Select

I finished this really quick! Loved the characters and the story!

Select was a super interesting, fast paced read. Essentially, it had a lot of the same elements of Twilight (no vampires, just super evolved humans) but the twist was fascinating and well done-- Wiesenberg is a skilled writer, she kept me wanting to know more about these evolved people until the very end.
Wiesenberg also did an awesome job of withholding and giving information throughout her plot, causing so much tension and suspense and mystery of what would happen, and then moving in a direction I didn't expect! (Well done!)
She did such a great job of building up to the relationship between John and Julia, while leaving us with an unexpected twist at the end. No spoilers, but it is so much more than a relationship!
In general, I'm not a fan of tons of curse words in YA. In Select, I thought it was unnecessary. It made the characters sound older, less intelligent/superior, and less in control (than they were supposed to be).

I honestly was not expecting for my wish to be granted to read this book. Still I had to requested because it sounded amazing and it was something that didn't sound like anything I've read before.

And it was fantastic, when my wish was granted I was super excited and I dived right into it! The plot was fantastic, the whole idea of being different in a group of differents was a refreshing idea and it was done right. There was a chance for this story to be completely wrong and go south, but Weisenberg did it right.

I love every single part of the story, the twists and turns and I hated a lot of characters, but Novak was the worst of them all, I seriously hated that guy from the moment he was introduced. I honestly don't know how the story is going to continue because it has the worst cliffhanger. When I first read the last line I honestly thought I was missing a few pages or something, but no. There was no more lines and I honestly died a little. I need to know what happens next!!!

Love the story, love the book, cannot wait for book two, because there has to be a book number two.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this book, it has an original plot and will keep readers absorbed with thrilling revelations and developments. I can't wait for the next book in the series or more books by this author.

Twilight like(no vampires, just super humans)-plot was interesting and original, The book had me guessing what would happen next(not what I thought would happen). I did feel that there was a insta-love relationship with John and Julia, so if you aren't into that kind of thing, then I would pass on this book.

Select is a paranormal romance about Julia, a girl who’s banished to public high school for nearly blowing her family’s cover, and John, a broken tennis prodigy whose soul calls to hers.

I absolutely adored this book. The romance itself was sweet and yet still believable. And despite an immediate connection, there was no instalove. The progression felt natural and right. Adding in the supernatural complications only made this harder to put down.

I also welcomed the complexity of many of the supporting characters. Angus, Liv, Novak, and even John’s brother, all surprised me to one degree or another. I’d have them figured out and then they’d do something unexpected, but still in character. I think the author did a great job giving them unique voices.

Still, this was light enough of a read to be enjoyable without having to work for it.

So overall, I loved this book. I’d highly recommend this to fans of YA and paranormal romance. Young love, a bit of magic (sort of), and plenty of drama make this quite a read.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley.

So once I got into this book it was like I couldn’t stop reading. Every time there was a break in my day I would pull out my phone so I could continue the story. Not only was this book interesting, it also had an interesting romance that was realistic. I will say that the beginning of this book is a little bit slow but once you get passed the 50-page mark it really picks up. Most of this review will be spoiler free but the last paragraph will have spoilers (but I will make it obvious).

So the main family group in this book makes the main character's family seem cultish. Especially her father but I won’t say too much about him because I liked reading about him and forming my own opinions about him. I will say that he is a major ass hat and I would defiantly do what the main character does in the end. Her father is kind of a creep and I was expecting something to happen (which it thankfully didn’t). There was also a lot of secrets going around which made the entire cult theory I had more plausible.

I really liked reading about the main character, though. To me, she was someone that I could relate to and I understood the things she was doing and why she was doing them. The only thing I couldn’t get is how she continuously forgave her father and stepmother. I get that that is all she’s known but it has to get old sometime right? I understood why she kept most of the secrets that she did and I really liked that she didn’t use any of her “abilities” in a negative light. But to be honest, I would have understood that as well. I will mention here that there is a love interest and a little itty bitty love triangle. The triangle is put down pretty quickly and I personally loved the main love interest. He was great and he wasn’t completely unrealistic like some love interests in YA books.

I will defiantly recommend this to my friends once this book hits the shelves and they can buy it. I think this book would be perfect for anyone that loves fantasy and young adult! This book has very little adult content and so almost anyone who reads YA would be fine reading this (in my opinion)!

Spoilers in the next two paragraphs:

Oh, my gosh the ending. I am so happy that they ended up together but when he had the vision I was so ready to keep reading but obviously, I couldn’t because that was the end of the book. I liked the fact that the book naturally closes but with the cliffhanger, there is room for the story to naturally continue. I love books that do this because it doesn't eat away at me if I never finish the book series. This is becoming a series and because I read this book so far before the rest of the series comes out, I don’t know if I’ll ever finish it. But that's all right because this book was amazing on its own and I’m content with the ending I got just from this book.

I was also really happy that the main character got away from her toxic father and was able to live however she wanted. I was also really surprised to find that they had left her money and the rest of the property that the “group” had owned. I would have thought they would leave her with nothing after she made the decisions that she did.

Select was a wish come true for me , not only because my wish for an advanced copy was granted on NetGalley , but also because I was growing tired of shallow YA novels and I needed something to renew my faith in this genre. Select is exactly was I was looking for: the perfect combination between sci-fi and YA literature. What makes this novel really outstanding is that even if you removed the sci-fi part, it would still be a very interesting book to read on real life situations which many young adults can relate to.


We are all special in one way or another, Julia Jaynes is special in many ways. However, the things that make her an appealing character are not her unusual abilities but her human flaws. She longs for being part of a loving family instead of an isolated member of an apparently perfect one.She longs for love and for friendship. John Ford is her wish come true, a strong male character who loves her the way she truly is. With John she learns that there is a world of possibilities away from her life in a golden cage. They both feel strongly attracted to each other but it is not insta-love but something deeper that has to do with human evolution .

This novel is mainly about the choices we all have to make: accepting who we really are ,who we want to be with, deciding how far we are willing to go in order to survive and coming to terms with the idea that we just cannot have it all and that we may have to let go of some people on the way .

Marit Wiesenberg has written a gripping novel that will attract many readers. I just cannot wait for more . I strongly recommend this books to all fans of YA novels, you won't regret reading it!

Thanks to NetGalley for this amazing book!

This novel was definitely different than most I’ve become accustomed to in the YA genre because it was more of a melting between Sci Fi and YA which I found intriguing and a nice change of pace.

This is supposed to be the first in a new series and Marit Weisenberg has a unique insight into the human condition that comes through her characters, their psychological development which evolves through the choices they make, and how they deal with life in general.

The only downside that I could see is the romance part between the two main characters. I can seriously see that being an either love it or hate it part of the book’s storyline because it’s classic YA. Considering what a different type of plot overall the author went for it would’ve been nice to see more depth and complexity in this area. I also wish she had tightened up the dialogue some, at times she made the characters sound older through her word choices than they were purported to be.

She has a way of creating characters you will either invest in or hate.

There are some interesting surprises and the conclusion will make you want to read the sequel when it hits. There just seemed to be a little bit of everything in this book which made it compelling enough to read, worthy of my time and curious to see where she’ll go in the second.

This was a fun book to read- while at first it seemed confusing because it wasn't clear that their was a whole community who had special abilities and how they differed from the rest of the world, once you figure that out the book sucks you in and doesn't let go until the last page! There was so much in this book- suspense, romance, comedy, sci-fi. I loved every second of it, and the ending leaves you wanting more- cannot wait to continue to read this series!!

Select by Marit Weisenberg is a solid addition to your YA collection where fantasy is popular! Julia is not a normal teenage girl; instead, she posses abilities that many would brush off as impossible. With the ability to read the mind of a boy that she's forbidden to get close to, Julia falls deeper into the web of lives around her. But, she's not the only one who's lying and the author executes a seemingly-happy-ending while setting up the reader for a second book. Fast-paced, alluring characters and a stirring love story will keep readers engaged and desperate for more!

Absolutely wonderful read. Can't wait for the next one. Great writing and character development.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a good read. Although I didn't really like the main character, not that I hated her its just that I didn't really connect in anyway. I didn't really feel anything for her journey throughout this book. I did however, like story in itself and what it was trying to convey, so that's why I gave it a 3 stars.
This writing was good, at times a bit slow, but overall an enjoyable read.

Select by Marit Wiesenberg
Select… it’s been a few days now, and I am still struggling with all the words for this story. Out of all the beautiful poetical words I got nothing but one word. Seriously the one word that describes my experience is WEIRD! This book is weird, and I do like me some weird… but this is so … weird. In a strongly good way. I know weird right.

I don’t even know how to explain this book, like I really enjoyed it because I read it all in one day. Select has that twilight feel, kind of maybe a love triangle but not really. Well kind of im unsure to be honest I was just going with the flow. Kind of like this review to everyone it’s just going to look weird, but to me till make perfect sense, and I think for everyone to understand this story and to understand the weirdness of this review and the story again you should buy yourself a copy!

I like LOVE the cover, and when it comes available I wants, nope I needs it on my book shelf!

Julia has special abilities, her whole family really does well her whole group…cult…peoples did. Honestly her dads a douche her stepmom is a b*tch and her sister is no better, her dad runs the show and something bad happens and they single out Julie more than they already have and send her to like the other side, like where the normal people go to school I guess but they don’t know that there are special gifted humans like Julie out there, apart from the hot dude John!

John is awesome, I really like his character. I like all the characters apart from the mean humans. Julie and John are meant to be,but they cannot be together but that doesn't last and if Julies cult people find out that they are together it will just be bad for everyone involved.
I can see this review is already long and so very weird, gah! I do try I promise that if you pick it up you should like it if you enjoy the twilight or like anything Young adulty. I found the writing had this great flow and kept me interested and invested in everything that was happening.

So many twist and turns and OMG moments, it was a pacing back and forwards type of setting, wondering holy cow batman is this happening! I think this book is mainly about the choices you must make for yourself and how they could impact on others and how you accept who you are, and deciding is what you want for yourself is the right choice like if you were at a crossroad would you go left or right…

Marit has written a very good book that will I think attract a lot of readers, I am looking forward to more, but I hope she doesn’t ruin what has already happened with Julie and John!
I found it to be believable, and what I thought I wouldn’t enjoy there was no insta love and I love me some insta fluff there was none of that. Select read at a good pace and I loved the plot of it all.
Solid 4 out of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I love Julia and johns story and cant wait to read more ...please give me more!!!

I made a wish and it was granted, in more way than one! This book had me hooked from the start, even though I did begin slightly confused and wondering if I had missed something. However, upon further reading everything all began to make sense. I was pulled into this world where people who were more than just human existed. And I loved every moment of it.

There was the super human abilities, the romance, the teenage problems that we all know too well, and two very different sisters. I really couldn't stop reading it once I had started, I sure hope that there are more great things to come! I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family.

I will start by saying that the beginning of the book had me confused and I had no idea what was going on for a while but once I figured it out I really got into the story and didn't want to stop reading. It got really interesting right away tho so it didn't lack action, it just confused me for a bit.
I loved some of the characters but Angus and Liv were definitely not my fave. John was definitely my favorite! Julia grew on me, I didn't like her very much for a while but then I understood why she did the things she did and behaved the way she did. I liked the story even though it kinda makes you think of a cult where there is a leader and the followers, these "tribe" definitely behaved like they were a cult most of the time. I definitely loved that the kids could do the things they did and was mad at her dad for the things he did. No spoilers at all from me, you will need to read this awesome book in order to find out what I am talking about.
Will definitely read the next book, I need more of this awesome story!
This is a book I will recommend to friends.

I loved this more than I thought I would.

I wished for this on Netgalley because the blurb seemed promising but I was not expecting that my wish would be granted.

Before starting the book, I went on Goodreads and was disheartened by the disappointed reviews and the three or lower star ratings. I know it is prejudice on my part but whether you like it or not, reviews have the power to influence readers and that’s why reviewers exist.

So imagine my surprise when I absolutely loved a book I was already prepared not to like.

I admit that at first I did not like it. We were thrust into the story blind, without so much of an explanation and it confused me. But after a few chapters, I started to enjoy it and I couldn’t put it down. I read it in public transport, read when I came home, read almost the whole book until morning. I wouldn’t have stopped if I wasn’t so sleepy. And to my amazement, it was my first thought when I woke up!

I can’t even pinpoint why I liked this so much. I firmly believe that books and their readers are like puzzle pieces. Not everyone is a perfect fit but all it takes is the right one and you’re complete. This had all the things I was looking for.

This book isn’t mind-blowing or heart-stopping but I enjoyed every bit of it. This is a story of a girl trying hard to prove to everyone who matters to her that she matters, too. This is about the choices we make and their consequences and how much we are willing to risk for the people we love.

To anyone who’s reading this, please give this book a chance. Who knows, you might like it, too. Also, the romance in this book is seriously so good.

P.S. That ending, though! I am dying to know what happens next. I NEED BOOK TWO.

I absolutely loved this book! It was such a unique story and the author really kept the momentum the entire time. There honestly never really was a dull moment. I had no moments where I wanted to skip ahead to see if any outcomes were going to change or if something was going to happen. (I have no patience) I don't think I've read anything like this before. I saw that there were people that DNF or lost interest at 30%, I honestly don't understand how that happened.
I feel it really kept true to the blurb released with the book. There honestly is nothing misleading about the blurb to what you'll read. I have read books where it is completely not what you read from the blurb.
Form the moment things start at Barton Springs its nearly nonstop. Now when I say nonstop, I don't mean action. There is action in this, but what I mean is there is something there to keep you reading. Julia isn't supposed to have these powers that she keeps hidden. She's an outsider to her people and an outsider at her school that she now attending as a punishment. When you're on the outside looking in you discover things. Things that people are trying to hide or things that were right in front of your face the entire time. That is what this book is about. Julia has to choose how she wants to live. Does she want to be suppressed by a family that could turn their back on her at anytime and possibly be left behind. Or does she pursue a life she learns that she wants. All the while the FBI is inching closer to her and her family. Secrets slowly being revealed.

What's not to like about any of this? It is not like the other millions of YA novels out right now that all have the same story just different filler.

This was pretty intense, not going to lie. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the relationship between the protagonist and her love interest was pretty cool, especially with what Julia can do and how her family was involved. The ending was something I didn't expect, but it was bittersweet for some part.

actually really liked this book, it surprised me. I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen next. It was very dramatic, there was always something that was happening, which is probably why it kept my attention

Select is destined to be the next but much better “Twilight”. There are no vampires just humans of a different race who are highly evolved with spectacular talents.
Julia’s is no ordinary girl nor are her family and friends. Julia’s is however lead to believe that she is less than the others within her group. Her father is the “leader” and when she is caught showing off her talents she is punished. Her punishment is to be taken out of her comfort zone and to attend public school but she mustn’t showcase her talents or draw any attention to herself.
Julia’s runs into John at her public school – John whom she had interacted with before and who is suspicious of her and her friends. John and Julia are drawn to one another and despite not being allowed to date outside her circle she finds herself falling for him and him for her.
This book with a lovely cover is full of interesting characters. It starts off a bit slow and you might find yourself confused initially but then … it starts to unravel and everything makes sense. I love the take on a super evolved human race who are still quite “normal”. This is a refreshing and fun new YA novel that will leave you anxious for book 2.

I couldn't get enough of Select by Marit Weisenberg. This book almost seems like it could be taking place at the far reaches of possibility. I liked that it kept me guessing until the end and I didn't have it pegged halfway through. Great for a weekend read!

4.5 stars. I really loved this story. Despite Juliet having 'abilities' she was a very relatable and likeable character.
I love the instant connection she had with John (and no, it was definitely not insta-love), and the growth and development of their friendship.
I was gripped with the story from the start, and with that ending, I'm hanging for the second book!

Why am I always so confused by peoples reviews? I enjoyed this book so much. It's not your normal YA book which I really like because sometimes you read enough of the same genre and you get burnt out but this was a little sci fi mixed in and it was just what I needed

This was a typical YA love story, and no I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that I enjoy reading that sort of book. (I'll try not to include any spoilers!!)

Julia's relationship with her dad annoyed me. I instantly didn't like Novak, I thought Julia was too gullible believing him as it seemed really obvious that he had ulterior motives, I was suspicious of him pretty much all the way through the book, so I was glad when she finally started to question his actions. Whereas, Victoria, her step mum I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, guess I just wanted to see the good in her and I was hoping she wasn't as bad as she seemed.
I thought Angus and the lost boys were awesome I loved how reckless n carefree they seemed to be, I'd definitely want to be in their group!!! I was glad when Angus made a stand against Novak, I think that ultimately helped Julia make her choice at the end too.
Personally, the beginning seemed a little too slow for me, I think it really got going about 1/3 way through, after that I was gripped, I liked how Julia seemed to grow as a person from then onwards and her relationship with John improved (John deserves a lot of credit for what his character went through during the book)
I loved the ending it was just brilliant!!! Marit Weisenberg must have known that it would make me want more, I'm so impatient and can't wait for the sequel, however, I do want Liv to start making her own choices instead of just going along with what her parents expect her to do. Overall I think this was a brilliant debut novel and one I will definitely be recommending to my friends.

What if you were separated from the rest of your family because you were biologically different, in fact, you were better than them? Although this was a young adult book, I actually loved reading it. I wouldn't recommend it for middle school, but I would definitely recommend it for high school and up.

This book is about family relationships, friendships, blending in while in high school, and has some romance as well. Would you give up a perfect life to have that one perfect love? Could you give up your family in order to stay with the person you loved? Jayne, the main character, in the book had to make those decisions.

"Select" by Marit Wiesenberg was very different than what I expected. I had assumed it would be a book about the descendants of the "Annunaki" but it turned out to be very different.
Julia is from a race of highly evolved humans who are hiding in plain sight among average humans. When she makes an ill-advised mistake that threatens to expose her group, she is "punished" by being made to go to an average high school away from everyone she knows and loves until she is in their good graces once again.
The more I read the book, the more fascinated I was with Julia's world and also Julia herself. She seems like she does not quite fit in with her group and also does not fit in with the kids at high school. She obviously has some sort of appeal with her black hair, tattoos, and tough attitude because she finds herself connected in more ways than one with a fellow high school student named John. I kept picturing Julia as Lisbeth in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoos movie. I was so involved and interested in this story that I didn't want to put it down. I am really looking forward to the second book in the series. This is a fantastic YA novel that should not be missed.
I received a copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley for free in exchange for my honest review.

I read this book in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down! The plot was original, which sadly cannot be said of a lot of young adult fiction lately. The ending seemed a bit rushed and left me hoping for a sequel asap.

5 Conditional Stars

I really loved this plot. It's a little bit spooky. The tension runs high and I was always worried something horrible was going to happen.

The blurb is spot on. It basically summarizes the plot. I think the only thing it doesn't cover is how difficult it is for Julia and her people to be out in public. They have to be constantly on guard holding back their natural abilities so that they don't end up on the wrong end of a microscope. Going to public school is, in fact, a very difficult thing for her to do.

I desperately wanted Julia to think and be smart and SEE what was going on around her. But I completely understood her point of view. Given her age and her sheltered existence, breaking out of a particular mindset was extremely difficult.

Everything was difficult for Julia. Her family dynamics, her frienships, even her self-doubt had her tiptoeing on eggshells through life.

Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Brilliant plot.

I read an ARC of this book. Some ARCs are ready for publication, others are not quite that close. This one was sent out long before publication date and it's obvious that it is still in need of formatting and editing. My five stars are wholly dependent on those things being cleared up before publication.

I was so happy when my wish was granted on Netgalley to read an ARC of this book and I can't wait to talk about it with other readers when it comes out. Great sci-fi YA book. Many layers to the story and fleshed out characters. I can't wait for the next book!

Definitely a fun novel! It dragged a bit in the middle, but overall, the characters were well written and the plot was enticing!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Marit Weisenberg for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Select was granted to me in a Netgalley wish and frankly it was right up my street.

Julia comes from a race of highly evolved humans who are trying desperately to fit in and stay under the radar, but the thing is they're just too noticeable. A little bit too beautiful, a little bit too smart, a little bit too dangerous... but something weird is going on in Julia's perfect world, she has abilities which she wasn't supposed to keep, her father, the leader of their race is keeping dark secrets and humans are going insane around him. But when she's banished to 'normal' school she meets John and everything she ever believed in is turned on its head.



I really liked this novel, the pace was kind of slow but it worked for it to be like that, it didn't feel too slow it just wasn't speeding by full throttle and that was the pace which suited it. Julia was a likeable character, on the edge and not typically gorgeous like the rest of them. And I really liked John he was a great human! I hated Liv her sister who was just the weakest, brain washed self centred b*tch!



I loved the concept it is as far as I'm aware a completely original one and I love that the story has been left open for a sequel!



The mix of Sci-fi and real life was done really well and frankly there just isn't enough sci-fi YA on the market which for me is one of the main things that sets this book above the rest. Nothing was revealed too quickly but that just made you want to read it even more to find out what happens next. An easy 5* from me for this one!

Wow was I delighted when I received an email from NetGalley and Charlesbridge teen, to say that my wish to read Select had been granted.
Julia is a member of a small group of ‘select’ people who are biologically different from their peers. She is living in Texas. She has always known that she must keep her gifts a secret however when she makes a mistake she is forced to attend a ‘normal’ high school. Where she becomes close to a boy called John.
This book is one I believe older teens who are bored of Vampires and Angels but still want a bit of paranormal will really enjoy this read, and it is a series to follow.

This was an interesting read and concept. The story line was fairly new and had some interesting twists and sub-plots, especially at the end. It would have been nice to have had a little more fleshing out of the hows and whys of the "select" peoples lives a little earlier in the story but in the end it worked. I look forward to reading the next installment and seeing what direction Marit will have Julie grow with her powers.

Overall, 'Select' was a solid book with an interesting concept and story. We follow our main character Julia as she struggles to fit into her family

I enjoyed the concept and the setting of the book, and found the idea of highly evolved people with enhanced intelligence an skills trying to blend into society really interesting and allowed the plot to go in many directions.

The story line was very clear from start to finish, as we focus on Julia, the daughter of the 'leader' of the group of enhanced people. We see her struggle to fit into her family, due to her father's cold and distant parenting style and the clear favoritism her stepmother demonstrates towards her half sister. Julia is the outsider within her family, and is friends with the outsiders of their community-the teenagers that are forced to hide their abilities and be 'average'. After the investigation into these 'abnormal' people begins to heat up, the plans for relocation start to emerge, and after an incident that involved the cops and bought their abilities to light, Julia is exiled from the family and her friends and forced to attend a normal school to prove she can blend in. It is there she meets John, and once their feelings grow for each other, things become a whole lot more complicated. The story was well paced, however I did not like the ending as it felt too open ended and did not flow with the rest of the book. It clearly sets up for a sequel/series, and I felt that this book would have been fine as a standalone. 

The characters were well conceived, though I would have liked to learn more about the secondary, characters, particularly the rest of Julia's friends and her sister. I enjoyed Julia's character, and I grew to like her more as the story progressed. She becomes more confident in herself and stands up for what she wants in her future and for the just treatment of her friends. There was also a little too much romance for my liking, and I was craving more exploration into the supernatural aspect of the book-the supernatural/magical abilities these people possess, the rumors that are rampant within the town regarding this strange group of people, and more of the history of their existence-though this may be further explored in the next book in the series. 

Overall, Select is an interesting read and easy to read for hours. I found the story to be very well constructed, however the ending felt rushed and I would have liked if it had either been a standalone, or the set up for the second book was not as obvious and fit into the tone of the book.

Oh, I really enjoyed this book - so unique!

I need to start though, at the beginning - which is my quibble about the book. For the first few chapters, I really thought I had started in the middle of the book. At one point, I went back and re-read the first few chapters to make sure I hadn't missed anything. I hadn't. What was confusing me was the missing background on who and what these people were. We eventually find out, and I'm guessing the author waited in order to build up the mystery, but instead I feel like I was confused for the first 20 - 25% of the book. No bueno. One star deducted.

On to what I liked...a group of people with special powers (which seem to be unique to the individual), and a sub-set of that group is told they can't use their powers. Or develop them. Going against this results in punishment ranging from humiliation to a scolding to being sent to public school (gasp!). This is exactly what happens to our main character Julia - she's sent off to public school, separated from her friends who are like her.

Sounds so boring, right? Girl goes to regular school. LOL But it's the opposite of boring! Not used to having to control her powers, Julia struggles to fit in and be normal (something all of us can relate to, right??). I loved her interactions with her superfriends and how they contrasted with her school friendship(s?). And then Julia meets a boy.

Julia's path to self-growth is not smooth, but it is steady throughout the story. I found some of her encounters very amusing (I might have even laughed out loud more than once!). I really enjoyed reading about her, what she discovers about who she is, and I thought the romance was sweet.

Yes, there's a decent cliff-hanger at the end and I will hands down be looking for the next book in this series when it comes out. It better not take long, because I want to see where this takes us!!

Excellent - 5 stars! I was stunned to find out after I read this book that it was a debut novel. The publisher granted a wish that allowed me to read it before publication. It's both a sci-fi and YA novel about a group of genetically superior people who have to hide what they really are from normal humans. Those in this group have enhanced abilities and live longer than the normal life span. They have to be careful in order not to be detected.

The book centers around Julia, who is the only one in this special group whose mother was not one of the group. When she finds some things about this special group make her uncomfortable, she starts to look for answers. Julia becomes ostracized from the group and sent to a public high school where she meets John and a relationship begins.

The end left me with a lot of questions and I hear there may be a sequel to this story - I'll look forward to it.

Thanks to Marit Wiesenberg and Charlesbridge through Netgalley for granting my wish and providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book had so many little twists that once I started it I had to finish it right away. The story and writing were so good that it was playing out in my head just like a movie. The character of Julia is easy enough to identify with but there were times when I was yelling at her in my head for not being more fearless. It was all part of the big build up at the end. I really liked how smoothly the story seemed to flow. The story was about a teenager with special powers learning to fit in instead of being true to herself and how she was forced to make a tough choice. However, there was so much more happening. This book had it all, love, teenage problems, difficult home life, and danger. I hope there is more to the story to come. I would really like to find out what happened to Julia's mother and to Angus. Thanks for the ARC NetGalley and Charlesbridge Teen.

This is not what you go in expecting. And that is wonderful. You find yourself immursed in a new world and fighting to find your way just like the characters.

*I received a free copy via NetGalley*
I was so excited when I got my wish! One of the reasons may or may not be the cover, I'm just that superficial ;)

Anyway, this book was good, well written and interesting. The characters were also fine. In fact, I guess everything was fine, and that was the problem. I thought I would be getting something extraordinary, but I didn't.

This book is fine YA, with original touches and an interesting enough plot.

I'm very excited for the upcoming books to this. The world building was a bit slow but it all merged together. It kept my attention and I really grew to love the main character. I felt like this was a bit dystopian, sci-fi and paranormal all Mixed together. Get excited for this series!

Thank you to NetGalley, Charlesbridge, Charlesbridge Teen, and Marit Weisenberg for this Granted Wish advanced preview copy of Select for an honest review --




I was blown away to recieve this granted wish ARC, because the art and the synopsis grabbed me from the first time I saw it available/coming soon for publication. I couldn't help feeling the tug of love, also, being a Texas, that it mentions Austin right from the get go.

While the beginning of Select is a little slow, I feel it takes its time to slowly pull you into understanding the world. How Julia's world is constructed and why it's terrible to fall from such a high height. The way the cultish, but perfect life of hers begins to slowly peel back as Julia's view point widens to the world she was dropped in, we begin to feel the eerie dangers present that were oblivious overlooked or missed in the earlier portions of Julia's life.

I like that the love story in this novel wasn't instantly everything for both of the characters. That, they like we coming into the novel, are a slow and gradual gravity toward each other. Julia because she's displaced, to this place that is supposed to cow her rebellion, and John because of the novelty of Julia, who she is, where she comes from, what she can do.

I love all the twists and turns of the secrets of the book, and I'm incredibly hesitant about how to describe them, as no one should be spoiled on getting them just the way we all did as early readers. The depths of the machine behind everything is broad and you'll find yourself gasping, horrified, disliking characters you might have liked earlier, cheering for things that come to pass the way they have to by the end.

This book was a fast, hard, love, that demanded you read it in every free second you had, and I will be picking up a copy as soon as it is available!

This book was unique, fast-paced, intriguing and interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and am hoping that there is a sequel.

Thank You Netgalley for the ARC copy and this is an honest review!
Select is a pleasant surprise! After reading the entire book in a night, I found myself wishing for book 2. The main character, Julia Jaynes, is a seventeen year old finding out that her family is not exactly who she thinks they are. Plus, she is different in many ways from those outside her family. After an incident that almost expose her families secrets her father puts her into a regular high school to teach her a lesson. Julia reconnects with a young man named John Ford, who is just a "regular" boy. What Julia finds out is that love, family, and secrets can tear you apart or make you stronger than ever before.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a super fast and easy read as the plot was interesting and fast paced enough that it had me hooked from the first chapter. This book is classed as fantasy but it also felt like it should also be a science fiction novel too. The stories protagonist, Julia, belongs to a special race of evolved humans and there is enough lore and science to the story for it to be believable.

Without spoiling too much, the summary does a good job at capturing the plot. The part I enjoyed most about this book was the relationship dynamics between Julia's family and her old friends and new friends. There was a particular strong emphasis placed on what it is like for Julia to be the black sheep of the family that I enjoyed and related to and it was refreshing to see how she found strength in herself and not just through her love interest John.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the Twilight series and paranormal romance.

I thought this was a wonderful read and I thoroughly enjoyed diving in to this new world. In places it was a little confused and slightly lagging in pace, however, the characters pulled me through and I can't wait to read more!

I chose to read and review this book because the premise was fascinating. Super humans hiding among normal people and trying to stay hidden. These ‘select’ people have issues among themselves and the main characters family life is anything but happy. There are two main groups of teens in the story, one is a group of outcasts and troublemakers and the others are the “chosen” ones, being trained to use their special abilities. All of this sounds fascinating right? It should have been. Alas, the book doesn’t quite live up to its potential. I wanted more of the super powers and more adventure. Instead the main character is forced to leave her private school and attend public school as punishment and falls in love. Not a bad progression in the story but that became the focus of the story and I was really hoping for something else. Now that being said, the writing was good and the premise was a good one. I am really hoping that book 2 might pick up so I will likely give this author another chance.

This story was a surprise. As a YA book I thought it would be juvenile but it was very well written with lovable characters with a twist.
I cannot wait for book 2!

This book was so entertaining and differnt from other YA books in the way of plot. I really liked the romance part of the novel and the superhuman abilities of the characters. Although there were some confusing parts due to typos and due to it being an ARC, I quite enjoyed the ride and look forward to reading the sequel!

This was one of those books that I wished for on a whim on NetGalley, simply due to the cover and I honestly wasn't sure whether I would get a chance to review it or not, so when I got the email saying that I had been approved, I instantly went and downloaded it and started it. It was so good!

I felt that the book was the perfect combination between Sci-Fi and Y/A. You could remove the Sci-Fi parts from the book and it would still be a pretty interesting read based on real life situations that many young adults/teens can relate to.

This book is about a lot of choices that we have to make; coming to terms with the idea that we just cannot have it all and that we may have to let go of some people on the way, accepting who we really are, who we want to be with and how far we are going to go to survive.

I can't wait for more Marit Wiesenberg novels. If you are a fan of YA, I would highly recommend this book to you!

It's hard not to compare this book to Keira Cass Selection series, but Marit Weisenberg does such a nice job introducing us to another dystopian future in this part science fiction/part romance YA novel that it was hard to,put down, and left me eager to read the next book in the series.

When this cover first appeared on my dashboard on Netgalley, I didn’t hesitate to click on it. I just love the simplicity of it and I really wanted to know why the butterfly was trapped in a bubble. The summary continued my interest in the book, but I will admit that by the time I got around to reading the book, I had quite forgotten what it was about. If I had reread the summary before starting the book, I would not have spent most of the first half of the book wondering why they had these powers. Various scenarios went through my mind, aliens in hiding, descendants of gods, genetic mutations caused by human experimentation, you know the typical stuff. So when the reason was finally revealed I was kind of like oh, is that all? It seemed to me like something was missing from this part of the story. Why did they feel the need to hide who they were? What is up with that? I also felt that Julia’s father acted more like a cult leader, and not in the good sense. He was way to controlling of everyone’s life in the group, and no one wanted to stand up to him. Thinking of her father as a cult leader made it easier to understand and accept some of her decisions through out the book.

I liked Julia, even with her abilities, she presented as a young girl who had a lot of doubts about who she was and what her role in her family was. Her character goes through a lot in a short period of time, and her attitude and understanding toward her family, her society and especially her father changes dramatically throughout the book. She was drawn to John almost from the start, but it was not instant love, their relationship did take a natural course, from initial attraction through getting to know each other to love by the end of the book. It was a sweet romance, even though it was a bit creepy that she could read his mind. John was also a likable character, although he had some flaws that might be hard to deal with.

The plot was interesting, but a little rough and slow moving at times. As I said before, the reason for their powers and their need for secrecy about them didn’t feel fully explained. I really wanted to know more about their past and what powers they had when they were fully developed. We only know about the powers through what Julia and some of the Lost Boys were able to do, not any one else in the group. Julia’s relationships with her family were not fully explained as were the reasons why the teens had been split into two groups in the first place. I’m also not sure sending Julia to a regular high school made sense, given their need to keep their abilities secret.

I did enjoy the story and the characters even with the few flaws in the plot. The ending was strong enough that it can be a stand alone, but I hope there is a sequel as I would like to know what happens to Julia, John and the other characters in this book.

So what drew me to this book in the first place was the science fiction element. Of course, from the blurb, I knew there was a fair bit of romance. What I wasn't expecting was that 90% of this novel would be romance and only 10% would be actual science fiction. That part was a big disappointment because I thought there would be more to her powers than what the author had in mind. I think if the author had spent more time developing the science fiction aspect of the story, there would have been more depth to the story. However .... I still really enjoyed the book. I usually don't like romance novels; they make me cringe with the clichéd phrases. But for some reason, this one worked. Now, I'm not saying that the romance between Josh and Julia was spot-on; there were some definite holes in the way things worked and developed between the two. But it also reminded me of my own high school experiences, the friendships that blossom into something more, and the sweetness of first love. It was cute and sweet and simple and I liked it. I also liked that the author showed how Julia was affected by the actions and thoughts of other characters. While this made the story more of a realistic fiction than science fiction, it was an aspect that was still well done. Now, if you were looking for a good science fiction novel, then this is not the one for you. I mean, it seriously has nothing to offer in terms of that genre. If you like sweet romance mixed with family drama, then you would probably enjoy this story. Because that's pretty much what it's all about. Because the science fiction part was misleading but I actually enjoyed the romance part of this story, I'm giving this a 3.5/5 stars.

Julia and Liv Jaynes live in a huge mansion with Novak and Victoria, their parents. But Novak is more than a father; he is leadder of a group of people called the Puras who have extraordinary powers, and he and his leadership team are trying to keep everyone safe from the rest of the world. Julia and LIv participate in typical teen activities, like flirting and falling in love. Julia allows her extra powers to be seen by others when Liv gets into a life-threatening situation at the pool, and as a result, Novak decides that Julia has to attend a regular high school. In her adventures there, Julia finds and falls in love with a regular human, John, but she has to keep her relationship secret since she is a member of the Selelct and John isn't. Another major character is Angus, a kind of ne'er-do-well daredevil who lives on the edge of being left behind when the group moves again. Angus' antics get the unwanted attention of Novak. The threat is always there; if you mess up enough, Novak will make the decision to leave you behind when the group relocates and you will be left on your own in a society that doesn't accept or understand you. This book was a great teen read, with a mixture of suspense, romance and science-fiction that will appeal to all readers.

This book is all about finding your place in life, about the choices we make and their consequences and how much we are willing to risk for the people we love .

Julia Jaynes and her family are part of a race of super-evolved humans who have to suppress their abilities from outsiders in order to keep from being discovered.

Julia Jaynes is the daughter of leader Novak, but he is more than a father; he is leader of a group of people called the Puras who have extraordinary powers, and he and his leadership team are trying to keep everyone safe from the rest of the world. They are a highly evolved race of human beings. Julia, her family, and a small group of others live amongst ordinary normal humans. They stick together keeping their talents hidden from the humans while living in plain view.

One day while out in public, Julia accidentally exposes a little too much of her abilities. In punishment for saving her younger sister from drowning she is relegated from a select Prep School to public Austin high school with strict instructions to blend in and make sure she appears as a normal high school kid until further notice!

It’s was hard enough at their super elite private school where their father’s money means something, so public school proves a challenge.

Julia realises she can read the mind of a boy named John and before they both realise it, they are developing feelings for each other, becoming friends and then lovers. Now she must decide if John is worth the risk of permanent banishment.

There are some interesting twists and sub-plots, especially at the end and the many twists help bring that realization that your actions can really change the way you and others perceive the world around you.

This is definitely a book for Twilight and Fallen fans.

I really like Wiesenberg’s writing style – the punchy first person point of view drew me in and kept the pages turning as we see this mysterious mega-rich family from Julia’s perspective. I especially enjoyed the fact that as in the better first person narratives, Julia is busy telling us one thing, while something quite different is unfolding in front of our eyes. She tells us that those with the greatest abilities are especially valued in their community – and then we realise that she and a group of highly talented boys have been sidelined and more or less forbidden to use their prodigious skills. Julie emphasises and indeed, tries to carry out the firm instruction not to draw attention to herself. But we also learn that her father has achieved celebrity status by dint of having accrued huge wealth, having film-star looks and refusing to give any interviews to the press. As the charismatic leader of their community, he is very much about ‘do as I say, not as I do’.

I loved the incident at the swimming pool, which beautifully illustrated the tension between what Julia tries to do and the sheer impossibility of those instructions. Rich, beautiful and very entitled, Julia is nonetheless a highly sympathetic protagonist, who I cared about especially when it became obvious she is being set up to fail. While I wasn’t particularly invested in the romance, it felt convincing and I enjoyed the game-changing scene near the end that provided the final reveal. And the very final page has one more twist that leaves an interesting plot point dangling and ready for the next book.

Overall, this is a fast, enjoyable read with plenty of tension and an appealing protagonist. Recommended for fans of school-based stories with a strong romance. While I obtained the arc of Select from the publisher via NetGalley, this has in no way influenced my unbiased review.
8/10

I was completely blown away by this book - it's about finding your place in the world. I'm looking foward to reading book 2!

Julia is not your usual human being. And although having super powers is a pretty cool thing, having to hid them from everyone outside of her family is not so cool. And she forgot about that part for a moment and now her punishment is to go to the place where no one is meant to know about her abilities: a public high school.
She’s basically forced to blend in with humans and that was actually going to be an easy task if it wasn’t for this cute human being in her English class.
He’s not like her and his only super power seems to be his ability to mess with her feelings. But she can’t forget why she’s in that school in the first place, or can she?

I usually don’t read fantasy books. The only ones I ever read were the Twilight series and then Only Forever by Sophia Ryan. But I’m finding that I actually like them. I’m always afraid of a fantasy story because I might find it ridiculous and get annoyed, but I’m really glad I read this one. This was a good story. I loved the fact that the different species is clearly explained and
I loved Julia, mainly because, although she’s a teenager, she doesn’t act like an overbearing one. She’s simple, down to earth and incredibly responsible. And she literally has super powers. She has better vision, better sense of hearing and smell. And, as if that wasn’t awesome enough, she can hear John’s thoughts. Just John’s thoughts which is incredibly romantic. His thoughts about her are utterly sweet and they were probably what I loved the most about the book. Because the book is entirely in Julia’s POV, this was a smart and a lovely way of getting something from John’s side.
And speaking of John… he is the ultimate sweet boy. I loved him so much. He’s also the boy every girl at school wants but he had all his attention on Julia from the moment he first saw her. And being so fixated on her allowed him to notice things about Julia that people don’t usually notice. But he wasn’t scared… he was fascinated.
The book also has some family drama because, to a certain point, Julia gets mad with her family for making her go to a different school which forced her to stay away from all her friends.
The book ends with a cliffhanger. A big, nerve-racking and can’t-wait-for-the-next-book kind of cliffhanger. Because, really, I can not wait for the next book! And speaking of the next book, Marit could you please give me a Julia and John’s baby?! Because that would be like all my “fantasy dreams” in one book!
All in all, I highly recommend this book to those who love a sweet fantasy book and some family drama.

To begin with I couldn't quite figure out who or what Julia and her friends were. I was intrigued by their actions but also confused - why were they split into groups? What secrets were being kept from Julia? What kind of society were they living in? Then there was John. How would he fit into the storyline?

So many questions.

As I progressed through the storyline and witnessed Julia's life changing quite dramatically I found myself completely engrossed. I just couldn't get enough as I tried to figure out exactly what the big secret was.

Julia was mostly a likeable character, she was quite feisty so I sometimes felt a little frustrated by her acceptance of the situation she was in - I thought she'd instantly fight against it. Angus was the kind of character who you dislike on one page and love on the next so I couldn't make my mind up about him. John was super intriguing, I wanted to know more about him and the reason he seemed to connect to Julia so easily.

The whole group thing certainly felt like a cult type setting, the secret meetings between Julia's dad and other members were a big source of interest for me as I wanted to know what was really going on. They were obviously holding a lot back.

As things began to unravel I fell deeper into the storyline and I deliberately slowed my reading speed because I absolutely wasn't ready for the book to end and to part ways with the characters. I knew I would want more once I reached the final pages.

Select was an incredible read that captured my imagination and played on my mind long after I'd finished!

Coming from a race of highly-evolved humans, Julia Jaynes has the perfect life. The perfect family. The perfect destiny. But there’s something rotten beneath the surface—dangerous secrets her father is keeping; abilities she was never meant to have; and an elite society of people determined to keep their talents hidden and who care nothing for the rest of humanity. So when Julia accidentally disrupts the Jaynes’ delicate anonymity, she’s banished to the one place meant to make her feel inferior: public high school.
Julia’s goal is to lay low and blend in. Then she meets him—John Ford, tennis prodigy, all-around good guy. When Julia discovers a knack for reading his mind, and also manipulating his life, school suddenly becomes a temporary escape from the cold grip of her manipulative father. But as Julia’s powers over John grow, so do her feelings. For the first time in her life, Julia begins to develop a sense of self, to question her restrictive upbringing and her family prejudices. She must decide: can a perfect love be worth more than a perfect life?
Select was such a delightful read, I was so happy to have wished for this on NetGalley and to have that wish granted was fabulous.
So Select is the first book in a new Young Adult paranormal series.
It revolves around Julia Jaynes who Comes from a race of highly-evolved humans,
This group hide in plain sight amongst the general populace who they refer to as outsiders.
Julia seems to have it all, The perfect family and lifestyle at least this is what it appears outwardly to others.
After an incident that gets this elite family group noticed Jayne is made an example of and sent to the local public high school with the outsiders and ordered to lie low, suppress and also tamp down her emerging extraordinary abilities.
Here she re-meets John Ford and the two overtime become friendly.
Now there is a lot more to this Young Adult debut novel than meets the eye, you need to look deeper beneath the layers and unravel the perfect illusion that is Julia's life.
Most of the characters that claim to care for our young Julia are toxic to her.
Her father Novak is a big old douche, manipulative, cold and cruel but with a strange ability that compels others to gravitate towards him, giving him their faith and trust, in fact, It seems to have at times an almost cultish element to some of the family's interactions.
Victoria her step-mother is a first class bitch, despite practically raising Julia from the age of Two she treats her like a second-class citizen, putting her own daughter Liv over Julia in everything.
Then there's the younger sister Liv herself, self-centred, over-entitled, little princess, I really don't like her and really wish Julia would stop making excuses for the spoilt little madam.
The bestie Angus, well I was divided in my opinion of him I'm going to see how he behaves in future as I'm pretty sure we haven't seen the last of him.
I have my eye on you boyo.
Oh, and Angus and the Lost Boys dropped poor Julia like a bad disease when she was on the out and these are meant to be her friends.
So where was I, Oh yes Julia and Ford, well these two start a fledgeling relationship filled with the usual teenage angst.
I will also say that I wasn't overly fond of the methods employed by Julia initially of reading John's mind, but gave her a temporary free pass because she's young and still learning.
In herself, Julia was a show of extremes so grown up in some ways and then so irritatingly naive and selfish in others, I myself think her privileged upbringing played a big part in shaping Julia.
And am hoping she will evolve so much more going forward.
As for John himself well he seems a very solid lad, A touch rebellious but he definitely seems to have his head screwed on right, he comes across as more grounded than Julia and more adult also.
As you can imagine this tale is not plain sailing and when its time to get out of dodge, things around Julia start to collapse like a pack of cards, decisions need making and secrets are finally revealed and on this note, I will leave it.
Select leaves us with more questions than answers.
it sets itself up for the next in this series nicely, which I will definitely be reading as I now feel so invested in this story and its many diverse characters.
This may be a Young Adult Novel but I would definitely recommend to all ages it kept my attention and I'm forty-four.
It's well written and a definite page turner, pulling the reader in.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a free arc of Select by Marit Wiesenberg, it was lovely of you to grant my wish.
This is my own personal unbiased opinion.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm

I decided to try Marit Weisenberg’s The Select on a whim because the cover was just too pretty to pass up. Plus, I’ve been itching for something in the dystopian, alternate world for some time and the premise of a super-evolved race sounded like it definitely fit that bill. With an interesting premise, a different genre from what I’ve been buried in, and a stunning cover, I had high hopes that I’d hit the trifecta of perfection.

“After weeks of being a ghost, I recognized myself again. Defiance felt so much better than shame.”

Unfortunately, I was left feeling intrigued, but not very satisfied. Even though the story was written in the first person (which I normally adore), I had an incredibly difficult time connecting to any of the characters, but especially the heroine. I expected a strong leader who stood up for what she believed in, and instead I felt like I got someone who second guessed herself for three quarters of the book. Ironically, I connected most to the human, our hero, the most – despite never receiving his voice. By the time Julia started to question her upbringing, it was a little too late for me personally. Furthermore, I often felt like the storyline was going in circles with no real driving force to push the book forward. It wasn’t until I reached about 75% that I felt inclined to keep turning the pages. It was at that point that the action really took hold and unraveled pieces of the mystery that was hinted at in the beginning. However, I still have no real idea what type of “special” Julia and her people are supposed to be, which also left me a bit disappointed.

“There was no sign I’d ever been here. There was no real sign we’d ever been together.”

Though I did have some issues with this story, I am intrigued to see where Weisenberg will take it in the next book of the series. The writing is great and the plot is intriguing, but I am hoping to see some growth and ability to invest readers into the characters more. Select doesn’t end on a cliffhanger per se, but I have faith that it will leave readers, like me, wishing they could continue on with these characters right away!

Julia watched her family on tv- Novak- her father, Dr. Victoria Jaynes- her stepmother and Liv her sister. Novak was an inventor with pretarnational abilities. Julia knew the total this was taking on Liv to keep the public from penetrating the imaginary glass wall their father had taught them all to erect. Angus had called to Julia and watched tv with her and then said “ come on”. Julia hadn’t been invited to the football game. Everyone knew that. But Angus seemed to be the only one more interested in her then in them. Julia was always aware of how she stood out. Julia and Angus went outside and Julia was aware of how she was the only girl and then Julia said she should go. Julia had grown up with the seven boys and noone would hurt hrt. Julia could move or even break an object if she concentrated her energies on the object. Julia and the others in her group were the first of their kind ever to be kept in the dark about themselves and what they could do. Julia had always exceeded expectation even for her parents but she was never praised for it. Liv was determined to go with Julia to the pool.Julia knew Liv had a crush on Angus and even though Julia wanted him Liv didn’t care What was Julia’s Liv took if she wanted it. The first time Julia seen him, he was wearing a battered baseball hat and Ray-bans. Julia didn’t know why was immediately drawn to him. Julia felt his eyes on her. And they didn’t dart by to liv. He made Julia self aware when usually she was the master of blocking people out. Then Liv and Julia got inside the gate to the pool. The Lost Boys were there- Julia’s name for group of seven boys she was usually with. It was jarring to see them all together in public as usually they were careful to go out in small groups. Then the boy that had been watching her sat down behind Julia and Liv. then the boys phone rang and .Julia knew it was his brother. Julia knew information about him this had never happened before. Julia wondered how a regular person had gotten through the barrier Julia was so good at maintaining between her and outsiders. Julia wondered why him? All of them had better senses than outsiders. Just like they were faster, stronger, and smarter than regular people. Also healthier and live longer. They were also more perspective. Their contacts with outsiders were normally brief and minimal. They knew when a stranger hadn’t slept, was distracted, angry , in love. When Julia saw Angus and Liv look at each other she knew they would end up together. Then Julia knew the rash was going to appear and she made a move to get up but Angus’s voice suddenly gentled and he grabbed Julia’s wrist to pull her back and told her to breath, Angus knew. He was the only person who understood what Julia was feeling and that she needed a release. Then Liv went in the water and Angus went with the Lost boys in the rougher water. Then the boy told Julia his name was John. But then Julia knew liv was gone and ran to found her. Liv was stuck in agrate and Angus got her free but John pulled Liv out of the water. But once on the lawn Liv set up and expelled the water from her lungs that had drowned her. When she got home Julia was told she was being separated from everyone and pulled out of St. Philip’s private school and put into a public school. Julia was the one being punished when all she did was save her sister. She was to become the total outcast. Julia was to ignore all her natural instincts. Julia knew she had to blend in the best she could while not breaking out with the rash. John was in Julia’s first class - English. Not one of Julia’s friends contacted her. Liv avoided her as much as she avoided Liv. Julia seen very little of Victoria and none of her father,
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a whole different type of fantasy book I guess you would call it with a bit of paranormal. I loved the final decision Julia made at the end of the book. I loved John and Julia together and how they didn’t move on even though they tried. I didn’t particularly care for Novak or Victoria or even liv most of the time for the way julia was treated through no fault of her own. I loved the person Julia was even after the was she had been coldly treated all her life. This did drag for me at times. But I pushed on as I wanted to see what happened to everyone especially Julia and John I was way to interested to give up on the story because it had dragged at times. I loved how Julia told her teacher Mrs. Berkley to have her baby checked by a doctor for his heart and the teacher did and the baby should now be okay. I loved the plt and i loved the person John was also. I loved the characters and the twists and turns of this book and I recommend. I wish I could rate this 4.5.

3.5 Stars
An interesting mix of supernatural teens split into different groups and how one interacts with regular high school kids. A good concept, some original ideas, and an intriguing plot, but some characters and the flow need a little more work. If you like YA Sci-fi and/or dystopias, then give this one a chance. The novel is decent enough that I am interested to know what happens next.

Net Galley Feedback

Really great book very unique which is very hard to find now I liked the strong female character and her to me felt like a pull of being good vs being bad feel. I liked reading bout all the guy characters she goes to school with and how they practice and discover their powers you feel for her though in her frustration of being basically the black sheep of the family she wants to be apart of them but she just cant and they wont let her. if you like a easy fast unique and exciting book I defiantly recommend this one and I thank the author for granting me this wish! by the way love the beautiful cover!

Here's another book I picked up on NetGalley on a whim due to a beautiful cover!
Usually I would share the book description at this point, but sometimes I really enjoy going in blind, and this is one of those instances where I feel like the book summary can give you just a bit too much info. So instead, a few bullet points about this one:
It's YA speculative fiction (closer to sci-fi than fantasy), with a cult-ish twist and a pretty good romance.
I found the community situation/setting for the book quite mysterious (what is going on with this family? IS this a cult?), and I really enjoyed this ambiguity.
I also liked the way this book looked at the struggle of figuring out where you fit in - which is one of my favourite themes in YA. There was some great family loyalty vs 'outsiders' stuff in here.
I understand that this is the first book in a series, but I thought it also worked pretty well as a standalone.
I gave this 3.5 stars.

I loved this. I'm not going to sugar coat this at all. The book stuck to the blurb. There were never any dull moments in this story. There is some internal conflicts going on with Julia. But don't we all have those moments where we rethink things we've done or said. Wondered what other outcome might have happened?

This is a great debut YA novel. The story is unique from what is going around right now. This isn't some woe is me female lead. I LOVE that! This is a girl discovering what she wants in life and how she will either take charge of her life. Or let her family suppress her and her abilities

An interesting concept, a group of humans a bit higher on the evolutionary scale trying to keep from being specimens to be studied for what's different or better about them. Julia is a half breed, an experiment her father tried to expand their species. You know what they say about best laid plans...

Imagine there was a isolated tribe living somewhere in South America. And upon being discovered, it was also discovered that because of their isolation their DNA changed. Not a lot, but enough. Longer life span, better athletic abilities, their bodies being more durable, and in some, telepathy. So the people who discovered the tribe, procided to exterminate them. But they didn't get them all....

So for generations the tribe lived by hiding in plain sight. And controlling their abilities by not using them in public. They hid among "outsiders" as they called them, untill they got discovered and then they would simply relocate. But there's a catch. The groups leader decides who is "fit" for relocation and who gets left behind. And on top of all that the group has suffered for the last two generations by being sterile, that is not being able to reproduce. But the groups leader has a plan. He intends to find "outsiders" with dormant genes like theirs that he can awake and relocate with them, and that way they would be able to reproduce again

And that is where we start the story. In Austin TX, and the group a year or so away from relocation. And the main heroine (Julia) and group of 6 other kids being separated from the rest of the group in order for their power not to develop. But the kids practice their abilities when no one's looking and after an incident occurred, in public, Julia gets the blame and as punishment has to spend the rest of the time before relocation proving that she can stiffen and control her powers

And that is where fantasy meets YA. Where cute boy enters the picture, where FBI tries to make a case against Julia's father (who happens to be the groups leader), and the media tries to figure out what's up with this strange group, and where breath is released even though one wasn't aware they were holding it. You know, the usual YA stuff

But I would dare to say that the story is unique and different. And unexpected. While you might figure out where it's going at times, especially when it comes to romance, it will leave you surprised the rest of it. The characters developed as much as the story does. And someone you might not be fond of in the begging will grow on you the more you read. Full of twists and turns, great plot, and some bitchy characters this is one book you should definitely pick up and read

Julia Jaynes is a member of a very powerful family with supernatural abilities. The oldest daughter of Novak, the leader of their group, Julia is faced with the struggle of figuring out what her father’s plan is. Are his intentions truly for their greatest good or is he hiding something threatening them all?

Following an incident with her younger sister, Novak punished Julia for her alleged irresponsibility by sending her to a public school where no one knows about her powers. There Julia has no choice, but to finally see herself as an individual for the first time.

Select poses the question of identity and the emotional attachment to one’s roots in the background of the supernatural. Do we choose who we are or do we let others define us? Julia has been defined by her family her whole life, she sees herself through their lens and never stopped even for a minute to think of an alternative path. The path has already been determined for her. She is so caught up into her family’s seclusive world that she’s never realized that there is more to life and inevitably, there is more to her. The emphasis on her personal growth is smoothly delivered. I was worried that the author might gloss over it, but Marit Weisenberg did not disappoint.

The novel is well-written, all the characters (including the supporting) are multi-faceted and offer a variety of nuances to their personalities, which makes the story unable to put down once you get deep into their world. As a first installment of series, the pace of the plot development was great. It gives you just enough to want more.

I have kindly received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and Charlesbridge in exchange of a fair review.

Rating: 4/5



Genre: YA Fantasy



Recommended Age: 14+ (language, a mature sexual scene, trigger warnings for death and suicide-like behavior)



I received a copy of the e-book version of this book for free from NetGalley as provided by the publisher and then I won a free copy of the print arc in a giveaway. Neither of these events changed my opinion of the book.



Coming from a race of highly-evolved humans, Julia Jaynes has the perfect life. The perfect family. The perfect destiny. But there’s something rotten beneath the surface–dangerous secrets her father is keeping; abilities she was never meant to have; and an elite society of people determined to keep their talents hidden and who care nothing for the rest of humanity. So when Julia accidentally disrupts the Jaynes’ delicate anonymity, she’s banished to the one place meant to make her feel inferior: public high school.

Julia’s goal is to lay low and blend in. Then she meets him–John Ford, tennis prodigy, all-around good guy. When Julia discovers a knack for reading his mind, and also manipulating his life, school suddenly becomes a temporary escape from the cold grip of her manipulative father. But as Julia’s powers over John grow, so do her feelings. For the first time in her life, Julia begins to develop a sense of self, to question her restrictive upbringing and her family prejudices. She must decide: can a perfect love be worth more than a perfect life? – Amazon.com



Ever thought that you were different? Julia sure has and she’s already in a selective group of people! She’s a part of this culture of people who have extraordinary abilities and no we’re not talking about X-Men although it’s clear she should join them. Regardless of my stance on that topic, I believed this book will be the underdog to look out for come October. It’s a decent Halloween-type book and a good book for any YA lover. The character development is amazingly written as we learn about two characters simultaneously through Julia’s inner connection to John and all of the main and important side characters have a distinct personality. The plot is also very well done. The writer does not spend time on minute details about the mundane activities of public high school and the reader becomes involved in the core topic of the book fairly early on. The book is also very well written and it’s proving to be a very easy read. While the book is 350+ pages, I flew through the book faster than any other book I’ve ever read this year not counting Illuminae.



However, I did find some very prominent issues in the book. For starters, the whole identity of Julia and her people are not explained until very late in the book and even then there are small questions the reader is left with that are never really fully explored. The book is also paced a bit weird. The book jumps forward in time quite a bit and without warning, so the reader must remain alert throughout the book in order to avoid confusion. And there is a bit of a quasi-love triangle/square, so fair warning if you absolutely hate those.



Verdict: Overall, I thought this was an incredible book. This was definitely one of my favorite reads of 2017 and I was hooked from the get-go. I think that the book was incredibly inspirational for anyone who’s ever felt different or unwanted or has been ostracized for one reason or another. As someone who has felt that way before and still struggles with it I felt empowered by Julia and I cheered for her every difficult step of the way. I hope you feel the same towards her because I strongly urge anyone who likes YA Fantasy to take a few days to read this book.

This book has me hooked from start to finished and I can't wait for the sequel!

SELECT by Marit Weisenberg is a fast-paced, young adult fantasy.

When Julia is sent to a public high school, she tries to blend in. However she soon finds herself in a forbidden relationship that will impact her family and beyond.

Librarians will find fans of paranormal romance attracted to the love story, while fantasy lovers will enjoy the idea of the select community. The final twist will make readers wonder when the sequel will be released.

Published by Charlesbridge Teen on October 3, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

it is a good read for teens. it contains young love, difficulties, happiness and a littel bit of unsual behavoiur.

Julia Jaynes has always lived a sheltered life with her perfect family and the rest of their group. They are more than human and must hide their special abilities from the rest of the world. When she gets in trouble and is sent to a public school with regular humans, she finds out that they are people too and she becomes more than friends with a boy named John, whose mind she can read when he is thinking about her. This is a fun to read paranormal romance and I look forward to the next book in the series!

My lasting impression – this is an absolutely beautiful book. I love the book's cover which, at first glance, appears beautiful in it's simplicity . . . yet after reading the book, the cover is beautifully simple in it's complexity of concept in relation to the story.

A story of an ancient, forgotten tribe of exceptionally physically beautiful people who possess many almost unbelievable abilities.

This is the story of how they have survived over a century after the rest of the world believed their tribe was annihilated.

When you are a member of a small “select” group of people with unusual abilities, both physical and psychic , how do you hide in plain sight in today's general population? What happens if people discover that your entire group possess these exceptional abilities? What happens if you fall in love with a person outside your group? And it was forbidden . . .

What do you do, as a member of the group, when you discover the leader of this “select” group (who just happens to be your own father) has singled out the most gifted of the children, to prevent them from developing their unique and powerful abilities?

I enjoyed reading this book and please, please, please, - let there be a sequel, a series... more, more more.
This book would be an excellent addition to any High School Library. Although the book is suggested for Young Adults, I would recommend it to anyone 14 and older.

Thank you Netgalley and author Merit Weisenberg for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It isn't something I thought I would like, but the writing style drew me in and converted me!

I finished this really quick, couldn't put it down! Loved the characters and the story! Easily one of my favorite books of the year.

A fast-paced read! I enjoyed the characters and the premise was an interesting one. It is definitely unique and worth a read if you're even a little bit intrigued by the synopsis.

I was so lucky to receive a physical arc of this beautiful story! I enjoyed this book so much and quickly realized that this author is one to watch! Great story and character building as well as writing style!

Select was a good book with a few twists which I loved. I don’t normally read this genre but the blurb pulled me in. , I’ll definitely read another by this author

I found Select to be a true page-turner. I usually read at night just before bed, and I had to limit myself to one chapter a night to prevent sleep deprivation! As an avid reader of both adult and young adult fiction, I think that Select will appeal to teens and adults alike. The plot twists and interesting character development keep things humming. A key premise of the book is the separation of groups based on special talents/gifts. Without sharing too much detail, I think the tension between these groups is fascinating and symbolic of other groups that form in reality, making the plot relatable for everyone. I'm excited to read the sequel!