The Tearings (The Tearings #1)
by V.C. Repetto
Paperback, 278 pages
Published November 22nd 2013 by Evernight Publishing
Purchase: Amazon
Synopsis:
From the moment the black vans appear to take the sick away, Maya knows there is something wrong. A high school sophomore, she seems to be the only one to question the sudden disappearances at school and the masks everyone is forced to wear to keep from catching the new disease spreading through the entire United States. Even when word of the new “healing centers” reaches the public, no one dares to ask what is happening.
But when Maya catches the disease, the one they call The Tearings, and is taken to one of these centers along with her mother, the truth becomes all too clear. She is separated from her family and forced to work, becoming one of the more fortunate ones who is not sent to the testing wings. Bullied by the guards to the point of death, she meets David Summers, the enigmatic young Captain who appears to loathe his position of power in the camp and who seems as drawn to Maya as she is to him.
When Maya suddenly becomes the disease’s only survivor, she must put her trust on David to find a way to escape the camp and get the truth, and the cure coursing through her veins, out to the world.
Excerpt
My throat was raw, throbbing, and dry.
Panic rose immediately.
I was sick. I’d caught it.
I dug my nails into my hands and tried to get a hold of my galloping fear. Maybe I’d just slept with my mouth open during the night. That could be it, right? It didn’t need to be the worst thing imaginable. Except, I knew it was.
In seconds I was bolting up out of bed and running to the mirror hanging from my closet door. It hurt to open my mouth. Patches of red and fuzzy white had spread across my tongue and palates, making me wince when I touched them.
Sudden tears made my vision waver. Whatever this super-flu was, I had it.
I brushed my tears away with violence. There was no time for that right now. I had to think. My first instinct was to run into Mom’s room and tell her, but I made myself stand still for a few seconds more. Once she knew, she’d call the ambulances; there’d be no stopping her. They’d take us away to the health centers, so this might be the last few minutes I had to face this without needles poking at me.
As much as I tried to convince myself that allowing the ambulances to take me to the centers was a good thing, I couldn’t stop my stomach from clenching at the thought of riding in those black monsters that patrolled the streets. I wanted to stay home.
On impulse, I grabbed my cell off my night table and pressed one of the speed dial buttons.
Derek picked up on the fourth ring. “Maya?”
“Hi.”
“Is everything okay?”
I hesitated. This was it. Once I told someone, there’d be no stopping this. “I woke up with a sore throat.”
Trailer
About the Author
When not planning how to survive the next plague and/or apocalypse, I like to submerge myself in as many Victorian Gothic novels as I can find. It is quite fun in my head, actually, between all the moldy lace and gas masks.
I live in a land far, far away, where people have begun disappearing from their houses and the blackest of vans have been roaming the streets. You are welcome to stay for a bit, if you're brave, though I should warn you, a cold has been making the rounds...
Oh man. I'm such a hypochondriac that I'm always able to convince myself I have whatever disease/virus is featured in a book, movie, tv show. I can't help it. I'm pretty sure I feel a sore throat coming on.... ;-) This sounds like very dark and super interesting story, so despite the fact that I'm going to have whatever The Tearings is by the time I'm done reading, I still am excited to pick it up. Thanks for the excerpt Chel!
ReplyDeleteThe synopsis sounds so interesting. I get the feeling there may be insta-love in this one ... *keeping my fingers crossed that that's not true*!
ReplyDeleteThis excerpt sounds really good. Keeping my eyes open for The Tearings. Thanks for sharing!:)
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of this book yet but it looks interesting. I just finished reading Unsouled from Unwind Dystology. It's also a dystopian setting.
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