Review: Released from the Darkness by Gabrielle Arrowsmith

Title: Released from the Darkness
Author: Gabrielle Arrowsmith 
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Summary: Two young seeksmen are dead, and Sydney blames herself. The only way to get her sister back from the county's clutches, while also preventing more death, was to offer her own life in exchange for Evvie's freedom.

She expected a dreadful end, but nothing like the prison in which she wakes. Agonizing county life is redefined in Neo-Necropolis, new city of the dead, which lies beneath the earth. Worse than being allegedly deceased, is the false identity Sydney is forced to assume where Evvie, Sheridan's captain, and Crewe never existed.

Sydney alone knows the magnitude of the county's evildoings inside, outside, and now below. At only eighteen, the responsibility to defend freedom falls solely on her tried and tested shoulders—a burden that requires desperate action when a catastrophic revelation upends the world as she knew it. 

The people Sydney cares for are more vulnerable than ever. Though she's buried underground and monitored by county agents, she must escape this new captivity. Maybe it's time to fight fire with fire. Sydney has proven her courage in facing their weapons, but can she trigger her own?
Review: I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is a hard review for me to write because I loved Concealed in the Shadows but I just couldn't get into this one. It's written well with a lot of great descriptions, there are twists and action but I just couldn't connect. I just found there was so going on and so many characters that I was lost sometimes. 

About this author

Gabrielle Arrowsmith was born to her loving mother, father, and older brother on August 16th, 1988. She grew up in the small town of Ham Lake, MN enjoying soccer, school, and adventuresome play with her brother and cousins.

As she grew older, her desire to write led her to fill many diaries and notebooks with her thoughts, poems, stories, and scripts. Her other childhood hobbies included reading, playing soccer, acting, and playing piano.

Gabrielle recalls high school as the time when she first believed in the worth of her writing. Her AP Language and Literature course both challenged and celebrated her craft. Aiming for perfection caused her to slave over her work, but only so much as to allow time for her other college-level courses, soccer, track, National Honor Society, and school plays.

From 2006-2009 she attended the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN where she earned a degree in Elementary Education. Atypical of a college student, Gabrielle looked forward to writing papers in her various courses. Gabrielle played collegiate soccer for the Saints, held work-study positions, acted in theater productions, and volunteered often.

Gabrielle is currently teaching sixth and seventh grade math and pursuing her passion for storytelling through both writing and acting. She also continues to play and coach soccer.