Monday, March 17, 2014

Elusion Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

ELUSION
Claudia Gabel & Cheryl Klam
Young Adult/Dystopian
Katherine Tegen Books
400 pages
Available March 18th
Source: Rockstar Book Tours for review

THE STORY
Soon, Elusion® will change the world and life as we know it.

A new technology called Elusion is sweeping the country. An app, visor and wristband will virtually transport you to an exotic destination where adventure can be pursued without the complications—or consequences—of real life.

Regan is an Elusion insider. Or at least she used to be. Her father invented the program, and her best friend, Patrick, heir to the tech giant Orexis, is about to release it nationwide. But ever since her father’s unexpected death, Regan can’t bear to Escape, especially since waking up from the dream means crashing back to her grim reality.

Still, when there are rumors of trouble in Elusion—accusations that it’s addictive and dangerous— Regan is determined to defend it. But the critics of Elusion come from surprising sources, including Josh, the handsome skeptic with his own personal stakes. As Regan investigates the claims, she discovers a disturbing web of secrets. She will soon have to choose between love and loyalty…a decision that will affect the lives of millions.

MY THOUGHTS
Elusion is one of those stories where the line between reality and illusion starts out crisp and oh-so clear, but with each chapter our faith in what we think we know gets a little more shaken until suddenly the trust we had in ourselves and the characters is nearly nonexistent. The deterioration of that trust is what makes Elusion such a fascinating read, the solid foundation we had beneath our feet in the opening chapters crumbling beneath us just as Regan’s world falls apart around her, and together we start questioning everything and everyone.

Regan is someone who doesn’t necessarily stand out amidst many of her young adult counterparts in terms of memorability, but she is certainly a solid companion for us throughout. There is a fair amount of technical jargon in this story, the explanations of the Elusion program’s interface and coding sometimes making those of us who are technologically challenged go cross-eyed, but Regan is not overly code-savvy herself, so we’re not left alone in our ignorance. She’s someone who wants desperately to believe in the program her father dedicated his life to, but she’s also not so stubborn as to cling to that belief when enough evidence chips away at it, instead she absorbs the pain that often accompanies monumental revelations and paradigm shifts and sets out to right what she sees as wrongs.

There’s a bit of a romance between Regan and Josh, a friend of her best friend Patrick’s, but it’s just present enough to keep those of us who crave romance in our stories satisfied without allowing it to take over what is undoutedly a uniquely intriguing plot. Her friendship with Patrick is one of the more interesting aspects, the potential for something more between them but a tiny spark that gets continually snuffed out by Regan as the reality of all that is Elusion comes to light, and we can't help but admire how she manages to simultaneously want to protect and interrogate him. We can feel her indecision and her need for stability from Patrick when everything else around them is shifting and changing, but he remains yet one more piece of a puzzle she can’t quite place, and like Regan we want answers from him right up until we flip to the last page.

Those answers with regard to Patrick never find their way to us before we reach the end, and the story concludes with some things made clear while others remain indistinct and muddied, inevitably to be revealed as the series continues. The conclusion is not a traditional cliffhanger where our jaws drop and a groan escapes our lips, rather we’re provided with answers to a few huge questions that dogged us throughout, but we’re also left at pivotal moment (though admittedly, a logical place for a break) that piques our curiosity and has us looking at our calendars in the hopes the release date for book two isn’t quite as far away as it seems.

Rating: 4/5

Find Elusion: 

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• • • • • • • • • • •

CLAUDIA GABEL AND CHERYL KLAM


Claudia Gabel was born in Roanoke, VA, raised in Binghamton, NY, and moved to Manhattan after studying abroad in London during her senior year in college. She received her Masters of Arts degree in English and American Literature from Hofstra University, and planned to pursue her doctorate, until a side-job as an editorial assistant at a large book publisher permanently redirected her career course. Claudia worked as an editor in the adult divisions of several major publishing houses, then made the move to children's books, where she hoped to inspire, educate, and entertain young readers. Along the way, she began writing novels of her own. Her first series, IN OR OUT, was based on her experiences as a freshman in high school. She wrote her mash-up novel, ROMEO & JULIET & VAMPIRES, for readers who were looking to indulge in a fun twist on William Shakespeare. And her latest novel, ELUSION, co-written with fellow author Cheryl Klam, is a glimpse into the near-future, where a girl discovers that a popular alternate reality app is not exactly what it seems. Claudia lives in New York City with her husband Ben.

Find Claudia:


Cheryl Klam is the author (along with Claudia Gabel) of the young adult futuristic thriller, ELUSION. She is also the bestselling author of several other novels for adults and teens, including THE PRETTY ONE, which was nominated for an Isinglass Teen Read Award. Her work has been published in more than a dozen different languages. She grew up in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan and graduated from the University of Michigan. When she was a teenager she starred in Sam Raimi's first short horror movie, later appearing as a "fake shemp" in Raimi's cult classic: THE EVIL DEAD.

Find Cheryl:


• • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY AND TOUR

http://www.rockstarbooktours.com/2014/03/tour-schedule-elusion-by-claudia-gabel.html

There's a fantastic giveaway accompanying this tour, so be sure and fill out the Rafflecopter form below to win:

• 5 Prize Packs of a hardcover copy of the book along with an "Equip" (wristband, earbuds and Visor/sunglasses.) US only.

• A finished copy of ELUSION. US only.


WEEK ONE
3/10/2014- The Irish Banana ReviewReview
3/11/2014- FiktshunGuest Post
3/12/2014- Jenna Does BooksReview
3/13/2014- Two Chicks on BooksGuest Post
3/14/2014- Fire and Ice- Interview
WEEK TWO
3/17/2014- Supernatural SnarkReview
3/18/2014- BookishReview
3/19/2014- The Book CellarGuest Post
3/20/2014- Parajunkee's ViewInterview
3/21/2014- Fangirlish - Interview

39 comments:

  1. I am loving this blog and I adore Claudia - the cover art on your book :)

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  2. This looks like a book I'd greatly enjoy. Thanks for shring :)

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    1. oops, I meant sharing. And that is the coolest app ever! I'd totally buy one :D

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  3. So this sounds really good. I'd been kind of on the fence about it, but I love books that turn what you think you know on its head. Sitting there reading and biting my fingernails, second-guessing everything . . . sounds wonderful. Great review!

    Jessica @ Rabid Reads

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  4. Nice book, and great giveaway!

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  5. Fantastic review! I have had my eye on this book for awhile, so I am happy to hear you enjoyed it. When you mentioned the technical jargon in the book, I got a little nervous, but it seems that it didn't bother you too much. I look forward to this one and thanks for the giveaway!

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  6. Ooh, I so love books that make you question everything and everyone! Heh, it's a bit weird to feel that way, but it definitely makes for an intriguing read and I'm happy you felt that way as well! This is actually the first review I've read for this one and you've definitely made me curious to read it.

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  7. Glad to hear that the author avoid the traditional cliffhanger because ooh how I hate the jaw dropping ones. And, that trailer definitely peeked my interest. Thanks for sharing!

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  8. i love the cover. thank you for the giveaway

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  9. Can I just stare at the cover? Because it's quite amazing. And the story sounds good too.

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  10. I love that the lines of reality and truth seem to blur as you go leaving you questioning things along the way. It doesn't always work in books but it sounds like it was well done in this one.

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  11. Cannot wait to read this book. I've had my eye on it for a while.

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  12. I've been very confused as to if I want to try this book with all the mixed reviews, Jenny, but I think you've convinced me to give it a shot at least. I'm not the most tech-savviest either so, I'm hoping the jargon doesn't pose much of a trouble for me. I'm curious about the MC's friendship with her best friend.
    Lovely review!

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  13. The cover is beautiful! I really like how the lines of truth seem to blur even more as you go further into the story. I'll have to check this one out if I can find it at my library.

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  14. I'm really interested in the tech side of this story actually since this kinda relates to what I do. So it's nice to know that some explanations were done while not being overwhelming the readers. I will have to squeeze this into my TBR somehow.

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  15. I love stories that mix illusion and reality in such a way, making me unsure of things I thought I knew merely a minute ago. The technical jargon won't bother me. I love that sort of thing, although I don't necessarily understand it. And the light romance might be nice for a change, although that's something I cannot predict.
    Overall, this sounds like something I would likely enjoy very much.
    As always, gorgelously written, Jenny!

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  16. I really enjoyed this book! I loved the idea of creating another world. It kind of reminds me of Total recall where the people can go into the little cubicles and create their own environment.

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  17. I like the sound of Elusion being one of those stories where the line between reality and illusion blur. Plus, I like tech jargon. This sounds like something I would enjoy, Mary. Wonderful review :)

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  18. "making those of us who are technologically challenged go cross-eyed" BHAHAHAHA. This sentence, haha. *raises her hand* Um, this is me yep. Thank goodness for Regan being a friend in this matter. Hmm, I'm glad the romance isn't taking over the plot but we get our healthy dose of romance? Yay!! So.. um.. there is like.. a possible love triangle in this book? (Patrick and Regan?) Hmm. I hope that the answers will come eventually. I'm glad you enjoyed this pretty, Jenny:)

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  19. I'm so happy you enjoyed this book! I've been really curious about it, and from the sounds of your review I think this would be a big hit with me. I'm glad to hear the technical jargon didn't detract from your overall enjoyment. Lovely review!

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  20. Without reading a word I have to say the cover is beautiful. After reading this sound great even though I am not very tech wise.

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  21. I just got this one with a bunch of other books. I wasn't quite sure whether I would read it, but I thought it might be worth trying. And after reading your review, I definitely think I'll give it a shot!

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  22. Your first sentence definitely intrigues me. I like when a story starts off pretty normal but then you take a closer look and realize you hadn't seen the hidden elements. Plus when trust is involved it can make an interesting story. I do love a good romance! But I also don't mind if it's subtle, especially in a series. Is this a series? Also, I'm curious about the relationship with Patrick. I like a good guy/girl relationship but this sounds like it could turn triangley later on…or maybe not? Anyway, I haven't heard much about this one so thanks for the review and giveaway.

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  23. I am wirhing that I had given this one a chance. I skipped it afraid it was a beautiful cover over a not so great read. Now after reading your review I am reconsidering. I love illusion!

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  24. This does sound interesting and what a great twist that she can't escape because of her background. In a way it sounds frustrating but in a good way. AND this is how good you are, Jenny, with the writing.... you made me WANT to read this book because of the cliffie ending. I'm so curious and you make it sound worth the ending! LOL

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  25. I've seen this book everywhere but I've never actually checked to see what it's about. Well, it's been added to my TBR now. Thanks for sharing.

    **Rachelle**

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  26. I've been seeing this around but never bothered even to check what it is about. What a fool I am. Books where you're actually torn between thinking it's really or imaginary are my favorite and which characters that sound so good I think I don't want to miss this one. Great review, Jenny :)

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  27. Can't wait to meet Reagan and this Elusion interface. You know, when it's too good to be true...there's probably something horrible about it that's going to ruin your life, right?

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  28. I love the cover for this one, and I saw it on the shelf this weekend and had to take a minute just to stare at it haha. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  29. I'm glad to see such a great rating from you for this book Jenny, as the ratings that I had seen around so far didn't leave me with the highest hopes. But you have left me with the hope that I will be getting something different from this book. Also I'm glad that this story does have a sprinkling of romance, but it doesn't take the complete limelight. Gorgeous review as always!

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  30. Wow, surprisingly I haven't heard much about this book. It sounds like a sci fi / dystopian-ish cross that's starting to be more in fashion lately. I'm intrigued.

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  31. This books sounds like a great read! Beautiful cover, too!

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  32. I haven't heard much about this one, Jenny, but it's on my wishlist because the premise sounded cool. I love books that make the MC question everything they thought was true!

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  33. Well, well ... color me thoroughly intrigued. I was somewhat curious about this book, but now I know I need to read it. Even though I know this isn't a huge cliffhanger, I still want to wait closer to the sequel will me released. I will though.

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  34. So pretty. I think I just drooled on myself. And the giveaway comes with sunglasses! I need to win this! XD

    **Rachelle**

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  35. Woo! I am so super excited to read this book. I have been since I found out about it. :) Thank you for the giveaway. Loved the post.

    - Beckie

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