The Revealed by Jessica Hickam - Nemo

Title: The Revealed
Author: Jessica Hickam
Pages: 314
Publisher: Spark Press
Pub Date: June 17th, 2014
Source: Netgalley
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Lily Atwood lives in what used to be called Washington, D.C. Her father is one of the most powerful men in the world, having been a vital part of rebuilding and reuniting humanity after the war that killed over five billion people. Now he’s running to be one of its leaders.

But in the rediscovered peace on Earth, a new enemy has risen. They call themselves the Revealed – a powerful underground organization that has been kidnapping 18 year olds across the globe without reservation. No one knows why they are kidnapping these teens, but it’s clear something is different about these people. They can set fires with a snap of their fingers and create a wind strong enough to barrel over a tree with a flick of their wrist. No one has been able to stop them, and they have targeted Lily as their next victim.

But Lily has waited too long to break free from her father’s shadow to let some rebel organization just ruin everything. Not without a fight.

The Revealed is a good book for middle schooler’s and its  a fun read. Although  it wasn't the best read, I had a huge problem with the main character and the overall premise was not even fully explained. For the sake of the book I’ll start with the good things.

I loved the fact that the Revealed didn't have a limit to their powers, they could control anything with a natural element. Normally in a dystopian / power books some people are more powerful than others and that’s what causes a huge rift between the two and creates enemies.

It would have been better if there was a more prominent villain. Maybe because it’s the first book and we had to learn Lily’s back story and what happened during the war, but still I wish it had been less political and more thrilling. There were a few parts that were unpredictable which were nice breaks from the constant clichés.

I enjoyed Rory, she was this fierce best friend to Lily Atwood who was both unpredictable and loyal to her bestie. She made the hard choices for Lily when she couldn’t make them and she put her friend first which was sweet. Rory was one of the side characters that has become one of my instant favorites and it would have been a better book if she had been our MC. 

I liked the romance, but I could not enjoy it because it just felt so rushed. One second she hates him and he’s the reason for all her self-esteem problem and he talks to her and now she’s in love with him again, I mean really? That’s just the beginning of my problems with Lily, she just drove me crazy!  She came off as a spoiled brat who did literally whatever she wanted. The Revealed are leaving her notes and in order to protect her, her parents make Lily stay in the house.

“Once that gate is closed, no one is getting past. I’m not sure  if it’s to keep The Revealed out or keep me in.”

We start the book with her trying to runaway for the FIRST time. It’s a year that she has to stay inside, simply one year and yet she acts as that’s the worst torture. It’s not that she lives in a tiny one bedroom apartment, she lives in the equivalent of a castle with butlers and security and internet but no, that’s the worst thing ever.Not too mention it's not just her that gets stuck in her house for a year its EVERY other eighteen year old who isn't poor. Even though she’s safest in her mansion she still keeps leaving I mean CAN YOU LISTEN just once.  As if that wasn't bad enough, she gets strict instructions to not have ANY communication with the outside world but that can’t include Kai right?

That the beginning to her obsession with Kai, because  really thats only way to describe it. It starts off simple enough: she doesn’t trust him, she LEAVES with him and they have a sweet moment of understanding each other.

“This is a bad idea. It’s a bad idea, Kai Westerfield is a bad idea”

She really should listen to her gut, but after that it just spirals and she becomes depressed when he leaves and she becomes slightly co-dependent. Which Is fine because she doesn't know any guys and he’s the only guy whose nice to her.  Kai was just this cliché bad guy who went to the military and now he’s sweet and a perfect guy. That part I didn't enjoy.

Also I think there was supposed to be a kinda love triangle for Lily and this other guy (no spoilers) Skylar. He was described as this buff and tough fighter BUT he would BLUSH a deep red whenever he saw Lily, which considering he trained her was a lot.

The back story for the revealed was vague, maybe in the second book we’ll get more info but for now this is all we get:

“The surgery isn’t compatible with everyone. The mind needs to have susceptibility that’s hard to describe unless you understand the procedure. I don’t even understand it fully. But not everyone can survive. If performed on the wrong person, bad things can happen.”

What bad things can happen? Do they die or do they turn into vegetables? If you don’t understand, why isn’t someone else explaining it?

That being said, this book is probably one that could be enjoyed by a younger audience that doesn't pay attention to things like these.

I’m giving this an extra star for the benefit of the doubt. This is only the first book in the series, maybe it’ll get better in the second book and we’ll know more about each character and what The Revealed is all about.