Eve by Anna Carey

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

I could read dystopian books all day long <3 Seriously, its something about that dramatic end of the world fight to survive feeling that gets my adrenaline pumping whenever I read a dystopian book. In Eve, I definitely had moments where I was completely enthralled in the story and survival of the main character, Eve. After discovering that she is basically living in a prison which is prepping her to become a baby making machine, Eve decides to run away into the wilderness of this new world where disease has wittled down the population to almost nothing. Here, Eve meets up with Caleb, and the adventure begins!

What I loved about this book was that its raw and gritty. The story really envelops the feeling of a ravaged country without law or order. Outside the walls of the school's safe compound is wilderness and terror that Eve has never experienced. We see the country torn apart and basically destroyed in a very descriptive and terrifying setting that makes the story come alive! It may be a little frustrating seeing how Eve handles her new surroundings and she makes some pretty dumb decisions, but I had to remind myself that she grew up with certain beliefs and knowledge engrained into her head, so everything is wildly new to her. That doesn't mean that her choices, purely based on logic, aren't a little annoying.

This story isn't my favorite dystopian book, but I did enjoy the relationship that develops between Eve and Caleb. As we all know, I can't stand an insta-romance, and the progression from friendship to romance is slow in Eve and therefore to my liking. The real focus on the book is Eve's flight and survival while evading capture. It is here that I was won over by Eve. In these heart-pounding moments where we see Eve struggle to slip away and survive that I was really thrilled with the story.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I do believe that there could have been a bit more background information provided for this story to really develop this dystopian world, but I was satisfied with the book. I also was really shocked by the ending, and have a feeling that this leaves the door open for an even better sequel!