#Review of The Murder Complex by @lindsaycwrites

 

An action-packed, blood-soaked, futuristic debut thriller set in a world where the murder rate is higher than the birthrate. For fans of Moira Young’s Dust Lands series, La Femme Nikita, and the movie Hanna.

Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision.

The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family?

Action-packed, blood-soaked, and chilling, this is a dark and compelling debut novel by Lindsay Cummings.

About the Author

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Biography

Lindsay Cummings is a 22-year-old author of THE MURDER COMPLEX series coming June 10th, 2014 from Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins. THE FEAR TRIALS, a prequel novella, releases May 27th, 2014. Lindsay also has the MG trilogy, THE BALANCE KEEPERS. Book 1, THE FIRES OF CALDERON, releases Fall 2014 from Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins.

Why writing?---
When Lindsay graduated from highschool in 2009, she became sick with Chronic Fatigue. She was constantly tired from several surgeries, couldn't get out of bed most days, failed her college classes, and had to drop out. Because of Chronic Fatigue, Lindsay took up writing. At first, it was a hobby and a way to escape. But after a while, Lindsay became obsessed with writing stories...it turned into a career, and she wouldn't have it any other way! Unless she could teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. Then she'd have it that way.

Lindsay loves YA books, especially the dark ones, and wants every girl in the world to know that Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead is HER man, and they should kindly back off :)
Lindsay owns two German shepherds,one wolf cub who isn't very smart, a real live Budweiser draft horse named Dan the Man, and a silly little quarter horse named Clue. Lindsay collects weapons, loves to shoot her guns, eats too many Hot Cheetos, and can't stop dying her hair crazy colors. She's still waiting on her letter from Hogwarts--it was probably just lost in the mail. She loves Jesus Christ and believes all of her success is His doing! She's getting married in October, and she can't freaking wait.

Age Group: 

Higher Teen because this book deals with blood, guts, gore, and ya murder. 

Love Triangle: 

No there is no love triangle in this one yay!!

Cliffhanger: 

Yes the ending leaves us with this heart wrecking cliffhanger that made me scream nooooo at the end. And tell the author that she killed me. 

Have you read The Fear Trials?

If you are coming into this book after reading the small 100 page Novella called The Fear Trials then you have been introduced to some of the characters.  If you are coming into this like I did.  Before the Novella or if you don't read Novellas then thats fine to.  It will just be a new dystopian series for you to fall for. 

Plot:

This story is set in a future after a plague has wiped out most of the population. The people who live there are immune to the plague thanks to nanites that are in their blood. People have to work to get food and they all must follow the laws set forth my their government called the Initiative. It kinda felt like a giant food bank.  You work and depending on how much you did that day would depend on how much food you got at the end of the day. Which in this worlds case was never enough.  You don't really find out what is going on until around 25% though the book and that was wonderful! This book is a great blend of mystery, murder, and love story. It has everything!  

Characters:

The characters were fabulous.  Meadow was a great heroin and Zephyr was a great love interest.  Meadow is given the ultimate choice and in the end of this book I don't think I could have chosen the same path she did.  She learns to put her faith in those around her.  And turns into a wonderful woman that hopefully will survive that cliffhanger at the end.  

Zephyr was also a great character a little green around the edges.  I thought I was going to hate him but ended up falling in love right along with Meadow.  He really does come into his own by the end of the book.  And even pretty much telling The Murder Complex to suck it.  He was a great character that learned to draw strength from the things that had been done to him. 

I have to say that although I understand why Meadow's dad did what he did.  It really sucks.  And I don't really like him. 

Story:

I loved how the story progressed through out the book.  The author did a wonderful job giving you a little information at a time.  And it didnt feel like she spend up the ending or anything.  

If You Love:

Fans of Divergent, The Hunger Games, and the like will fall in love with this murder, mystery, thriller! Its a deff Must Read in my book! 

World:

The author did an amazing job creating a world where death is a normal every day thing.  Where you may or may not make it home safely.  Each day the citizens of this world must deal with what is known as the Dark Hour.  It is a time to lock your doors, and hide if you want to survive.  You keep silent and do not talk. As if the Leeches (flunkies of the Initiative) don't shoot you.  Those of the Murder Complex will. (ya can't say much about this without MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!)  This story will really make you think about how you would survive.  Meadow's father drilled into her head.  To survive above all else.  So I will leave you with the same goal.  

Count to Three, Relax your mind, Now Survive. 

"All opinions are 100% honest and my own."

From The Back Cover

Close your eyes and feel your enemy's weakness.

Mind over body.

Mind over body.

Mind over body.

Breathe.

In.

Out. 

In. 

Out.

Now survive.

Welcome to the Murder Complex.

You cannot see us. You cannot feel us.

But we are here.

And we control your every move.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.

Posted in: 5 Stars, HarperCollins, Lindsey Cummings, Review, Signed, Young Adult