An interesting read, but nothing that was unique or different from the current reads.
I did like the writing however, and some of the themes in this book! thanks to netgalley and publishers for an e-arc to review!

Let the government take care of you. Release all of your worries. Build insurmountable border walls. This sounds too familiar for me to be comfortable with. Almost prescient. Maybe Paradise is not exactly as described. The Seclusion is a really, really good read that will leave you thinking about it long after you've turned the last page.

I really enjoyed this one. The action picked up from the very beginning and the author did a great job building the world as you went along. I was surprised when we got to the end and it seems there should be a sequel, although I havent been able to find anything about it. That would honestly be my only issue with the book. I need to know what happens now and there doesnt seem to be another book.

This book was a RIDE! It was very philosophical and deep once I got into it and i really did love this one.

DNF - I tried very hard to like this book, I got to about 30% and even that took me over a week to manage so I had to decided to put this book down.

Many thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to have an advanced copy of this book. I had not realised i had been sent it and it was sent to archive. I have now read it and apologise for the late review!

I read a lot of YA and i was hoping that this would be a new author to add to my collection. It is. The characters of Patch and Rex draw you in and are great characters to become attached to. I felt that this book is not beyond the realms of possibility in the future and I think this makes you even more invested in the characters.

The book has a good pace and i was able to read this over 2 days due to this and wanting to see where the book would take me. I really hope this turns into a series.

I actually missed my download and it got archived.

But i had a chance to read this book recently and i wasn't impressed really.

The plot was promising and I loved Jacqueline's style but I couldn't point out what the book lacked.

Thanks for giving me an opportunity to review this ARC

This felt like a mishmash of any given adult post-apocalyptic horror plus a Hunger Games wannabe from 6 years ago. Dystopian isn't something I'm seeing check out a lot in my library's teen collection, and it would have to be extraordinary to make an impact. This is not.

Thank you for the opportunity to review an advance copy of this book. I'm impressed with The Seclusion, the first published work by Jacqui Castle.. Provided that we accept as a given that this genre can be prone to tropes and re-use of ideas, it's easy to appreciate an entertaining plotline and engaging writing style. That's not to say that this is derivative. Rather, it's a work that seems tip-of-the-tongue familiar at times, while creatively new.

This book review has been waaaaay overdue. I didn't realize that I missed to schedule this post during my hiatus. Oh well, better late than never, right?

So. I feel like a total pariah for giving this book a low rating. I rarely see anyone give this a rating of 3 stars or below on Goodreads and I cannot, for the life of me, bring myself to enjoy this as much as they did.

I really adored the plot of the book, let me tell you that! I have a soft spot for dystopian novels and this one has a really interesting story. With that, I love the thrill I get whenever the main characters venture off to discover things that they shouldn't.

But despite the fact that I sure loved the story, the book just have certain aspects that didn't quite impress me for it to have gained a high rating. First off, as most cliches say, I didn't really feel a connection. Things kind of felt flat for me and there was major information dump. The narration was bland most of the time, even bordering on stiff occasionally. And I was irked by how things seem to come too convenient for the characters sometimes.

I failed to feel something for the characters, however hard I tried to. The main character, Patch, just sounds so robotic. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought that the government programmed her thoughts and actions to abide by their will. If it weren't for Rexx, she wouldn't have questioned anything and just went along with everything the board says. Maybe that attitude of hers came with her upbringing or whatever, but it just irks me that she's basically an adult yet she still doesn't have a mind of her own.

Overall, this book had potential but sadly, it didn't deliver. I wouldn't recommend this book but a lot of people seem to really like it so if you want to give it a try, let me know what you think!

Many thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.

I’ve been trying to make it through this book for months. So many things kept popping up that had to get done and this book just happened to be the one to suffer. I wish it wasn’t and I had gotten a chance to read it sooner because what a freakin’ ride. The Seclusion is definitely a book that should be on your TBR is you’re a fan of 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and The Giver.

This book follows Patricia, otherwise known as ‘Patch,’ who lives in America One, a remnant of America that is run by a totalitarian government known as ‘The Board.’ Everyone is given their assignment, everyone is taught that the outside world beyond the borders is dangerous, and everyone is watched and followed via cameras and id chips. Patch is a rule follower as she’s seen one of her best friends taken due to being a traitor to patriotism. But when Patch and her best friends, Rexx, discover a hidden, overrun van in the middle of the nowhere while on a work assignment, Patch begins to doubt what she’s been taught. As she begins to question if The Board has been telling the truth, things begin to fall apart and Patch and Rexx have to flee for their lives. Hiding away on a cargo train, they make it to the Pacific Northwest in search of the Northern border. Once there, a domino effect happens and Patch and Rexx are helpless to stop it. Their lives are on the line, but so is their chance at true freedom.

This book truly is up there with the likes of Orwell, Bradbury, and Lowry. The world that Castle has created truly isn’t that far off than what ours could be someday. The Seclusion is probably one of the most relevant books that I’ve read in awhile. Our political climate isn’t the greatest currently and America is struggling. This book, I feel, is one that shows us the dangers of what could happen if we close ourselves off to the rest of the world.

I truly loved this book. Patch and Rexx are such great characters to follow. Patch is headstrong and loyal. When she realizes that the government hasn’t been telling them the truth, all she wants is a chance to make things right and to gain true freedom to help others. Rexx is a true friend and hero. Once they find the van, he realizes right away that something is a miss. He inherently knows that something isn’t right and he wants to answers. He also keeps Patch safe as they make their way from Arizona to Oregon and protects her at every turn. He has the best for her in mind.

I really liked seeing how this story turned out. It was one that I will definitely read again and one that I truly believe is an important one to read. Castle has done such a great job creating a world that isn’t like ours, but could be one day. I loved how the shift happens in Patch and Rexx as they realize what they’ve known was lies. I loved seeing their journey happen and seeing them grow as characters and truly finding themselves. I also loved Castle doesn’t back down from showing their pain, their grief, and their emotions. One last thing that I loved was it ended with hope.

If you get a chance, read this book. It’s one that will be important in the years to come. I loved this book and I hope that you love it as much as I did.

Dystopian books used to be a lot of what I read and I am glad some dystopians are back as I love them.

You can tell a lot about the political climate in the US the past couple of years based on this book alone. Castle's politics are quite clear. It's a grim interpretation of the immediate future of this country. The speedy devolution predicted here is a bit problematic, falling into a complete totalitarian state utterly divorced from it's own history in just a couple of generations. The plot is a bit chaotic but the resolution is perhaps a bit more realistic than we typically see in teen novels.

I generally love dystopian literature. This book, while having a great storyline, felt like it was verging on something that could become a reality (and might already have happened in North Korea, for example). With that in mind, there were points in this book that I felt more sad than during the readings of other books in this genre.

The United States, in the year 2090, is no longer the democracy that we know today. Instead a government entity has taken control and erected a wall around the nation to protect against the world beyond. Individuals are given specific jobs and the same amount of credits to spend. They are raised separate from the direct family unit and encouraged to tell the authorities of any traitorous activity.

Patch, our protagonist, has a job that allows her a bit more autonomy as a research scientist. One afternoon on a testing visit with Rexx, her co worker and friend, they discovers something that should no longer exist. A van filled with books from another time. Under a different government. After bringing her parents there and having one taken away as a result she ad Rexx realize that the society in which they were raised is not as safe as they imagined. From that realization they determine to try to leave. That is really their only option.

But how can they in a world where everything is moderated and their every movement is recorded?

Hard as some points were, this book was a great beginning to a series. I cannot wait to read more and find out how exactly they escape and who the board really is.

I received a complementary copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

I'm a sucker for anything dystopian. That being said, I'm a harsh judge when it comes to those types of books. The Seclusion, however, was a surprise read for me. I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. The government has built walls around the US and what started out as a safety measure turned into total control. It's kind of scary to think that something like this could ever be possible. The book is set in 2090, which seems a lot closer than we think.
Overall, The Seclusion is a great read filled with amazing characters and epic adventures.

As a fan of post-apocalyptic stories, I enjoyed this book. It's all too possible given the current state of things. The lead character, Patch, is a faithful follower of the Board. One day while working she and a friend (Rexx) find forbidden materials. Instead of turning them in, she decides to hide them. This decision leads to her whole life being up-ended and she and Rexx end up on the run.

This story is definitely worth reading, though I would have preferred a solid conclusion to the story.

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 2018 September 5

BOOK REPORT for The Seclusion (Untitled #1) by Jacqui Castle

Cover Story: Keep Out
BFF Charm: Maybe
Swoonworthy Scale: 4
Talky Talk: Frightening Future
Bonus Factor: Books
Anti-Bonus Factor: Giant Segregating Walls
Relationship Status: Co-Conspirators

Cover Story: Keep Out

Giant walls are rarely a good thing, and the uncertainty of if the woman on this cover is being kept out of something—or in—is a pretty foreboding feeling.

The Deal:

In the future, America has literally walled itself off from the rest of the world. The Board, the new leaders of the country, say that it’s for the safety of all Americans, and those who try to question them are branded traitors. Patricia Collins is a patriot through and through, content to live her life as The Board says to, doing her job as a surveyor and researcher in the Natural Resource Department.

Until, that is, the day she and her partner Rexx, discover something that will change their lives forever: relics from the past, including a suitcase full of the most dangerous contraband of all—books.

BFF Charm: Maybe



At the start of The Seclusion, Patricia is a naive, innocuous young woman who doesn’t know any better. She’s lived her whole life under the thumb of The Board, and she thinks the way of life they’ve prescribed for America is the best way. Were I in her shoes, I don’t know that I’d be much different. But since I’m not, it’s a little hard for me to determine whether we’d make good friends. I feel like she’d turn me in for traitorous thoughts pretty early on in our relationship.

Swoonworthy Scale: 4

There’s something between Patricia and Rexx, but the fact that he used to date (quite seriously) her best friend has her keeping him at an arm’s length. But passions can flare when people find themselves in stressful situations ...

Talky Talk: Frightening Future

I’m not sure when the idea for The Seclusion first came to Castle, but the idea of a walled-off America isn’t too far removed from our current political climate, and that makes it all the more terrifying. Additionally terrifying is the book’s examination of the malleability of history—as people say, it’s written by the victors—and the idea that only a couple of generations from now, Americans could know next to nothing about the past or the larger world in which they live. (FAKE NEWS.) Castle makes this scary future realistic and all-too believable.

The pacing of the novel leaves a little to be desired, however. At only 300 pages, it’s a quick read, but the worldbuilding is a little lackluster, mostly because the story needs to quickly progress to the action stage from the introduction. I would have liked to learn a little more about Patricia and her life; as boring as it seems to live in post-seclusion America, it would have helped to make her sudden switch from patriot to “traitor” more convincing.

Bonus Factor: Books



To quote The Doctor, “Books! The best weapons in the world.” Even against tyrannical fascism.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Giant Segregating Walls



Eff that noise. Eff it real hard.

Relationship Status: Co-Conspirators

You and I don’t agree on everything, Book, but we certainly feel very similar about the power of books. If we work together, we just might be able to make some serious change.

Literary Matchmaking:



● For another dystopian novel featuring walls, try The Maze Runner by James Dashner.

● For another dystopian novel with a society run by a corporation, check out Jessica Shirvington’s Disruption.

● And for another dystopian novel that’s arguably the best of the YA genre, read (or re-read) The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, starting with The Hunger Games.

The Seclusion was a fast-paced, thought-provoking dystopian book set in the year 2090. Like the title 'Seclusion' suggests, America is walled off and separated from the rest of the world. Historic knowledge is outlawed and information is tightly monitored. Its a scary world.
Overall, I thought the book was pretty decent. Wasn't my favorite dystopian read ever. The characters were good and the pacing was great but it was a little too out there and political for me. And maybe a little too realistic in the Trump age we're living in. I suppose I can't fault the author for that though.

I really enjoy this book and cant wait to get a copy of this. This book remind me of Divergent hints the wall and The Giver. I love dystopian book and this one is a winner. Adding this to my Hunger Games/Divergent series. This book is set in the future in 2090 and America is a walled from the rest of the world. Way to go for Jacqui Castle on her first new book and will be getting more from her.

If you’re wondering if this is just another dystopia novel, you will be pleasantly surprised. Although there have been a lot of futuristic books like this put out lately, this one is the same kind of story, but in a completely different way. The characters in “The Seclusion” are fighting against their government, kept in place by technology, surveillance, and literal walls around the country. Although everyone is taken care of, they do their own jobs and nothing more, things have grown stagnant for many people, although most choose to opt out in their own way.

Patricia is a twenty two year old girl. Her world is an America surrounded by massive walls, for their protection against the hostiles outside. She lived at home with her parents until the age of five, when she was put into a dorm with every other child. She became an environmental scientist, better off than most. She gets to work with her best friend, who she calls Rexx, every day. What more could she ask for? Patch and Rexx have a tendency to explore the unknown and ditch their trackers. One day while on an illegal wilderness hike, they come across a van, hidden in the bushes. This shocks them, not only because they don’t have vehicles like that anymore, but what’s inside is very dangerous. They find collectables from a past life in the van, from a time before the walls, and even more intriguing is a suitcase full of books, in a world that’s been purged of all things from before.

Not only does this put both characters in a very dangerous place, but they’re not sure what to do. They start to doubt everything around them. Patch goes to the only people she feels she can really trust outside of Rexx, and that’s her parents. Her mother is completely in shock by the discovery, but her father tells her something she never expected, that he used to work for a group that was fighting against the government, just after the walls went up. This fuels the rest of the book as Patch and Rexx race across the countryside after her father is arrested, running from the authorities, to a place they’re not even sure still exists in order to get out of the society. People have always disappeared in their life, and although they government says they’ve only joined the army for their crimes, they’re not so sure that’s the truth anymore. They need answers.

This book was everything i hoped for it to be and more. The characters are strong, and the book proves that testing everything they’ve got. I didn’t doubt what they felt for a second, and you could really see the characters growing and getting even better through the chapters. If you’re into dystopian books, I think you’ll love this one. The scariest part for me, is the walls. Imagine your country putting massive walls around it, installing camera’s in every room of every house. Although you don’t have to worry about food or bills, you don’t have any freedom, and they even pick your jobs for you. Freedom is taken away and replaced with a false sense of security.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, and I’m glad I got the chance to read it. My favourite character has to be Patricia, not only because it’s from her viewpoint, but because she has such a different way of thinking about things than the other people do. The book was a roller coaster, and I was even scared for the characters at times. I love the cover, and I’d definitely pick this up to have on my shelf if I saw it. Though this is the first book for the author, I enjoyed it enough that i would definitely check out anything else that she comes out with in the future. I hope to see more of the characters as well, but even if I don’t, it ended in such a way that I would be happy with this just being a standalone novel.

Thanks for reading!
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