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The Holo #2
Contribute
The holograms lied to everyone on Earth and only Alexandra Lucas knows the truth. Now she's trapped in the year 2359 without family or friends—worse, without her anxiety medication. Alex attempts to reconcile the marvelous scenery, technological advances, and luxurious living with the knowledge that the holograms weren't being completely honest—what else are they lying about? With a secret that could shatter her society, Alex tries to find her place among strangers, convicts, and a rebellion striving to bring the holograms down. Alex struggles to find the best way to reveal the truth and reunite with those she loves. But when surrounded by beauty and every convenience, Alex wonders if truth becomes irrelevant in a perfect world.
330 pages, Paperback
First published July 11, 2017
17 people are currently reading
916 people want to read
About the author
Kristy Acevedo
5 books295 followersKristy Acevedo loves to write stories that make people think and give people hope. She is a public high school English teacher, gardener, and Star Trek fan. When she was a child, her “big sister” from the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program fostered her love of books by bringing her to the public library every Wednesday for seven years.
She earned her master’s degree in English and Secondary Education and has been teaching teens for over twenty years. Her debut novel won the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Children’s Book Discovery Award, was a finalist for the Philip K. Dick award for distinguished science fiction, and was touted as one of Barnes & Noble Teen’s Top 13 Anticipated YA sci-fi books. She is also the accidental founder of the Monthly Twitter Writing Challenge. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two daughters, and two cats.
She earned her master’s degree in English and Secondary Education and has been teaching teens for over twenty years. Her debut novel won the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Children’s Book Discovery Award, was a finalist for the Philip K. Dick award for distinguished science fiction, and was touted as one of Barnes & Noble Teen’s Top 13 Anticipated YA sci-fi books. She is also the accidental founder of the Monthly Twitter Writing Challenge. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two daughters, and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
August 6, 2016
This is the second and final book of the Holo Series. Thank you to all the early fans of CONSIDER. It's been a pleasure.
Enjoy!
-Kristy Acevedo (the author)
Enjoy!
-Kristy Acevedo (the author)
April 5, 2023
Definitely more of the same as I expected in terms of lack lustre writing and super slow pace. However, my overwhelming need to know what happens won out again in this series. I am really glad I finished it and I did enjoy it more than the first one. There were some action sequences which were lacking in book 1 and I think that made all the difference to my enjoyment levels.
April 19, 2017
This is a book for fans of classic sci-fi and modern YA literature. The characters and their evolution are extremely well developed, just like in Consider, and the scientific part of the story won't disappoint you.
This gripping sci-fi novel is based on the idea of a world in which you don't have to work a single day of your life and everything is provided to you . This sounds enticing, but there is just one catch: you will have to contribute with your brain when you die.
It is also a novel about standing up for what you believe and overcoming your fears . Alexandra is a great example of a real heroine. She's scared but she fights. She's not perfect but she tries to grow emotionally and deal with difficulties and loss. She loves her friends and family with all their virtues and flaws and accepts that there is not such thing as a perfect world.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this remarkable novel!
www.theleisurediaries.blogspot.com
This gripping sci-fi novel is based on the idea of a world in which you don't have to work a single day of your life and everything is provided to you . This sounds enticing, but there is just one catch: you will have to contribute with your brain when you die.
It is also a novel about standing up for what you believe and overcoming your fears . Alexandra is a great example of a real heroine. She's scared but she fights. She's not perfect but she tries to grow emotionally and deal with difficulties and loss. She loves her friends and family with all their virtues and flaws and accepts that there is not such thing as a perfect world.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this remarkable novel!
www.theleisurediaries.blogspot.com
August 14, 2017
Major nerd points to Kristy Acevedo! This book took me such a long time to finish, not because I was bored but because I didn't want it to be over! I wanted to spend more time with Alex and the crazy lady. My favourite characters in this book were the crazy lady (she was also my favourite from the first book but I admit I was wrong about who I thought she'd turn out to be), the loveable cuddly bear Dr A., and SIDEKICK.
When I received a copy of Contribute from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback (thank you so much to NetGalley and Flux for the opportunity) I took a closer look and realised it was the second book of a two book series. I was so excited about Contribute but made the decision to take the plunge and buy the first book (Consider) and read that first. I'm so glad I did! While Contribute could be read as a standalone if you really, really wanted to, you gain so much from having experienced Consider first. The first book was a 5 star book for me and this one has to be as well. It's not often that second books in a series don't fall flat on their paperback faces.
I won't wreck either book for you because you need to read them for yourself but during the first book the world is counting down to an apocalypse and individuals are given the choice to stay on earth and hope for the best, even though it's an extinction level event, or take a chance on the unknown by travelling through a hologram (vertex) to a parallel world. During the second book you follow the final person through the vertex to whatever is on the other side. The blurbs give you more information than this but I'd recommend reading the first book before looking at the blurb for this one.
While the first book had a large focus on Alex's mental health and it's still explored in this book to a lesser degree, the overall feel of this book felt darker than the first book to me. I loved the darkness and felt it was necessary in this book. There was a war to fight after all.
Reading this book reminded me of one of lines from Powder (love that movie!!!) that Jeff Goldblum's character says, "It's become appallingly clear that our technology has surpassed our humanity." This quote is generally attributed to Einstein although there's no evidence he ever said it, but that's not my point. Contribute offers one possible outcome for society when technology beyond our wildest dreams becomes available and raises so many questions.
Do you trust what the leaders of another society tell you if you never see them in person, only as holographic representations?
If you had the chance to live a life of leisure with free food, free accommodation, free entertainment, free everything, and no work, and all you had to do in exchange was pledge that upon your death your mind minus emotions would be used to power the society for a set period of time, would you do it?
If it sounds too good to be true, is it?
Possibly most importantly, if you had clothes that allowed you to change their holographic design at whim, could you pull off an ocean themed design with sharks swimming across it? 😜
Just like in book one, I spent most of my time reading a few paragraphs, then highlighting either a sentence or a paragraph, then rereading my highlighted passage, then reading a few paragraphs, then highlighting ... You get the point. Lots of wonderfully thought out sentences that made me pause and want to think about them and save them for future rereads.
My only real quibble with this book is that the final act felt a bit rushed to me. There was such a lead up to it and yet it felt like, we're fighting, we're fighting, we're winning, we're losing, we're ... What? It's over? Although to be fair, maybe I just didn't want the series to finish.
Ms Acevedo, I really hope you're hard at work writing your next book. No pressure or anything but I'm sitting here waiting for it!
Oh, and a review of this book wouldn't be complete without a creepy "May your contribution lead to freedom".
When I received a copy of Contribute from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback (thank you so much to NetGalley and Flux for the opportunity) I took a closer look and realised it was the second book of a two book series. I was so excited about Contribute but made the decision to take the plunge and buy the first book (Consider) and read that first. I'm so glad I did! While Contribute could be read as a standalone if you really, really wanted to, you gain so much from having experienced Consider first. The first book was a 5 star book for me and this one has to be as well. It's not often that second books in a series don't fall flat on their paperback faces.
I won't wreck either book for you because you need to read them for yourself but during the first book the world is counting down to an apocalypse and individuals are given the choice to stay on earth and hope for the best, even though it's an extinction level event, or take a chance on the unknown by travelling through a hologram (vertex) to a parallel world. During the second book you follow the final person through the vertex to whatever is on the other side. The blurbs give you more information than this but I'd recommend reading the first book before looking at the blurb for this one.
While the first book had a large focus on Alex's mental health and it's still explored in this book to a lesser degree, the overall feel of this book felt darker than the first book to me. I loved the darkness and felt it was necessary in this book. There was a war to fight after all.
Reading this book reminded me of one of lines from Powder (love that movie!!!) that Jeff Goldblum's character says, "It's become appallingly clear that our technology has surpassed our humanity." This quote is generally attributed to Einstein although there's no evidence he ever said it, but that's not my point. Contribute offers one possible outcome for society when technology beyond our wildest dreams becomes available and raises so many questions.
Do you trust what the leaders of another society tell you if you never see them in person, only as holographic representations?
If you had the chance to live a life of leisure with free food, free accommodation, free entertainment, free everything, and no work, and all you had to do in exchange was pledge that upon your death your mind minus emotions would be used to power the society for a set period of time, would you do it?
If it sounds too good to be true, is it?
Possibly most importantly, if you had clothes that allowed you to change their holographic design at whim, could you pull off an ocean themed design with sharks swimming across it? 😜
Just like in book one, I spent most of my time reading a few paragraphs, then highlighting either a sentence or a paragraph, then rereading my highlighted passage, then reading a few paragraphs, then highlighting ... You get the point. Lots of wonderfully thought out sentences that made me pause and want to think about them and save them for future rereads.
My only real quibble with this book is that the final act felt a bit rushed to me. There was such a lead up to it and yet it felt like, we're fighting, we're fighting, we're winning, we're losing, we're ... What? It's over? Although to be fair, maybe I just didn't want the series to finish.
Ms Acevedo, I really hope you're hard at work writing your next book. No pressure or anything but I'm sitting here waiting for it!
Oh, and a review of this book wouldn't be complete without a creepy "May your contribution lead to freedom".
June 10, 2017
See more of my reviews on my blog the Book Deviant
I would like to thank the people at Jolly Fish Press for allowing me to have an ARC of this book via Netgalley.
Wow, where do I even start with this one?
Consider rocked my world with it's realistic anxiety depiction and the engaging plot, but Contribute is basically the exact opposite. Half way through, Alex's anxiety starts to conveniently to take breaks at the oddest (and most convenient) points during the plot that I couldn't help but think that Acevedo found that having a protagonist with anxiety was too difficult to write, especially for leading a rebellion. And, once again, Alex's love interest, Dominick, starts making weird comments that just rubbed me the wrong way. There was a scene in which it was revealed that he edited his "hologuide" (the hologram that guides the Earth people around their world) to look and act exactly as Alex did. Except, he added larger boobs, and did something to it's body that was bad enough that Acevedo didn't reveal what it was. Dominick even went on to say during one of Alex's panic attacks:
"I never knew anxiety was so physical. It reminded me of my father before he died. Seeing you go through that only made me love you more. I had no idea it was that bad" - ARC, location 2601.
Dominick's comments and behavior sounds so much like romanticism and eroticism that I stopped reading for quite a while. Dominick is such an unhealthy person for Alex, especially for her anxiety, and it was ridiculous that she stayed with him and tolerated this behavior.
Not only was the anxiety rep diminished already from what it was in Consider, but everything else lost it's luster as well. The plot was everywhere, scenes happening and finishing within a paragraph, so much so that it didn't even register with me when characters died. And, most of the time I couldn't even tell if they died or Acevedo just forgot about them! Characters were so often left to the side, coming in only when convenient and forgotten otherwise. Where was Marcus for half of the book? Rita? Or maybe Dominick's family, or Nolan? What about Nolan's grandmother, who we never learned the name of? So many characters were left aside that I legit forgot they existed, and honestly wondered if I missed their death scene or not. Random characters were introduced or cut based on whether or whether not it added enough chaos to the plot.
One last thing, because I'm really trying to curb my rant here. There were two, two, gay characters. One died, and one just disappeared off the page. What kind of representation is that? Yea, one was brave and died for their family, but when the only two gay characters are brushed to the side, then you know there's a problem.
Oh, and anxiety was called a "liability".
one star - Overall?
I'm just really, really, disappointed right now. I still love Consider, but Contribute was just one problem after another. Most scenes didn't even make sense. Why would someone who lives off the grid feel so strongly about rations he didn't even use to be reinstated? Why were most of the scenes spent explaining technology?
Would I Recommend?
I, personally, would stay away from this one. Read the first one, that's fine, and if you're still curious, read this one. But I seriously would recommend to just stay with the first, and make up your own idea on what could have happened in this book.
Trigger warning for graphic suicide, anxiety attacks, panic attacks, death, death of loved ones, implied suicide, kidnapping, and ableism.
Note: I sent an email to the publisher regarding a graphic suicide scene, and recommended putting up a trigger warning for it. They responded with that it would be a disservice to readers because scenes can be interpreted in many different ways.
I would like to thank the people at Jolly Fish Press for allowing me to have an ARC of this book via Netgalley.
Wow, where do I even start with this one?
Consider rocked my world with it's realistic anxiety depiction and the engaging plot, but Contribute is basically the exact opposite. Half way through, Alex's anxiety starts to conveniently to take breaks at the oddest (and most convenient) points during the plot that I couldn't help but think that Acevedo found that having a protagonist with anxiety was too difficult to write, especially for leading a rebellion. And, once again, Alex's love interest, Dominick, starts making weird comments that just rubbed me the wrong way. There was a scene in which it was revealed that he edited his "hologuide" (the hologram that guides the Earth people around their world) to look and act exactly as Alex did. Except, he added larger boobs, and did something to it's body that was bad enough that Acevedo didn't reveal what it was. Dominick even went on to say during one of Alex's panic attacks:
"I never knew anxiety was so physical. It reminded me of my father before he died. Seeing you go through that only made me love you more. I had no idea it was that bad" - ARC, location 2601.
Dominick's comments and behavior sounds so much like romanticism and eroticism that I stopped reading for quite a while. Dominick is such an unhealthy person for Alex, especially for her anxiety, and it was ridiculous that she stayed with him and tolerated this behavior.
Not only was the anxiety rep diminished already from what it was in Consider, but everything else lost it's luster as well. The plot was everywhere, scenes happening and finishing within a paragraph, so much so that it didn't even register with me when characters died. And, most of the time I couldn't even tell if they died or Acevedo just forgot about them! Characters were so often left to the side, coming in only when convenient and forgotten otherwise. Where was Marcus for half of the book? Rita? Or maybe Dominick's family, or Nolan? What about Nolan's grandmother, who we never learned the name of? So many characters were left aside that I legit forgot they existed, and honestly wondered if I missed their death scene or not. Random characters were introduced or cut based on whether or whether not it added enough chaos to the plot.
One last thing, because I'm really trying to curb my rant here. There were two, two, gay characters. One died, and one just disappeared off the page. What kind of representation is that? Yea, one was brave and died for their family, but when the only two gay characters are brushed to the side, then you know there's a problem.
Oh, and anxiety was called a "liability".
one star - Overall?
I'm just really, really, disappointed right now. I still love Consider, but Contribute was just one problem after another. Most scenes didn't even make sense. Why would someone who lives off the grid feel so strongly about rations he didn't even use to be reinstated? Why were most of the scenes spent explaining technology?
Would I Recommend?
I, personally, would stay away from this one. Read the first one, that's fine, and if you're still curious, read this one. But I seriously would recommend to just stay with the first, and make up your own idea on what could have happened in this book.
Trigger warning for graphic suicide, anxiety attacks, panic attacks, death, death of loved ones, implied suicide, kidnapping, and ableism.
Note: I sent an email to the publisher regarding a graphic suicide scene, and recommended putting up a trigger warning for it. They responded with that it would be a disservice to readers because scenes can be interpreted in many different ways.
September 6, 2017
2,5 stars. I still disliked the main character pretty much throughout the story. I didn't exactly dislike the story though, or at least the idea of it is kinda intriguing, even if it isn't overly engaging.
Sadly, I'm certain I won't remember much of it a month from now, save maybe for its obnoxious heroine. It's possible I've just had it with the first person narrative, which more often than not makes for an annoying - and seemingly super self-absorbed - protagonist. Or so it seems. Because it could just be me finding it impossible to relate to her weird behavior towards Dominick (who too, is a terribly cartoonish character) and pretty much anyone else in the story.
Writing this, I'm thinking I should've skipped it.
Sadly, I'm certain I won't remember much of it a month from now, save maybe for its obnoxious heroine. It's possible I've just had it with the first person narrative, which more often than not makes for an annoying - and seemingly super self-absorbed - protagonist. Or so it seems. Because it could just be me finding it impossible to relate to her weird behavior towards Dominick (who too, is a terribly cartoonish character) and pretty much anyone else in the story.
Writing this, I'm thinking I should've skipped it.
July 3, 2017
Lots of emotions. This book is action packed!
This is a review for both Consider (book 1) and Contribute.
I participate in ongoing secret santa exchanges throughout the year, with one being around books. I'm a pretty hard person to shop for because I don't keep every book in my collection on my TBR and my wishlist changes from day to day! You can imagine how thrilled I was when my secret santa not only picked a book I hadn't heard of but also fit within the type of book I LOVE to read.
The past ruined. The present destroyed. The future erased.
YA scifi book? Check
Debut author? Check
Unique story with great characters? Check Check
Local? CHECK - Kristy is local to my secret santa!
So, first off...Thank you again, secret santa. You introduced me to a great series that I fell in love with. Not only did I devour it but I picked up the sequel (out next week) and am here to share both books with you today.
The Holo Series has a little something for everyone.
For those of you who love scifi, Consider was nominated for a Philip K. Dick Award (if you've been under a rock, you might know him from writing Man in the High Castle and many others!). It's futuristic and tackles technology in a way I haven't seen done before. I don't want to give away how the world works but Kristy paints a clear picture as to what is going on. You'll be fascinated and terrified at the same time.
“Okay, you need to feel your own sense of power. True power is standing in your own shoes, in your own truth, and not feeling ashamed but celebrating who you’ve been and who you’re becoming. When you speak from that place, people listen. When you listen from that place, the walls between us fall."
For those of you who love kickass females, Alexa is your girl. She reminded me of Katniss, faced with an impossible decision and looked upon as a leader, even though she didn't ask for that. Add to that Kristy's portrayal of Alexa's anxiety...You can imagine how this could go. Alexa does an amazing job managing everything that happens in both books.
There’s always a catch, always a cost. Keron swoops his robed arms around and holds his hands over his heart. If he has a heart. “We need your contribution in death.”
For those of you who love action, OH MAN, Contribute is the book for you. This book does not skip on the action scenes. Be forewarned: your favorite characters are in dire straights. Yes, you will be on the edge of your seat!
If you like tension, there's a lot of it in Consider and Contribute. The people are faced with a decision that would crush even the strongest. Do they go through an unknown portal to a world sold as better or risk staying on Earth that is supposedly going to end?
This is a review for both Consider (book 1) and Contribute.
I participate in ongoing secret santa exchanges throughout the year, with one being around books. I'm a pretty hard person to shop for because I don't keep every book in my collection on my TBR and my wishlist changes from day to day! You can imagine how thrilled I was when my secret santa not only picked a book I hadn't heard of but also fit within the type of book I LOVE to read.
The past ruined. The present destroyed. The future erased.
YA scifi book? Check
Debut author? Check
Unique story with great characters? Check Check
Local? CHECK - Kristy is local to my secret santa!
So, first off...Thank you again, secret santa. You introduced me to a great series that I fell in love with. Not only did I devour it but I picked up the sequel (out next week) and am here to share both books with you today.
The Holo Series has a little something for everyone.
For those of you who love scifi, Consider was nominated for a Philip K. Dick Award (if you've been under a rock, you might know him from writing Man in the High Castle and many others!). It's futuristic and tackles technology in a way I haven't seen done before. I don't want to give away how the world works but Kristy paints a clear picture as to what is going on. You'll be fascinated and terrified at the same time.
“Okay, you need to feel your own sense of power. True power is standing in your own shoes, in your own truth, and not feeling ashamed but celebrating who you’ve been and who you’re becoming. When you speak from that place, people listen. When you listen from that place, the walls between us fall."
For those of you who love kickass females, Alexa is your girl. She reminded me of Katniss, faced with an impossible decision and looked upon as a leader, even though she didn't ask for that. Add to that Kristy's portrayal of Alexa's anxiety...You can imagine how this could go. Alexa does an amazing job managing everything that happens in both books.
There’s always a catch, always a cost. Keron swoops his robed arms around and holds his hands over his heart. If he has a heart. “We need your contribution in death.”
For those of you who love action, OH MAN, Contribute is the book for you. This book does not skip on the action scenes. Be forewarned: your favorite characters are in dire straights. Yes, you will be on the edge of your seat!
If you like tension, there's a lot of it in Consider and Contribute. The people are faced with a decision that would crush even the strongest. Do they go through an unknown portal to a world sold as better or risk staying on Earth that is supposedly going to end?
September 12, 2017
Soo... apparently my "reading binge" is finished, and I am now back to reading at a slower pace... Which, you know, is fine, but it means getting through a single book is taking me longer
I'm not good at taking notes while reading books (which is why my reviews are mostly pretty short), and it makes it a bit more difficult to actually review a book.
Contribute is the sequel to Consider, and the conclusion to the Holo duology. This book takes a very different turn than the first one, due to the fact that this is what happens after Alex has gone through the Vertex to an alternate reality.
Of course, the fact of the matter is that Earth is actually just fine, and she is the only one who knows.
So, you know... Cue rebellion to save her people?
...not exactly, though.
Part of what I really love about this series is that, despite the somewhat overused themes, Kristy Acevedo manages to have her characters react naturally. Alex is terrified and clueless, and she is in no way trying to rebel against anything. All she wants is to get her family and friends and go back home - hopefully before her anxiety takes over completely
The imperfectness of the characters is what makes this so relatable, despite it being a sci-fi, and that is exactly what made me rate the book 5.0/5.0 stars
My only issues were the fact that the ending felt a bit rushed, in that there were some things that weren't really explained to well - and I would have really liked the book to have just a few more pages, so the ending wouldn't have been as open as it was
I'm not good at taking notes while reading books (which is why my reviews are mostly pretty short), and it makes it a bit more difficult to actually review a book.
Contribute is the sequel to Consider, and the conclusion to the Holo duology. This book takes a very different turn than the first one, due to the fact that this is what happens after Alex has gone through the Vertex to an alternate reality.
Of course, the fact of the matter is that Earth is actually just fine, and she is the only one who knows.
So, you know... Cue rebellion to save her people?
...not exactly, though.
Part of what I really love about this series is that, despite the somewhat overused themes, Kristy Acevedo manages to have her characters react naturally. Alex is terrified and clueless, and she is in no way trying to rebel against anything. All she wants is to get her family and friends and go back home - hopefully before her anxiety takes over completely
The imperfectness of the characters is what makes this so relatable, despite it being a sci-fi, and that is exactly what made me rate the book 5.0/5.0 stars
My only issues were the fact that the ending felt a bit rushed, in that there were some things that weren't really explained to well - and I would have really liked the book to have just a few more pages, so the ending wouldn't have been as open as it was
March 28, 2017
The follow-up to Acevedo's Philip K. Dick Award finalist, CONTRIBUTE tracks teenager and sci-fi nerd, Alex, as she figures out what's beyond the holograms that tricked Earth in her first book. Lots of homage to fantasy and sci-fi classics in this book and imaginative world-building all around. Alex's journey of discovery, persistence, and ultimately resistance, seems all the more important with the current political and social climate. Acevedo pushes back against the boundaries of reality and asks readers to consider how much freedom and future they would be willing to give up in order to live in imagined luxury.
Recommended! 4.5 stars (but def read the original first... which I adored!)
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Recommended! 4.5 stars (but def read the original first... which I adored!)
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
January 28, 2018
I am glad I bought this book! One thing I loved was Alex's evolution in this book, and in the series. She is terrified and just wants her family and friends and to go back home. Readers watch her evolve from that, out of her shell of anxiety and able to lead the people of Earth. Honestly, I don't think I would have been brave enough to do some of things she did. This book also reveals truths about Earth and shows the attitude of people. Most of the humans did not want to go home; they did not want to earn their future. I loved that specific conflict of whether or not truth even matters, and the laziness and selfishness of humanity. However, Contribute clearly showcases that even one person can make a difference and change the planet. Read more of my review at http://pagesforthoughts.blogspot.com/...
July 11, 2017
I had the opportunity to read this as an ARC from the publisher. I've been waiting since I finished the first book, Consider, last spring to read the conclusion to Alex and Dominick's story and I was not disappointed. A wonderful -- albeit really different -- book from the first, Contribute follows Alex as she steps into the Vertex to find Dominick, Rita, and her brother and tell them that the Comet didn't destroy Earth. She finds things she never expected, including inner strength she never knew she had inside. Amazing science fiction--if you like Doctor Who, Star Trek, and other similar sci-fi pop culture, there are a lot of cool references. Two enthusiastic thumbs up for teens and adults!
October 11, 2017
I felt so annoyed through this entire book. Alex is a whiney baby that only makes me not really care about her. The story jumps around, people and plot lines come and go with no explanations, Alex whines some more. Some of the only endearing characters die totally unceremoniously and the story just goes on. Nothing is really wrapped up and Alex whines some more. Not worth it.
April 20, 2017
THIS IS GOING TO BE RELEASED ON MY BIRTHDAY?!
BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!
BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!
July 20, 2017
THERE MUST BE A BOOK THREE. THERE MUST!! Please say there is... D:
Edit - there isn't. I am going to cry. Waaaah!
So freaking good. I loved it. Review soon!
Edit - there isn't. I am going to cry. Waaaah!
So freaking good. I loved it. Review soon!
June 9, 2021
Sadly this felt like a massive step down from the first book for me. :(
July 11, 2017
This compelling YA science fiction thriller continues just after Alex has traveled through the vortex at the very last second in the first Holo book, CONSIDER. When Alex realizes that the aliens have lied about the oncoming comet, she feels obliged to reveal the truth to all those humans who have ventured through earlier, including her boyfriend, best friend, brother and grandmother. The story grows more complex as Alex shares her truth with a few other rebellious people in transit and tries to locate those dear to her. The aliens are urging the humans to donate their bodies—particularly their brains—to be used as bioholograms after their deaths. When Alex meets the stranger from her past on earth—the one who compelled her to make the journey, the puzzle becomes even more confusing. Eventually Alex does connect with her brother and joins him in the resistance. As more things seem not to add up, the intrigue deepens and the doubts grow. By the time Alex finally finds her boyfriend, best friend, and grandmother, she is even deeper into the resistance movement. When Alex makes a bid to stall the meritocracy’s takeover of the humans, her plan backfires. The alien leaders have discovered that force is not necessary to overcome an opponent, but instead they create want and necessity. When the resistance does resort to violence, Alex must make a difficult decision to help save the others—and as she learns, victory is never won without some losses. This book is a page-turner sure to entertain sci-fi fans. The main character discovers hard won lessons on family, friends, and working toward the greater good. A gripping out-of-this-world adventure!
July 11, 2017
It's been over a year since the first book and I don't think I've counted down the days with quite so much anticipation with any other series. Or worry that it could possibly live up to it's beginning.
So happy to find out the sequel was every bit as great. Everything clicked into place without being too obvious along the way. Just a truly fun read from start to end. The ending was just right (although bittersweet after losing characters along the way). That hint of uncertainty that makes you question your own reality...the hallmark of any true scifi.
I'm not a great writer so I'm sure others will cover things in much finer detail than I can but I just wanted to thank the author for a wonderful journey. So thanks!
So happy to find out the sequel was every bit as great. Everything clicked into place without being too obvious along the way. Just a truly fun read from start to end. The ending was just right (although bittersweet after losing characters along the way). That hint of uncertainty that makes you question your own reality...the hallmark of any true scifi.
I'm not a great writer so I'm sure others will cover things in much finer detail than I can but I just wanted to thank the author for a wonderful journey. So thanks!
July 22, 2017
I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley.com for allowing me to read the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is an exciting and gripping science fiction work and I did enjoy it even though I felt the end was a bit rushed. Sadly I had not read the prequel "Consider" which seems to have been a great start to the plot according to the reviews I have seen. However this did not spoil my enjoyment of Contribute and I would not hesitate to recommend it to sci-fi lovers.
This is an exciting and gripping science fiction work and I did enjoy it even though I felt the end was a bit rushed. Sadly I had not read the prequel "Consider" which seems to have been a great start to the plot according to the reviews I have seen. However this did not spoil my enjoyment of Contribute and I would not hesitate to recommend it to sci-fi lovers.
June 2, 2018
It started out strong but collapsed with a rushed, sloppy ending.
Spoilers to follow.
While I struggled with Alex as a character in Consider, the cliffhanger ending stuck with me enough to return for the conclusion. The first 60-70% of this book is slow-burn world building with new characters and the unfolding mystery of the vances. Why don’t we see ever see them? What is real? The pacing was strong and while I find Alex whiney at times, I don’t suffer from anxiety and I’m not accustomed to being in the head of someone who does. A lot of criticism was leveled against a line from Domenick after witnessing Alex having an anxiety attack. I didn’t mind it because it wouldn’t occur to someone without anxiety that it was an inappropriate statement. I do understand frustration that Alex didn’t follow up.
The final third of the book just falls apart.
There's the reveal that:
I truly enjoyed Katherine, Dr. A, Domenick, Rita, even Benji. Acevedo did a nice job with the characters, but I feel like character deaths were thrown in for shock value and didn't resonate. One in particular.
I appreciate that many felt the rebel versus just-relax plot was too black and white. I didn’t mind it. The contrast was fine. I would have liked a bit more comparison between the Umbra and terrorist organizations. It’s what they essentially were.
I do see where the author was going. She sprinkled the book with great sci-fi shoutouts and quiet character moments. Not every relationship was resolved. They didn’t need to be. I just think it needed some rethinking. We should have gone with Alex through the portal, seen Earth for the first time with her, and gotten details of her assimilation back home. I know I’m hard on the ending but it’s because so much was glossed over.
Call it 4-5 stars to start and a fall to 2 by the end with the weight of the plot. Round it to 3.
Spoilers to follow.
While I struggled with Alex as a character in Consider, the cliffhanger ending stuck with me enough to return for the conclusion. The first 60-70% of this book is slow-burn world building with new characters and the unfolding mystery of the vances. Why don’t we see ever see them? What is real? The pacing was strong and while I find Alex whiney at times, I don’t suffer from anxiety and I’m not accustomed to being in the head of someone who does. A lot of criticism was leveled against a line from Domenick after witnessing Alex having an anxiety attack. I didn’t mind it because it wouldn’t occur to someone without anxiety that it was an inappropriate statement. I do understand frustration that Alex didn’t follow up.
The final third of the book just falls apart.
There's the reveal that:
I truly enjoyed Katherine, Dr. A, Domenick, Rita, even Benji. Acevedo did a nice job with the characters, but I feel like character deaths were thrown in for shock value and didn't resonate. One in particular.
I appreciate that many felt the rebel versus just-relax plot was too black and white. I didn’t mind it. The contrast was fine. I would have liked a bit more comparison between the Umbra and terrorist organizations. It’s what they essentially were.
I do see where the author was going. She sprinkled the book with great sci-fi shoutouts and quiet character moments. Not every relationship was resolved. They didn’t need to be. I just think it needed some rethinking. We should have gone with Alex through the portal, seen Earth for the first time with her, and gotten details of her assimilation back home. I know I’m hard on the ending but it’s because so much was glossed over.
Call it 4-5 stars to start and a fall to 2 by the end with the weight of the plot. Round it to 3.
June 5, 2018
I love being so caught up in a story that I just breeze through the series. Highly recommend this one. Thank you @Carah Amelie for the recommendation.
August 2, 2017
I preferred the contemporary earth setting of the first book in the series to the intergalactic planetary someplace-in-space-time of this one, but the story is just as suspenseful and the characters are just as compelling. If you haven't read CONSIDER, read that first, then CONTRIBUTE.
August 3, 2017
3.5 stars. Easily the most anticipated book sequel I've wanted to read in a long time, as I loved Holo's story and desperately wanted to know what happened next. Starts out strong, but the MC is as annoying and awful as always and there's far too much time spent on a (what seems like it comes out of nowhere) rebellion/faction situation that reeks of YA tropes (including "the savior" leader of the rebellion tropes that are in literally every YA novel ever).
The eventual plot reveal is interesting though felt like a let down compared to the build-up, and it ends *really* quickly (and, furthermore, somewhat unsatisfyingly/frustrating). Plus a few deaths that seem to happen just to check the "sad emotional death" checkbox without it being terribly purposeful.
Glad I read the series, just wish the second book had lived up to the first.
The eventual plot reveal is interesting though felt like a let down compared to the build-up, and it ends *really* quickly (and, furthermore, somewhat unsatisfyingly/frustrating). Plus a few deaths that seem to happen just to check the "sad emotional death" checkbox without it being terribly purposeful.
Glad I read the series, just wish the second book had lived up to the first.
September 25, 2017
I was really into most of this book, but the end kind of fizzled for me. I’m not sure, though, how it could have ended better.
July 4, 2017
Meh, I felt the whole conflict was simplified too much, leaving a clear-right vs clear-wrong type of plot, the pacing was way off being mostly too slow with a very rushed ending. It also felt so small, somehow. People from all over earth were transported to an entirerly new dimension, but we only got to see middle class americans' view of this new society.
June 13, 2017
I obtained an ebook advanced review copy of Contribute from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Contribute is by Kristy Acevedo and will be published on 11th July 2017. It is the second book in the Holo series. (Probably some spoilers but I tried to keep them to the minimum)
The first book Consider, which I devoured last year, is centred around the idea of portals appearing around the Earth, holograms stepping out, warning that an asteroid is going to destroy the world very soon and an offer of salvation for any human who steps through a portal. Therefore the title Consider described the decision the characters had to make.
This concept, the title describing the story, continues with the second book Contribute.
The main character Alex went through a portal at the end of Consider, that much is evident from the second book's blurb. She is now in a totally alien environment. A stranger in a strange land as Heinlein would have said. Everything is new to her, strange and frightening. She doesn't know if she's is safe for now or in immediate danger.
She is out of place, finding some good things about this new world and some very unsettling things. All the other humans seem to be happy, settled, enjoying themselves.
Alex knows the truth though, she knows that their rescuers, in reality, kidnapped them. They are trapped.
But why? Why bring them to the new world? What is in it for the aliens?
With others help, she starts to work out some of what is going on. The aliens, in keeping with the title of the book, want the humans to contribute. They want them to contribute something seemingly really small, something harmless and unimportant. Something that will not affect them for a very long time. But everything is not as it seems to the many.
I loved this book. It was one of my most anticipated reads for 2017 and I devoured it. It was fast paced, had intriguing characters, is a brilliant story and is definitely worth reading.
And yet, I do think the series ended too quickly. There is a line about halfway through Contribute, 'Consider, contribute, converge, control.' (Acevedo 2017) On reading this, I thought that the last two words would be the titles of subsequent books. Because this story had a lot of potential still. The story at the end felt rushed. Which was disappointing. I loved this series and wanted more
But the books are still good and need to be read. So go read them.
Contribute is by Kristy Acevedo and will be published on 11th July 2017. It is the second book in the Holo series. (Probably some spoilers but I tried to keep them to the minimum)
The first book Consider, which I devoured last year, is centred around the idea of portals appearing around the Earth, holograms stepping out, warning that an asteroid is going to destroy the world very soon and an offer of salvation for any human who steps through a portal. Therefore the title Consider described the decision the characters had to make.
This concept, the title describing the story, continues with the second book Contribute.
The main character Alex went through a portal at the end of Consider, that much is evident from the second book's blurb. She is now in a totally alien environment. A stranger in a strange land as Heinlein would have said. Everything is new to her, strange and frightening. She doesn't know if she's is safe for now or in immediate danger.
She is out of place, finding some good things about this new world and some very unsettling things. All the other humans seem to be happy, settled, enjoying themselves.
Alex knows the truth though, she knows that their rescuers, in reality, kidnapped them. They are trapped.
But why? Why bring them to the new world? What is in it for the aliens?
With others help, she starts to work out some of what is going on. The aliens, in keeping with the title of the book, want the humans to contribute. They want them to contribute something seemingly really small, something harmless and unimportant. Something that will not affect them for a very long time. But everything is not as it seems to the many.
I loved this book. It was one of my most anticipated reads for 2017 and I devoured it. It was fast paced, had intriguing characters, is a brilliant story and is definitely worth reading.
And yet, I do think the series ended too quickly. There is a line about halfway through Contribute, 'Consider, contribute, converge, control.' (Acevedo 2017) On reading this, I thought that the last two words would be the titles of subsequent books. Because this story had a lot of potential still. The story at the end felt rushed. Which was disappointing. I loved this series and wanted more
But the books are still good and need to be read. So go read them.
June 20, 2017
Contribute is a fitting sequel to Consider. The author once again takes us deep into the emotional turmoil of the main character and the distress she has to fight every day. Some days, she’s overcome. Other days, she pushes through. We get to witness the ups and downs of finding and losing loved ones and we finally see some loose ends from the first book tidied up.
Although the story is set in a technologically advanced society, the author manages to keep the science and the tech accessible. She makes it believable and effortless without expanding into the minutia of holographic technology and other futuristic concepts that appear in the story. In that sense, it makes for easy reading while you as the reader still get the sense that you’re somewhere in the future. I’ll assume that the YA target audience is partially the reason for this.
The pacing of this story is a little bit different than the first book, yet at the same time similar. In the first book, humanity had a certain amount of time to consider their choices. This book also centers around a choice, whether to contribute or not. Every person has to make a choice and then live with the consequences.
There are some odd plot aspects that stood out as I was reading. For example, the alien race is intelligent enough to realize that their treatment of their visitors from Earth isn’t entirely fair (as they’ve claimed all along) but they fail to realize that the underlying mission that is the ultimate cause of the intergalactic kidnapping is outdated. The ability of the humans from Earth to so quickly hack into the infrastructure of their technologically, advanced hosts is also a bit surprising, as is their ability to just live off of the grid. As controlling as the humans of the future are, they leave an awful lot of security holes in their infrastructure.
However, these complaints are minor and didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book. Having read both books, it was very satisfying to see loose ends tied up in this book. Really, if you’re interested in reading this book, you should read Consider first. Without reading it, you’ll miss out on a lot of the background story that is referenced throughout Contribute.
Contribute is a story that’s well worth the read and it’ll keep you glued do the book until you’re done. I loved it and would warmly recommend it!
Although the story is set in a technologically advanced society, the author manages to keep the science and the tech accessible. She makes it believable and effortless without expanding into the minutia of holographic technology and other futuristic concepts that appear in the story. In that sense, it makes for easy reading while you as the reader still get the sense that you’re somewhere in the future. I’ll assume that the YA target audience is partially the reason for this.
The pacing of this story is a little bit different than the first book, yet at the same time similar. In the first book, humanity had a certain amount of time to consider their choices. This book also centers around a choice, whether to contribute or not. Every person has to make a choice and then live with the consequences.
There are some odd plot aspects that stood out as I was reading. For example, the alien race is intelligent enough to realize that their treatment of their visitors from Earth isn’t entirely fair (as they’ve claimed all along) but they fail to realize that the underlying mission that is the ultimate cause of the intergalactic kidnapping is outdated. The ability of the humans from Earth to so quickly hack into the infrastructure of their technologically, advanced hosts is also a bit surprising, as is their ability to just live off of the grid. As controlling as the humans of the future are, they leave an awful lot of security holes in their infrastructure.
However, these complaints are minor and didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book. Having read both books, it was very satisfying to see loose ends tied up in this book. Really, if you’re interested in reading this book, you should read Consider first. Without reading it, you’ll miss out on a lot of the background story that is referenced throughout Contribute.
Contribute is a story that’s well worth the read and it’ll keep you glued do the book until you’re done. I loved it and would warmly recommend it!
July 9, 2017
This… Series… Was… Wicked!! This was such a cool, imaginative and simply amazing series. There is so many emotions throughout the entire book but it just keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is very bittersweet because I definitely just want more and more but such a unique and fitting ending to the series. Our characters are fantastic and you just keep rooting for them over and over and over. Our main character is so flawed but in the second book you really get to see her come out of her shell and embrace her newfound leadership. Some characters from the first book make appearances in the second that I did not expect and just added a little bit more wonder to the book. The author sprinkles many pop culture references throughout the entire book which really gives our new world a little taste of the old world. Some of the scenes were so descriptive I could not help but wonder how amazing the authors imagination is and how cool it must've been to write some of the scenes. There could not have been a more perfect narrator for the series. Everything was just so fantastic. She went through all of the emotional tribulations with our main characters and when she was supposed to be angry she was and when she was supposed to be sad she was. However, I think the best part of her narration was when she was performing the holograms and her somewhat robotic voice. Also the scenes where our main character was freaking out we're very very well done. I cannot say enough good things about the series and if you have not read it you definitely should read it. Better yet listen to the audiobooks because the narration really brings the authors words to life. Lastly, throughout the entire series I really caught myself thinking about life's issues and the author makes you do this in a really fun and enjoyable way. All those what if questions we ask ourselves on a daily basis seemed to come to light in the series and it was very refreshing. Amazing job and hopefully there will be another book maybe a prequel or a few novellas because this series is so wicked! The authors contribution definitely lead to freedom!!!
February 14, 2018
This whole series was great and I enjoyed it all the way through. This book was a ride, but it was also longer than it needed to be in my opinion. I felt like there was a decent amount of filler writing in it that didn't need to be there. With that said though.. it was still somewhat fast paced, and I was really curious how it was going to end. I think Kristy is really good at building and describing worlds and developing characters. Everything was very vivid and clear as I read the story. The science aspect was very thought out as well. I also feel like she did a pretty good job at filling any plot holes that would be easy to create in a story like this.
I do get a little frustrated reading main characters with anxiety disorders only because sometimes the plot focuses more on that than the story... and the characters make dumb decisions or jump to conclusions that make no sense....(like when she wouldn't put the weapon strap around her neck or she thought Dominick and Rita were having an affair for no apparent reason.) I find it more aggravating than suspense building. I understand that it can make for an interesting character... but more often than not I just roll my eyes.
Consider & Contribute were both very surprising and I probably wouldn't have picked them up if they weren't recommended to me. I am interested to see what other books Kristy comes out with.
I do get a little frustrated reading main characters with anxiety disorders only because sometimes the plot focuses more on that than the story... and the characters make dumb decisions or jump to conclusions that make no sense....(like when she wouldn't put the weapon strap around her neck or she thought Dominick and Rita were having an affair for no apparent reason.) I find it more aggravating than suspense building. I understand that it can make for an interesting character... but more often than not I just roll my eyes.
Consider & Contribute were both very surprising and I probably wouldn't have picked them up if they weren't recommended to me. I am interested to see what other books Kristy comes out with.
April 18, 2019
I think Suzanne Collins handled ...or at least Collins's version resonated more with me (as someone who has admittedly never experienced anything near ).
Soo one star less than the first book (which was very good, but not perfect). Which makes it seem like I didn't find it really enjoyable and clever and fun and insightful and original and thought-provoking. But this duology was all of those things. Read it!
Also, I liked the bit at the end where
Soo one star less than the first book (which was very good, but not perfect). Which makes it seem like I didn't find it really enjoyable and clever and fun and insightful and original and thought-provoking. But this duology was all of those things. Read it!
Also, I liked the bit at the end where
July 26, 2017
I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'd like to start by saying that I didn't realize this was a second book when I entered for it. I figured I'd catch on though. A few chapters in, I knew I'd regret not reading the first book so I purchased it (paid a whole $9.99 for it, so I expected big things!).
Once I finished the first (Consider) I knew I would've regretted not reading both. They are fantastic! Contribute is a unique sci-fi story whose main character accurately depicts a person with quite debilitating anxiety. This book starts off where the first ends. Alex has travelled through a vertex to the new planet and this story follows her reconnecting with her boyfriend, best friend, and brother and bringing the news that the earth wasn't destroyed. I don't want to give anything away, but any sci-fi fan would find some enjoyment in this book.
I love all the little "nerdy" references throughout (especially the Doctor Who ones, extra points because the main character had good taste in Doctors!).
I'd like to start by saying that I didn't realize this was a second book when I entered for it. I figured I'd catch on though. A few chapters in, I knew I'd regret not reading the first book so I purchased it (paid a whole $9.99 for it, so I expected big things!).
Once I finished the first (Consider) I knew I would've regretted not reading both. They are fantastic! Contribute is a unique sci-fi story whose main character accurately depicts a person with quite debilitating anxiety. This book starts off where the first ends. Alex has travelled through a vertex to the new planet and this story follows her reconnecting with her boyfriend, best friend, and brother and bringing the news that the earth wasn't destroyed. I don't want to give anything away, but any sci-fi fan would find some enjoyment in this book.
I love all the little "nerdy" references throughout (especially the Doctor Who ones, extra points because the main character had good taste in Doctors!).
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