The Birthmarked Trilogy #2

THE BIRTHMARKED TRILOGY:
Prized by Caragh O'Brien

Out Of The Frying Pan And Into The Fire!

After leaving behind everything she knows and everyone she cares for Gaia braves the wasteland with her baby sister in search of the Dead Forest. Thought only a fairytale by most Gaia knew it was real, it had to be, she was staking her life, and that of her sisters, that it existed. Her hope was to find a place she and her sister might live in peace. But when the fairytale becomes a nightmare, Gaia finds it harder and harder to hold on to what she believes in, and harder and harder to hold onto who she is.

From the moment she stepped foot into Sylum her sister was taken from her. She was then offered a choice, leave now alone before it was too late, or stay knowing that if she tried to leave in the future she would die. It was no choice for Gaia, while her sister remained so too would she. But while this backwards society could seem at times to be most cruel and strange, there were also times where she was compelled to admit that her only choice of survival was to submit to the will of others at the price of her true self.

Prized is a raw and intelligent look at a society on the brink of extinction, with no way out and no way to go on. It is a story that is both harsh and complex in its characters as well as their relationships, where even amongst psychological torture and social injustice love can still blossom. When rules are broken and an outsider takes a stand to defend another, change will be instilled, whether it is wanted or not. A brilliant continuation of a story that highly imaginative and very unforgettable, with the anticipated conclusion still to come.

Caragh O'Brien Webpage

Caragh O'Brien @ Simon & Schuster

On sale: 01 November 2011
Price (AU): $16.99
ISBN: 9780857074959
Recommended age: 14+
In a word: Dead Forest
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: five out of five
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The Birthmarked Trilogy #1.5

THE BIRTHMARKED TRILOGY:

Tortured by Caragh O'Brien

It Was The Only Thing Left To Do!

It was a choice he had happily made, his life for hers, his freedom for hers. But now she was out there somewhere, battling the wastelands with precious few supplies and a baby to care for. The chances for survival were slim, but his own survival was not so great either. Punished and tortured for his part in Gaia's escape with the records, he was in no position, or fit state, to go after her. But when given the opportunity there was no way he would let it slip through his fingers. He had cared more for her then he realized and he could only hope that he would find her and when he did that she might care for him in return.

Tortured may only be as long as a chapter but the story contained within answers the questions of what happened to those left behind after Gaia left the Enclave, Wharfton, her friends and Leon behind. Having ensured Gaia's escape, watching her leave with her sister, Leon is now, finally, after so much torture free to follow her, that is if she has survived the harshness of the wilderness. As a stepping stone from Birthmarked to Prized it does well to tie up the lose ends. Written from Leon's point of view if offers fresh perspective on what has transpired and what may yet occur. A must read for those reading this series.
 

Tortured - click HERE to read

Caragh O'Brien Webpage

On sale: 01 December 2011
Price (AU): Free
ISBN: 9781466805774
Recommended age: 14+
In a word: Leon
Re-read it: to those reading the series
Recommend: yes
Star rating: four out of five
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The Birthmarked Trilogy #1

THE BIRTHMARKED TRILOGY:
Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien

'Life First'

At only sixteen Gaia is following in her mothers footsteps as a midwife. There are parts of her job that are secret, such as the freckles and the tea, then there are parts of the job that are necessary, such as the advanced babies that are handed over to the Enclave to which all serve. Gaia has always blindly followed the rules of her society, never once questioning her part. That is until the night she delivers her first baby unassisted, the same night her parents are taken from her.

Inside the walls of the Enclave people live in luxury, a stark contrast to those living outside like Gaia. Only those born within the walls, or those advanced, are permitted among the privileged and for an outsider to enter is suicide. Gaia however is determined to enter the walls to save her parents, but what she finds under the surface of this idealistic society is dark and dangerous and try as she might she cannot escape without leaving someone she loves behind.

Birthmarked is a terrifying look into a future where the individual is insignificant when compared to the needs of society, where even babies are traded for resources and where among the elite love is only allowed to those genetically compatible. An outsider, a girl marked as undesirable, will create chaos in a dystopian society, waking people from their complacencies and getting them thinking about just what it means to serve a 'greater good'. Very excited to discover this is just the first in a series, with a lot more adventure to come.

Caragh O'Brien Webpage

Caragh O'Brien @ Simon & Schuster

On sale: 01 May 2011
Price (AU): $16.99
ISBN: 9780857071392
Recommended age: 14+
In a word: Gaia
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: five out of five
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