Numbers Game (Numbers Game #1)

DYSTOPIAN:  After working for it her whole life, Treena is finally ready for Rating Day. Nervous, of course, but who wouldn’t be when receiving a number that will define the rest of their life? If she were to rate yellow, or heaven forbid, red, she will be scorned and lose her hopes, dreams and boyfriend. Because surely he will rate highly and they can’t be together otherwise. To everyone’s complete shock her number is disastrous, despite doing everything right. 

However, she is given another chance and all she has to do is go undercover in the military and discover spies and rebels. Yeah, no problem at all, especially after she meets Vance there. He seems to keep vaults of secrets, yet draws her like no other. He makes her doubt everything: the government, the numbers, her life – is it all a conspiracy after all?

Built on a brilliant, if grim idea, the author reveals twists and turns gradually: building interests and enthusiasm with it! The idea of a number defining your worth, and then it being exposed to everyone’s eyes is horrifying, and the breakdown readers see Treena going through illuminates that perfectly. She has been stripped of respect and “Numbers Game” deals equally with her inner world battlefield of discovering herself again and the outer world one of surviving. It’s balanced wonderfully. The plot, while going in a somewhat predictable way, offers new things to the world of YA and there is much to look forward to in the next books! 

Mimi Smith