The Unidentified By Rae Mariz - Starting March 7th 2016

[Abbie]

*Kid knows her school’s corporate sponsors not-so-secretly monitor her friendships and activities for market research. It’s all a part of the Game; the alternative education system designed to use the addictive kick from video games to encourage academic learning. Everyday, a captive audience of students ages 13-17 enter the nationwide chain store-like Game locations to play.

When a group calling themselves The Unidentified simulates a suicide to protest the power structure of their school, Kid’s investigation into their pranks attracts unwanted attention from the sponsors. As Kid finds out she doesn't have rights to her ideas, her privacy, or identity, she and her friends look for a way to revolt in a place where all acts of rebellion are just spun into the next new ad campaign.

[Meaghan]

Character Thoughts:
(view spoiler)[While I've definitely read better characters, I still liked the ones in this book. I hated Ari simply for her betrayal, but I'm glad Kid didn't just right away go back to being friends with her, and got closer with Mikey instead (seeing as Jeremy wasn't all that nice either). Overall I liked how not all the characters were the same, and when they felt things, it actually impacted their actions, rather than the main character going back to the betraying best friend because that best friend decided talking to them again. (hide spoiler)]

[Meaghan]

Plot Thoughts:
(view spoiler)[While the concept could have been done in a stronger way that showed more of the world, I still really enjoyed what they did with it! I liked how the rebellion seemed so real only to be a marketing ploy, but then still ended up turning into one anyways! The whole back and forth concept can be tiring in most books, but the author actually did a good job with it in this case! (hide spoiler)]

[Meaghan]

World-Building Thoughts:
(view spoiler)[For a one shot, non-fantasy book, this actually exceeded my expectations in the world building category. I feel it did a good job of explaining how a branded school worked, and how different it was from a government funded school. (hide spoiler)]

[Meaghan]

Overall Thoughts:
(view spoiler)[While at first I didn't like Kid all that much, I did end up liking her more as the book went on, which made the book progressively more enjoyable. I also liked the ending, and how it seemed to carry a bit more depth than the rest of the book, making me like the book as whole then better. (hide spoiler)]