DNF - did not finish. I did not connect with the writing style/plot and decided to put this one down. Thank you, NetGalley and publisher for the early copy.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for a review.

What a fab front cover, sure to attract attention, and a book that mostly lives up to that expectation. The premise of the story is that people live below ground, adhering to a strict class system and serving the people at the top. Earth or above ground, is believed to be uninhabitable and law breakers can be sent above to die. Our protagonist, Eve, is from the lower classes and fights for a living. She hates the upper levels, premes as her brother was sentenced to life above after it was discovered her mum broke the one child policy. Eve is determined to escape and find her brother, who she believes, could have survived. But of course, she falls in love along the way. But this book isn't really about the romance. Instead the book is laced with a dark undertone. Eve hooks up with this Preme fighter who seems to have a very short fuse. Their relationship is interesting because they both struggle with their inner monster. Eve wants to be a monster, and at times, we are led to believe Wren might be one. Throw into the mix the sinister Daniel and it makes for some quite unsettling moments.

I'm not normally over the moon about romances in these books, but I am genuinely intrigued and I want to know more. It is hinted at that Wren had a very sinister side, and he has definitely said some strange things, but towards the end of the book, these things are left unexplained, so I'm hoping they will link in, in the next book. As far as characters go, these are generally good. Eve repeats herself a bit, not sure of it's her as a character, or the choice of writing style, but it gets a little annoying at times. Wren is mysterious and the relationship with his mother needs we serious exploration. I don't really know much about the world in which they live, there is mention of jobs and a bit about the people compound, but no real world building yet. It's not clear yet what life is like beyond the struggle for food and the need to fight. We know the upper levels are loving better lives, but I don't know what it's like for them. It's a little strange that Wren and his mates just walk around unperturbed and yet there are protests going on. The leader is clearly a dictator, but again we know very little about him. I am also unsure exactly how long they have been underground, how it was built or where these leaders go off to. The author definitely needs to tie these things together in the next book.

Is the book unique? Not really, there are elements of wool and the Australia trilogy, but the relationship aspect could be what separates this book from the others. I will be reading the next installment, and overall the book was easy to read and the storyline simple enough to follow. The ending seemed a little cliched but there wasn't a great choice with where it could have gone at that point. I will be interested to see which path the next book takes and I will watch out for more books by the author.

Some violence and an attempted sexual attack so I'd recommend this for the older teen to adult audience.

Escaping Eleven by Jerri Chisholm is the first book in the new young adult science fiction fantasy, Eleven Trilogy, set in a dystopian world. The world building in this new series is built like others out there such as The Hunger Games in which the wealthy are controlling those not as well off as them. The people are sorted in underground facilities in which the poorer you are the lower the level you live.

Eve Hamilton lives in compound eleven in one of the lower floors where she fights for survival. Walking into the ring one day she finds that her opponent is a boy from one of the upper levels with whom she can’t quite forget about after the match. After the match Wren begins showing up in Eve’s life and she wonders if he could be her ticket to a way out of the compound.

While I really enjoyed reading Escaping Eleven it was one of those that reminded me a bit of other young adult series out there such as the earlier mentioned Hunger Games and the book jumps right into the main character going into a fight which also gave Divergent vibes. However, as much as it fits the molds of previous popular series the characters, world building and story did pull me in so I did enjoy reading this one. This first book of the series left the story at a cliffhanger moment so I’ll definitely be interested in seeing what happens next with the characters.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I want to say thank you to the Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

5 Stars

*If you find fighting a trigger then I wouldn't recommend this book.*

I was hooked on this book after a few chapters. I want to make a note about the fighting. if you don't like women fighting the you might find the beginning a little tuff. However The story in this book is very interesting if you can get past that.

Eve is a fighter, so when she gets into the bowl. She mostly wins her fights until they bring in a guest fighter. The fighter is well know and very fast. She knew she was going to lose. The fighter found out that she was a girl and he had a hard time with that. He wasn't going to fight her until she hit him.

Eve and Wren slowly become friends after the fight. She was not really excited about them becoming friends because he was a preme. Preme is upper class. They are higher in rank and are wealthy. Normally preme don't have anything to do with the lower means. We see the relationship grow. I'm not going to go into details because of spoilers. However it was a really fun read.

I devoured this book in a day in a half. I loved everything in this book. A few things bothered me, like fighting women and small scenes. Just a far warning. Over all I really liked the compound part and Eve's dream for freedom. The love Eve has for her little brother and friends warms my heart.

I loved this book. I want expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, however the characters and story arc really just snagged me from the very start. The writing is a little choppy but the character development and world building made up for it

Escaping Eleven by Jerri Chishom released on the 8th of December 2020. It is the fantastic first book of a new Dystopian YA trilogy.

Compound Eleven is an underground habitat regulated by a cruel & entitled ruler. It is where Eve lives, segregated to one of the lowest levels. Her new cell is only one level above the bottom floor.

Eve is a fighter. Literally. Her father has raised her to be one. He no longer has a son to train instead. On the cusp of adulthood this is what Eve knows – and how to do it well enough to consider going pro. It is a convenient skill to have when you have a target on your back. In addition to those who live on the floors above her, there are the guards who take perverse pleasures in chasing down the residents of the lower levels; often so they can brutalise them – or worse.

Eve is surprised when she learns that her next official opponent is a Preme. Premes don’t usually venture to the lower floors. Why would they? Everything is much nicer in the upper floors where all the power is held. Eve has no idea how much this match is about to impact her life, but she doesn’t back down from fights – ever.

Eve and her friends are fast approaching the deadline for choosing what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Job choices are limited for people of their status, but they are expected to choose one. Next, they’ll get to kneel and swear fealty to the people who keep tightening the restricting vice they are caught in. Eve has dreams of there being other options. The opportunity to find a home where she feels valued and everyone is treated with kindness. Eve has never felt the sun on her face, wind in her hair. She’s never climbed a tree or lain in the grass searching for shooting stars. If she can find a way out, is freedom worth dying for?

This book is so GOOD! Within a few pages I found myself engrossed in Eve’s life and reluctant to put the book down when I needed to take a break.

As frustrating as I found the ending, it is actually the best point for the next novel to pick up from, perfectly set up for the next stage in Eve’s journey. Although book two is not yet out, I am already eager to get my hands on it.

5/5 stars from me.

Thank you Netgalley, Entangled Publishing and Jerri Chishom for the opportunity to read Escaping Eleven in exchange for an impartial review. I have voluntarily read and reviewed the advance reader copy of this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have to say i LOVE the cover. The colors, the art, It really did catch my eye immediately.

Even though Escaping Eleven is a young adult book, I honestly was SO into it.
The plot / storyline was amazing, and not really like anything I've read before.
Each floor of this "world" has a different.. theme so to speak. Main character Eve lives in compound eleven... there they fight. During one of her matches, she fights a b oy from the top floor.... This is different.. Will he be her salvation or just another point of misery for her?

I'll definitely be looking out for other work by this author.

We've seen a scant few dystopian teen novels in recent years. It's a shame since they were some of my favorites. Now that we're seeing more of them again, they're more innovative. Authors are finding new approaches to these worlds. Consider the world of Compound Eleven: heavily stratified by economics, limited opportunities for those in the lowest levels, a leader interested only in his own comfort and power. This is a fairly standard set-up. And Eve is a fairly standard protagonist. She's a have-not who dreams of escape. But there are some variations. For instance, Eve is not one of the lowest tier. This is important so that she has something to lose beyond her physical being and allows us to see her as compassionate. The role of fighting in the culture is an interesting twist. This is a world where fighting skills might get you a guard job or just as easily a professional fighting gig. A more interesting twist is Eve's view of her world. She begins the book plotting her escape. Most dystopias have the hero coming to a gradual realization that has them leaving on a whim. Eve plots out every step of her escape. Instead of learning reasons to leave, she's making ties with people and finding reasons to stay. With additional reflections on guilt and responsibility, I find this one well worth the read.

Great book! I admit the beginning was a bit confusing, but later on the flow becomes better. I absolutely enjoyed the characters the most and wish to see more from this author!

If YA-dystopian series are your thing, this will be right up your alley. Alas, it is not my cup of tea.
While I am always curious about the dystopian world-building, I find the genre too formulaic: angry, angsty teenagers / young adults fighting to change the world, trying not to be distracted by any potential insta-love romantic connections while they work their way through an overstuffed plot.

Actually, I take it back. We could probably use some of those characters in the world right now, given the craptacular mess us humans have made of the place. This is a call to arms for all the YA dystopian heroes out there. Your time is now.

Recommended for fans of: Divergent, The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner.

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC.

This was an interesting book that reminded me a lot of Fallout. I’m not sure it was a unique story but it was interesting and I will be following up to read the second book. The characters weren’t very likeable but they all I’ve in a seriously messed up compound. I’ll say the foreshadowing for the end wa as little too strong and I could see that twist coming long before they got there. The love interest was certainly intriguing but developed a little too quickly to be truly believable. This was a twist on the recent flood of end of the world post-apocolyptic materials that was far too realistic. Station Eleven has existed for 4 generations ever since the sun became too hot and made the surface of the earth inhospitable. The wealthy funded the building of various stations and allowed craftmen and workers to come as long as they understood the wealthy would be in charge.

Oh look, it's another Hunger Games! Or Divergent? Well, at least it's another dystopian novel with a Badass Female Heroine (TM)! Honestly... It's not one of the better ones. I enjoy dystopian settings, I really do. But - and that is a big but on my end - can we get something new and more unique than the same over and over again?
MC is a Special Snowflake because she has to make her father proud; society is Bad and Supressing (hello, Hunger Games!) and forces people to join different fractions, ah, no, jobs, I mean jobs, so sorry...
Seriously, I am so done with all of those repetetive plots. Can I get some new dystopian novels? Can I get female MCs who are not tough and badass loners? Can I get non binary MCs in dystopian novels while we're at it? Can I get no romance pushed into my face?

I received a free ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for a good dystopian book I recommend checking this one out, especially if you are a fan of the Hunger Games, the 100 or The Divergent Series!

This was a really quick and fun read for me! I loved the romance, the friendships, and the storyline. My only negatives are that at times the story got a tad slow or it made me have a sense of déjà vu to where it felt like a similar dystopian story I had read previously. This didn't occur super often so it didn't bother me that much.

Overall, if you are looking for a new dystopian novel, or simply a fun, action packed book I highly recommend reading this one!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary eARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this opportunity!

So, if you’re new to YA you’ll likely enjoy this. Katniss – oops, I mean Tris - oops, I mean Eve (that’s right, Eve) is a butt-kicking young woman who refuses to accept that everything is as they’ve been told by the powers that be.

In true every-YA-Dystopia-Ever style, she and Handsome Boy (whose name I’ve forgotten but does it really matter?) band together to survive and fight the status quo, while being the smartest, sexiest, most everything-ever couple that ever existed.

So, yeah. It’s kind of trope-y YA.

It is, however fun. The book is pretty fast moving, aside from a little slow down in the middle, and should keep your interest.

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

Love, love, loved this!! I can't wait to read more in this series!

Read my full review here: https://booksteahealthyme.home.blog/2020/12/22/book-review-escaping-eleven-by-jerri-chisholm/

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Escaping Eleven was full of Divergent and THG vibes which I liked but at the same time made it feel slightly unoriginal. The book was a bit too long for when nothing much happens half the time. There’s a lot of internal monologue which made it drag on and took me a little longer to read this book.

The characters aren’t necessarily likable but they are easily forgettable. I did like that our main character Eve was strong and stubborn but I also felt that she was a bit selfish - which isn’t always a bad thing but I didn’t like how she came off. She did have some development and goals so I did like that.

I’m not certain if I want to continue this series because it took too long to progress and I felt myself losing interest. I did think it was a bit predictable as well. I did want more information on the hierarchy of power and some more background on how things became the way it did but I’m assuming that might be a part of the next book. I did think the way each floor represented a different social class was interesting but again, I wanted more on it.

Another thing is that I thought the love interest Wren was a bit too perfect for someone who went from enemy to lover. I didn’t mind that so much because I still liked him but his whole anger issue didn’t sit with me because it was never discussed. I also thought it was odd he beats her up and then they fall in love. I mean, I know that was the point because they are forced to fight in this society but at the same time something about him was too violent and off putting. I don’t know if I could fall in love with someone after that, especially when they still showed so much anger and violence but then acted like that part of him doesn’t exist at all. It was out of character in my opinion. Maybe something for the next book?

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book!

This book is like The Hunger Games meets the caste system of the selection. I thought it was a very similar premise to THG but done differently and still fun.

Escaping Eleven is easily one of my favorite books of this year. It had everything I was looking for in a dystopian novel. I can’t wait to see what the next book has in store!

This was a very good read for me. I enjoyed everything about it, Nothing bad to say! Eve is a badass heroine, She is trained to fight and meets Wren, who is very high in their compound hierarchy and takes interest in her. I said I have Nothing to say… it's not quite true, i want to read more of it, so many questions still linger in my head. Read it. It was amazing

I enjoyed Escaping Eleven. It was engaging, fast-paced, the characters were interesting, and I thought. The worldbuilding was well done.

It’s been a while since I read a dystopian book, and this reminded me of why I used to enjoyed them so much. It also made me want to go play Fallout. Overalll, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Teen, and the author, Jerri Chrisholm for the ebook ARC.