Disruption – Jessica Shirvington (Review)

Title: Disruption (Disruption #1)
Author: Jessica Shirvington
Publisher: HarperCollins, 2016
Genre: YA Dystopian, YA Science Fiction

**I received an ARC of this book free from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest teview**

This review can be found on my Blog, TeacherofYA’s Tumblr, or my Goodreads page

My Review:

I am so glad this book is being rereleased in the US. Apparently it was published by HarperCollins AU and now is coming to the states on Oct. 4! And guys: this is truly a good one. I know I write a lot of high ratings, but if I could give this book a ten star rating, I would.

Let’s not keep you in suspense any longer then!

The book starts out with Maggie: she’s a ruthless, blackmailing b****. But there’s a reason she’s doing what she’s doing: she’s trying to save her dad.

In the world to which we are introduced, Pheratech rules. Pheromones rate people through their M bands, a band that everyone must wear at 18 that syncs with a chip ar the base of the spine. If someone rates high with another person, people couple up. The tech knows, right? Secretly many look for their true match: a rating of 100% compatibility that means soulmate status. Those that find their “true” match are rare…and practically celebrities.

The inverse, however, are the negs. These people rate negative with people at least four times a month. And since most people wear their tech all the time…well, alarms sound the minute a neg is found. They are the castoff of society. For you not to rate well with anyone means you’re bad. Empty. And you’re taken to “rehabilitation,” which Maggie already knows doesn’t exist. Rehab is really prison…and eventually death.

Maggie’s father one day rated neg. And since he was taken away, Maggie’s been trying to find him. She will find him, no matter what it takes. Even if it means blackmailing the son of M Corp’s CEO. Maggie gets him to rate neg when they’re fitted with their new Pheratech at the 18 year old fitting. She covers for him, knowing that he recorded three negatives, and if he gets a fourth he’ll be the shame of his family. Maggie uses Disruption, a pheromone transmitter that registers negative results to others’ M bands. Maggie says she can get him doses of Disruption to keep his “neg status” masked…but  for a price. She need Mercer blood (the manufacturing family of M bands), and Quentin Mercer definitely has it.

But what happens when Maggie grows a conscience? It’s always been there…but as she gets to know Quentin, and sees the hopelessness in his eyes, her tough facade starts to crack. She couldn’t possibly be falling for him…could she?

Is It Classroom-Appropriate?

So much so that I’d like to use it in a lesson plan. It’s original in its premise…we have a strong flawed character trying to fix her broken and poor family, and the “rich boy” that supposedly gets what he deserves. We have pheromone technology that’s supposed to replace love. We have a future society where negative ratings make one an outcast…and a secret disposal center that no one knows about: the negs are “rehabilitated” and given new identities, right? Our protagonist is flawed but has a moral compass she tries to ignore. She’ll stop at nothing to save her dad. This book shows exactly what can be shown with dystopian literature; it can be used to warn, to educate, and to prevent. I give it a definite plus for classroom compatibility. Think of the discussion questions!

Age Range:

The book “hasn’t been released yet” (though it has in Australia), so there’s no Lexile score. But I would recommend 13-17 (and up, of course). There’s really no inappropriate scenes…the swearing is mainly the b-word…and that’s rare. I think the material is perfect for high school readers. Great even for advanced middle grade readers. I wouldn’t hesitate to give this to my own niece, and that’s only when I feel very comfortable with the material. So I give it the gold star of approval! 👍

End Result:

★★★★★★★★★★! (Lol, I know that’s not possible). Seriously though, it gets a full 5/5 from me. I was so desperate to read the next book that I bought the Australian version! I need to know what happens next. Corruption, the conclusion to Disruption, comes out in March. (You guys know how cheap I am…that’s how good this book is! I paid full price!)

Please give this one a chance of you’re a fan of dystopian YA. You won’t be disappointed.

Here’s the original AUS covers, since I have a LOT OF AUS friends…

And here’s the US covers…

Love them BOTH! Happy Reading!