Publication: May 26, 2015, by Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery
Pages: 400
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Rating:
The good girl, the bad boy, the diva, the hustler, the rock star, and the nerd. Six teens legally liberated from parental control for six different reasons, all with one thing in common: something to hide.
Now they’re sharing a house in Venice Beach, acting like a family, and living their lies. No parents. No limits. No alibis. One witnessed a crime, another might be a murderer—and one’s been spying on them all.
As they cling to a fantasy of freedom and slowly let down their guards, the past creeps up on them. And when one of them gets arrested, everyone’s carefully constructed facade comes crumbling down.
In this steamy, drama-filled series, relationships are tested and secrets revealed as lies threaten to destroy their perfect setup.
My Thoughts:
Emancipated was such a surprise to me as prior to reading it, I had no idea what it was about. Surely I must have read the summary when I purchased the book (years ago), but when I packed it up for my summer vacation, I just judged it by the cover and decided that it must be a good summer read. I honestly enjoy these kinds of experiences where I head into a book not knowing what to expect. That way, I cannot be biased or affected by anyone else's thoughts. This story was literally about what the title suggested: emancipation, or when someone is under the age of eighteen and are legally liberated from their parents, or living under their parents' control. I didn't know much about the topic prior to picking up this book, so this was a nice introduction into the 'possible lives' of those living emancipated.
The ultimate reason I gave this book a four star rating is because for the first half of the book, nothing was happening, and I was unsure of the purpose of the story. Sure, this is about six teenagers randomly living together, but what else? I wish that M.G. Reyes had implemented more of the mystery in the beginning of the story, as this would've caught my attention span sooner. For the first half of the story, not much was happening, and I questioned what made this book so interesting. Eventually, everything came together and I became very shocked with the outcome of the story.
You see, this focuses on six teenagers, with most of them not knowing each other prior to the emancipation. They all live together in a house on Venice Beach, California, for different reasons. What the highlight of the story was that each character had their own secrets and their own flaws. This just made the story a hundred times more realistic and believable. Although these teens were fortunate to be living on their own (and were wealthy, because who would be able to afford living in a SoCal mansion on the beach?) and threw parties and lived that 'stereotypical YA character life,' they each seemed like they were real people, you know?
What also really made me addicted was the fact that this book ended in a major cliffhanger. This sets the stage perfectly for the sequel, which I need to purchase as soon as possible. Hopefully the next book will be super addicting and full of mystery, since the first one ended in a whirl.
Emancipated was a lovely take on a YA contemporary story. While this did contain some aspects of romance, it wasn't completely focused on it, which I appreciated. I am really looking forward to reading the sequel.
The ultimate reason I gave this book a four star rating is because for the first half of the book, nothing was happening, and I was unsure of the purpose of the story. Sure, this is about six teenagers randomly living together, but what else? I wish that M.G. Reyes had implemented more of the mystery in the beginning of the story, as this would've caught my attention span sooner. For the first half of the story, not much was happening, and I questioned what made this book so interesting. Eventually, everything came together and I became very shocked with the outcome of the story.
You see, this focuses on six teenagers, with most of them not knowing each other prior to the emancipation. They all live together in a house on Venice Beach, California, for different reasons. What the highlight of the story was that each character had their own secrets and their own flaws. This just made the story a hundred times more realistic and believable. Although these teens were fortunate to be living on their own (and were wealthy, because who would be able to afford living in a SoCal mansion on the beach?) and threw parties and lived that 'stereotypical YA character life,' they each seemed like they were real people, you know?
What also really made me addicted was the fact that this book ended in a major cliffhanger. This sets the stage perfectly for the sequel, which I need to purchase as soon as possible. Hopefully the next book will be super addicting and full of mystery, since the first one ended in a whirl.
Emancipated was a lovely take on a YA contemporary story. While this did contain some aspects of romance, it wasn't completely focused on it, which I appreciated. I am really looking forward to reading the sequel.
What are some UNIQUE YA reads?
