Redemption by Debra Driza

Series: Mila 2.0 (bk. 3)

Genera(s): Sci-fi/Thriller

Subjects: androids, robots, artificial intelligence, identity, love

Setting: Montana, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a boarding school

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, past tense: Mila

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 405 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen: Katherine Tegan

Summary/ product description: “Mila has been running for her life for so long. But there might be nowhere left for her to go. Especially now that she’s an incredible danger to herself and anyone who dares get close to her.

That’s why Mila has gone into hiding with friend and tech expert Lucas. She can’t take the risk of hurting people worse than the way she hurt Hunter: the boy she’ll always love, the boy who might never forgive her for what she’s done.

But then Mila discovers that General Holland—her ultimate enemy—has plans that are an even bigger threat to humanity than she is. His quest to reclaim Mila is only part of a larger mysterious endgame that will put people’s lives at stake. Mila must make a choice: either push aside her fears and fight him with everything she’s got…or turn her back on the world forever.

My Review:  Redemption is the 3^rd and final book of the Mila 2.0 trilogy. It was pretty awesome. If you have not read this series, then don’t read this review below the first paragraph. The series is about a teenage girl android named Mila who was created as a weapon. You may enjoy this series if you enjoy the Terminator movies, Chappie and Transcendence, and TV shows like AMC’s Humans, Fox’s Almost Human (cancelled after 1 season), Bionic Woman, other robot-android-cyborg TV or movies. Also book like the Insignia series by S.J. Kincaid, Robin Wasserman’s Cold Awakening series (about a girl who’s mind was downloaded into and android body), Unremember by Jessica Brody, False Memory by Dan Krokos, The Taking by Kimberly Derting, or Altered by Jennifer Rush.

At this beginning of the book, Mila is in a cabin in the mountains of Montana with Lucas (General Holland’s pacifistic and genius nephew) and his older brother Tim. Mila just discovered that there’s a bomb inside her body that can be trigger at anytime and has a 2-hour countdown. They stay in the cabin for a while, but decide to ditch it and get a car. They make there way to Philadelphia, in search of information on what happened to Sarah, the girl that Mila was design to look like, and who’s brain matter lives in Mila’s head.

Later they run into Daniel, Samuel, Abby, and Hunter. Hunter is especially angry seeing Mila again. Mila had killed his stepfather under Quinn’s influence. Quinn had taken away Mila’s emotion and controlled her. Hunter, who was madly into love (or interested) with Mila until he found out what she is (an android weapon) acts like she has the measles and don’t even want to look at her.

In the last book they had such an adorable romance. Hunter loves anime, and he’s funny, and he found out that his stepfather works for the Vita Obscuro. Some romance develops between Mila and Lukas. He knew what she was from the start, and knows that she’s got part of Sarah’s brain in her head, so she’s not completely mechanical. Mila and Lucas joke about her androidness. He completely accepts her

The group visits the school that Sarah attending on the suspicious Watson Grant and discover that something sinister and possibly General Holland-related it going on there. I’m a bit disappointed in the ending. Similar to the disappointment of Allegiant’s ending. I like happy ending better. What’s with the martyr, sacrificing trend?

Cover Art Review: I love the purple. I miss the cover being metallic though.

The Countdown by Kimberly Derting

Series: The Taking (bk. 3)

Genera(s): Sci-fi Mystery/Romance

Subjects: abductions, abilities, aliens, government agencies, love, mystery

Setting: Western states, primarily Wyoming, Oregon, and California

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, past tense: Kyra Agnew (and also some chapters with Simon and Tyler’s POVs)

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 376 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary/ product description: “She may no longer be human…but she’s their only hope.

In the concluding book in the otherworldly Taking trilogy, Kyra struggles to understand who she is as she races to save the world from complete destruction.

Ever since Kyra was abducted by aliens and then returned to earth, she has known there was something different about her. Now she knows the truth: she is an alien too. Her alien captors replaced all her human DNA with their own—gifting her with supernatural powers like incredible healing, enhanced eyesight, and telekinesis. But when she’s captured by an unexpected enemy, Kyra begins to wonder if her abilities are also a curse. And is she, as her enemies believe, meant to play some key role in helping an impending alien invasion? Is it programmed into her, something inescapable? Or can she fight that destiny?

No matter what the truth is, Kyra is sure of one thing: She just rescued the love of her life, Tyler, and she is not going to stand by and let anyone hurt him or her friends. Whatever it takes, Kyra will do everything in her power to save the world…even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice.”

My Review:  The Countdown is the amazing finale to The Taking trilogy. It’s got action, romance and aliens. It’s  perfect fro fans of the 5^th Wave by Rick Yancey, Caged by Meghan Shepherd, The Rules trilogy by Stacy Kade, The Host by Stephanie Meyer, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, Unremembered by Jessica Brody, Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza, Blackout by Robison Wells, Rush (the Game Trilogy) by Eve Silver and any other Kimberly Derting book. Pretty much anything with aliens, or teens gaining superpowers. X-file fans, Fringe fans, fans.

SPOILERS AHEAD: If you haven’t read the Taking, or even it’s sequel, the Replaced, then don’t read this review.

At the beginning of the book, Kyra is on the run with her father and Tyler, the only other “Replaced” (their DNA is completely alien. They’re not hybrids like the Returned). They’ve been on the road for days, and every morning at dawn Kyra hear another number in her head, like a countdown and she becomes obsessed with that number all day, seeing it everywhere.

The 3 of them stop at a diner, and Kyra finally decides to tell Tyler about their past, and he walks away from her. Kyra is kidnapped by other Returned and her father, Tyler, Simon, Jett and the others have to find her. Tyler feels like he might sense her. He keeps dreaming of a map that appears to be a reverse star-chart. And this is only the beginning. Lots of awesome stuff happens in this book.

This final book does things a little differently. It’s spilt into 2 parts, but I think maybe the first 2 books were too. It’s not entirely Kyra’s point of view. There are chapters that are more like intermissions because they’re not part of the chapter count. Those intermissions are in a different font (san-serif) and are Simon’s or Tyler’s POV. I was really worried that Tyler was body-snatched at the end of the last book when he said “The Returned must die,” but were see that’s not the case and get his point of view. I like Simon, but I really was team Tyler all the way.

I’m happy with how the series ended, although I was confused with what happened at first. It was a good ended. This is the second series by Kimberly Derting that I’ve completed. I gotta say she really knows how to write a series. I still haven’t read the Pledge, although a bought the whole series and had they all autographed by her. Kimberly’s a cool author. I met her three time. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Cover Art Review: Disappointing cover. The cover just kept getting less interesting.

The Epidemic by Suzanne Young

Series: The Program (bk. 0.6) Prequel Duology

Genera(s): Near-future Dystopian Sci-fi/Romance/Thriller/Realistic

Subjects: death, love, mental disorders, suicide, mystery

Setting: Oregon

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, present tense: Sloane

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 378 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Summary/ product description: “Can one girl help others find closure by slipping into the identities of their loved ones? Find out in this riveting sequel to The Remedy and companion to the New York Times bestselling The Treatment and The Program.

In a world before The Program…

Quinlan McKee has spent her life acting as other people. She was a closer—a person hired to play the role of the recently deceased in order to give their families closure. Through this process, Quinn learned to read people and situations, even losing a bit of herself to do so. But she couldn’t have guessed how her last case would bring down her entire world.

The only person Quinn trusts is Deacon, her best friend and the love of her life. Except Deacon’s been keeping secrets of his one, so Quinn must set out alone to find Arthur Pritchard, the doctor who’s been trying to control her life. The journey brings Quinn to Arthur’s daughter, Virginia, who tells Quinn the truth about Pritchard’s motives. The former closer will start to see that she is the first step in fighting an epidemic.

But Quinlan doesn’t want to be a cure. And with all the lies surrounding her, she realizes she has no one left to rely on but herself—even if she doesn’t know who that is anymore.”

My Review:  The Epidemic if the sequel-finale to The Remedy in a prequel-duology to the The Program duology. It takes place in Oregon, not far from the other book’s setting. Quinlan McKee was a closer, a person that pretend to be the deceased person to help family members move on. Now she’s discovered her life is a lie. That she was the closer for the real Quinlin when she was six.

Quinlan feels betrayed by her boyfriend Deacon, and her father (who’s not her real father). Quinn does her best to ditch Deacon and hide. She ends up taking on the identity of Elizabeth Major and enrolls at the school that Arther Pritchard’s daughter Virginia attends. Pritchard runs the Department of Grief, so she hopes to gain Virginia trust to get information about her real identity. Also, at Virginia’s school, there’s been a bunch of suicides. This is the beginning of an epidemic of copy-cat behavior. A suicide cluster, and the deaths are only rising.

This book was definitely better than the previous one. It was much more thrilling and it definitely kept my attention. The twist at the end of the previous book set up for a great sequel. The romance was also enjoyable and the dialogue was pretty fun. I like Deacon, even if he hid some of his life from Quinn. I also liked the other closer Reed, who seemed a little narcissistic, but he had some experiences that really affected him emotionally.  

This series has been a unique experience. It’s not quite dystopian, but it’s still considered dystopian because it’s about a shift in society to something unethical. It takes the tough subject of suicide and turns it into a dystopian. This Department of Grief is trying to wipe memories and control emotions. If you enjoyed the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver, them you might enjoy this series too.

Cover Art Review: Nothing special looking. Pretty basic.