The Avid Book Collector: Book Blitz & Giveaway ~ Slip Series (Slip #1 and Grip #2) by David Estes

This is my stop during the book blitz for the Slip series by David Estes. This series contains two books so far: Slip (Slip #1) and Grip (Slip #2). This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 1 till 5 December, you can view the complete blitz schedule on the website of Lola’s Blog Tours.

Slip (Slip #1)

By David Estes

Genre: Dystopia

Age category: Young Adult

Release Date: 1 December, 2014

Someone must die before another can be born...

As sea levels rise and livable landmasses shrink, the Reorganized United States of America has instituted population control measures to ensure there are sufficient resources and food to sustain the growing population. Birth authorization must be paid for and obtained prior to having a child. Someone must die before another can be born, keeping the country in a population neutral position at what experts consider to be the optimal population. The new laws are enforced by a ruthless government organization known as Pop Con, responsible for terminating any children resulting from unauthorized births, and any illegals who manage to survive past their second birthday, at which point they are designated a national security threat and given the name Slip.

But what if one child slipped through the cracks? What if someone knew all the loopholes and how to exploit them? Would it change anything? Would the delicate resource balance be thrown into a tailspin, threatening the lives of everyone?

And how far would the government go to find and terminate the Slip?

In a gripping story of a family torn apart by a single choice, Slip is a reminder of the sanctity of a single life and the value of the lives we so often take for granted.

You can find Slip on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22095243-slip

Grip (Slip #2)

By David Estes

Genre: Dystopia

Age category: Young Adult

Release Date: 1 December, 2014

In a tumultuous world of population control, one illegal child has slipped through the cracks. Now, as a teenager, Benson Kelly has escaped certain deaths at the hands of the Department of Population Control, only to find himself the symbol of a rebellion, something he never intended.

While trying to survive one day at a time, Benson seeks to unravel the tangled knot of secrets left behind when his father died, the key to which has something to do with his mother, Janice Kelly, recently escaped from the insane asylum.

As the rebel group known as the Lifers continue to use brute force to send a message to the government, Benson's twin, Harrison Kelly, seeks to exploit a loophole that could be the key to freedom for his brother. All that's required is a simple act of murder.

Meanwhile, Population Control's attack dog, a sadistic cyborg known as The Destroyer, closes in on Benson and his family. His directive: Kill them all.

Faith, family and love will be pushed to the limits in the GRIPping sequel to Slip.

You can find Grip on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23302521-grip

There’s a reason why very few UnBees escape detection long enough to become a full-fledged Slip. The entire city is set up to track its citizens. Although holo-ads are designed to sell products, the Department of Population Control has a direct feed to the information they provide. Any anomaly or aberration pops up as an alert, and Crows and Hawks converge on the location like flies on fresh feces.

Sticking close to each other’s sides, Benson and Luce make their way down the lighted city streets, hugging the shadows near the buildings. As each holo-ad passes by, Benson covers his eyes with a hand while Luce takes the retinal scan. “Lucy Harris, would you like the chance to win a trip to the northern border? Speak ‘I want to win!’ now.”

“Go to hell,” she says.

“Next time you might want to go with ‘no, thank you,’” Benson whispers.

“That would raise an even bigger red flag,” Luce says. “I’m never that polite to the holo-ads.”

It’s a good point. “What if they’re looking for you, too?” Benson asks.

Luce lowers her voice as a holo-ad whizzes by, ignoring them, likely heading back to the company for reprogramming or repair. “I doubt they’ve linked us together yet,” she says.

Linked us together. Benson likes the sound of that. If only. As they turn a corner, he searches for an opportunity to slip away. Slip away. Ha.

Laughing internally at his bad joke, Benson notices a flash of yellow above him, dangling from a street light. A kite, complete with a long tail decorated with red wings. Not unlike the kites he used to see flying overhead from his fenced-in backyard. He’s never seen a kite in the city. Never. It’s like every aspect of his past is finally catching up with him, forcing itself to be heard—to be remembered.

“Where is this guy you know that can remove your fake retinas?” Luce asks, drawing his attention away from the stuck kite.

Benson cringes. “Well, I don’t exactly know him,” he says.

“What? You said you know a guy.”

“I said I know of a guy,” Benson says.

Luce stops and turns on him. Uh oh. He can practically feel her wrath pulsing through her skin, coming off in hot waves. Is this her being scared again? Sometimes he wishes her version of scared was a little more timid and less I-want-to-rip-your-head-from-your-shoulders. “What if we find this guy and he turns us in for the reward money? Surely he won’t take a risk on aiding a Slip.”

Benson has already thought of that. “He has a reputation to maintain. In his line of business, client anonymity is everything.”

“No,” Luce says. “Money is everything. And staying alive. This is a bad idea.” Benson watches in morbid fascination as her hands go to her hips.

“I can’t keep running around the city hoping my eyes don’t get scanned,” Benson says.

Her stance remains rigid for three more beats and then her body relaxes. “I know. You’re right. It’s just, there has to be a safer way.”

“Check would know what to do,” Benson says, feeling a pang of fear in his chest. What if the deranged cyborg and his rogue Hunters find his friends instead of him? What lengths will they go to in order to find him? Would they hurt his friends? Would they kill them?

“We have to keep moving,” Luce says, blocking a holo-ad that floats too close.

“Lucy Harris…female…sixteen years old…do you have a boyfriend?”

“None of your damn business,” Luce says to the screen. “Leave me alone.”

The holo-screen attempts to get around her and Benson shields his eyes, seeing the red scanner beams squirming between his fingers.

“I said leave me alone,” Luce growls, trying to push between the hover-screen and him.

The floating ad bumps his shoulder. What the heck? As annoying as the ads can be, they’ve never touched him before.

“Pushy bugger,” Luce says, and Benson hears a crash. He peers through his fingers to find Luce standing over a shattered holo-screen.

An electronic static-filled voice says, “Destruction of public property is a criminal offense.”

“Add it to the list,” Luce growls.

“Lucy Harris, do you have a boyfriend? If so, the perfect gift is our new fragrance for him, ‘Thunder.’ Add the perfect storm to your relationship today.”

With a heavy stomp, she crushes the screen under her foot and it finally goes silent. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” she says, turning to Benson.

Author of popular YA dystopian series, the Dwellers Saga and the Country Saga. Voted books to read if you enjoyed the Hunger Games on Buzzfeed and Listopia.

Join 2,400+ David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite in David Estes' official fan group at:

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David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. David grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually he moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife. They now live together in their dream location, Hawaii. A reader all his life, he began writing novels for the children's and YA markets in 2010, and started writing full time in June 2012. Now he travels the world writing with his wife, Adele. David's a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table.