Alex Sawyer and his mates should have known there was no way out of Furnace Penitentiary. Their escape attempt only lands them deeper in the guts of this prison for young offenders, and then into solitary confinement.

And that's where a whole new struggle begins—a struggle not to let the hellish conditions overwhelm them. Because before another escape attempt is even possible, they must first survive the nightmare that now haunts their endless nights.
Taken from Goodreads.

Solitary follows the story of Alex and his friends, still trapped in Furnace Prison and losing hope every day. Alex knows he deserves a punishment for what has happened, but nobody deserves to be in the horror that is Furnace. After a successful escape from gen. pop, those who survived are now stuck in solitary confinement, and just when they think things can’t get worse, they do. Alex is desperate to escape, but the horrors of solitary confinement are nothing compared to the living nightmare right beyond their cell doors. Can Alex and his friends escape without losing their minds…or their lives?

If you remember, I read the first book in the series, Lockdown , just a little while back, and I was stunned by just how dark, complex, and intricate the story was. After the cliffhanger ending kept me desperate for more, I was so excited to pick up Solitary to figure out what happens next. I am so happy that this book didn’t disappoint. Once again, Alexander Gordon Smith transports the reader to a hellish world that makes real-life prisons look like resort clubs. Eerie, unsettling, and filled with twists and turns that keep you rooting for the characters and begging for a way out, Solitary is an intense thrill ride.

The main strength of Solitary lies in the characters, in my opinion. Alex isn’t perfect. He’s flawed, and the prison is gradually taking its toll on his conscience, which is perfectly detailed with every chapter. Despite his downfalls though, I was cheering for him throughout, and I could barely put this book down. Furthermore, it’s rare for me to see a book where the setting is as much a character as the characters themselves. Solitary presents a world that’s alive with terror and rich with details that kept me white-knuckling the book.

Sequels don’t always live up to the first book, but Solitary is an incredible follow-up. In fact, I’d be so bold as to say it’s even better than the first. I give it a 5 out of 5, and I would definitely recommend this to those who love YA mysteries, thrillers, and just a touch of sci-fi to keep you guessing. This book is also perfect for boys (not those with weak stomachs!)

I received this book free of charge from the publisher, Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Lockdown follows the story of tweenage Alex, once a normal boy who got into stealing and ended up being framed for a murder. Condemned to Furnace prison, Alex discovers that it's not ordinary lock-up. Furnace makes the most heinous of all prisons look like paradise. Full of under-age criminals, Furnace employs monsters to guard the little monsters inside, and when the lights go out in Furnace for the night, the darkness of the prison becomes all-consuming. Alex, along with Donovan, his cellmate, and a quiet schemer hellbent on escape, Zee, must learn to survive or escape Furnace once and for all, or the darkness might consume them all together.

Ok, I like dark stories. I should put that out there. I really do. Lockdown completely satiated my appetite for a creepy, eerie, and slightly insane novel. Though written for a younger YA audience, the descriptions within Lockdown were enough to give me chills and to make me cringe at certain points. I believe that's the measure of a good author. Perfectly balancing that age-old test of show vs. tell, Alexander Gordon Smith has created a thrill-ride of a story that will have you cheering for the characters, reading with baited breath, and still leave you longing for more.

I really don't have many qualms with Lockdown at all. I think the characters were well-rounded and each one adds a little bit to the story. Furthermore, the MC, Alex, is truly relatable. You can get inside his head, feel what he's feeling, and get a sense of what's happened to his world by being condemned to Furnace. The only slight hiccup that I have to mention in the story is that Alex seemed to slip in character slightly near the end. He was strong the entire story, but then his personality seemed to falter for a bit. I found that a little disappointing, but I was pleased to see him redeem himself in the end.

All things considered, I have to give Lockdown a very strong 4.5 out of 5. It's well-written, slightly terrifying, and a little bit psychotic just to keep you on your toes. I would recommend this to an upper YA audience, especially those who enjoy horror and sci-fi. Due to a wee bit of graphic violence, I would recommend this to those who can stomach such stories.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher, Macmillan (Feiwel & Friends), in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my review or opinion of this book.

In My Mailbox is an amazing weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren that features the books we have received during the week. It's so much fun because we get to see what our fellow bloggers stumbled upon this week and add even more to our piles of books! Without further ado, this week I received the following books:

For Review:

The Logic of Demons: The Quest for Nadine's Soul by H.A. Goodman
Lockdown: Escape from Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith
Solitary: Escape from Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith
The Witches' Kitchen by Allen Williams
Dark Song by Gail Giles
The Saga of Larten Crepsley: Birth of a Killer by Darren Shan
Bloodthirsty by Flynn Meaney

Won:

Ecstasy in Darkness by Gena Showalter