Book Tour & Giveaway: The Breeders by Katie French

Title: The Breeders

Author: Katie French

Book Tour: Kismet Book Tours

Publication date: August 1st 2012

Format: ebook

Genre: YA | Dystopia

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Sixteen-year-old Riley Meemick is one of the world's last free girls. When Riley was born, her mother escaped the Breeders, the group of doctors using cruel experiments to bolster the dwindling human race. Her parents do everything possible to keep her from their clutches-- moving from one desolate farm after another to escape the Breeders' long reach. The Breeders control everything- the local war lords, the remaining factories, the fuel. They have unchecked power in this lawless society. And they're hunting Riley.

When the local Sheriff abducts the adult members of her family and hands her mother over to the Breeders, Riley and her eight-year-old brother, Ethan, hiding in a shelter, are left to starve. Then Clay arrives, the handsome gunslinger who seems determined to help to make up for past sins. The problem is Clay thinks Riley is a bender-- a genderless mutation, neither male nor female. As Riley's affection for Clay grows she wonders can she trust Clay with her secret and risk her freedom?

The three embark on a journey across the scarred remains of New Mexico-- escaping the Riders who use human sacrifice to appease their Good Mother, various men scrambling for luck, and a deranged lone survivor of a plague. When Riley is shot and forced into the Breeder's hospital, she learns the horrible fate of her mother—a fate she'll share unless she can find a way out.

My thoughts:

I love dystopia reads but I didn't expect this one to be as good as it was. Don't get me wrong, I was really excited to read it - from the summary it seemed to have the makings of a really enthralling read. It went way beyond what I was expecting though.

From the very beginning I fell in love with the characters. I thought Riley was the perfect mix of vulnerable and the strong, stubborn heroine type. She made me feel for her with her constant selflessness and her need to help others. She was restricted from doing what she wanted for fear of being taken to the Breeders but she made the most of what she could do in the meantime. 

Her little brother Ethan was just the cutest. I adored how Riley tried her best to look after him - their interactions were the real heart warming parts of the story. And Clay. What can I say about Clay other than he was swoon worthy. He makes so many sacrifices in this book - not just for people he cares about, but for himself too. He was another tortured soul in the story. 

The rest of the supporting characters in this book were equally well written. Where they were meant to make me cringe they did. And where they were meant to make me smile, they did. This was one of those reads where you immediately know you don't have to worry if you'll like the characters from the very beginning, you just know you will.

The plot starts off really different to what the book ends up like. It doesn't take long at all for it to get going and in the meantime I enjoyed getting to know the characters a little. It's full of action and suspense - it really doesn't get boring for a minute. It's all about survival so you know it has the means to have you gripping the edge of your chair.

The writing wasn't the best but it was all about the story with this book. I loved it so I definitely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of dystopia. Give it a go.

 

My rating: 8/10

 

 

Katie French:

Katie French imagined herself an author when her poem caught the eye of her second grade teacher.

In middle school she spent her free time locked in her room, writing her first young adult novel. Though her social life suffered, her love for literature thrived. She studied English at Eastern Michigan University, where she veered from writing and earned an education degree. She spent nine years teaching high school English.

Currently she is a school counselor, doing a job that is both one of the hardest things she’s ever done and the most rewarding. In her free time she writes, reads great books and takes care of her two beautiful and crazy children. She is a contributor and co-creator of Underground Book Reviews, a website dedicated to erasing the boundaries between traditional and non-traditional publishing. She lives in Michigan with her husband and two children.

 

 

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Now for the giveaway!

 

Every tour host is offering the chance to win one of 10 eCopies of The Breeders! Just enter below:

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway