Having never read a dystopian novel before, I was interested, but not necessarily over-eager to begin one. I’ve always been more fascinated with other genres, even though I’ve heard wonderful words spoken about novels like ‘The Hunger Games’ and other such titles. I must say that Kayla Howarth’s ‘The Institute’ made me see the error of my reading ways.

It was truly a struggle to put my Kindle down day in and day out as I read it. The storyline and characters were extremely engaging, with twists and turns happening all the while. I thought it was great how Howarth also made sure to include references to Allira’s mother and best friend, Ebbodine, who had both disappeared, albeit several years apart. The way that Howarth makes it clear that Allira’s mother was buried, even though no body was present at the burial, leaves the window wide open for the possibility of her return, which I thought was a great tactic to keep readers curious. Allira’s Aunt Kenna, who is her mother’s sister, also played a role in Allira’s life, which I also enjoyed, since it brought the mother-daughter relationship that Allira clearly wished she could have had with her own mother to the forefront.

Reading about The Institute and what the place itself stands for, from the author’s viewpoint, of course, made me think about all the questions I have about what the government might truly be capable of. Mr. Brookfield, the director of The Institute, is basically the authority figure that everyone worries about, making readers question what his motivations are, why The Institute has a need to exist, what the issues with people who are considered “Defective” might be, and what can be done about fighting back to end this “war” against those who are considered “different.” Being different is obviously subjective, but not to those at The Institute, who see it as an evil upon society that must be quashed.

From Drew, the enigmatic boy who main character Allira fell for, confusing her all the more when she realized he may not be who she expected him to be, to Chad, who seems hard as nails but endears himself to Allira when he makes her see that working with him can have its benefits, the characters were fleshed out nicely. Everyone’s purpose, while sometimes unclear, was meant to be that way in order to keep readers on their toes, poised for those twists and turns that made the read spellbinding. I would have liked to have known more about Allira’s father, but I’m hoping he will be involved more in sequels to this first novel of the series. Allira’s brother, Shilah, was also a great character to have Allira play off of as well as the catalyst for much of Allira’s thinking about The Institute, what it all means, and why it all plays out in the way it does as the novel progresses.

Especially intriguing were the times when Howarth found ways to make me suspect someone and then come to realize that what I suspected, even though it seemingly came to fruition, is not actually what it was meant to be. I was truly surprised by the way some of the plot played out, but in the best way possible. Maybe I’ve seen too many episodes of ’24’ and other such shows where there are “moles,” or people who aren’t to be trusted, but the way that Howarth planted these types of characters in the story in ways that are capable of making readers understand their emotions and underlying motivations is something any writer should strive for, and any reader should be thankful for in their reading choices.

I cannot recommend Kayla Howarth’s ‘The Institute’ enough. As the novel got closer and closer to the end, I found myself wondering just how she was going to end it and why it had to end so soon. I am thrilled that there is another novel, ‘The Resistance,’ already out, and I’m looking forward to reading it. Having the first chapter tacked on to the end of ‘The Institute’ served as a nice introduction to the sequel. If you’re on the fence like I was about dystopian novels, never fear – ‘The Institute’ will help you realize that there was no reason to put it off. And if you have always liked dystopian adventures, this is definitely the book for you!

You can find ‘The Institute’ by Kayla Howarth here: http://amzn.to/1NgSLKP