The Annihilation of Foreverland by Tony Bertauski

When kids awake on an island, they’re told there was an accident. Before they can go home, they will visit Foreverland, an alternate reality that will heal their minds. Reed dreams of a girl that tells him to resist Foreverland. He doesn’t remember her name, but knows he once loved her. He’ll have to endure great suffering and trust his dream. And trust he’s not insane. Danny Boy, the new arrival, meets Reed’s dream girl inside Foreverland. She’s stuck in the fantasy land that no kid can resist. Where every heart’s desire is satisfied. Why should anyone care how Foreverland works? Together, they discover what it’s really doing to them.

This is one of those stories that grabs on and doesn’t let go. From the very first page, it engages the reader with its quick pacing and unique storyline.

What I enjoyed the most was the way the characters related to each other. Their relationships, some which stayed the same, some which changed as the novel progressed, were nicely written, in a way that made them feel authentic. Something else that caught my eye was the way the “villains” were handled. In so many stories the antagonists are portrayed as one-dimensional, almost psychotic, but in this novel, you could see that the author really gave them some thought. He made them into interesting, complex characters in their own right.

The plot is wholly unique and I won’t say too much about it because there are many ways in which I could spoil it for other people. It’s a young adult novel that has mostly male characters, which make it completely different form the majority of the ones out there at the moment, adding to that uniqueness. All you need to know just is that you will be surprised and you will be anxious to find out how it ends. What else can you ask from an adventure book? Besides,

This is one I have no problem recommending for both YA readers and adults.