Time bomb was one I felt could really go either way! I was nervous about a few things but overall, I like this one!

I was intrigued by the premise immediately. I am very sensitive to guns/the way America handles (doesn't handle) guns/the way schools handle (or don't handle) safety. Given these issues, I was worried about how well I would handle this. But I feel this is done really well.

I am a mother, with a 5th grader in America and deal with these fears enough already, and this definitely reminded me of that. So I wouldn't go so far as to say trigger warning? But several times while reading while my kiddo was at school, I wondered where he was and how he was doing and mildly fretted.

The writing is third person, but alternates through the perspectives of the six main characters. I couldn't help but draw parallels between this and One Of Us Is Lying. But, ultimately, I liked this one more, I think. For very different reasons! At least, to some degree, the narratives for the different characters felt different enough that alternating so often through so many characters wasn't awkward or uncomfortable.

Time Bomb is written very well. It takes place over the course of only one day, (really, only a few hours of one day), so the pacing is definitely something I was worried about. It holds up so well, though. It is nerve-wracking and suspenseful and everything you want from a book with such high stakes.

I won't get too crazy specific on each character. I didn't like all six of them. Really, I only liked two. Two and a half. But, I found all of them incredibly believable and (mostly) relatable. Some people aren't going to be likable in a stressful situation, and the reactions feel natural and real.

We have Rashid, a Muslim boy, dealing with exactly what you would expect in the aftermath of a bomb. Tad, a gay, mixed-race kid. Diana, a senator's daughter obsessed with being perfect. Frankie, the quarterback. Z, a kid already thought to be a trouble-maker. And Cas, who had brought a gun to school to kill herself that day.

Given these characters, a lot could have gone wrong. I do think these things, especially the treatment of Rashid's faith by the author and the treatment of Rashid by the other characters in the book, were handled very tactfully. (I am not Muslim, so I can only say this from my limited perspective. It felt real and natural and not gimmicky, and a great way to talk about race/religion. The kids talk among themselves about these things, and I think it's handled very well.

Even the less likable kids find a balance and look out for one another, for the most part, and I am a HUGE fan of stories where kids come together. So that was possibly my favorite aspect.

I don't feel the ending is all that much of a surprise. I did guess it a little more than halfway through. I guessed the correct bomber, though I was wrong about the motivations which did make it interesting. I did feel moments of this were fairly irrational? But I don't want to go into spoiler territory.

I also really need to figure out how I feel about cursing. I have no problem with books with no swearing. I pointed out in my review of The Lost Causes that they didn't curse, and I thought that was cool because it felt authentic even if I have a hard time believing so many kids from different backgrounds don't curse in a stressful situation. What happened here though was that there were filler swear words? Like there's LITERALLY A BOMB GOING OFF and a kid thinks: Oh, hell! Now maybe I'm being crazy, but I do NOT think oh, hell, when serious stuff is going down. You know? It almost made me laugh? And pulled me out of a fairly serious narrative. Like. Take the words or leave them but don't add filler words.

Overall, I think this is a very interesting read with some important things to say. 

*Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review!

Joelle Charbonneau is a master at writing novels replete with intrigue and suspense. Charbonneau's new novel, Time Bomb follows the day in the life of six teens who are trapped inside of a high school that is plagued by a series of bombs that continuously go off throughout the day. Not knowing where the bombs are located or when they will go off, leaves the teens stranded inside the building and the help they so desperately need stuck outside. Things go from bad to worse when the teens learn that one of them may actually be the bomber.

Through the course of the day, we get an in-depth look at the lives and the struggles of each of the six students in this story. They are all harboring a secret about their lives and why they are at the school that day. Each one might have a reason to enact this unspeakable crime. And just when you think you have this mystery figured out, think again because in true Charbonneau fashion nothing will be as simple as it seems.

This book will definitely keep you guessing and will probably have you questioning your own beliefs and stereotypes. It's an action-packed, suspense-filled thriller with a satisfying finish.

<b>I received this book an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.</b>

A story about trying to find your place, and working out just how far you'll go to make people accept you for who you are.
This is a tense read, which will thrill and captivate readers. With a cast of six key characters there is someone you are likely to identify with.
Charbonneau starts by introducing our cast. We get to see them all before the action starts: Diana (the senator's daughter/perfect student); new girl, Cas (about to start a new school after being bullied); Palestinian-American Rashid (conflicted about his place in society); class nobody Z (who has been coping with his mother's death and is about to be evicted at the start of the novel); Frankie, star football player and Tad, the mixed-race gay student who is a little closer to Frankie than people realise. They each have their dark secret and issues that impact on their daily lives. They each are desperate to be recognised for who they really are. But only one of them is desperate enough to cause chaos at their school.
While it seems slow and rather cumbersome to introduce us to so many characters and switch between them throughout the novel, it's a useful tactic to keep us guessing about just who has done what and where it will end up.
A bit like some of those 80s movies the group who seem to have little in common end up stuck together when a series of bombs hit their school. They have to work together to try and survive, and to determine just how desperate each of them is to make their mark.
It was quickly apparent who was likely to be responsible for the events, but this was a tense read as we watch the teenagers struggle with themselves and their situation. It doesn't end happily for everyone, but for those who do survive we get a flash of how it impacts on them.

More than anything, this book challenges the reader to avoid stereotypes and assumptions about the situations of others.  It's timely, thought-provoking, and will stay with you long after finishing.

At first glance, this group of high school teens appear to be a Breakfast Club assortment.  Or are they?  As the story progresses, it's revealed each is dealing with their own issues to include racism, homosexuality, religious discrimination, bullying, and suicide.  The interactions between Rashid and Tad are especially compelling.  With the exception of Frankie and Kaitlyn, the character development is incredible - the teens are real, relatable, and flawed.  For me, Frankie comes across as a little too stereotypical, and very little information about Kaitlyn is given.  

All have motivations for planting the bombs, and determining the identity of the bomber may force the reader to face their own stereotypes and prejudices.  You may surprise yourself.  These teens experience a horrific situation, and I appreciated that the author didn't create a tidy ending solving all their problems.  

A quick, action-packed, and stimulating read, Time Bomb is so much more than teenagers fighting for their lives.  This is easily a cross-over and something I'd highly recommend for book clubs.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Time Bomb keeps you guessing who the bomber is and what will happen next, but the bigger issue is really WHY you think that. Readers will confront their own stereotyping and profiling tendencies while the clock ticks precious seconds away. I love the deep characterization, beyond even what readers might expect from the book.

For a book with so many different perspectives, I am surprised at how well it seems to flow.
However, as this was given as an EPUB, I am unable to read it on my kindle and the format is way too big/clunky to read on my computer so I am going to stop where I am.
Will probably buy this when it comes out though!

Wow! Could not put this book down. The characters stayed with me and had flaws that felt real. Tense and nail-biting! Good message.

3.5 stars. This is sort of like the Breakfast Club for a new generation, except instead of being trapped in detention, these teens are trapped by a bomb.

This is a fast read that's hard to put down. At first I was disappointed in the identity of the bomber because it wasn't really all that surprising, but then I realized a shocking twist wasn't the point. Charbonneau set up every character to have their own motive, so everyone is already a suspect. The fascinating part was the confession and the reason behind the bombings.

Charbonneau did an excellent job with the end. It wasn't an easy, pat ending wrapped with a bow. These characters went through hell. They all changed, and nothing could go back to the way it was, but plenty stayed the same. No matter what truths these teens confronted when they were trapped inside the building, they'll continue to struggle with who they are and how they relate to their peers.

The rating isn't higher as I was disappointed with some of the characters. Some were more well fleshed out than others. Rashid and Tad were very well done. They felt real and nuanced. Frankie was a little stereotypical, and his motivations weren't always clear. Z came off as very one-note. He was angry. That's it. He's had such a difficult time, and that's what defined him. Also, there wasn't much to Kaitlin's story. I know we were supposed to be concerned for her because Z was, but I wish we had known a little more about her.

Look at all those 5 star reviews and I'm giving it a 3.5. I found it hard to get into at first, it felt a little bit messy at the beginning, however once the story gets going it really rocks along. You've got a lot of characters being set up at the start which you need, but there are so many people I just got a little bit lost. Then once they are all at school on a Saturday for their various reasons you realise they are in terrific danger and then it becomes a great big rollicking survival story. Being stuck in a multi story building where bombs are going off is a very scary scenario and the story is about how they survive and deal with this horrible situation.

I like Joelle Charbonneau's writing, her The Testing and it's sequels are one of my really popular books at school, she does tension and teenage drama really well. She has a lot of characters in here and they all have issues. The kind of issues that teenagers all over the world are dealing with, these are all dealt with really well. A few of characters I didn't actually come to grips with until they were at the centre of the action but the majority of them were people I came to understand and feel for. 
There are some really good plot twists and as the book goes on, it is as tense as a really good crime novel. 

In summary, it is a good book, thoroughly engaging once you get into it This is a novel which has mass appeal, I'll definitely be buying copies for my students.

Thanks to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

So predictable. At one point I rolled my eyes at the grossly obvious red herring, which ended up not being a red herring, just obvious writing

Oh my word!  This book is so gripping!  Trust me when I say that you'll have a hard time putting it down!  At first I thought the transition of focus between 5-6 characters would be hard to follow, but after all the kids are at the school you barely notice it.  The story flows so well and you can't help but wonder what each of the students is planning when they go to school a week before it starts. 

I appreciate that the author doesn't overuse curse words, like many other YA novels do.  There are minor ones that are thrown in (at what I'd say are appropriate times in the story).  This is a book I will be highly recommending to everyone when it is published next year!

Six teens, each with their own struggles are forever connected after the events of a single day. It is not long before their school year will start again, yet they all have a purpose to find themselves at school on the day that will change the course of their lives forever when their school is the target of a bomber. Even more so when it turns out that the bomber is one of them. 
You have Diana, the perfect popular girl with a father who is a Congressman. Tad, struggling with his sexuality and desperately wanting not to be ignored any longer. Frankie, the popular quarterback, afraid that his big secret will come out. Z, the ‘troublemaker’ who recently lost his mother. Rashid, struggling with how people instantly see his religion instead of seeing him as a person. Finally, you have Cas, a talented clarinet player who is tired of always trying to fit in. 
Okay, here we go. This book is so unbelievably good. It plays with your mind from the first page on as you are dying to find out who of the group is the bomber. The quality of this book lies in the fact that it makes you aware of prejudices against certain stereotypes. You are so tempted to take the bait whenever such a stereotype presents itself, but eventually things might not seem what you expect them to be.  
This book is so relevant right now, which makes me hope that just everybody would read it and then the world would most likely be a better place. The pacing was really good, and it was very difficult to put the book down once I had started it. Really, the only thing I could think of that I would have liked to see different was that I felt the book was a bit short to fully develop all six characters (Z, Frankie and Diana mostly). Yet, none of the characters was seriously lacking. A 4,75 out of 5 stars rating because it would have been even better if it was longer! Although, now that I think about it, because of its size it is probably perfect for people who are not too much into reading too. 
I received a digital review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own. My review is susceptible to changes in the final copy of this work.

This book is going to stay with me for a long time. It's the kind of story you want to discuss with as many people as possible and that you can't stop thinking about. A very sensitive and thought-provoking exploration of difficult themes, featuring relateable characters and a narrative it's difficult to put down.

Things which particularly stood out for me:
- The main cluster of characters. All of them represented different high-school tropes, but they had depth to them e.g the intersectionality of Tad's mixed race heritage and struggles with recently coming out as gay. Rashid's story was particularly heart-breaking for me and his interactions with Tad were some of my favourite in the book. 
- The identity of the bomber was possible to guess and their reasons made sense in a twisted kind of way, which made the ending all the more heartbreaking, especially when juxtaposed with all the destruction which had happened in the school.
- The ending. Everything wasn't all magically solved when the bomber was found and the teenagers' problems didn't just go away. That did leave me wanting more (especially about Frankie and the relationship between Diana and Tim), but it felt more realistic and honest as a response to what had happened.

Definitely the book to read if you want an exploration of society and schools' responses to the threat of terror attacks, not to mention the darker side of high school and growing up.

A bomb has gone off in a high school, and the bomber is inside. Is it the Muslim, the gay kid, the football player, the angry misfit, the senator's daughter, or the suicidal girl? Time Bomb is a high octane race of a book, and honestly I found it very confusing after a while. The whole book takes place over the course of an afternoon and there is SO MUCH ACTION. From the outset you know that the bomber is one of the main characters, but since each of them has a reason to do it, you don't know who until it's revealed. A thriller about the judgements we make and how small actions can change history, Time Bomb isn't going to change the world, but it would certainly be a good read for a young adult who has enjoyed the Maze Runner or the Maximum Ride series.

Time Bomb is the second book I'm reading from Joelle Charbonneau and I'm once again enamored by how talented she is. Her writing is so transcendent it's like the words come alive and she proves herself a master storyteller once more with Time Bomb. 
Time Bomb is about a group of High School students who get stuck in the second floor of their school when a bomb goes off, Then they find out that one of them is the bomber and another bomb remains. Not only are they going to have to strive to survive, they also have to figure it before it's too late.
The story begins on the morning before the incident.
The students its about are:
1)Diana, the daughter of the Congressman who has always had to be perfect and a good model to other teens. She's never had a friend and her father doesn't really have much time for her along with her controlling stepmother. Diana was quite desperate to prove to her father that she can be of use to him than being picture perfect and sitting still and looking pretty.
2)Rashid is a Muslim boy/geek who has had time fitting in with peers due to his faith and the fact that high school students can at time just be cruel. He never the courage to face them but he knew something had to change.
3)Z is a boy who lost his mother to cancer and just got kicked out by his crappy landlord, He pushed everyone away and retreated into himself except his friend Kaitlin who never deserted him. Z was angry at everything and everyone finally decided to take a huge step.
4)Tad is a closeted jock (in school at least) who hooked up with another fellow jock over the summer but is now being ignored. He also came out to his family a few months ago but ever since then, things have been awkward between them. He was tired of being ignored and treated like that so he chose to do something about it.
5)Cas is an overweight girl who has become somewhat of a social pariah due to the way she looks, vicious rumors spread about her and embarrassing incidents from her previous school on the web. Cas has endured the snide comments, the judging looks, the bullying and the disconnect with her family. But she was done being the punching bag and everything was going to change for good. 
6)Frankie is the Quarterback who is deeply entrenched in secrets. He's planning something huge but he's relying on the fact that the school needs him for suspicion to be cast away from him. He's a character whose motivations are purposely ambiguous so he's kinda hard to figure out but that's what makes this fun, The DRAMA.
These six teenagers go through a life changing horrifying event, While it's a terrible situation, I have to admit, Time Bomb is absolutely riveting and compelling. Not once did I feel like putting it down, I blew through the pages at a feverish pace, devouring the words like a starved woman. 
One interesting things about this book is that all the main characters are suspects, they all have the motive to commit such an offence. But piecing (or at least trying to and failing) the puzzle together and figuring out who did it kept me on the edge of my seat. It could literally be any of them. 
But it's not just a story of Who is It?. It's more than that, it's deeply personal as it deals with acceptance, self esteem, sexuality, suicide, anger, bullying, religion and how important it is to be seen and heard. Time Bomb will resonate with a lot of readers as we will find a bit of ourselves in some of these characters, I commend the author for making them so relatable. High School is a tough time and this book deals with the toll it takes on teenager, It's the little unnoticeable things that matter.
The moments before the end propelled the storyline towards a powerful and emotional ending. Knowing who the bomber was ended up not being too surprising but the motives behind the action was heart wrenching. In the end, they were all not the people that entered their High School that morning. They have all fundamentally changed and that experience will either make or break them.
I was satisfied with the conclusion of this book and I really wish every reader out there will pick it up, Joelle Charbonneau has outdone herself.
I happily and eagerly recommend this book to everyone because it's just too mesmerising.

P.S: The raw emotions displayed drove me to tears so have tissues nearby.

Unable to access pdf at this time. Would love to read if a different version becomes available

Unfortunately I can only read mobile for Kindle or Kindle app on my tablet.