Candor by Pam Bachorz

Oscar lives in the small, perfect town of Candor, Florida. There, everyone is happy; there's no crime, no ugliness, no bad behavior. Candor is the perfect town for parents with unmanageable teens—two weeks living in luxury and listening to the special music that's piped everywhere—laced with brainwashing Messages—will cure anyone of unruliness. Oscar's father may be the mastermind of it all, but Oscar has everyone fooled. He's careful, and secretly listens to his own Messages and fights back. And he helps others—for a price. But then Nia Silva comes along, making him want to throw caution to the wind...

Creepy, engrossing, and completely unforgettable, Candor is one novel that will pull readers in, play with their minds, and refuse to let go. Pam Bachorz's imaginative town where everything and everyone is tightly controlled is fascinating and a bit disturbing at the same time, mainly because it’s quite realistic and familiar, and Bachorz’s eye for detail and tight plot just make it all the more believable. Oscar is a flawed, honest narrator, but you also can't help but relate to him as well, especially as he struggles to maintain control over the careful, structured world he's built himself. The many supporting, brainwashed characters are also interesting in the sense that despite their minds being altered, a fragment of their former selves still exist, giving them distinguishing quirks and eccentricities, which brings readers back to the whole nature vs. nurture debacle.

Bachorz has written an unpredictable, daring novel that will resonate with many teens as they see the same pressures exerted on them by our society, only in extreme measures. Candor is a smart, chilling novel that you won't be able to get out of your head very easily.

Cover Comments: This cover--perfect. The lines and lines of identical houses fit in well with the theme of the book, and the orange color and spray paint title each have a special meaning within the book. This cover is not only attention grabbing, but fits the novel to a T.

Candor will be released by EgmontUSA on September 22nd, 2009!