Surrender: A Possession Novel [Hardcover]

Elana Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 5, 2012 | Series: Possession

The thrilling and seductive sequel to Possession puts love on the line in a dystopian struggle for independent thought.

Forbidden love, intoxicating power, and the terror of control…

     Raine has always been a good girl. She lives by the rules in Freedom. After all, they are her father’s rules: He’s the Director. It’s because of him that Raine is willing to use her talent—a power so dangerous, no one else is allowed to know about it. Not even her roommate, Vi.

     All of that changes when Raine falls for Gunner. Raine’s got every reason in the world to stay away from Gunn, but she just can’t. Especially when she discovers his connection to Vi’s boyfriend, Zenn.

     Raine has never known anyone as heavily brainwashed as Vi. Raine’s father expects her to spy on Vi and report back to him. But Raine is beginning to wonder what Vi knows that her father is so anxious to keep hidden, and what might happen if she helps Vi remember it. She’s even starting to suspect Vi’s secrets might involve Freedom’s newest prisoner, the rebel Jag Barque…. 

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This dystopian novel…might appeal to readers of Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies and Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games.” --SLJ

About the Author

Elana Johnson wishes she could experience her first kiss again, tell the mean girl where to go, and have cool superpowers. To fulfill her desires, she writes young adult science fiction and fantasy. She lives in central Utah where she spends her time with many students, one husband, and two kids. Find out more at ElanaJohnson.com and follow her on Twitter at @ElanaJ.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (June 5, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1442445688
• ISBN-13: 978-1442445680
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #316,419 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I think bacon should be eaten for every meal. I chew bubble gum every single day. I am a founding author of the QueryTracker blog. I blog for the League of Extraordinary Writers and help to organize WriteOnCon. I also teach, watch reality TV and drive too fast.

When I'm not doing any of that, I write young adult novels. (And yeah, okay, sometimes I eat bacon while typing.)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Surrender (Possession Series #2) November 8, 2012

By Stephanie Ward

Format:Hardcover

4.5 Stars

'Surrender' is the second book in the Possession series - a young adult science fiction/dystopian that follows our fearless main characters as they fight against the Rules and the Thinkers. In this book, the focus turns to Vi's new roomate - Raine. Raine's father is the Director in Freedom, and she has always been Good and followed all the rules. Raine finds herself falling for Gunner, even though she knows she shouldn't. When she finds out how Gunner is connected to Zenn - Vi's boyfriend - Raine knows that things aren't what they seem. Now her father is asking her to spy on Vi and report back to him. What exactly is her father hiding and what would happen if she were to help Vi remember?

I found this installment to be just as enchanting and exciting as the first book in the series. New characters are introduced and we learn interesting things about some of the characters from the first novel too. All of the characters are well rounded and likable and we see some good character growth occur. The world building continues to be fantastic and adds more depth and intricacy from the first book. The attention to detail and the descriptions used make the world incredibly believable and I loved the continued history and backstory that we're given. The plot was fast paced and full of adventure, action, and thrills. There was some romance again in this book, but it wasn't overly corny and didn't overshadow the main plot of the book. I really liked the way the characters interacted with one another - it felt genuine and also built great connections for further books in the series. Overall, this was a wonderful second installment in the series and I will be eagerly awaiting the third book to be released. Highly recommended for fans of science fiction, fantasy, and dystopians.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Better, but still. November 5, 2012

By Nikki Wang

Format:Hardcover

This was defnitely better than Possession, I can say that, but like Possession, the romance was a bit lacking. Gunn and Raine's romance was definitely more steady, but the romance seemed more forced in the beginning. It really wasn't as satisfying. My expectations were high, I guess. It was really the romance I didn't like much, and a bit of the characters, but it was their personality. It wasn't...pleasant at times. But I have to admit, they were developed nicely.

The #1 thing I loved the most about Surrender was that it managed to tie all these new characters in with our old ones, mixing things up so each piece of info matched like puzzle pieces. And it was cool how Elana Johnson made the most irrational things become reasonable, and the most outrageous ideas suddenly become...obvious. Nothing is predictable in this book, but it's not like random things are thrown in. These things seemed well thought-out and continued to advance the plot.

Another cool thing about Surrender, though, was that you didn't need Possession to figure it out, but it's definitely more anticipating if you did. But I loved the new characters! Raine was so fierce and protective and everything (though she did get on my nerves a lot. She seemed to be...all-knowing, but somehow naive at the same time, and that combination did bother me quite a lot.) and she was actually really smart and strategic, so I enjoyed guessing her next move in this giant chess game.
Gunner was definitely a great male lead. There was just something about him you HAD to like. I just can't put my finger on it...

Surrender also changed my opinions about the Vi love triangle and some other things. Honestly, I used to be Team Zenn (scroll up to learn why), but Surrender definitely made me like Jag more. Zenn seemed determined to get Vi back from Jag in Possession, but in Surrender...he seemed resigned. And that's when I stopped liking him, honestly. It also may have osmething to do with Jag's oppositely determination to reach Vi and get her to safety. Yes. Defintiely Team Jag now!!!

Something awesome I've noticed, is that this giant twist? It's been building slowly from Possession and I loved that! How things you think aren't important, are suddenly the biggest hints.To me, that's definitely a sign of good writing! And the world of Possession and Surrender is definitely more detailed in Surrender. Not only that, we learn more about the powers, and just how valuable and important they are. And Raine's power? Useful and so foreboding

Just like book #1, Surrender will leave you hanging (with a...deja vu cliffhanger!) and attack you with revelation after revelation, leaving you stunned and shocked, just like in Possession. Surrender ties old and new characters together, creating a complex plot that will make you stare. The romance is bittersweet and, while seemingly forced, does have a sweet base. As we find out more about this world, we'll just be all the more horrified by what's going on behind the scenes. And that's jsut how we like it, right?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Surrender October 16, 2012

By kadie

Format:Kindle Edition

i was given this book for an honest review. ~waAr~

I absolutely LOVE this series! the formatting on this book was a bit strange, but i ignored it and read anyways, and i'm sooo glad i did. this book is captivating and holds your attention just as well as book one, if not better! I fell in love with all her characters and can not wait to read more. i was drawn into their world and found myself hating the "goodies" lol , rooting for the baddies and then thrown for a loop when you find out people are not who they seem. i was completely captivated by this book ,and i'm sure will read it many many more times.