Book Review: A Time to Die by Nadine Brandes

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Title: A Time to Die

Author: Nadine Brandes

Series: Out of Time #1

Genre: Dystopian

Audience: Young Adult

~ MY REVIEW ~

 **4 stars**

I recently came to love dystopian. It intrigues me. Thrills me. So when I saw that A Time to Die by Nadine Brandes was a Christian dystopian, I was so excited to read it! Now I sit here, contemplating. One star? Four stars? Five stars? It was raw, it was riveting, it was heart-breaking! I suppose I won't know exactly what I think about this book until I read the second book in the series. But no, no, the one star is out of the question. A Time to Die is a too well-written and fascinating of a tale to get only one star! *smiles*

Parvin Blackwater has one year left to live. And she's only eighteen. Her clock is slowly loosing its numbers, ticking ever closer to her death. But she has yet to really live! And she sees injustice and wrongs around her that she aches to fight against. Yet what difference can she make with so little time left?

     Step into this broken, futuristic world and go on a wild journey with Parvin as she discovers things she has never before known.

The dystopian aspect and world was amazing. Well thought-out. Terrible. Real. Absolutely intriguing. I saw a few similarities to Divergent and The Hunger Games pop up here and there ... yet A Time to Die was so very different than them even so. It's definitely its own unique dystopian world.

I was surprised and startled again and again. Nadine Brandes had so many unexpected twists waiting around the corner! Wow. I was hooked, and finished this story in no time.

The theme was awesome. It made me think: What would I do if this was my last year? It honestly scared me, because, like Parvin, I sometimes feel purposeless, useless ... like I've wasted my years so far. I can identify with her - that longing to leave a mark on the world. To make a difference for good. To live life to the fullest; to use what God has given you! ...But then, not knowing how. Not feeling like my efforts amount to anything. So yes. It was incredible to journey along with her and watch her grow. Poignant to feel her desperate emotions. 

     I also loved the whole theme with 'Shalom'. It was so very beautiful. So very deep. Every part of that was brilliant, and definitely makes a reader want to draw nearer to God. Beautiful job, Nadine! ^_^ Eep! I could go on about it, but I don't want to give any spoilers. Read A Time to Die and experience it for yourself, people!

So yes. I identified with Parvin. Despite some slightly foolish choices, I really liked her character. She wasn't the hard, "fake", arrogant, kick-butt heroine that some dystopian (and fantasy and perhaps historical) novels like to display. Instead she was someone I could relate to; someone I could cheer on. Luke was hard er to understand sometimes, but I liked him too. And Solomon Hawke was sweet. Willow was a sweetie too. Oh my word, I just want to explode right now with anger at a certain person and a certain people group ... but I'll keep myself from doing so, so I want give away any spoilers! But be prepared to be angry. Very angry. This story stirs up emotions for sure. The sheer injustice!!! The betrayal! The absurdity! The hypocrisy! The way human life no longer holds its preciousness! O.O Grrr! It just made me so mad. How could they? And then try to pass it off as righteous or "just-the-way-it-is"

*Ahem* There was a bit of a budding romance going on; but nothing much. There was some violence. Definitely some gore. Nothing like reading The Hunger Games; but still sometimes I was left a bit squeamish or shocked.

Overall, an absolutely gripping tale. And that ending!!!! O.O I am so very happy that I will be reading A Time to Speak soon-ish here!

If you like dystopian ... intricate mysteries ... wild journeys ... heart-pounding suspense ... tender moments ... themes of poignancy and depth ... Then you most certainly need to pick up A Time to Die and give it a try!

I received a copy of A Time to Die from the author in exchange for my honest review.