Divided

Gr 8 Up—Narrator Alicyn Packard returns to voice the latest riveting installment in West Grayer's story. After the harrowing events leading up to the death of her doppelganger (or Alt), West is now a Complete and is moving forward with her life: preparing to live with her boyfriend, Chord, and training inactives to murder their Alts when they receive their assignments. As a former Striker, West's skills and determination have not gone unnoticed by The Board. She is approached by one Board member, Sabian, and promised an affluent future in exchange for one last Striker mission. She reluctantly chooses to go forth with the mission, uncovering secrets the Board want buried. Familiarity with the previous title is not essential as Divided offers enough background information to make it stand alone. The momentum slows at points when West overthinks, but the action is on point. A cliff-hanger hints to another installment. This is a great addition to collections looking for more dystopian novels. Fans of Veronica Roth's "Divergent" series or Ally Condie's "Matched" trilogy will enjoy Divided.—Amanda Schiavulli, Finger Lakes Library System, NY