Panic by Lauren Oliver is a Hunger Games-esque YA novel about love, danger and revenge. It follows teenagers Heather and Dodge as they play Panic, a dangerous but legendary game played by graduating seniors in the small, isolated town of Carp. The contestants face both physical and psychological challenges as this edgier take on dares teeters on the edge of anarchy.
For me, a particular highlight was the tense chapters when the protagonists face their deepest fears, showing the cracks in their facades of recklessness.
As you would expect from Oliver, the characters are flawed and you can never quite trust them, which adds a nice twist.
Amid the escalating violence, young love blooms with the touch of realism that Oliver is acclaimed for in her writing.
Ultimately Panic is an emotional rollercoaster of a thriller that leaves you thinking. After all, we all have something to play for…