Independent Study is the second book of the Testing series – and let me tell you, it is even better than the first one. Book 1 had lots of surprising twists, but the second book was chock full of them as well.
Cia Vale has proven herself worthy of being a University graduate and now is studying to be a future leader. But there are tests within the tests, as there is first an exam to determine the best field of study, as well as an Induction Ceremony.
I love the layers that this book has, because after reading the second one I thought that there was going to be a basic plot – I mean, of course she had to get in, since there is a second and third book, right? Oh my, there is way more to the story than I could have realized, starting with the field of study that she is assigned to. It’s not all that surprising if you were to really think about it, but after her actions in the first book, I wasn’t sure if she can take charge. She was so trusting that it seems that she’ll just get stepped on, but she does grow up a little. She and Tomas are still together – but I like that isn’t just about their love story. Cia is her own person, and with a little bit of separation we see the stronger side of Cia that isn’t as vulnerable and naïve as she used to be. She also aces each challenge, showing us how smart she really is.
With every step of the way there is a twist, but it kept making me want to read more and more. With that, this book shows more horrors of The Testing and that it isn’t as simple an operation as it seems to be in the first book. Of course, The Testing proves to be unethical by sending kids out in the wild to kill each other, but in this book this conflict deepens. Just as I thought it was at a steady point, I found another surprise that I totally didn’t see coming.
Even though this review is a little vague, it is way too good a story to be spoiled. Anyone who read the first book and loved it will like this one even more. But just remember some of the key players in Cia’s testing, because they certainly will prove to be more dangerous that they appear to be.
YOU HAVE TO READ IT! I went through Book 2 even quicker than I did Book 1 – and I’m dying to read the last book. This series is one of the few that I will read repeatedly because I liked it so much. Let’s just hope the final book is as epic as the first two. While the first book set the stage for the story, Book 2 was more about developing the details that piqued my interest from the start.