I recently finished Phoenix Island by John Dixon.

This book started very dramatically and held my attention for about the first half. It’s the story of a 16-year-old kid, Carl Freeman, sent to to a disciplinary camp on Phoenix Island in the middle of nowhere. It’s a military-type camp and there is the typical hazing and bullying that goes on in these stories. Then the story changes when the boy makes a discovery about what goes on after the first month. As he grapples with his sense of ethics and Dixon introduces a new leader and set of information about the purpose of the island, the story seems to lose a little of its power and storytelling strength, unfortunately. The book ends typically, and I had a hard time imagining where it would go from there (sequel setup?).

I enjoyed most of the book; it is YA, and holds together well for that audience. It is due to release January 7, 2014, which is also apparently when the CBS TV show based on it, Intelligence, will air. I am interested enough in the premise to watch the show. This was a NetGalley book.