The Surrendered (Surrendered 1) by Case Maynard

This book is about a sixteen year old girl named Vera or Vee who is a slave to the government. The economy no longer exists. There was the creation of a Tax where parents have to give up their children if they couldn't pay the Tax. Only one child per family is exempt, if there is more than one child then the parents have to pay the Tax if not they have their children taken away from them at the age of eight. These children the go into the "system" which is this books government and the kids become slaves. Vee and her twin brother Oliver were surrendered at the age of ten but when their younger sister who should be exempt from the Tax shows up and unexpected events put Vee and her sister in danger their flee. They meet up with a group of people who are trying to take down the "system" but they may have dark intentions. Vee meets a guy named Cason and a romantic relationship slowly grows between the two of them.

 I really enjoyed this book it was full of action right from the beginning. I liked Vee but she was a bit impulsive. I think she would have gotten herself and other into way less trouble if she had thought her actions through but in her defense I also think she would have acted differently if the people around her had told her their plan instead of expecting her to just trust and follow along. Vee is not a follower she likes to do so to be told to wait is not a good thing for her. I liked Cason a lot. He was gruff at first but had his reasons. I found Jane to be a little bitch not that it was her fault her crazy mother raised her that way but still she was a little annoying. Olivier I find was a very mysterious character we don't see a lot of him in this book until about half way through and he has quite a few secrets that if he had shared with Vee things might have gone differently. The ending to this book was great but man I want the next book! It comes out in September so i'll be keeping a eye out for it's release.

Goodreads

✯★✯★