Bookanistas: POSSESSION by Elana Johnson

Happy Bookanista Thursday! If you've been abducted by aliens, just came back, and don't know what the Bookanistas are, we're a group of authors that recommend great kidlit books. On Thursdays. And coincidentally, it's Thursday!

It's like the universe is aligning or something.

Today, I'm recommending Elana Johnson's upcoming book, POSSESSION. And here's a Goodreadish summary for you:

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

POSSESSION is a fast paced dystopian read. I read this while I was cooking dinner, with the book propped open in the kitchen. Elana owes my family an apology, because she made me burn their food. (Okay, okay, so maybe that was my fault.)

One of the things that I really liked about this book is that it treated mind control as the complex subject that it is. There are many different levels and types of mind control in this book, which I would happily discuss in detail except that then I'd have to hit myself with a blunt object for spoiling it for you. I really liked that--I think a lot of books oversimplify things when it comes to mind control. So that made for a really fascinating world, and then you pop all the adventure on the top of it?

It is the sauce of awesome.

If you love a fast paced, high tension book, POSSESSION needs to be on your to-read list. Same thing if you're a big geek like me and think mind control is freaking fascinating.

Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week!

Elana Johnson marvels at Moonglass

Christine Fonseca raves about It’s Raining Cupcakes

Shelli Johannes-Wells chats with Pure and The Summer of Firsts & Lasts author Terra McEvaoy

LiLa Roecker has a passion for Possession

Beth Revis admires the audiobook of Anansi Boys

Carolina Valdez Miller is giddy over Moonglass – with giveaway

Megan Miranda swoons over Strings Attached

Shana Silver delves into Divergent

Sarah Frances Hardy gabs about Gossip from the Girls Room

Matt Blackstone is tantalized by Bad Taste in Boys

Stasia Ward Kehoe glories in a guestanista review of The Rendering