Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 08/01/2018 The U.S. criminal justice system has been outsourced to an entity known only as the Postman and his Alcatraz 2.0 app. It is within this world Dee finds herself when accused of murdering her stepsister. On Alcatraz 2.0, government-sanctioned killers hunt down and murder criminals for the public’s viewing pleasure. Dee miraculously survives her first night and is given the moniker #CinderellaSurvivor. When the killers begin to target her new friends and make cryptic comments that allude to Dee’s past as a kidnapping survivor, it becomes apparent that the Postman’s interest in her is very personal. McNeil has written a compelling story that cleverly mixes dystopian, survivalist, horror, and mystery genres together. Readers will relish the mischievous traps set by the killers—such as Gucchi Hangman, a drag queen who always kills with Gucci scarves—as well as the pure logic Dee uses to begin taking them down one at a time. Give to fans of action, mysteries, and Saw-esque tricks and traps. - Copyright 2018 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 08/01/2018 Gr 9 Up—This dystopian horror novel imagines a world where the height of entertainment is watching a livestream of convicted felons getting hunted down and murdered by professional executioners in the most macabre prison imaginable. The facility, set on a remote island, is managed by a man known only as The Postman, and he makes money by streaming the prison feed over an app and selling related merchandise. His innumerable young fans are rabid for watching violent justice being served to death row criminals. In fact, they "ship" them, lust after them, and follow their moves—just like any other reality television stars. The latest addition to the island is Dee Guerrera, a 16-year-old who has been framed for the murder of her stepsister. Now Dee and the other innocent inmates must band together and fight for their lives if they are to find a way out. The fast-paced action will appeal to fans of The Hunger Games, though character development is often sacrificed to keep up the frantic pace. There are many graphic descriptions of blood, guts, and gore relating to the murders and lots of colorful language. Embedded in the novel are chat transcripts from the app, which have the potential to spark discussion and raise moral and ethical questions that relate to contemporary social psychology and use of social media. VERDICT A gory thriller that moves at breakneck speed, this book will be hard to put down for older teens with a penchant for horror.—Shannon O'Connor, Unami Middle School, Chalfont, PA - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.