Independent Study

By: Joelle Charbonneau

Narrated by: Elizabeth Morton

Seventeen-year-old Cia Vale survived The Testing, as has Tomas, the boy she loves, and they have both gained admission to the University. She has a promising future as a leader of the United Commonwealth and no memory of her bloody testing experience, thanks to a government-sanctioned memory wipe. Cia should be happy but is plagued by doubts about the past and future.

Determined to find the truth, she embarks on a path of study forbidden by the government delving into the Commonwealth's darkest secrets. What she finds is the brutal reality lurking behind the friendly faces of her classmates and the unbearable realization that leaders chosen to protect us can be our greatest enemy.

©2014 Joelle Charbonneau (P)2014 Recorded Books

Amazing book!

It’s such a good book and it leaves you on a cliff hanger wondering what will happen in the last book! Personally I think it’s better than The Testing! I recommend this series!

More twists and turns than the first!

I very much enjoyed the developments in this novel! I wasn't sure if I would read the third book, but now I definitely will! The new characters and plot developments are much less predictable and keep the reader guessing...

The narrator may ruin the whole series

I took a break from the series after I read the first book and forgot about the terrible narrator when I bought the second one. She has no inflection, has a terrible arsenal of "voices" for different characters, doesn't whisper, laugh, breathe correctly or do anything to indicate that a character is experiencing anything other then monotony. She also sounds like a twelve year old in a reading support class.
The story itself is reminiscent of The Hunger Games trilogy and the Divergent series with a heroine being better than everyone else and somehow being chosen to overthrow the government. It's aight.

Unbelievable

Unbelievable you have to read too grasp just how good this book/series is. It’s full of passion for what’s right, the determination to change the sadistic system. Yet the passion and corruption on the other side, to keep things status quo. It’s unthinkable what these students are put through when excepted to go off to college for their education. They first need to go through a test of wits, bravery, pressure, problem solving, will to survive, compassion and when to have no compassion.

Once they finish this test the ones who make it go onto college. What a relief right....wrong they never stop being tested. It’s a test of wills and intelligence throughout, between the teachers, a rebel group that isn’t what it was supposed to be, students and a President who seems to be trying to do what’s right!

I’m onto the next book in this amazing series. I can’t wait to find out what happens between these different fractions. Who will have the smarts, patients, tenacity, and be able to out wit the other fractions? I can’t wait to find out. This book and the others in the series are, sit on the edge of your seat, eyes bulging in disbelief, emotional rollercoaster, unpredictable, ride. You’re just not sure if it’s to hell, or salvation.

Love this trilogy

These books are some of the best I have 'read ' in at least a year. I liked the audio books so much that I am going to buy the books and add them to my library .

good book

similar to The Hunger Games but still with enough plot twists to make it different.

wonderful narrative recommend it to anyone

great in general anyone could read this series and understand any of the characters point of views

Better than the first book

What made the experience of listening to Independent Study the most enjoyable?

The politics behind the testing is better explained and feels more plausible than in the first book. I like that Cia is her own person that makes her own decisions based on what she thinks is right.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Independent Study?

The part in the old zoo was interesting.
I saw most of the ending coming but there was still a part of the ending that was unexpected.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Elizabeth Morton?

No. I don't think that she was a good choice for this series. Most voices sound the same.

Any additional comments?

This book is more developed and interesting than the first. Thomas is not in this book as much as in the first one, which is a good thing in my opinion. He is too perfect with few character flaws, which makes him uninteresting.

PERFECT cliff hanger!

I love the first 2 books! It is a perfect marriage of Divergent and the Hunger Games!

The Testing is Awesome!!

Read the book. It is definitely worth your time! But your going to have to read " The Testing" first! After all it is the first of three!!