The Epidemic (Program)

How do you review a book that puts an exclamation point on a fantastic series? Honestly, what can I really say about The Epidemic that won't give away the whole plot of The Program and The Treatment or even The Remedy for that matter? What Suzanne Young did with this series is nothing short of perfection and I feel like I used all the words I can to tell you what I loved about each book and they all apply to The Epidemic as well. (You can find my reviews HERE, HERE and HERE). I guess what I can try to do and explain why I loved the series as a whole. In my review for The Program I mentioned what fascinated me the most about the story was what came first, the depression or The Program? It was such a simple concept and one that stuck with me. It seemed like these kids were in an endless loop of fear. They couldn't feel grief and loss because then they were high risk and pushed into mandatory therapy but they also couldn't not feel them because the really could become depressed. They were in a catch-22 of sorts and The Program showed that. This kids had no choices and that made it even scarier of an idea and made me curios where it started. Then there was The Treatment. The Treatment was different from The Program as it showed what happened after you were taken away from you. It showed what happened after you completed The Program and how it effected every part of your life. It was so interesting to see what the kids would put themselves through to get control of their lives and not live in fear. They put everything on the line and did it without flinching. But still I wondered how it all truly started, what came first. So that brings me to The Remedy (which I said I was scared to read in my review of it) and The Epidemic. Both books billed as part of a duology and prequels to The Program and The Treatment. Each book added a layer to the already fantastic narrative Suzanne Young created and did the impossible by making the story even better. There are subtle and obvious connections in the prequels that really make parts of The Program and The Treatment stand out. Honestly I can't say enough good things about the two books and the series in general. What I'm trying to say here is that Suzanne Young pulled off something very few authors could do. She started at the middle, went to the conclusion, backed up to the beginning, and connected it all together with a fantastic ending and did it perfectly leaving very few questions. I know a lot of you have read The Program and The Treatment and if you have I highly suggest picking up the prequels and finding out what this story is really made of. And for those of you that haven't read any of them? Stop waiting! Pick up The Program and read them by release date. You won't be sorry.

In the world of science fiction, the suicide epidemic has killed 30% of the teen population. As the teen population decreases the population of adults are staying the same. The parents become worried and want some sort of treatment to help their kids. In order to help them, the kids are sent to “the program” against their consent where they go under treatment. This 378 page book consists of seven series and is a New York Times best-selling book by Suzanne Young. It can be quite challenging for young readers but it is a must-read for young adults(12-18). In a dystopian society, Quinlan Mckee is a teen closer, one of the best ones too. Her job is to impersonate deceased children in order to give the family time to take in the truth/closure. Her boyfriend Deacon is the only one she trusts, but when she figures out that he’s been keeping secrets from her, she becomes independent. After finding out that her whole life has been a lie, she seeks to find her true identity and Arthur Pritchard, the doctor who made her forget her past life and everyone in it. She must be careful, or all her memories will be taken and she’ll lose herself again. The Epidemic is a phenomenal story. I personally enjoyed it very much because teen suicide is a big issue in society. The author Suzanne, expresses her imagination in a way that the issue can be solved. This book is highly recommended, as there is several parts in the story where your whole body stiffens because of all the tension, along with some parts that may make you feel slightly sad. Suzanne Young was inspired to write this series because of a girl who survived a suicide attempt along with a commercial with medication causing one to think about suicide. She tried to exaggerate this and focused her idea onto a book. I was in shock when Young wrote about someone killing himself in front of everyone at a party in a specific chapter. She wrote it with so much description that I played it out in my head. One small change I would make is to tie the books to each other so that we expect something similar to the ending of the book that someone finished reading. The Epidemic is a must read for people that love to read imaginary places that lead different lives.

Looking forward to reading The Adjustment now. This is a series that I doubt I will tire of. Quinn and Deacon have me swept into this dramatic society, and their love story. I feel like I just can't stop until I know that they are safe and get away from The Program. You might not have a clue what I'm talking about, and that is okay, but you can easily catch on by reading the series. This book was exciting for me. Maybe more so than some of the others in the series. It was the great chase that had me intrigued. Sure, there is usually a lot of chasing going on, but this had some sleuthing too. I guess that combo made it better. It really is a good series. Some solid storytelling and not what you would normally read I bet.

The Epidemic starts immediately where The Remedy ended, with Quinn trying to figure out what Deacon's motives are after reading the suspicious text on his phone. The start of the book is reminiscent to an espionage film, and perhaps, even a little Jason Bourne. Quinn uses her skills as a closer to blend in and take on new identities in order to escape the grief department and to find Virginia Pritchard, a girl who seems to be the key to providing Quinn answers to her own life. The Epidemic shines light into what will eventually become The Program and Suzanne Young manages to brilliantly weave characters into the story who will later appear in some capacity in The Program and The Treatment. As for this duology's characters, I just absolutely love Quinn and Deacon. Their relationship has been a rocky one from the start, and I love reading every scene they have together. The side characters have a life of their own and are heartbreaking in every single way. In The Epidemic Quinn proves that she is more than capable at working through tough situations on her own. I really liked the ending, because it not only shows that there's a chance at something better for the characters we've come to know and love, but ultimately, the ending seamlessly leads up into the events in The Program. I'll be interested in seeing what'll happen in The Adjustment and whether we'll see any characters from these two duology sets making an appearance in that storyline.

Love this book series. One of my favorites.

Amazing writing! So emotional, made me cry at Times. 5/5 one of my favorite books in the series. I absolutely love the series! #_kya

I love this series. A few minor grammatical errors were a bit frustrating but overall well written. The errors were mostly missing quotation marks and misspelled words.

I have never heard of this series. It was recommended after reading the darkest minds and it is SO FREAKING GOOD. A little bit of everything- a love story, government conspiracy, and an epidemic unfolding in real time. My only complaint is there are six books, I’m on number four and there are too many typos for a 60$+ complete series package