The Testing (The Testing #1) by Joelle Charboneau → Start Date: February 4th, 2014

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

Please join Alexa, Kathy and I in this buddy read if you can!

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

so, small confession

I totally got this one for free one day on Amazon
it must have been a fluke that it was free but I managed to get lucky and be there when it was!!

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

OH! and there's a prequel that is free on Amazon too!!


free in the us here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C...

I hope it's free for you too Alexa!

[Alexa]

Trisha wrote: "so, small confession

I totally got this one for free one day on Amazon
it must have been a fluke that it was free but I managed to get lucky and be there when it was!!"

That's great!! :D since it's in February I've got more than enough time to get a copy so that's nice.

Trisha wrote: "OH! and there's a prequel that is free on Amazon too!!


free in the us here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C......"

ooh, how long is it free for? I'm getting my kindle back tomorrow so fingers crossed it's still free then!

[Kathy]

Wow! That's so cool you got it for free Trisha!!

I got the prequel just now! Yay! Hopefully it will still be free for when you're able to get it Alexa!! :D

This one looks sooooo good! I can't wait! :D

[David]

Awesome, I'm grabbing the prequel now, thanks for letting me know. And I already have the book so I'll definitely join in!

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

yay!!! Welcome aboard David!!

[David]

Thank you :) I can't wait!! I might peek and read the prequel ahead of time since I heard it's short.

[Vicki]

I read and liked it, so I'll be joining everyone for this read.

[Kathy]

Yay Vicki! I can't wait! :D

[Vicki]

I know, I think it'll be good. :)

[Kathy]

I think so too!

At my library we have like 7 copies and there is a constant queue of about 15 or so!

I really hope it's good! :D

[Vicki]

It will be cuz this is our year for good books! :)

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

so excited to start this one tomorrow

every 5 chapters as usual?? :)

[Kathy]

I forgot to bring my copy home on Fri so I will bring it home Wed and start that night after work! :D

[Vicki]

Mine still hasn't come in to the library :(

[David]

Oops I couldn't help myself and ended up reading it already! I really loved this book, although it had a lot of similarities to The Hunger Games, but for me that wasn't a bad thing :) Enjoy!

[Alexa]

looks like I'll have to start this one tomorrow, it's super late and I can barely keep my eyes open :(

after every 5 chapters will do:)!

[Vicki]

David wrote: "Oops I couldn't help myself and ended up reading it already! I really loved this book, although it had a lot of similarities to The Hunger Games, but for me that wasn't a bad thing :) Enjoy!"

Oh, David, what are we going to do with you? LOL

[Vicki]

MY BOOK ARRIVED!!!! :O)

[Kathy]

Yay Vicki!! :D

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

yay Kathy and Vicki! Are we good to start?
I have 2 books to play catch up on but I WILL start this one before I fall asleep tonight! LOL!

[Vicki]

Ok I'm also behind but I'll read SOMETHING!! Lol

[David]

Vicki wrote: "David wrote: "Oops I couldn't help myself and ended up reading it already! I really loved this book, although it had a lot of similarities to The Hunger Games, but for me that wasn't a bad thing :)..."

LOL I'm a terrible buddy reader!

[Vicki]

Haha! I'm the polar opposite of you! I'm usually last one done. Lol

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

okay, I'm 5 chapters in (wow, they are long)

her dad (view spoiler)[ wow, his stories/nightmares were pretty freaky.
but I do like that he got to warn her before she left. I love that that changed her clothing AND her personal items. Good thinking on her part - what a survivor!
I'm not sure if I believe why no one was chosen from her area until now..but it kind of makes sense.

BUT I did hate that the possible last words from her father were "trust no one" and that her brother didn't say goodbye :( (hide spoiler)]

testing (view spoiler)[ omg. it sounds intense.
I like the speech too, about the society resting on their shoulders! LOL! No pressure!! :D (hide spoiler)]

Tomas (view spoiler)[ I'm not sure I trust him yet. I was kind of sad she let the secret out. about the cameras and what she knew
and I was confused on how much he seemed to know about her - saying he recognized a look on her face when she could only say she'd only noticed he was attractive but hadn't seen him much because he sat behind her. Does that mean HE stared at HER? I don't know, it seemed an odd comment on his part. I hope he's good (hide spoiler)]

OMG and I LOVE (view spoiler)[ that she counted the corncakes. If there are still 9 - what a great idea! She is doing really good on her own so far! except the one slip with Tomas and telling him everything. She's doing great with observing too. it's the best course of action, I think (hide spoiler)]

but what's up with (view spoiler)[ Micah. (was that his name. the driver guy).....do you think he is just observing the kids or is she a favorite of his?? Hmmmm...... (hide spoiler)]

I'm liking it so far

[David]

Glad you're enjoying it! I totally agree about (view spoiler)[ counting the corncakes! She's so smart, I love that about her. Just wait at some of the other stuff she figures out :) (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

10 chapters

and holy moly the testing is INTENSE (view spoiler)[ I can absolutely see why kids went home, why some kids couldn't take the pressure! (hide spoiler)] BUT (view spoiler)[ gah, I'm good with the reasoning
that we went to war because our leaders couldn't handle it. It works and I'm okay with it. (hide spoiler)]

I'm really loving it!

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

10 chapters.

Oh and I'm kind of mad that (view spoiler)[ Roman...was that his name?! I'm kind of mad he tried to kill all three of them left AND he's still in the game. GRRRR! it seems like THAT'S a bad trait in a leader too! (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

ch 16

I'm so glad (view spoiler)[ that she and Tomas found each other (hide spoiler)] and I'm not surprised (view spoiler)[ about the bugs in their bracelets. They have to be able to collect the bodies or know what's happened to them (if they kids die out there) and to know how they each handle the situation. I'm surprised they only have ONE bug on them! (hide spoiler)]

and (view spoiler)[ I'm glad they met up with Will too
but Tomas' injury is worrying me. I'm wondering if they can't bike or leave Will behind now! (hide spoiler)]

and what?! (view spoiler)[ an old man AT THE FENCE with a bag?? YIKES! I'd be nervous about ANYTHING thrown at them!! (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

I just haven't been able to start this one, but I WILL read some of it tonight after work.

[Kathy]

Me too! I will get at least 5 chapters done tonight! :D

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

wow, done.

this one is SO good. I absolutely LOVED IT! LOVED IT~

and in my copy, there were the first few chapters of Book 2. OMG I'm so excited to read it!!!

Tomas (view spoiler)[ I'm so torn. Why why why would he kill her? (hide spoiler)]

Will (view spoiler)[ he is equally questionable. (hide spoiler)]

communicator thing (view spoiler)[ THANK GOODNESS she was able to record her voice on there. The things she would forget....they are too important not to know. Those around her are NOT to be trusted. Will, he scares me the most. (hide spoiler)]

Her father (view spoiler)[ I fear for what he doesn't know. what on earth could HE have done in order to have survived. (hide spoiler)]

[David]

YAY! So glad you enjoyed it as much as I did, Trisha! Loved your spoilers, I was thinking very similar things. It would be so scary not knowing who to trust and having the people you thought you could trust have so many dark secrets!

[Kathy]

Sorry I haven't started yet, I had a full day at work and then we went to my sister's for my niece's birthday party.

I will read some tomorrow after church! :D

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

no worries Kathy! I can't wait to see what you think!
all the reviews are so mixed, I'm curious to see if we will all like it.

[Kathy]

Vicki have you started this one yet?

[Kathy]

I'm going to start this one today! I'll read a little bit with dinner before I go into work! :D

[Vicki]

Haha! No, but I have the book. I'll start tonight or tomorrow.

[Kathy]

ok! I'm only in the middle of chapter 3, but I really like it so far!

(view spoiler)[ They don't have a choice to go to University or not?? And if they choose not to go then it's considered treason? That is just crazy!

And then what Cia's dad is telling her is insane too! So what, these students disappeared? But why then? I need to read more! (hide spoiler)]

I'm so tired so I will read more tomorrow on this one because I have a feeling it's going to be one that I won't want to put down! :D

[Kathy]

ok 5 chapters in

Cia (view spoiler)[ I thought she might just tell him about the camera and then see how things go or something. I was really surprised she told him everything!

I'm glad she counted the corncakes too! She is really smart and observant! I'm so anxious for her though! With everything her dad told her and now that idiot speaker person Dr. Barnes, totally put targets on their backs by saying that about Five Lakes!

I was sad too that she didn't get to see her brother before she left, but she took his communication thingy so maybe if she uses it she will get to talk to him? But I almost don't wish her to use it because I got the impression she would only use it in a very dire situation. (hide spoiler)]

Tomas (view spoiler)[ I don't know if I trust him either! It seems to me he knows Cia pretty well and he knows just what to say to get her to spill everything! Maybe it's the dimples!! lol!!! (hide spoiler)]

Michal (view spoiler)[ What is his deal? Why did he single her out like that? Giving her clues about things like her bag and the cameras. It's very strange! (hide spoiler)]

[Kathy]

10 chapters in

OMG! This is brutal! (view spoiler)[ Dr. Barnes is awful! To suggest that Ryme is better off having made her decision to kill herself than to try to compete for a position at university is cold-blooded!

And then they left Malachi's body on the floor until AFTER they were done with that round of tests??!!?? OMG! I was sitting in McDonalds eating ice cream after my daughter's performance in her play at school and I was trying so hard not to cry! The pressure is awful! It's too much!

And then!! Roman! OMG! He tried to kill them and he's not punished or anything? They really want leaders like him running things? (hide spoiler)]

Michal (view spoiler)[ I feel like he can be trusted and I hope he helps her later in the book or in the series. (hide spoiler)]

Tomas (view spoiler)[ It's getting easier to trust him. I really want to trust him! (hide spoiler)]

I wonder (view spoiler)[ what happens to the kids that saught medical attention or just didn't past the tests. Did they just get sent back home? It just makes me nervous! And the fact that they watch these kids hurt themselves or don't do anything when they are injured is so sad! (hide spoiler)]

I'm really liking it though!

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

I know!

OMG (view spoiler)[ it's intense right?? I was SO drawn in at that point! it's just so shocking! I don't know that I'd survive these tests.... (hide spoiler)]

isn't it good??? I mean, shocking and so intense
but good!! :D I'm so glad you are liking it!

[Kathy]

OMG! Yes! So good! And I'm just sucked in and I don't want to stop reading! lol!

I will read more tomorrow! I need to get this one done because I think my kids would enjoy it too. So I wanted to give them the chance to read it before I return it. :)

[Gisbelle]

Cia was such a great character.

[Kathy]

16 chapters in

The 'Testing' (view spoiler)[ This whole process is so crazy! I'm not surprised by the bugs either. I would want to search their bags too or other things they have just to make sure there isn't anything they can track them with or listen in with. Not much they could do about it but at least I would want to know that it's there. (hide spoiler)]

I wonder (view spoiler)[ who it is that has the bolt shooter? Roman maybe? He definitely would be the type of person to do a thing like that. (hide spoiler)]

I worried about Tomas (view spoiler)[ What happened with the other testing canidate? I want to believe that he isn't bad! I also want to trust Will, but I just don't know! (hide spoiler)]

I will try to finish tonight after work! :D

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

ugh..you are at SUCH a good part

brace yourself from here

the ride is CRAZy!!!!!

[Kathy]

OMG!! I'm done!

Will (view spoiler)[ I knew I didn't like him for some reason, but I never ever thought he would try to kill Cia! He really scares me, more than Roman! I hope she recorded that she can't trust him or Stacia! (hide spoiler)]

Tomas (view spoiler)[ I don't think he killed her just to elminate her from the competition. I really don't think he is like that! It has to be something else! She could have been injured or half crazy from all the stress of the whole thing and asked him to kill her so she wouldn't have to go through it anymore. She didn't want to be there to begin with. And he feels guilty, of course he does! And Will would say anything to discredit him, especially in Cia's eyes! I think he is a good guy! But one thing though, did he take the pills?? Does he still remember? (hide spoiler)]

Cia (view spoiler)[ I love her! She is so freaking awesome! So smart! I wonder who that guy was that was giving her food and water? And does he know Michal? She mentioned rebels, right? So maybe they are part of that group and want her to do...what? (hide spoiler)]

Dr. Barnes (view spoiler)[ OMG! I don't think I have hated a bad guy this bad since President Snow!! I mean what exactly did her relationship have anything to do with their accepting her to the university?? I don't like him! There isn't a word do discribe how awful he is! They definitely made them wait, what was it 3 or 4 days after the interviews before telling them if they passed or failed? The testing just doesn't stop! (hide spoiler)]

I'm so glad the next one is out already!! OMG! When do you want to read the next one? I need to check my library and see if the orders are in yet!!! :D

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

I'm ready when you are!! I'm so glad you loved it too!

crazy, right?!?! UGH! and now it's all gone....their memories all wiped

doesn't it make you wonder what her dad had to do in order to survive? scary,right?

I'm so glad she recorded what she could!

[Kathy]

Yes!(view spoiler)[ And I want to know if Tomas took the pills! Does he remember??
Yeah, it scares me to think what he did/could have done to survive. And he doesn't even remember IF he did anything! Scary!
I'm glad she recorded it too! I just hope she recorded who she can and can't trust! She at least can trust Michal. But she thinks she's friends with Stacia and Will! Will! UGH! I really scared to think what is he going to pull in the next book! (hide spoiler)]

I checked my library and we do have them on order, but I don't know if they are received yet or not. Can we set the date for 3/29? That way it will give me enough time to make sure I get it in time.