across the company of Peter, a boy with his own share of issues coming from a family with a lot of power and corrupt notations. Peter agrees to help her and the two are caught in a secret so deep that people are willing to kill in order to maintain that secret.

I feel like this book has a lot of bark, but not a lot of bite. Good premise, but lacking execution. Sure the thematic is intriguing considering it deals with medical experimentation and violation of human ethics, as well as bit references to hacker groups to set the tone, but there's not a lot of hacking or answers going on in this book. I thought it only scratched the surface of those issues, and some of them felt tacked on awkwardly (even I know WoW's notation, despite not playing it). It promises more than what it delivered, and doesn't feel self contained. The reader connectivity to the characters is difficult to ascertain - more often than not, the characters run around quite a bit - some of which is engaging but could be more so if there were a set focal point. There's very little establishment as to why initially and the actual plot pacing is sluggish. I did somewhat connect to Noa's plight - because she's trying to find out what happened to her and why she was experimented on by her respective assailants. Peter was much harder to feel for, but I certainly connected to his friend, who seemed like a good character. The rest of the collective cast were largely forgettable or cliched. I'm not exactly sure why Amanda's narrative was introduced so late in the story, because it felt jarring to suddenly jump to a third POV after following the main two for quite some time.

I did not like what happened towards the end of the book to one of the characters, and the ending "cliffhanger" cemented a lot of unbelievability on what were already difficult circumstances to suspend disbelief toward. I wish I could say that this was a thrilling, engaging ride, but alas it feels like a cookie cutter suspense/thrill story that colors within the lines, but doesn't shape much beyond its framework. It didn't leave me with much to hang onto.

Overall: 2/5

[Odette Brethouwer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed reading this! There is a lot of coincidences in this book, but I really like the idea and the storyline. The beginning is really strong, it grabbed me at the first couple of sentences. I'm excited to be reading the sequels soon!

[Elle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started off OK, got weird and then I decided I didn't like this very much at all. Too many contradictions, too unbelievable in places and I didn't connect with any of the characters. This book reads like various books and movies I've read/seen and I was more impressed by those than this novel. This is nothing like Girl With a Dragon Tattoo, yet I get the comparison. It has more of a wannabe teen runaway novel with secret corporation agenda and ends with a nod to The Matrix. I'm disappointed in the outcome and what happened to one of the more compelling characters. I almost feel like the more interesting characters were introduced to move the plot along then done away with. There's no rhyme or reason to quite a few instances and I found myself being more annoyed with the hackers who weren't smart enough to figure the most simple things out on their own. Being able to use a computer does not make one a hacker. Not sure what else to say about this one except it wasn't for me.

[Marieke | Marieke's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 sterren zijn eigenlijk te weinig voor dit boek, maar 5 sterren voelen weer te veel.. Dus voor het eerst kan ik niet kiezen, dus ga ik voor 4,5.

Dit boek is goed, écht goed. De spanning blijft in heel het boek aanwezig en dat vind ik ontzettend knap gedaan door de schrijfster. Ik ben enorm benieuwd naar het vervolg, dus die ga ik ook zeker snel lezen.

Noa en Peter vond ik leuke personages, lekker slim en duidelijke eigen karakters. Wel vond ik alle computertaal in het boek moeilijk, waardoor ik het soms bijna niet kon volgen. Maar de computertaal hoort er nu eenmaal bij, dus dat was ook niet heel erg.

Deze review is niet heel erg samenhangend. Maar mijn hoofd heeft ook nog geen duidelijke mening gevormd over dit boek. Misschien komt dat nog, misschien ook wel niet. Ik ga in ieder geval snel opzoek naar deel 2!

[AziaMinor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending gave me literal chills.. or it could be the 50 degree weather and wind chill.

Either way great story, great characters, great twist. Definitely recommend to any and all

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Find this review at Scott Reads It

Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon is a Young Adult thriller that takes place in the city of Boston. Everything about Don't Turn Around for me was fascinating and made me want to read it desperately. The cover is just so interestingly designed and made me very inquisitive. The description was enticing but the selling point for me was The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Don't Turn Around was being compared to Dragon Tattoo which is one of my all time favorites.

Noa is not your average teen. She's a runaway from foster care and she is a computer hacker. She wears all black, is very pale, and had a mother who failed her. Noa has bad memories associated with fire and is an Apple junkie. For crying out loud, all the clues are here! This none other than a carbon-copy of Lisbeth Salander, the heroine of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Noa fails to live up to her older role model because there is only one Lisbeth. No character could be as kick ass or awesome as Ms. Salander. It's just not possible frankly.

The plot of Don't Turn Around was very promising and it did deliver. The pacing was fast in the beginning and the ending. During the middle of Don't Turn Around was not as interesting and a bit tedious compared to the rest of the book. I really liked the whole idea of /ALLIANCE/ and the hacking segments of the book. Clearly this book was well researched or Michelle Gagnon is a computer nerd. I really wish I was as handy with computers as the main characters.

The problem is that I couldn't connect with the characters. Peter and Noa were just nothing extraordinary, personality wise. The reader doesn't get developed backgrounds of the characters as needed. We know basic information but we don't know enough to feel connected to the characters. You can't empathize or like a character if you can't connect with them.

Don;t Turn Around was action-packed and had an interesting plot. The problem is that the reader lacks a connection to the characters. In my opinion Gagnon was too concerned with trying to make a Dragon Tattoo, that she didn't focus on character development. I really liked the action of this book but I think a bit of romance would be a great addition to the book. It really sounds like I didn't like the book based on my review but it's not the case. Don't Turn Around was a mostly fast paced, and action packed mystery with an interesting premise. I am a bit annoyed because the end didn't tie up nicely and I had more questions left unanswered. I am not sure if I will read the sequel to this book because it was just a decent read.

[Giselle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A finished unsolicited copy was provided by the publisher for review.

Noa wakes up in a facility with a big long scar on her chest and once she realizes she's being held prisoner in the city of Boston she escapes her tormentors. Running into fellow teenager and hacker Peter, they uncover a conspiracy so great that even help from the FBI is useless.

Noa's character is fiercely sharp and intelligent, and I can honestly say I love her character. She's a survivor who took matters in her own hands and started to teach herself how to hack into systems so she can survive on her own. Noa isn't as hard and as cold as she seems, because you are privy to her vulnerable more sensitive side in bits and pieces.

Then there's Peter who grew up in an affluent neighbourhood and gas had every advantage yet he his parents ignore him and basically abandon him. I kinda hated his father a lot. The things he said just made me incredibly mad. It was a large contrast seeing these two young lives, both broken in their own way. Both trying to make sense of how wrong society has influenced them.

Don't Turn Around is written in dual perspectives and I've always loved different point of views because it adds so much more dimension to the story-line. So fast-paced, I couldn't stop reading. And there were just so many questions I needed to answer that my mind itself was racing to figure it all out. This book is for any techy geek or anyone interested in a mystery or even conspiracy. There's a little bit of hacking terminology like bricking which was a very interesting theory and most likely a realistic one. I loved this one and almost gobbled it up. I thought this was a standalone but I was happy to find out there were going to be more books after I finished reading the last page.

This one is going into my favourites pile and one I would read over again to find out if I missed any clues of foreshadowing.

Characters
Great strong characters.

Pacing/Length
So fast I was flipping through the pages.

Cover/Design
Pretty interesting, but it could do a makeover to patch the actual plot.

Plot
Love love love!

Overall, one of my favourites of the year and can't wait for the next one!

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since her parents died, Noa has been a victim of the system, shuffled in and out of foster care. Now sixteen, she’s finally found a way to beat the system by using her hacker skills to create herself a quiet and comfortable life. But whatever sense of calm Noa had built up for herself shatters when she wakes up on an operating table in a warehouse and no memory of how she could have gotten there. On the run from an enemy she doesn’t even know, Noa crosses paths with Peter, a fellow hacker. He needs her help digging up info on a mysterious corporation that seems to be after him, and, though she doesn’t realize it at first, she needs his help too. It turns out that both have unwittingly become embroiled in a terrible plot involving disappearing kids and controversial human experimentation—and their enemies will stop at nothing to keep their deadly secrets from being exposed.

When I picked up Don’t Turn Around, I was hoping for a lot of great action, and thankfully, that’s what I got. The plot of this book is absolutely packed full of serious threats, desperate chases, fights, escapes, and close calls, which makes reading all of it certainly a thrilling experience. Noa’s and Peter’s hacking efforts added another layer of excitement to this story, and I found that the mystery and investigation aspect of the plot was quite smart and well structured as well. So overall, the action-packed plot most definitely lived up to my expectations. However, I did find myself distracted at times while reading because some of the exposition and descriptions were awkwardly integrated into the story; while I did enjoy learning these little details about various characters, more often than not they weren’t necessary to the plot and caused the pacing in these instances to lag a bit. Despite this, I was thoroughly entertained by Don’t Turn Around and look forward to seeing where Noa’s and Peter’s paths will take them next.

Don’t Turn Around will be enjoyed by readers who also liked The Lab by Jack Heath, A Girl Named Digit by Annabel Monaghan, Cold Fury by T.M. Goeglein, and Tunnel Vision by Susan Shaw.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com

[Sonia O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michelle Gagnon is known for her bestselling thrillers. But, for her new novel “Don’t Turn Around”, due out August 28, 2012, she decided to switch genres and pick up the YA mantle. Boy, am I glad she did. She’s a natural at writing intriguing, mature, but still flawed young characters with loads of issues. The book centers around Noa, a teenage computer hacker/forgotten foster kid who wakes up in a hospital gown on a surgical table in an empty warehouse with a mystery incision healing on her chest. After that intriguing opening, the story continues at a non-stop pace from there. Who did this to her and more importantly what did they do to her. The crisp thrill-ride prose will definitely have you reading well into the night to figure it out.

I really enjoyed the fact that there are references to the hacker group Anonymous and Gagnon establishes her own hacker community called /ALLIANCE/ that a clueless at first rich-kid hacker named Peter runs. It makes the reader feel like they are right in the middle of current events. Noa happens to have worked some with /ALLIANCE/ before her mysterious abduction, so it gives us a chance for her and Peter’s paths to converge, and that’s when they realize they are both fighting the same enemy. They join forces, and with the help of some very good friends, they slowly piece together the puzzle, which turns out to be an intricate, massive web that encompasses more than they could have ever imagined.

Noa is definitely a great heroine for young and adult alike. She is tough, smart, strong, scared, and vulnerable all at the same time. Just like a lot of us. This is the first book in a trilogy, and I can’t wait to see where Gagnon takes these thrilling characters from here.

[Paula from Reading Lark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most impressive YA plots I've read in a long time. It's nicely streamlined for younger readers, yet doesn't lack for fast-paced plot points. Gagnon avoids the pitfalls of obvious predictability and ridiculous implausibility, both of which can be commonly found in YA thrillers. This alone makes me want to read more by this author.
Characters are usually what hooks me into a read, and in this book, they are really well-done. The interpersonal relationships are amazingly realistic- impressive, since they have to develop during an adventure that is gaining speed as the pages roll by. The main character, Noa, is a girl who grew up in the foster system: a kid who wouldn't likely be missed, yet is smart and tough. She is such an appealing underdog character; you'll quickly be rooting for her. Her compatriot, Peter, is a great example of a YA male character who doesn't have to rely on being a jock or a jerk to carry a storyline. I love them both. I especially love that they don't take a hokey time-out from running for their lives to have a "romantic moment." The subtext of the relationship is there without having to slow the plot with a sappy love scene, thank goodness.
I've see several comparisons of Noa to Lisbeth Salander, which doesn't make sense to me beyond that they are both hackers. Don't Turn Around reminds me much more of a favorite of mine, Neal Shusterman's Unwind. I am certain that the two share a target audience, and that readers, both male and female, who enjoy one will love the other.

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so I just finished reading this book and WOW! I really don't want to say too much, and spoil the plot for anyone. But what I will say is, this book was amaze-balls! Seriously, do yourself a solid and go buy it NOW!

This book grabbed my attention at the very beginning and never let me go. I was so engrossed in the story I felt like I was tangled up into the story right along with the characters! I was racing through the pages of the book to feel my way through the story to the end. My heart was pounding, my palms were sweating ( I know! Eww, totally gross!) and I jumped at every noise.

I am so excited that this book is going to be a trilogy because I want, more! I NEED more! And REALLY soon!

Seriously though, all gushing aside, this is a phenominal story. The character's were well written. The plot was amazing! This book was full of thrilling action, suspense, romance and a crazy conspiracy or two!

[Marie33 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book provided by author

What can I say. I received it in the post today after winning it in a competition. I couldn't put it down. brilliant story. it was fast paced, action packed, full of suspense. I never knew what was going to happen next. I loved noa's character. that's one tough cookie lol I know I would have been hysterical if I woke up on a metal bed in a strange place. It was one of those books that keeps you guessing and turning the page. The story line was really interesting. I'm not sure if there's anything else like it out there. makes a nice change to read something new. It was brilliant....can't WAIT for book 2.......there is going to be a book 2.......isn't there........ loved it :D

[Monica (is working the heck out of · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!

This is a fast-paced, action-packed read that will have you on your toes from cover to cover.

It is everything I love about romantic suspense without all of the...romance.

If you like off-the-grid, run-for-your-life, narrowly-escaped-capture thrillers, this is the one for you, particularly if you don't want to be bothered with gushy, overprotective male love interests who insist they know what's best because they're male.

There are some unrealistic and tstl moments here and there, and there are holes in the resolution that have nothing to do with building suspense for the next installment.

All in all, though, this was a winner! Off I go to the second in the trilogy! Five stars!

[Crystal Clifton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book thru a goodreads giveaway and I must say it is a must read it is constantly moving and action packed. Sixteen year old Noa and her Allliance friend Peter embark on a life changing quest that turns into a lot of action and you meet a girl that can seriously kick some butt when it comes to computer hacking. Its a non stop action packed book that you can't put down. I loved it from the start so all I got to say is WOW Loved it.Really hoping there will be a part two. Thanks Michelle for a great book.

[Joost · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een leuk boek, maar het blies me niet echt van mijn stoel. Hier kan je mijn recensie lezen: http://nerdygeekyfanboy.com/recensie/...

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A girl tries to find out who is behind the kidnapping of runaway teens (including herself). A boy leads a hacktivist group that eventually leads to Project Persephone.

Opening Sentence: When Noa Torson woke up, the first thing she noticed was that her feet were cold.

The Review:

Noa Torson wakes up in a “hospital” with a huge blank hole in her memory. How did she arrive at the hospital? No, why is she even in the hospital? Not one for detainment, Noa escapes from the building, only to find that she was in a boat storage unit in the middle of nowhere. With an ingenious plan, Noa makes her way back to Boston, Massachusetts, determined to find out why someone would kidnap her and hold her for two weeks. At the same time, Peter Gregory is snooping through his father’s desk when he finds a folder labeled Project Persephone. Intrigued, Peter decides to use his hacking skills to research the folder. But just as he opens a internet window, a man named Mr. Mason and his men break down his door, steal his laptop and warns Peter to forget about Project Persephone. Of course Peter doesn’t oblige, but searching comes with a price. His parents kick him out of the house and his girlfriend in college, Amanda, is drawing farther and farther away. After a ironic coincidence, Peter and Noa join forces against this new threat to runaway kids on the streets.

Fabulous. Ingenious. Absolutely incredible. Just to name a few. This book blew my mind with the intricate plot and deep characters and witty dialogue. It reminds me of an Artemis Fowl book for teens with less criminal mastermind and more crazy plots and adventure. Some of the plot is a tad predictable but there was enough action and suspense that I looked over it.

This book is a great example of a YA book that doesn’t revolve around romance. Sure there are some aspects of romance such as Peter and Amanda. But that’s a relationship that is falling apart. Peter is starting to like Noa by the end of the book, but throughout the entire book, just about 10 sentences are dedicated to it. BUT those who like a little romance in a story, there’s enough to satisfy, but I doubt you’ll be paying attention to the relationships with everything else that’s going on.

The most important factor in this book — the thing that makes this book original and applies to this day and age — is the fact that Noa and Peter live in a hacking society. Both can hack a computer or system with ease. Before I read this book, I wondered how Gagnon would describe hacking without overloading on computer codes or specific details. Gagnon creatively uses analogies to describe Noa or Peter hacking. Breaking through a castle wall or playing hide and seek are (according to Noa) similar to hacking a system. Peter also leads a “hacktivist” online group called /ALLIANCE/ that seeks out criminals, abusers or companies that cheat the law. Then they use their hacking skills to create a type of justice (i.e. closing their bank account, putting classified articles online, etc.)

Overall, I loved this book and cannot wait for the next book. There’s not a terrible cliffhanger, but just enough to leave you hanging on to the last page or rereading the ending. Narrated in third person from both Noa and Peter’s objective point of views, Don’t Turn Around is a stunning debut that is worth every minute of reading and every hour of no sleep.

Notable Scene:

Just get /ALLIANCE/ up and running again, we’ll need it. Check in here every day. Don’t worry, we’ve got a plan.

Sounded like she was still with that guy, the one he’d dubbed “Molotov cocktail man.” The thought bothered Peter more than he’d like to admit. But at least Noa wasn’t alone, he told himself. It was good that someone was watching her back. Even if for the moment, it wasn’t him. Peter typed, Better than the last plan, I hope.

Definitely. This time we’ll be the cavalry.

And she signed off.

Peter spend a long moment staring at the screen, then logged off and powered down the phone and laptop. He tapped his finger on the steering wheel, thinking. Did he really want to get involved in all this again? Risk his parents, and Amanda?

Yeah, he thought, remembering Cody. Hell yeah. He’d do whatever they needed him to.

FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Don’t Turn Around. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Susan Tunis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dang you, Michelle Gagnon!

A year ago at a lit event, I had the opportunity to hear the author of Don’t Turn Around give her “elevator pitch” for this novel—a 30-second summary designed to hook a potential reader. Michelle Gagnon said, “A sixteen-year-old girl wakes, disoriented, in a hospital bed… in a warehouse. She’s in pain, she has a surgical incision on her chest, and she has no idea why.” That was more than enough to hook this reader. I clamored for the finished product for the next year, and grabbed a copy as soon as I was able.

As it turns out, that pitch was just the tip of the iceberg! The teen at the center of this tale is Noa Torson, a young woman that’s become so independent after years in the foster care system that she took the matter of emancipation into her own capable hands. Noa’s been living a quiet life under the radar, making her way using her considerable computer skills to survive—until she’s snatched off the street and drawn into a conspiracy that grows so large that it can’t fit into a single novel!

Along the way to uncovering what has happened to her and why, Noa unearths enemies and allies. I’m barely describing the plot because the twists, turns, and discoveries are too delicious to spoil. What I will say is that Ms. Gagnon has created an interesting and well-fleshed cast of characters with which to tell her tale. There is a male protagonist as well, Peter Gregory. This privileged young hacker comes from a different world than Noa, but they may have more in common than they realize. I found myself invested in them from the get go. Yes, Noa does share some characteristics with a well-known Swedish protagonist, but she is very much her own woman. She is also the latest in an encouraging collection of strong female protagonists driving stories that are so propulsive even young men will read them.

For better or worse, what has become something of a YA trope, the teen love triangle, is in the process of developing here, but hasn’t reached full fruition quite yet. I don’t have an opinion on that plot element so far, but the mystery at the heart of this tale is an out and out winner.

The pacing of this novel is relentless. I keep looking for a novel with Hunger Games-level excitement. This may be as close as I’ve come yet. It’s a full-on, pulse-pounding thriller that can be enjoyed by teens and adults alike. And while book one of this trilogy does have a complete arc, Ms. Gagnon is guilty of doing that horrible thing I freakin’ knew she was going to do—end her novel on a cliff-hanger! And here I am without so much as an elevator pitch to keep me going for the next year. Dang you, Michelle Gagnon!

[Jenni Arndt · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.

A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


If you're looking for an action packed thrill ride, Don't Turn Around is for you! I wasn't too sure what to expect going into this novel but the cover really sucked me in from the first moment I saw it. What I got was a mix of the movie Hackers and the Jason Bourne series, which was a very welcome blend. With that said, if you are looking for a story that will touch you emotionally, this one isn't for you. While I appreciated the pulse pounding action, it did feel like there was a bit too much adrenaline and not enough substance.

First, I'll start with what I feel could use some work in this novel. The character development felt like it was put on the back burner and the focus left solely on the action. Noa was quite one dimensional to me . I understand that she had been through a lot and that resulted in her being quite reclusive but there were plenty of opportunities for us to have gotten a bit more emotion from her even if it was only when she was alone through her inner dialogue. Feeling the way I did about Noa I had thought that maybe I would be able to form a better bond with Peter, but he didn't merit any emotional connection from me either.

Now for what I did like. There isn't really a romance to be had here, I had expected Noa and Peter to fall madly in love through their adventure, but surprisingly that did not happen. This was a welcome surprise for me! In YA it seems it is a must to have a romance in the story, but Michelle Gagnon has weaved a story that stands on its own two legs without angst or mushiness. I have read quite a few books lately where the love story has felt forced and out of place, it's quite rare to see an author in this genre basically leave it out.

Where romance is lacking, mystery is there to take its place, and does it ever! I had so many questions throughout the book and while we didn't get all of the answers we were looking for in the end I still put the book down feeling completely satisfied. There are just enough loose ends to leave my mouth watering for the follow up in the series. I will definitely be looking for more character development and longing for more answers to my lingering questions. I highly recommend Don't Turn Around for anyone looking for a fast paced story chalk full of action.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't turn around by Michelle Gagnon.

This was something new for me. I didn't know if I would like this book and boy did I. I could not read fast enough.

Noa is amazing, truly she has lived through so much pain. But what she has come out of is truly horrifying. When she starts wondering who they cold be and why they want her so bad. Noa is a strong girl, someone who people can look up too. She is smart, funny, and just has a bad attitude. She has seen prey bad things and has been through so much in such a short life but comes out stronger each time. Peter a boy who is a fellow hacker asks her to look into something for him. Coincidentally it is one in the same.

Peter is a rich boy who hacks. He likes doing it just to do it. When he stumbles upon something of his fathers he digs furer, the next thing he knows someone in kicking open his door and there men rushing at him. He is warned and has no idea why. He was just seeing what was up with it. And it makes him more interested. Then he tries again and they find him again. He is smart, funny, and really has been sheltered but risking it all. Then he meets Rain a.k.a Noa when he reaches out to her for help.

The hackers on are on the run and no one the love is safe. Noa has help from a guardian angel, and everything they do is somehow being monitored. When they find out what is going on they are both sick. This company is experimenting on runaways, kids who are foster children, the forgotten and trying to find a cure for PEMA. When they try and expose them it is covered up, they found tons of bodies and lit the warehouse on fire did covered it up. Na gets out safely along with Peter but in two different ways. 

Noa  is on the run, she is the key and they want her no matter what. She has met her guardian angel now they are leaving. Peter wakes up in his bed at home confused, why is he here, and then finds out it was all covered up, he doesn't know is Noa is ay or not but he is. But on the way this company has no feelings, they kill without caring and he lost Cody who stuck his head out for himself and Noa. 

I have no idea what is going to happen next but it will be thrilling I know that. 

[Mona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaking awesome! Stay tuned to www.paperbackdolls for full review.

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Wow! What an incredible book! This fast paced and exciting YA kept me up reading long after I should have been in bed. But I couldn’t put it down. So many mysteries, so many coincidences, and so much like real life you’ll wonder if it’s actually fiction.

After waking up in a warehouse with an IV in her arm, Noa makes a daring escape. Meanwhile, across town, Peter indulges in his favorite pastime…hacking his dad’s files…only to end up on the floor with a bunch of gun toting thugs in suits stealing his laptop.

Peter wonders what the file he stumbled across has to do with the thugs accosting him, but no one will give him a straight answer. So he turns to one of the best hackers in the business, Rain, aka Noa.

Noa needs money so she can remain hidden and find out what the hell is going on and why she has an incision in her chest. Peter’s hacking request provides the money, and her research also provides some answers for her. But soon, she and Peter are on the run trying to stay a step ahead of the goons with guns and trying to stay alive. It’s not as easy as it would seem.

When friends start turning up dead simply for helping them, Peter and Noa realize whatever they’ve uncovered is bigger and more complex than they ever imagined. When all else fails, they still have their worldwide network of hackers ready and willing to help. Never underestimate the power of the technologically gifted.

An incredible story of intrigue that will keep you guessing and reading and biting your nails, Don’t Turn Around is fascinating. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to learn what happens with Noa and Peter.

The sad thing about it is, with so many children in the ‘system’ in real life, it’s not impossible to imagine something like this actually taking place. So many kids run away and end up living on the streets, how do we know some unscrupulous corporation isn’t abducting them and using them as guinea pigs? Farfetched? Maybe, but then again, maybe not.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished reading the book and really enjoyed it! First of all: I instantly fell in love with the cover. It caught my eyes and I had to read the blurb. And well, since I love hacker stories, I had to buy the book and read it. :)

The book had just the perfect mix for me. Hacking, weird medical surgery, suspence, a little science fiction and dystopia. It's like a mix of Bourne Identity, Coma and The Matrix. ^^

I'm afraid I don't agree with all the reviewers who match Noa with Lisbeth Salander. No, Noa and Lisbeth have not much in common.

I really liked how all the elements were woven in, the weird surgeries, the disease that killed Peter's brother, how Noa fits into all of it, the mysterious helper, cute Cody and Amanda. That kept me guessing and trying to figure out what is going on.

4,5 stars for an amazing, thrilling YA-novel. Can't wait for the next installment.

[Stacee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book was amazing. Starts off with a bang and the tempo never slows. I was enthralled until the very last page.

Great characters, interesting plot and an ending in a trilogy that didn't make me want to throw the book when I was done.

Can't wait for book 2.

[Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Now, where is book 2? Review coming soon.

[Thalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the review on my blog:
http://thaliasbooks.tumblr.com/post/2...

[Alicia Garnier · Rating 5 out of 5]

[CHRONIQUE CICE] Un joli coup de coeur pour ce roman haletant !

==> http://moody-takeabook.com/2015/03/07...

[Adele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trigger Warning: Kidnapping, Guns & Gun Violence, Rape Mention, Death

Don’t Turn Around, by Michelle Gagnon is:

- first in a trilogy
- Young Adult Sci-Fi Thriller/Mystery
- 336 pages (paperback)

When I first found this book, I was browsing through the library. I like this particular library because they have quite a few books in paperback, and I find library paperbacks such a breeze to read. Anyway. I found Don’t Turn Around and saw that the front cover has “ OFF THE GRID. ON THE RUN. ” on it. I was drew in by that, because, hey, that in itself sound interesting. And then I flip the book over to read the synopsis of the book and what sticks out most is: “Don’t tell your secrets. A whisper can betray you. Don’t trust anyone. Not even yourself.”

The synopsis on the back of the book as to what it is on Goodreads. The synopsis on the back reads:

“Sixteen-year-old Noa wakes up on a table with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there. A computer hacker who’s been living off the grid. Noa needs help to discover who’s hunting her and why. Enter Peter Gregory. A rich kid and the leader of a hacker alliance, Peter needs people with Noa’s talents on his team. But what they both don’t realize is that Noa holds the key to a terrible secret, and there are those who’d stop at nothing to silence her for good.”

When I read that, I thought that Peter, the leader of the hacker alliance, kidnapped Noa and such. But no, the book versus my initial thoughts on what actually happens are so vastly different, it’s almost funny.

I managed to read Don’t Turn Back in one sitting, and didn’t really take any notes. So I’m doing my best as it is to recap everything that went down, and how I found the story to be.

There are two point’s of view in Don’t Turn Around. The first belongs to Noa, the second, Peter. I like Noa’s character way better than I did Peter. Noa just has this aura about her that feels like she could -and would- gladly take on the world. While Peter had this I’m-above-you aura to him that just pissed me off, but soon enough Peter’s walls came down and we get to know him a little more personally.

I like Noa. She’s tough, and yeah, she’s got a past that haunts her, but who wouldn’t be haunted with a past like hers?! Aside from that, Noa has great instincts that have been sharpened over the years and she’s learned to trust her instincts. Which is great, because they’ve saved her a few times in this book, and I have no doubt that they’ll save her in the next books as well.

I was a little irked by Peter in the beginning. His character is so….preppy-rich-boy. And that just irks me that he acted the way he did, because he totally didn’t have to! Peter also has a stretched relationship with parents. Like, Peter and his parents are almost estranged from each other. They’re all under the same roof, his parents just don’t pay attention. Other than that, he can act a little cocky with his hacking abilities. He’s a good kid though.

I was a little annoyed in the beginning while reading, because the points of view between Noa and Peter kept flipping in the same chapter. Noa would get a like, two-and-a-half pages, and then Peter would get the remaining two-and-a-half pages, and then the chapter would end.

A while after that the shared chapters start, the chapters and points of view seem to sort themselves out. That, or I just got so immersed in this story that I stopped paying attention to where the chapters started and ended. I mean, it’s happened many, many, many times before. — I also didn’t like that there was another point of view that came into play almost halfway into the book. We don’t see much of this character, thankfully. – I really don’t like this character… But I just know that there’ll be more of this person in the next book. I’m hoping we don’t see much of them though.

What ticks me off in dystopian novels is that there’s always a loss in the first book that is so unnecessary! I wonder if this character knew there were going to die?? I mean, they knew it was a possibility, but it still hurts. I also wonder what this person was thinking about when they knew that they would die. Also maybe how it went down. …I’m just super curious about that.

What I ended up liking about the novel is the way the story progressed. The book really does start with Noa on a table, with no idea where she is. And then from then on, the story is pretty much go-go-go, don’t stop. I don’t want to say much and end up spoiling the whole book though, so I’m leaving it at that.

I like what I read. I will indeed be reading the next book, and probably third book as well; depending on how the second book ends. I’m very interested in what happens next, because the ending of this first book was too good in my opinion. I can’t ignore it! Ahaha. Seriously though, I love those types of endings when the story is interesting enough, but could also be left at that. And you certainly could leave this book as a stand alone if you truly wanted to, but I don’t because the way that Don’t Turn Around ended had me on the edge of my seat ready for more action to be put into play.

overall a 3.5/5 stars.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars.

I received an ARC of this book from Goodreads.

Noa Torson has been in and out of the foster care system for almost a decade and, through her knowledge of hacking, was able to eventually get out of the system and set up a fake family for herself, thus ensuring she would never have to see the inside of a The Center, the place she lived between foster homes, ever again. Peter’s a rich kid who has everything he could ever want, except for warm, loving parents. Both are hackers; Noa’s just about the best at what she does and Peter’s set up a hacktivist site called /ALLIANCE/ (could someone explain the need for the / bracketing the name to me?!) that targets sexual predators, animal abusers and basically anyone who preyed on the weak.

Right at the start of the book, the reader is thrown into the thick of things, with Noa waking up on a metal examination table with no memory of how she got there. And soon after we’re introduced to Peter, he inadvertently hacks a site that will bring him more trouble than he ever imagined, involving people he’d never imagined. I was surprised that Amanda had as big a role as she did, though it wasn’t huge, and am curious to see if she’ll factor into the next book and if so, to what extent. There’s also a mysterious person aiding Noa, though we don’t really find out much about them in this book, leading me to believe they’ll have a much bigger role in the next.

For the longest time, you really don’t have too much of an idea of what’s happening or why, and the author left out one piece of information until halfway through the book that could give you some idea of why things are happening. After you have that vital bit, it’s easy to figure out what’s going on, though she’s quick to clue you in herself. I actually loved how you were sort of left floundering as to what was going on with the plot for quite some time, as many stories dive right in without any build-up. All you have for the first half of the book is build up, plenty of action and lots of questions. Many of those questions get answered in the second half of the book, there’s even more action and the set-up for the second installment comes right at the end.

Noa’s a great character, smart, fast thinking and resilient. She doesn’t trust people easily and isn’t a character who’s going to fall into the arms of some guy and depend on him to save her, as she’s more than capable of taking care of herself. Yet, she’s smart enough to know when she needs help and is able to accept it.

Peter’s also a good character, his home life is crap and things just keep getting worse and worse for him as the book goes on. Though he wasn’t in it too much, I totally loved Cody. As for Peter’s parents, they’re so self-centered and shallow, I really didn’t like them and doubt if there’s any way they can be redeemed as characters in subsequent books.

I have one suggestion for Ms. Gagnon. If you’re going to write about a vegan, you should do the bare minimum of searches to find out what they are, as nobody who is actually a vegan, especially an ethical vegan, would wear a wool coat or hat or anything else that comes from an animal.

If you like mysteries; lots of action; shadowy, morally-challenged organizations; strong female characters; and aren’t put out that there isn’t really a romance (though there is the possibility of one in the future, but the question is between which of the characters will it occur), you should definitely check out this book.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well hello there younger version of Lisbeth Salanadar, how are you doing?

I was not a huge fan of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo for some reason, I just couldn't like the characters, the story the mystery and everything else was fine and dandy, but I really could care less who was doing the actual solving of the mystery. Don't Turn Around and Noa specifically, is basically a younger, easier to like version of Lisbeth with a touch of the movie "Eagle Eye" as well.

When Noa wakes up on a hospital bed, but clearly not in a hospital, her already messed up life is turned further upside down. She is a foster kid, who has basically lived on her lonesome the last few years, and has uncovered a hidden talent for hacking computers. She needs to escape and keep her captors at bay while she tries to really find out what's going on.

Enter Peter, a rich kid who also has the handy ability of being able to hack into any computer system he chooses. Peter of course has parents that are not so open with the truth, and that are a little too involved with the bad guys. Peter and Noa quickly learn far too much information, and together must try to take down a system that is kidnapping and killing innocent kids of the streets.

I really enjoyed the whole "hacking" portion of this book. I was worried going in, that it would be far too confusing, since I have no real knowledge of computer terms, but it was made simple by Gagnon and anything that was confusing, was thoroughly explained.

Don't Turn Around proved to be an appropriate title with how many chase scenes and narrow escapes the book had. The main characters Noa and Peter were constantly being watched or tracked, and it was rare for them to actually feel completely safe.

I was a little annoyed and distracted by Peter's side story. His ex- girlfriend was causing him all sort of emotional stress, when he should have been worried about his captors around every corner. Then when Amanda (the ex) got her own narrating parts, I got even more annoyed! I understood she showed great humanitarianism but she was not interesting to me...I sorta wish she was eliminated in general from final copy.

While we're at it, I wanted to punch Peter's father in the face throughout the entire book. He was far too wrapped up with what happened to his other son, (which we are still not clear on) he was willing to risk his only remaining son, by completely leaving him in the dark and treating him like a ten-year-old. Baring some miracle, that guy needs to go.

Overall, I thought Don't Turn Around was surprisingly good. The computer hacking world combined with the feeling of being constantly watched like in "Eagle Eye," was truly suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat. I'm pretty excited to see where the series goes, cause all the ending did was make me yell CONSPIRACY, TRAITORS all throughout my house.

Book was provided via edelweiss.