The first thing that pulls me in is the cover--it's lovely. But I'm kind of over everything-is-the-Handmaid's-Tale, so that puts me off the premise right away. And while the sample is ok, it doesn't feel fresh enough to make me want to read more. Another review mentioned that this has already been done over and over(getting that letter to the prestigious place), and that's how it felt to me as well. I'm sure teen readers who want more of this genre will love it, but it's not for me.