Book Review: The Farm by Emily McKay

The Farm
The Farm #1
Author: Emily McKay
Reading level: Mature YA
Genre: Paranormal/Dystopian
Release Date: December 4th 2012
Review Source: Berkley Trade
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Life was different in the Before: before vampires began devouring humans in a swarm across America; before the surviving young people were rounded up and quarantined. These days, we know what those quarantines are—holding pens where human blood is turned into more food for the undead monsters, known as Ticks. Surrounded by electrical fences, most kids try to survive the Farms by turning on each other…

And when trust is a thing of the past, escape is nearly impossible.

Lily and her twin sister Mel have a plan. Though Mel can barely communicate, her autism helps her notice things no one else notices—like the portion of electrical fence that gets turned off every night. Getting across won’t be easy, but as Lily gathers what they need to escape, a familiar face appears out of nowhere, offering to help…

Carter was a schoolmate of Lily’s in the Before. Managing to evade capture until now, he has valuable knowledge of the outside world. But like everyone on the Farm, Carter has his own agenda, and he knows that behind the Ticks is an even more dangerous threat to the human race...

I really didn’t know what to expect when I first picked this book. The cover seems pretty simple but a little creepy, I think. Well, let me tell you, The Farm was an AMAZING book from start to finish. It has a little bit of everything - romance, suspense, vampires, and a tough cookie for a heroine. Oh, and did I mention a hot guy? Yup, it has it all. The story is told in Lilly, Mel and Carter’s POV. The way that Emily wrote it, makes it really easy to follow. I love reading in Mel’s POV. I think she is my favorite character so far.

The world has changed and 6 months ago, parents sent their kids to “Farms” because the Ticks (zombie like vampires) have taken over. They are a result of an epigenetic experiment that went terribly wrong. Lilly and her twin sister Mel were also sent and are living in an old building on the farm. Lilly has to protect Mel because Mel is autistic and ever since she was sent to the farm, Mel’s condition has worsened. Mel doesn’t really talk she just sings nursery rhymes when she wants to say something. Collabs are the guards and they are there to “protect” the teens/kids from getting attacked by the ticks that are just outside the electric fence that is surrounding the farm. Lilly, Mel and the rest of the teens have to give blood once a week it’s to check their hormone levels. You see, the Ticks are attracted to teens/kids because of their hormones in their blood and therefore make for an easy target. When someone turns 18, they are taken out of the farm, but no one really knows what happens to them after that. They tell them that they get sent back to their family, but Lilly isn’t buying it. Oh, and if you disobey the rules, you are drugged and put outside for the ticks to eat you - pretty gross, right? Lilly is turning 18 soon so she needs to find a way of getting out, but then Carter shows up, a boy she had a huge crush on in the Before, and changes everything.

Even though I predicted some of the ending, McKay definitely threw me a curve ball at the very end and had me crying like a baby. The only negative thing about the book is that I have to wait forever for the second book. Ugh! So not fair. But if it's as good as this one, it will be worth the wait.