Counteract

Resistance #1

Tracy Lawson (GoodReads Author)

Lawson Publishing, Aug 25, 2015

Kindle ed, 194 pages, also in paperback and Kindle Audible

Genre(s) debut novel, dystopian sci-fi romance, YA

Source Author

Other books in this series: Spark prequel, Resist #2, Ignite #3, and Revolt #4

Synopsis: 

Who do you trust when your world unravels and everything you believe is a lie?

For the past fifteen years, The Office of Civilian Safety and Defense has guarded the public against the rampant threat of terrorism. Teenagers Tommy and Careen have never known life without the government-approved Civilian Restrictions. For them, there’s no social media. No one is allowed to gather in public places or attend concerts or sporting events. Only a small, select group of adults have driving privileges. It’s a small price to pay for safety.

Now a new, more deadly, terrorist threat looms: airborne chemical weapons that can be activated without warning. The OCSD is ready with an antidote to counteract the effects of the toxins. Three drops a day is all it takes. It’s a small price to pay for health.

Tommy and Careen obediently take the antidote; neither considers stopping when strange things begin to happen. The day the disaster sirens signal the dreaded attack, Tommy shares his last dose with Careen, even though doing so might hasten his death. It’s a small price to pay for a friend.

Follow Tommy and Careen as they uncover a web of lies and deceit reaching to the highest levels of the United States government and join an underground resistance group that’s determined to expose the truth.

About the Author:  

Tracy Lawson knew she wanted to be a writer from the time she could read. In the first grade, she authored sixty-seven contact-paper bound books through her school’s Young Authors program. Though that pace proved impossible to maintain, she always intended to be a real author one day.

While working toward her Bachelor’s degree in Communication at Ohio University, she studied creative writing with the late Daniel Keyes, author of Flowers for Algernon. After short stints as a media buyer and an investigative analyst, she settled into a 20-year career in the performing arts, teaching tap dancing in Columbus, Ohio, and choreographing musicals. Though her creative energies were focused on dance, she never lost her desire to write and has a non-fiction book to her credit: Fips, Bots, Doggeries, and More, (McDonald & Woodward, 2012).

Tracy’s love for writing Young Adult fiction is sparked by all the wonderful teens in her life, including her daughter Keri, a college student. Counteract is Tracy’s first novel.

My Disclaimer:  I was provided a free copy of this book by the author. I am providing an honest review for which I am receiving no compensation of any kind. All opinions are fully my own.

~ Judi E. Easley for Blue Cat Review

My Review:  

I wish there were half stars on GoodReads because I really wanted to give this more than four but fewer than five stars. There’s really nothing wrong with it that I can point to, but “5-stars” has to really sweep me away. And this didn’t quite make that. It’s just really good!

This is a debut novel, which simply amazes me. The story line isn’t unique. There are lots of dystopian romances out there with this same story line. But the way Ms. Lawson handled it seemed fresh and new. Well, except for The Princess Bride quote she snuck in for Tommy Bailey to say.

There’s violence, but no sex. There’s romance, but it’s subtle and slow, they really have no time for it.Throughout the whole book, there is a feeling of impending events. Fast paced, you should have been somewhere else 5 minutes ago. Or maybe it’s a sense of impending doom. There are moments of lightheartedness in there though. You won’t miss the neon pink highlights or Eduardo Rodriguez and his Kahlua. Apparently, it’s one way for medicine that Mary Poppins hasn’t tried, but it seemed to work for Eduardo.

This is a series I need to read. So, I have purchased the prequel, Spark, and the other three books. I’ve added them all to my TBR list. That’s a long list, so who knows when I’ll get to them, but get to them I will. I strongly suggest you get to them as well.