I loved this book. Published when dystopian YA novels were everywhere but it still found a way to stand out. I loved all of the characters and poured through it in one sitting.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to read this book before it was archived. My tastes have changed and I'm not sure it would be a good fit for me now.

The Testing
By Joelle Charbonneau
June 4, 2013

To survive Cia must choose between love or life without trust. Cia is a girl who has waited to be chosen for The Testing. Her one chance at a good college education and a rewarding career. But her father’s advice puts doubt in her mind on the eve of her leaving.

The Testing is a fast novel that reads at breakneck speed. I could see the Hunger Games comparison for sure. The ending is the only thing I have to complain about.

This book is currently on Kindle Unlimited.

Thank you to Houghton Mifflin along with NetGalley for this review copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

"The Testing" by Joelle Charbonneau is an enthralling dystopian novel that delves into a world where young adults are pushed to their limits in a brutal and unforgiving selection process. Set in a post-apocalyptic society, the story follows Cia Vale, a bright and determined protagonist chosen to partake in the Testing—a series of trials designed to identify the next generation of leaders. Charbonneau masterfully crafts a suspenseful narrative that keeps the reader engaged and invested in the fate of Cia and her fellow test-takers.

The author's world-building is intricate and immersive, providing a vivid backdrop against which the harrowing challenges unfold. As the story progresses, Charbonneau explores themes of trust, survival, and the moral dilemmas individuals face in extreme circumstances. The Testing pushes its characters to the brink. In doing so, it also challenges readers to question their values and the lengths they would go to for success.

Character development is another strong suit in "The Testing." Cia is a relatable and complex heroine whose intelligence and resilience make her an engaging protagonist. The supporting cast is equally well-drawn, with each character adding depth and intrigue to the story. Charbonneau expertly balances high-stakes action with emotional depth throughout the novel, making "The Testing" a compelling and thought-provoking read.

I was excited to dive into The Testing, hoping to find a multifaceted, interesting take on YA dytopian tales. But unfortunately, I just didn't find this book gripping or original enough – though it was intriguing at the start, the world felt familiar, the plot a bit derivative, the emotional connection flimsy, and the romance shallow. As hard as I try not to compare books, it's very difficult to separate this from books like Divergent and The Hunger Games, and unfortunately it doesn't stand out in such a saturated subgenre.

I purchased this book and its sequels for the middle school library. They are not checked out much though because this book is too similar to other dystopian books such as Divergent.

I was greatly impacted by the Hunger Games and was eager to try Charbonneau’s take. Initially intrigued, I was sadly disappointed with the “right” or “pat” answers the lead character seemed to possess at such a young age. The beauty of The Hunger Games is facing the horror of the situation and ultimately deciding for myself alongside the character, “what would I do.” I felt that Charbonneau created a character that was “safe” but not authentic.

I won't be able to leave a review for this book; I requested it in a past lifetime of my NetGalley use (about ten years ago) and it no longer fits with my reading interests. If I ever do end up reading it I'll come back and update this!

This was a really fun one and I thought the author came up with an interesting way to write within the dystopian genre. Characters were fully fleshed out and I thought world-building was great. Can't wait to check out the sequel.

I had this book lined up next on my reading list until a couple of negative reviews surfaced… and then it got moved to the back-burner. Several months later, Tara (The Librarian Who Doesn’t Say Shhhh!) gave it a promising review and included it in her top ten books of 2013 list. As she’s a self-proclaimed dystopian addict and one of my favorite kindred book spirits, I knew I had to give this series a second look. And you know what? I’m really glad I did.

Before I get into it, I need to admit I’m already finished with the second book (Independent Study) and, while I had a couple of issues with The Testing, I loved the second book so much that those issues are nothing but a distant memory. This is a problem because if I had written this review when I was supposed to (i.e., before continuing on in the series) it probably would’ve been a little harsher, but what can I say? My immense enjoyment of the second book has definitely pulled up my opinion of the series as a whole.

In any case, I’ll try and speak to my initial opinion of the first book throughout the rest of this review. Overall, there were several things I liked about it, and a few that I didn’t. First off, I love competitions of any sort, and a bunch of kids gathered together to showcase their mental assets against one another, actively competing for a spot in the University, thrilled me to no end. I love books about people in school, especially the testing sequences (weird I know). Most of this novel focused around the candidates reacting to challenges and problems put forth to them by the testing committee. The creativity and presentation of those tests were by far the best parts of the novel. I found myself hard-pressed to put it down because I was eager to see what problem they would face next and how Cia, the main heroine, would solve it.

I don’t know if it’s just because I’ve been conditioned to expect the worst-case-scenario from Hunger Games and the countless other dystopian I’ve read, but I figured out right away that there was something more sinister at play than a mere placement test (as I’m sure most readers will). The problem is, the testing went from plausibly dangerous to ridiculously deadly in the blink of an eye. I’m pretty sure the author was going for shock value, but I found it too clumsy to be really effective. Cia’s reaction to the event emotionally distanced me from it even further. In any case, this is where my rating of the book started to fall and, while excellent testing scenes ensued, it never really gained back my confidence.

That said, I’m actually surprised I picked up a second book at all, but what ever reading god drew me to it, I am immensely grateful. I liked it so much that it’s in contention to be one of my favorite books of the year. I am incredibly eager to get my hands on the third and final book of the trilogy (Graduation Day).

If you are on the fence about this series, I would encourage you to give it a try. There are enough cool elements in the first book to make it worth your while, and who doesn’t love a series that gets better and better with each book?

Niki - The Obsessive Bookseller

"The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation's chosen few who must rebuild it."

In this dystopian world, students who want to continue their educations must be chosen for, and pass, a series of tests, the exact nature of which isn't known to them. Cia Vale is one of those chosen, along with 3 other members of her village, and they set out together to the testing city, but what they go through is way beyond what any of them are expecting.

I enjoyed this book so much! I've seen it compared to The Hunger Games, and while I can see some similarities, this story stands on its own. The world building is phenomenal and the story moves along at a good pace. The first third is mostly setting up the story, introducing the characters, giving us background, etc., but then things take off and you're glad you got all that information. The characters were well developed and seemed believable for teenagers.

In summary, this was a very enjoyable dystopian read and I look forward to reading the rest of the series to find out where it goes.

5/5 stars.

This book was requested when I was young and requested more books than I could possibly read. Sadly, I no longer have access to this book and my tastes have changed. Thus I will not be able to give feedback on this title.

Set in a future where the Earth is ravaged by wars, people now rely on science for soil regeneration and genetic modification of their plants to adapt to a hostile environment. The world-building is superb and the story compelling.

My interests have changed since I requested this book as I no longer primarily read YA. At this time, I won't reading or reviewing this title as it does not fit my current interests or the interests of followers of my blog/Instagram followers. Thank you.

Smart and engaging. It's been a while but I appreciate the chance to read this book before it was published.

This title was archived before I could download it - I am unable to read for a review at this time, although it still looks interesting. I have enjoyed Charbonneau’s other work.

I knew that I should have had all three books with me when I started this book and now I have to wait to read the other two!!! No one has been chosen from the Five Lakes district to participate in the testing for over 5 years. Cia is dying to know if anyone will be chosen this year and if she might be one of them. The Testing is a United Commonwealth program that selects the best and brightest new graduates to become possible leaders of the slowly revitalizing post-war civilization. They must complete a series of tests culminating in a survival journey. This story is action packed and similar to Hunger Games and Maze Runner.

A mix between The Hunger Games and Divergent, this is a fairly typical dystopian novel, but it definitely kept me turning the pages. I thought it was going to be a light read, but was surprised when things got fairly dark and violent early on. I think this is an asset to the story, and is part of the reason why I enjoyed it as much as I did. It ends on a great cliffhanger, and I can't wait to read the second book.

A great dystopian title! I was happy to have this on my shelves and loved recommending it to patrons.

Okay, I think I'm going to have to DNF this one. Maybe it's because I'm a little over the dystopian genre, or maybe because it didn't grip me enough to want to know more. Either way, I just didn't find myself interested enough to keep going.

I don't know if it's the writing really, or if it reminded me a bit of all the dystopian novels I read and couldn't feel much of a new element or what, but yeah, couldn't keep going.