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Elixir Project

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<!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--> EVERYTHING CAN BE HACKED, EVEN THE TRUTH. Will this fact set Sienna free or plunge her into an even bigger lie? Sienna Lewis lives in a world constantly threatened by a hacktivist group known as SWARM. After SWARM executes its deadliest attack yet, Sienna and her three college friends learn they have been chosen for the ELIXIR Project—a master plan designed to overthrow SWARM—and participation is mandatory. As she faces the deadly challenges of the Project, Sienna confronts layers of conspiracies that force her to question everyone she trusts and everything she believes about her friends, her parents’ untimely deaths, and herself—all while staying one step ahead of SWARM. In this fast-paced, near-future thriller, will love and loyalty have time to catch up with Sienna? Or will she crack under the pressure of a future already chosen for her?

378 pages, Paperback

Published December 6, 2016

96 people are currently reading
589 people want to read

About the author

Kary Oberbrunner

90 books68 followers
KARY OBERBRUNNER is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of 14 books. As CEO of Igniting Souls® and Instant IP™ he helps abundant-minded & coachable-competent entrepreneurs PUBLISH, PROTECT, and PROMOTE their intellectual property and turn it into 18 streams of income so they can change the world.

An award-winning novelist, screenwriter, and inventor, he’s been featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, CBS, Fox News, Yahoo, and many other major media outlets. His TEDx has been viewed over 1 million times.

As a young man, he suffered from severe stuttering, depression, and self-injury. Today a transformed man, Kary ignites souls: speaking internationally on a variety of topics and consulting the world's top entrepreneurs and brands regarding publishing, protecting, and promoting intellectual property.

He has several earned degrees, including a Bachelor of Arts, Masters in Divinity, and Doctorate in Transformational Leadership. He also serves as the Berry Chair of Entrepreneurship at Cedarville University, where he teaches on the topics of Entrepreneurship and Digital Marketing. Kary enjoys cycling, especially in the French Alps. He lives in Ohio with his wife Kelly and three children: Keegan, Isabel, and Addison.

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5 stars
119 (47%)
4 stars
62 (24%)
3 stars
35 (13%)
2 stars
27 (10%)
1 star
8 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
Profile Image for Chris.
28 reviews33 followers
November 17, 2016
This book is amazing! Not only is the main storyline captivating, sucking you in from the very beginning, it has a subplot that is even more fascinating: hackability.

First, the main storyline. The characters are real and believable. You quickly sympathize with some and detest others. One character, in particular, Officer McNultey, I wanted to punch in the face. Sienna, the main character, I could only admire. She didn't always make the best choices, but she handled them with grace and then become an even better heroine as a result. It was fascinating to watch her growth.

The story is a classic case of good versus evil. In this story, the evil is SWARM, the ultimate hacktivist group. No one knows who they are, only the havoc they wreak and the lives they tear apart.

The subplot of this story is not fiction, but reality. We all face the possibility of becoming hacked. Days after I read this book, I was personally hacked when someone hacked one of my bank accounts and stole $2,000. Even worse, though, is a deeper and more insidious form of hacking. This hacking is intensely personal, and you can only excape by . . . well, I guess you'll just have to read the whole book to find out how to make yourself unhackable.
Profile Image for Bamidele Adenipekun.
7 reviews
October 14, 2016
I was quickly drawn into the story wanting to know who could be trusted in a world where everything could be hacked even the truth. Even for those who wouldn't normally read thrillers/science fiction; I'll strongly recommend the book for 2 reasons - 1. it's a captivating and riveting read, you wont be bored as you keep trying to figure out what's coming next and who's responsible for what; 2. I think it will make the you behave more responsibly with respect to your digital footprints.
5 stars!
1 review2 followers
October 17, 2016
Are you a nonfiction reader? Well I am and I honestly wasn't sure I'd like reading a fiction book, but my coach Kary Oberbrunner wrote it and I was interested to see just what was inside this book. WOW! I love what I am reading. I've read through seven chapters and each chapter leaves you wanting to turn to the next chapter. From the opening he creates a scene which captures your attention and he does a marvelous job painting the picture in your mind, so you are there right inside the first scene. His use of metaphors is fantastic and how we sets ups the characters with his descriptive writing is very good. So, if you don't read fiction like me, I'd encourage to pickup this book and give it read. Its worth your time, believe me!
Profile Image for Martin.
Author 1 book6 followers
April 28, 2017
Disappointment. First, I cannot express feelings about reading book, where the main character is a teen girl and author is a man (Teen girl is not the problem in my book). Second, the thought about hacking everything including our minds is fine, but the story plot is a big wave. On several long pages the girls are solving proper dresses and eye colors and a little time ahead there are much important story changes left unexplained (or in one paragraph).

I don't like novel ends, which are something like "to be continued". The difference between "open end", which CAN (but may not) continue and this end, is huge. This book was written with "to be continued" from the beginning.
Profile Image for Hopelyn.
8 reviews4 followers
September 13, 2018
This book is quite intriguing. My interest to write fiction is peaked.
1,952 reviews74 followers
December 30, 2016
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
Wow! This is an exciting book. It draws you in from the first page and keeps you on the edge of your seat through the entire story. There seems to one unexpected turn after another. Well-written with interesting characters and lots to think about. I plan on passing this book along to a teenage reader that I am sure will love it too.
2 reviews
October 16, 2016
I have read several chapters on Kary's awesome Elixer Project VIP Launch Experience....by the way, if you are not part of it-you need to be. We get sneak peeks into the book, loads of insight and awareness, and it's a very fun and active group!

As for the book, it's big- just saying, for the record, this one is going all the way. This one will be in cinema. This book is already making rethink...how I think!

I don't even want to tell you about the book because it's so good I want you to read it, and learn it, for yourself :-) I can say, it grabs you quickly. It draws you into the characters right away. Emotions and thoughts will grab you from the first chapter.

I cannot wait to back to the next chapter and learn more about how 'hackable' things are - and consider, "How hackable am I?"
GREAT READ, Niccie
Profile Image for Stuart.
2 reviews2 followers
February 10, 2017
This book could easily be made into a movie!

Elixir Project is packed with action and maintains a fast pace, yet the imagery is vivid and movie-like. The story has the elements that will please those who enjoy movies such as the X-Men series and Divergent series. The characters are believable and remind me of those in a young adult movie.

The book describes a world perhaps five years from now, where a well-funded group of cyberterrorists reveals their capability to hack the human brain.

I am up to Chapter 15 and can't wait to read about see our heroes unleashed on the evil organisation known only as SWARM!

Kary Oberbrunner
Profile Image for Jeffrey Kramer.
1 review1 follower
November 22, 2016
No other way to put it than this book is fantastic! Could not put it down once i got into it. Don't let the idea that this is a young adult fiction book throw you. The character development is well done, situations and locations are so well described, and the concept is, well quite frankly a little scary. Kary hits the nail on the head by bringing you into a world that seems futuristic and unreal, but then you start to relate it to things going on all around us, and you realize this is not all that unreal at all. If you liked the Divergent series, Hunger Games, or even Twilight, you will love Elixer Project. Now all we need is the sequel and the movie!
1 review
November 24, 2016
Not generally a fiction reader, I found this book compelling me to turn the next page! Deep themes touching the reality (or at least what seems like reality) in our world are cleverly woven through the plot and subplots. The characters struggle with the inner questions that define the trajectory of life in this post-truth society..."What is real?"... "Who will I trust?"... "Can you even know Truth?"..."Is resisting that which seeks to overcome me, even worth it?"

This is an amazing book, representing much more than one more young-adult fiction story offering a few hours of escape. It will leave you hungry for answers to apply to your own life!
2 reviews
November 29, 2016
Intensely Intriguing and Captivating...Be Very Afraid

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water [cue Jaws theme]...Things are not what they seem to be. Trust nobody. Trust nothing. Will SWARM find you? Does ELIXIR have the solution? If you are drawn to the Hunger Games arena, you will not be able to resist ELIXIR Project. I simply can't put the book down. As each chapter unfolds, I am more and more certain that this is a life-changing novel. You are being hacked--whether you like it or not. What should you do? Read ELIXIR Project...and find out. Oh, Kary Oberbrunner, when is the sequel coming out?! I'm on the edge of my seat, just waiting...
Profile Image for Michele Stanford.
1 review
November 16, 2016
I loved ELIXIR Project! I received an advance copy and could not put it down. It is a fast-paced thriller unlike anything I have ever read. The characters are well-developed and believable. Each chapter ends with a suspense which keeps you turning the page to discover what happens next. It is authentic and real. It is real life wrapped in a fictional package. We are all being hacked and if you want to find out how to become unhackable, this is the book to read. It is provides principles and strategies that you can apply in your life starting today. Brilliant!!
Profile Image for Veronica Sutherland.
Author 11 books
February 7, 2017
The “Elixir Project” although written for a young adult audience is a future technological thriller for all generations. It is well written with vivid stories intertwined within the main story leaving you with no time to feel bored. These stories lead you to a better understanding of the characters and the main story. I guarantee that once you start reading the “Elixir Project” you will not want to put it down until you are finished. Sienna and her friends will keep you on the edge of your seat, asking: “What’s next?”
Profile Image for Scott Perkins.
Author 3 books1 follower
November 16, 2016
I got a copy of this book at a conference I recently attended. When I got home I devoured the content. The characters are well formed and the plot is futuristic yet realistic. I really enjoyed how there was teaching in a fiction book. I found myself drawn to some of the dialogue and had to evaluate my own mindset. Particularly when the characters were talking about seeing more of what you are focusing on. If your mindset is on the negative, you will see more of the negative in yourself. And vice versa. Reading Elixir Project has made a difference in how I'm approaching my day and my business.
1 review
November 30, 2016
Thanks, Kary, for a fiction book that can add value to the lives of the readers. Well worth the investment. It is exciting to have an adventure that is so benefitial for youth up through senior adults. Young adults in the target demographic are just going to have to share this one! I am certain that families will be drawn togehter as they learn from this book and incorporate the facts of the fiction story into their lives. How creative and motivating!

Debbie Rarick, Author of Outside Words and You See Me Free
Profile Image for Judee Howard.
Author 1 book2 followers
December 6, 2016
Kept me on the edge of my seat. Kary Oberbrunner is a masterful storyteller with an engaging topic. What if everything, even the truth, truly can be hacked? Just when you think you have it figured out, the story takes a new turn. Thankfully I listened to the audio so I could get menial tasks done, or I would be catching up on them today after staying riveted to this story for two days. It ends with the hint of a sequel. I hope there's more coming! Great job for your first novel, Kary Oberbrunner!
Profile Image for Dedra Manigault.
1 review1 follower
October 14, 2016
Once you open this book to read you won't want to put it down. So many twists and turns that have you wide-eye with suspense. Just when you think you know something another something has got you perplexed or compelled. You may find yourself coining some new phrases before it's over.

Kary Oberbrunner has definitely placed his heart and soul into this new book. He doesn't let his reader down. Everything you thought was possible is or maybe not. Would you fear the truth and nothing else?
1 review
October 14, 2016
I am loving this book as it unfolds chapter by intriguing chapter! As a teacher, I have read a lot of great young adult fiction from the Hunger Games series to the Chaos Walking Trilogy. I know what captures the interest of my students, and technology is definitely at the top of the list! I can't wait to share this book with students. I'm sure it will generate some deeper conversations around the topics of internet safety, hackability, and personal identity. A great read!
Profile Image for Gill Bentham.
Author 4 books1 follower
April 11, 2019
This is an exciting read, moving from scene to scene quickly and believably. The inner thought life of the main character is very evocative, the descriptions visual and the suspense is palpable. Introducing us to a culture that could well be in the near future brings to life a potentially very real threat to society's digital security, personal identity and freedom.
This could be the 21st century's '1984'.
Profile Image for Eric Uphouse.
1 review1 follower
November 16, 2016
A page-turner! Kary has spun a tale of intrigue which will have readers guessing not only what happens next, but how this will affect the real world. This is such a terrifying glimpse into the future. Full of rich, relatable characters and plot twists aplenty, the reader will be drawn into a tale of technology and espionage told through the eyes of a young college co-ed. Brilliant! Strap yourselves in!
Profile Image for Eric Eaton.
Author 2 books3 followers
November 16, 2016
The world is changing and we need to be aware of how it is changing our truths. In The Elixir Project Kary Oberbrunner does a fantastic job of weaving a compelling and intriguing story that will shake your beliefs and knowing who to trust. His characters are complex and well written and the story line is well researched and scary believable in this day and age. Although this was written for the YA audience it will keep people of all ages glued to each page. Looking forward to the next book.
1 review
Currently reading
November 20, 2016
Kary has done it again. With his new book Elixir project. From intriguing questions I have asked myself about technology being hacked to being personally hacked myself Kary brings a version of that reality to life in these pages. The characters are the perfect age to allow for all of the drama, suspense and excitement in this book. I am having a great time listening on Audible and reading the Elixir Project. Ty Kary for another successful book!!!!!
Profile Image for Nancy Phy.
314 reviews6 followers
February 17, 2017
This is a wonderful story.

When I started reading this book I didn't want to put it down until I had finished it. It is scary to think that this could really happen.
I loved the characters. Kary has done a great job keeping you guessing all the way to the end. kary I hope you will write a book two. I want to know what happens to the characters.
Profile Image for Brenda Haire.
Author 14 books23 followers
September 17, 2018
I don't normally read fiction. I decided to read this as the Project was unfolding on Social Media in a cool way and I had read Your Secret Name by the same author. Loved Your Secret Name, life changing! I am enjoying the pace of Elixir Project and the underlying story.
233 reviews3 followers
February 6, 2017
AWESOME

After reading the first half of the book, I told myself to finish it - it might be worth it. I am so glad that I did. The last few pages made it more than worthwhile. The ending was unbelievable!
Profile Image for Merrilyn Hughes.
1 review
Currently reading
October 16, 2016
The Elixer Project is full of suspense. Each chapter builds on the last and the characters build as the book progresses. I am still guessing how it will end.
Profile Image for San Tapia.
1 review6 followers
November 28, 2016
I read chapter one and already I am enthralled. Word for word this book draws you in. It leaves you on edge, craving the next chapter. I can't wait to to finish it!
97 reviews1 follower
January 30, 2017
Won this book on goodreads. Was a very good book. Love the plot and characters in the book. Hope they come out with a second one.
3 reviews
November 24, 2016
I couldn't put the book down as the closing words of one chapter pulled me into the action of the next. Kary Oberbrunner does an artful job of developing the characters of Sienna, Darren, Chloe and Nick. The storyline keeps the readers on the edge of their seats as they struggle, along with the main characters, to distinguish between what's good and what's evil. The plot has a science fiction feel, but it's apparent, and somewhat eerie, how relevant the issues are for today. Teenagers and adults alike will gain insights into the truth about the world we live in today and how to become unhackable. I highly recommend ELIXIR Project!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews

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