Overdrive Week - Review and Giveaway

Overdrive by Dawn Ius
Release Date - September 13, 2016

Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 352 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received from publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Jules Parish has screwed up.

After three years of boosting cars, she got caught. She's too good to get caught, but she let her (ex)-boyfriend talk her into a questionable job. And now, she and her little sister, Emma, will be kicked out of their foster home, left to survive on the unforgiving streets of Las Vegas alone.

Unless.

Eccentric, wealthy Roger Montgomery wants to open up his mansion to Jules and Emma. The only catch? Jules must steal seven of the rarest, most valuable muscle cars in the world—in seven weeks. Even worse, she’s forced to put her trust in three complete strangers to help her do it.

First there’s Chelsea, the gorgeous redhead with a sharp tongue and love for picking locks. Then there’s Mat, who hasn’t met a system he couldn’t hack. And finally there’s the impossibly sexy car thief Nick, whose bad attitude and mysterious past drive Jules crazy.

With nothing in common and everything to lose, can Jules and her amateur crew pull off what could be the biggest car heist in history? Or will things spin out of control faster than a Nevada dust devil?

Fun books are often underappreciated. We all marvel at books that make us cry. We rarely, at least for me, consider what goes into the opposite. Those books that fill us with giddy adrenaline, and a smile on our face. There is a talent in creating what is the equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie in book format, and this is case with Overdrive. It's the type of book you can easily picture on the big screen because it reads like a movie.

Car heists back dropped against the Last Vegas strip. There is something sleek and sexy about the cars, the adrenaline, and the risks. Combine this with some serious sexual tension, a few make out scenes, and you get a book that has plenty of appeal. Add to it a cast of characters that are endearing and you have a highly readable, enjoyable thrill ride.

Jules is the character we get to know the most, as she is our narrator and we see this world through her eyes. She's fiercely protective of those she loves, doing bad things for what she deems a good reason, and more complex than she appears. This is true of all the characters in this novel. The characters are the heart of this novel. They are crafted with care, and infused with personalities that shine though. They are given time to breathe and are written in a way that ensures you feel attached to them. You end up caring about them and that creates higher stakes for the heists and the precarious positions they find themselves in. It also ensures you'll be demanding a sequel. Each of these characters has a story to tell, and I hope I get to read them.

The thing that is important in heist novels is the reasoning for those involved. We have to understand why these characters would attempt to pull off the heist and what they stand to lose and gain by doing it. That is what creates the tension, and what compels us to become invested. Dawn Ius ensures that we not only understand each of the characters reasons for agreeing to pull off the heist, but also makes them sympathetic at the same time. Each of them has their own reason for agreeing, and each of these reasons highlights the characters and their progression throughout the novel.

There is a mystery that thrums throughout the novel. Why these particular cars, and why the tight time frame, but this takes a back seat to the heists themselves. Taunt tension jolts through each heist with the risks only increasing as they closer to their goal. You're constantly aware of the danger of being caught, and what that would mean for the characters. Many of these scenes left my heart racing, and desperate to see how they would pull off the next one. The fact that these are teenagers is never far from your mind. There is a vulnerability that comes through even in the most daring moments. It's a terrific balance that adds some contrast to the bravado.

Dawn Ius masterfully drives the story to it's natural conclusion, but ensures that there are plenty of detours along the way. The story has a few unexpected surprises that left me pleasantly surprised. The conclusion also leaves more than enough room for a continuation while still feeling complete story all on its own.

A book that grips you from it's pitch perfect opening chapter, until its final pages. It offers a fast paced, tension filled thrill ride that has a lot of heart at it's center. It's a book that leaves you begging for a companion or sequel just so you can return to this world and these characters. If you're look for a read that's a little unique, or one that offers a little pick me up after a more intense read, I highly recommend this one.

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