review: Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

pub date: April 1, 2010
publisher: HarlequinTeen
pgs: 384
source: ALA
content: no sex, no swearing, no drugs


from goodreads:
I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.


me:
This book took me a week to read. Though I was enjoying Trella and her rebellion, it didn't grab me and make me want to find out what was going to happen next. I was happy to pick it up whenever and got easily distracted.


I liked Trella. I liked how she grew and that her opinion of other scrubs and the uppers changed. I bought into her world view shift. And the whole cube where she lives is brilliant. The way they count time, the organization, the differences between the uppers and scrubs. Cool.


Yet, Trella's romance fell flat. I love romance in my novels, kissing scenes are my favorite. I didn't buy into her and Riley and worst of all, the kissing was Wimp.


So between the lack of romantic tension and low excitement for the plot (though it was cool), I was going to rate this book a solid 3.


BUT THEN I read the ending and it was awesome. In the context of what is going on outside of their cube, it's an awesome premise. It got me REALLY excited to read the next in the series, Outside In.


So, I give it a solid 4.