[R] Panic, by: Lauren Oliver

Panic
by: Lauren Oliver

★★★★★

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

Holy shit and cow! That was my words every time something super random occurred. This book is about fear, what panic make us do. Certainly, it have surprises. Things that you never thought were to occur. I love the book for that and if I could, I would rated with more than 5 stars.

The title of the book... I don't know how to explain you, but it is literal, but symbolic too. Panic is the name of the game, but panic is a feeling that everyone in the book, and in real life, have felt at some point in our lives. Panic, the game, began know one knows when, but it's basically only for those who graduate in Carp from high school. Not everyone can join, to do so you need to do the Jump. Which is jump from a cliff to a river. After that, there are a lot of challenges ahead until only two remain and they have to do the Joust. What the winner... win? The pot, which is a lot of cash. Last year, the pot was 50,000, but this year the pot is much bigger.

Our characters, Heather and Dodge, which are the narrators, are in the game. For different motives, but Nat is in the game too. She is the best friend of Heather and Dogde has a crush on her. The challenges got more and more hard each time and decisions must be made. Who would win? Rumors says that people can die in these challenges, who would die this year?

Let's talk about characters (NOT SPOILERY!):

• Heather - how to describe her without giving everything away? She is not a... normal girl? Other than that, she have a sister called Lily and her two best friends are Bishop and Nat. I could tell you that her character is the symbol of Panic. You will understand it more when you get the book in your hands.
• Dodge - maybe a little background of he will not spoil you much. His sister, Dayna, was in the game two years and he planned to be in this year game, because of her. Revenge. Other than that, he have a crush on Nat and later on, he became friends with Heather and Bishop.
• Natalie (Nat) - she is the most scared girl in the whole book, for real. I don't know and she doens't even know either why she entered to the game. Maybe for money, but sounds like she doens't need it.
• Bishop - he is an interesting character. You never know what to think about him, until the last chapters. He is just that secretly, except with Heather in some ways.

You see? I didn't spoiled anything, or at least not too much. The end is up to you. But I totally recommend it to read. Do not wait or hesitate in buying this book. When it comes out, you buy it, read it and you will not regret it. IT'S THAT GOOD! Panic is under skin. Thank you, Lauren Oliver, for making a book so perfect like this one.