Verify - by Joelle Charbonneau (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"Wow! Shades of Fahrenheit 451 and Orwell's 1984. Painfully real and urgent. Read this book." --Michael Grant, New York Times bestselling author of the Gone series

Bestselling author Joelle Charbonneau's eerily timely, high-stakes page-turner is destined to start important conversations at this particular moment in our history.

Meri Beckley lives in a world without lies. When she looks at the peaceful Chicago streets, she feels pride in the era of unprecedented hope and prosperity over which the governor presides.

But when Meri's mother is killed, Meri suddenly has questions that no one else seems to be asking. And when she tries to uncover her mother's state of mind in her last weeks, she finds herself drawn into a secret world with a history she didn't know existed.

Suddenly, Meri is faced with a choice between accepting the "truth" or embracing a world the government doesn't want anyone to see--a world where words have the power to change the course of a country and where the wrong ones can get Meri killed.

From the Back Cover

MERI BECKLEY LIVES IN A WORLD WITHOUT LIES.

When she turns on the news, she hears only the facts. When she swipes the pages of her online textbooks, she reads only the truth. When she looks at the peaceful Chicago streets, she feels the pride everyone in the country feels about the era of unprecedented hope and prosperity over which the government presides.

But when Meri's mother is killed, Meri suddenly has questions no one else seems to be asking. And when she tries to uncover her mother's state of mind in her last weeks, she finds herself drawn into a secret world full of facts she's never heard and a history she didn't know existed.

Suddenly, Meri is faced with a choice between accepting the "truth" she has been taught or embracing a world the government doesn't want anyone to see--a world where words have the power to change the course of a country and where one wrong word could get Meri killed.

Review Quotes

"What would you give up for security? Words? Books? Your freedoms? Look up the word 'verify, ' and you'll start unraveling why you need to read and discuss Charbonneau's book. I shivered when reading her latest creation. You will, too." - Joe Hight, president, Best of Books, Edmond, OK

"Charbonneau deftly immerses readers in a future that feels unnervingly possible, where truth and history are no longer related to fact. A powerful reminder of the potential we each hold to demand and influence change." - Sara Grochowski, McLean & Eakin Booksellers

"At once timely and timeless, Verify reminds us of the power of words and the importance of truth. Thrilling and terrifying, it is an undeniable call to action. Trust but Verify that this is the perfect book for our times." - Rachel Bellavia, Read Between the Lynes

"This book captured me from start to end and has a crucial message around the power of words and the right we all have to each and every one." - Destinee Hodge, East City Bookshop

"Words, history, books, and their truths must prevail. Verify is a very timely tale and one that will leave you impatient for the next book in the series." - Becky Anderson, Anderson's Bookshops

"[Verify] builds steadily from simmering disquiet to a shattering final showdown that will leave readers desperate to reach the conclusion and anxious for sequels. Both timely and relevant in the age of fake news... a worthy read that will have readers wondering just how much truth they really want to know." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Fast-paced and full of crosses and double-crosses, right to the cliffhanger ending." - Booklist

"Charbonneau has created an elegantly organized plot. . . The tension and conflict will have readers at the edge of their seats as the imagery and complexities of the characters and plot design are exposed." - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

"Charbonneau delivers a tightly paced thriller packed with enough tension to keep teens hooked until the dramatic finale." - School Library Journal

"Joelle Charbonneau made test-taking terrifying in her best-selling trilogy, The Testing. Now, she turns her dystopian eye towards social networks and teens' wishes in Need." - EW.com

"A fast-paced read that teens antsy to untangle the mystery will devour...hand to teens looking for a thought-provoking, timely thriller." - Booklist

"Wow! Shades of Fahrenheit 451 and Orwell's 1984... Painfully real and urgent. Read this book." - Michael Grant, internationally best selling author of the Gone series

PRAISE FOR DIVIDING EDEN: "Charbonneau's skill as a thriller writer will hook readers as the tension between the siblings grows and the Trial of Succession rushes towards an explosive end... This new fantasy will give them plenty to sink their teeth into." - Booklist

"The trendy plot--filled with royal intrigue, romance, and a dangerous competition--is sure to make this new fantasy series a popular choice... Hand this one to fans of Sarah J. Maas, Kiera Cass, and Evelyn Skye." - School Library Journal

"The siblings are complex characters, weighted down by their respective heartaches and issues, and their skeptical views on the world feel realistic... there's a lot to like about this messed up, lush, and dark world." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

PRAISE FOR JOELLE CHARBONNEAU: "The rising tension, skillfully executed scenarios, and rich characterizations all contribute to an exciting story bound to capture readers' imaginations. . . . Charbonneau works action, romance, intrigue, and a plausible dystopian premise into a near-flawless narrative." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)