Wishlist Wednesday #1

Property of Pen to Paper! 

First. Ever. Meme. 

It might not seem as if it's a big deal, but it is. I don't really understand directions all that well (blame my mother), so I was really afraid I'd screw it up and get sued or something. But I did it and I was fine! I've been wanting to do this meme ever since I saw it. Not only does it have a very pretty button, but it also sounds fun. I get to gush about books I want to read? Great! So thank you, Dani from Pen To Paper for hosting this fantastical meme. 

Now on to this book.

You or your Alt? Only one will survive. 

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Elsie Chapman's suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.

TWINS! 

I love twins. Always have. My childhood was all about obsessing over the Mowry and Olsen twins. I would pester my mom to see if I really had a twin who either: died or was placed for adoption. I don't have a twin, but I always wanted one. I loved the idea of someone else looking like me. Twins share a remarkable bond and I wanted (still do) that. So, okay. These are "Alts" but I don't exactly care right now. 

This book is obviously dystopian. Well, well, I also love dystopian novels. And it has some romance!

The name made me pause a second or two though. West Grayer? There's some odd names in YA nowadays, mostly in a dystopia. But West Grayer sounds more on the masculine side for me. I think of Wes and Wesley. The last name doesn't help all that much either. But I'll overlook it. She sounds like a kick-butt fifteen year old. I'm wondering why everything is really starting out so early if they have until twenty years old, but I guess we'll figure that out when we read it. 

But do you see the cover? Oh, West even looks tough there! You don't see some model on the front making a "tough" face. You see a girl walking away in what looks to be an alley with weapons in her hand! A knife in one hand and a gun in the other. It might sound odd, but she even looks pretty in the back. Her hair is swishing and her clothes look very nice. Sorry, I'm just already in love. 

It also sparks some interesting points. Every adult that is living in Kersh is a murderer. You cannot be living without killing your Alt. And every child is probably living in fear, wondering if they're the ones going to die. Like the end says, every child also probably thinks there's someone out there better than his or herself. Then think about the society! It's twisting around where a potential sibling is being raised by another family. You're then turned on one another in a cat-and-mouse game to live. Then it starts all over again with your own kids when you have them. They will have an Alt and your child will either die or their Alt will. Perfect, huh? 

Elsie Chapman is already intriguing me. I really cannot wait until this comes out. I just really hope it'll be good. 

What book can you NOT wait for?