Configured (Configured, #1) By Jenetta Penner
So good! Penner set up a world in the not so distant future where people are sorted into levels depending on their intelligence.. We follow Avlyn Joy Lark as she turns seventeen and is thrown into the adult world run by Direction. Haunted by the loss of her twin brother, and taken away from her biological mother, Avlyn dives head first into a rebel group called Affinity, where she doesn't have to keep her emotions in check.
This book is quick paced with high stakes and a lot of emotion.
I cannot wait until the next book. 434 This was an intriguing start to the Configured series! 120 years into the future, the world is run by Direction, people are sorted into three levels based on their intelligence and wanting freedom or love can get you killed. Avlyn was separated from her brother at birth, raised by adoptive parents, given level two status, and given a privileged life. After her brother’s death, she begins to see his memories. She’s recruited by Affinity, the rebellion, and her world turns upside down as emotions and revelations start to flood her. Her character felt a little flat, weak, and uncertain of herself outside of her ability to code, but during her journey, her personality and self esteem grew. I loved that we were learning the truth about her world as she was and it kept me on my toes. Avlyn and Meyer’s relationship felt realistic and it wasn’t instalove- I enjoyed watching it develop throughout the book. Jenetta did a wonderful job creating this dystopian world, the technology, the class system, and how it ran.
Lillie did a really good job with this narration. She spoke a a steady pace and used distinct voices for each character. I liked that she brought the newness of emotions for Avlyn and the emotionless dystopian world to life!
*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. 434 I received this book as an advanced reader copy from the author herself in exchange for an honest review.
Defiant thoughts roll around in my brain. Why is it that a few people get to decide how we should live?
I have read a lot of dystopian novels in the past few years, and this one stands out from the masses. I loved almost every aspect of it. The plot moved fairly quickly, and you never knew what direction it was going to go in. The supporting characters were amazing, and the main character herself was decent. I did get a Divergent/The Giver vibe, but only a tad bit. I kept thinking that Affinity will show a bad side to themselves, like in The Hunger Games, but it never happened. Which I was greatful for, there already are plenty of books where the rebel cause is just as bad as the current government.
No one should die for the right to love. That kind of freedom is worth fighting for.
As far as world building goes, Penner does a great job of going into detail about her new dystopian world. While I don't necessarily want a food printer, I wouldn't mind having an EP. Who wouldn't like to know when someone you don't like is about to go around the corner? Elora through Avlyn's eyes was great. In the beginning, we see how Avlyn struggles to fit in with her fellow citizens and her prejudices for Level Ones. As she transitions to a rebel for Affinity, we see how she struggles with this new idea that she doesn't have to hide her emotions around them
If I'm going to die, I'm at least going to try to save my parents.
I think I enjoyed the supporting characters a little bit more than our MC, Avlyn. I thought Avlyn was a little bit of a weak character, but she was strong when she needed to be. I wanted her to have more of a backbone at least by halfway through the novel, but she didn't develop it until near the end. It seemed as if every time Avlyn resolved that she had made the right choice in picking the rebel cause, she would grow and become more confident in her decisions. But then, the next time a mission or something comes up, we are back to square one with the indecision. This aspect was the only part of the book that I did not enjoy. I hope in the second book Avlyn will be a stronger character than she was in this one. I also hope that we find out more about Avlyns immersion power(?), she used it all throughout the book but she would only say she doesn't know why it happens. I was hoping she would discover a little bit more about her ability at some point in the book, but maybe that'll be in the next installment.
'Avlyn, this world is both beautiful and broken.' She closes her eyes, and her breathing slows. 'Make more beautiful moments than broken ones.'
The supporting characters were what made the book, in my opinion! Meyer...what can I say about him that won't give anything away? He is the stereotypical stoic guy who only treats Avlyn like an assignment, but really has feelings for her deep down. I like that Penner didn't include a insta-love type of situation here, their feelings grew gradually and wasn't the main aspect of the book. Sometimes romance takes over a book and the plot gets lost, I am glad to say that it did not happen here. Everyone else you had to wonder if they were a part of Affinity or not, which made it interesting to find out who actually was a rebel.
Everyone has secrets.
If you are a fan of dystopian novels, you should definitely check out this book. You also get a nice dose of futuristic technology, that I wish we had today! For a debut novel, Penner did an excellent job of drawing the reader in from the very beginning. I can't wait to see what is in store next for Avlyn, Meyer and all the other characters! 434 There were some parts I thought were decent. Overall though, it was too similar to many other things I've read. 434 2.5 stars, with a half-star bonus for correct grammar and punctuation usage.
The premise of this book is pretty great. A young girl, who has lived her whole life in a structured community, is sent out on her own as an adult. She is assigned a job and is to choose a spouse. The only problem is that she's never really been comfortable and now she's learning things and meeting people who are validating her concerns. She must use her computer skills to break into the governmental files and rescue those who are her friends. Sounds pretty good, right?
The problem is that the characters are fairly flat. I didn't connect to any of them. There was also a lot going on in the set-up of the world, but it wasn't fully explained. The MC seemed to be bipolar in her actions and thoughts. One moment she's never felt emotion or created any emotional bonds to anyone, and the next she's so worried about her parents that she can't help but run into danger for them. These are people that she couldn't wait to get out of her life. It just didn't work for me. One last issue I had was the way the MC interacts with the digital world. It was never explained, and really doesn't make sense with the knowledge readers have about her world. Perhaps if there was more explanation about what the nanos do or even why the society is organized as it is, it would be a little more clear. As it is, the reader is plopped down into this story where some things are explained and some mentions of people or ideas are never used.
Overall, I think this could be a great book. It just left too much unanswered and I was not satisfied with the story I got out of it. Those who are looking for a quick sci-fi read may enjoy it a little more.
434
Configured, By Jenetta Penner is one of those stories that grabs you and pulls you in immediately from the beginning.
This was such an addicting tale so don't let the fact this is YA put you off, as this saga is an appealing prospect whatever you're age.
Configured is the first Instalment in this trilogy and it sure packs a punch. It is set in a dystopian future 120 years after a virus has devastated the earth population.
The population is now segregated according to intelligence and our heroine seventeen-year-old Avlyn Lark a level two resident starts questioning the regime she has been born into.
This was a fast moving exciting thrill ride of a story, I love it when a book is just so easily enjoyed, no overthinking just a lovely reading experience. well, this is what configured was like a new friend you're just getting acquainted with and you're hitting it off.
And after the visit, your wanting round two, which will be the second book in this tale and I can say hand on heart that is a visit I am Definitely looking forward to.
So give this a go if you like dystopian fiction as this is a gem you just don't want to miss.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/ 434 2020 REREAD NOTES: Yeah, my review is about the same now as it was then. I just want to reread the first 2 so I can get to book 3 and officially say I finished this series. (And can we admit it's a bit too real that it was a virus that wiped out so much of the population?)
Man, I would love to be able to immerse myself in code and be able to find all of the little bugs in seconds. It would make life so much easier (and mean I wouldn't spend as long yelling at computers).
Overall, this is a decent book. It's a fun little read, with a few plot holes here and there. The character was... a character. She felt kind of flat, and her personality was lacking, but at the same time I feel like that was on purpose? I mean, she is a Level Two after all, who needs normal human emotions? :P 434 3.5 reconfigurating STARS ★★★✬✩
This book is for you if… it has been a while since you were hunger gaming or diverging. It's obviously not quite as good, but still pleasant. Much is to be expected from the sequel
⤐ Overall.
I realised I had the entire trilogy at my disposal when I drew this for the Devour your TBR challenge and guess what I'll be doing. Darn right, I'll binge this series.
By the end of the book, I realised that there's a lot less romance in there than one would expect according to the synopsis. I really liked that because it gives air to the plot which was very gripping.
Average characters are not always a bad thing. I wouldn't say any of the MCs or SCs are remarkable. They were touchable and distinguishable from one another.
World(-building). I have to admit I'm not sure I had trouble falling into this world because I didn't always pay proper attention (shame on me) or because - right, this is bullshit. I admit it. I didn't pay proper attention in the beginning and I have no excuses, okay? Shame on me! The world of Configured is amazing and realistic, I enjoyed it very much.
⤐ What’s happening.
‘No one should die for the right to love. That kind of freedom is worth fighting for.’
When your only worth to society is your intelligence, how much does it take for you to leave it behind and join the ranks of the rebels, where love and affection are as natural as breathing? Not much once it's obvious there's more going wrong than right, Avalyn has to realise.
Con:
⇢ minimum social backup
⇢ each step is monitored
⇢ who can be trusted?
Pro:
⇢ new allies = emotional support
⇢ fighting for what you believe in feels darn good
⇢ one special new ally = very yummy
_____________________
writing quality + easy of reading = 3*
pace = 4*
plot/story in general = 4*
plot development = 4*
characters = 3*
enjoyability = 4*
insightfulness = 2*
_____________________
Many thanks to the author Jenetta Penner, who provided me with an eArc in exchange for an honest review. 434 Clean Young adult series?
No fake adverstising? It's a YA advertised as YA
Decent word of mouth?
Dystopian romance?
Free on Kindle unlimited?
It sounds really good!
I might read this one! I just hope the author doesn't add cheating later. If she adds sex I might still read it, but I'll post the info. As of late publishers, authors and Goodreads gods have been trying to shove sex scenes down our throats without our knowledge taking away our sacred right of deciding whether we'll read a smut book or not, by trying to make certain books pass as clean reads.
Note: I prefer smut books, but I need ACCURATE info about smut in YA books not Goodreads shoving smut books down our throats with no proper warnings so that when I need a break of people getting their clothes off and mating I can pick the right book.
Yep, I don't miss a chance to talk about it. You can't give young adult books as a gift to underage readers anymore without looking like a child molester. Even series that start clean, might become later become raunchy and Goodreads won't make it easier for you to find the correct information. On the contrary!
Second Note (copying directly from a comment on my Tower of Dawn review):
It's the responsability of the parents, not of the publishers and booksellers to look up for information for the content of what their children read, but Goodreads, some Booktubers and Common sense media aren't helping the few parents who do look up get the accurate information and that's a shame.
434 *This review can also be found here on A Leisure Moment*
**I beta read this novel for the author**
Avlyn Lark’s world was designed for maximum efficiency. Her whole life was planned out for her based on where she fit in society. I loved the class system that Penner created. There was a noticeable divide between each class, and it didn’t cross bloodlines. Just because your biological parents were a one, didn’t mean you didn’t belong in a world of twos. Dystopian fiction is such a precarious a topic to tread upon, but Penner didn’t hesitate in creating a new world to dive into.
First, the rebellion kept me on my toes. Since Avlyn had to learn all this information from scratch, so did I. I had no trouble getting caught up in the mayhem and mystique that followed Meyer around the city, Direction, or the doubt accompanied with everyone Avlyn passed on the street. Were they going to be okay? What was the next step? What happens if they get caught? It all had me on the edge of my seat and dying to know more. Also, I loved the technology. Affinity, the name coined by the rebels, had different tech than presented in other dystopian novels. The tech she coined felt like a possibility for our future, not just the future of Direction.
Next: the romance. Meyer definitely had his appeal. He was a mystery, and the chemistry between him and Avlyn was undeniable. Their romance had a slow burn. They started in the “who the heck do you think you are?” stage and stepped into the just friends stage. They didn’t overstep their boundaries and weren’t kissing while bombs destroyed the level one sector or giving each other puppy dog eyes when Affinity was planning their next attack. It felt realistic, even in a dystopian world, and captured the arc of many relationships during the teenage years. Although, shockingly, another character caught my eye: Aron. At first, Aron was a means to an end, but the more I got to know him, the more I liked him. I didn’t expect to like him, and he constantly surprised me. I sense a love triangle brewing, and I love it!
Some of my favorite side characters were Lena and Jayson. Lena entered the story and didn’t let on to her importance in the story until I needed to know why she had a role to play. Jayson acted as Meyer’s father figure and was impossible not to love. Both of these characters hold a special place in my heart, and Penner knows how to write main characters that matter, as well as side characters that you’ll end up loving.
Configured is the perfect book to dive into if you’re looking for your next dystopian read. Full of adventure, wonder, and technology of the future, it has everything you could ever need in a world like Direction. I can’t wait to dive into the next book and continue Avlyn Lark’s story and see where the path she’s chosen takes her.
Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram | BlogLovin | YouTube | Itunes
434In the future love will make you a traitor.
120 years after a virus decimated earth’s population the survivors thrive in safety, away from the death and destruction of the Outerbounds. Divided into three levels of intellect, Citizens focus solely on duty.
Due to her advanced intelligence, seventeen-year-old Avlyn Lark is separated from her twin brother at birth and raised by adoptive parents. She gains privilege, the ideal future. He dies. Avlyn barely knows him yet remains linked to his memory.
But following a string of rebel intrusions on the city, Avlyn receives a cryptic message and begins seeing visions of her dead twin. The mysterious radical who urges Avlyn to join their fight becomes her link to answers. Freedom.
Opportunity awaits, but if she says yes will she lose it all?
Configured is the first novel in a trilogy YA dystopian/light romance that poses the question: does humanity need love for survival? Fans of Divergent, Matched, and the Maze Runner will love this world of dark secrets, intrigue and desire for a better tomorrow. Configured (Configured, #1)