Title: Illusion of Truth (Leftover Girl Book 4)
Author: C.C. Bolick
Genre: YA Dystopian
Book Blurb:
When he's forced to leave Earth, Pade learns his life isn't what he thought... After refusing to live with his father on a new planet, Pade finds his life filled with the same regulations and torment forced upon all Singles. But his father is more than just a wealthy businessman from Earth - he's a member of Golvern's fearsome government. Although Pade longs to escape and find Jes, he's trapped between life without a twin and duty to the family name he refuses. After a beating that nearly kills him, Pade realizes his chance to find Jes. He soon learns he has a second power so rare the Lucha Noir will never let him go - only he can lead their fight against the government. But how will he deal with learning Kayden isn't the only one predicted to save Golvern?
Excerpt:
Utah moved forward, faster than before. “Where are we going?” I asked.
“To the park.”
“What kind of park?”
“You’ll see.”
When we reached the entrance to the park, I could barely make out the palace of glass on the horizon. Carved metal rose over the entrance, with words that called for peace and prosperity. Flowers bloomed in perfect lines behind a row of tables. One person sat behind each table. “What’s going on?”
“Today we see an Olsandyol.”
That name sounded familiar. “For what?”
“To read your future.”
I stopped in the middle of the street. “No.”
“You don’t have a choice. You’re in the system and it’s a requirement.” He gave me look of surprise. “Your mother didn’t tell you?”
“No, but she’s been really stressed lately. I think she’s worried about the fighting.”
“Everyone’s worried about the fighting. That’s why we’re here. Once every two months, the government requires the Olsandyols to read the future of every Single to determine who will be a danger to Golvern. If you don’t come to the park on this day, they’ll find you. I’ll go first, but I want you to see the woman who usually reads my future.”
I’d never believed someone could see the future, but after all the strange things I’d seen on Golvern, I didn’t want to take any chances. If this woman actually read my future, she’d know about my family. I couldn’t betray Mom or Bailey. Or my father, wherever he was. As much as I hated him, I didn’t want to see him executed.
As I pictured myself home, Utah grabbed my arm so tight his fingernails cut into my skin. “You have to see her. You must hear what she has to say.”
The seriousness in his voice made me jump. “I don’t have to do anything.”
He stepped away from me. “Maybe not, but—”
“Move to the tables,” said a guard that appeared behind us. He put a hand on the gun at his side. “Now.”
Utah pulled me ahead and I didn’t fight him. “Would he really shoot us?”
“You’ve been here a month and you still need to ask that question?” He didn’t release my arm until we reached a table on the far left. A woman with silver hair spotted us and motioned for the person she’d been reading to leave.
“You’ve brought a friend?” she asked. Surprisingly, the woman spoke English.
Utah took the empty chair and shoved his hand across the table. “I told him I’d go first.”
She nodded and put her hand on his. The woman closed her eyes and seemed to concentrate, then opened her eyes and touched a button on a tablet to her right. “Not a threat,” she almost yelled, in Golvern’s language. She held up the tablet so Utah could touch the screen.
“That’s it?” I asked as he stood.
“Told you it was nothing.” He eyed a guard walking by. “Your turn.”
While I took my time sitting down, her intense eyes never left me. “First time getting a reading?”
I nodded. “I’m not thrilled.”
“Neither am I,” she whispered. “Seems we’re both held to duty by the government.”
It hadn’t occurred to me the government was forcing her. I wondered if she was a Single. Or part of the Lucha Noir.
“Let’s make it quick,” she said.
I took a deep breath and put my hand on the table. Would she turn me in? The woman put her hand over mine. Her face tightened in concentration, same as it had with Utah. With a long sigh, she opened her eyes and reached for the tablet. “Not a threat,” she said with the same loud voice.
My sigh of relief probably echoed around the block. “That’s it? We’re done?”
She gave a half-smile. “You’re not ready to hear what I have to say.”
Utah tapped my shoulder. “Time to go.”
But I couldn’t leave, not after her words. “What don’t I want to hear?”
“Next time,” she said.
Utah pulled me to my feet, but I pushed him away.
“Your sister will be fine.”
We both looked down at her. “What did you say?” I asked.
“Follow her lead and don’t worry. She’s smart enough to fight with the right people.”
“What the—” I started, but Utah grabbed my arm and zapped us back to the Brisbane house.
When we appeared at the entrance to the house, I shoved him. “What did you do that for? I wanted to hear what she said.”
He held up his hands. “The guards were watching. Usually, if an Olsandyol says more than three words, you find yourself in a holding cell up high.”
I looked toward the horizon, where the first sun had almost set. “Where?”
“In Levendar, Golvern’s prison in the sky. Trust me, you never want to go there. I’ve heard the prison’s commander can talk you into anything, including shooting yourself in the head.”
I shuddered as I realized I’d only just begun to understand this planet.
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Author Biography:
C.C. Bolick grew up in south Alabama, where she’s happy to still reside. She’s an engineer by day and a writer by night—too bad she could never do one without the other.
Camping, fishing… she loves the outdoors and the warm Alabama weather. For years she thought up stories to write and finally started putting them on paperback in 2006. If you hear her talking with no one to answer, don’t think she’s crazy. Since talking through her stories works best, a library is her worst place to write… even though it’s her favorite!
C.C. loves to mix sci-fi and paranormal—throw in a little romance and adventure and you’ve got her kind of story. She’s written a dozen books including the Leftover Girl series, The Agency series, and The Fear Chronicles.
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