The Testing

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau, 344 pages

This is the first book in a new series. After the war that left much of the planet devastated, resources were few and in high demand. A few people are chosen each year to go to the University and have a chance at a career that could make a difference to the survival of the people. Cia is excited when she is one of the first students chosen from Five Lakes colony in over ten years. She and three of her classmates are to be taken for Testing and she will have the chance to follow in her father’s footsteps. However, the night before she is to leave, her father tells her that the Testing may not be all it seems, that he remembers nothing but has nightmares that indicate that the Testing may be far more dangerous than simple pen and paper tests. This is a fascinating dystopian novel with likeable characters and enough adventure to satisfy. A good teen read.