Reborn by Jennifer Rush

Series: Altered Saga (bk. 3)

Genera(s): Sci-fi Thriller/Romance

Subjects: genetic alteration, abilities, memory, runaways, identity, secret government organizations

Setting: Trademarr, Illinois (Not a real town as far as I know) in summertime

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, past tense, rotating between Nick and Elizabeth

Age/Grade Level: Teen 15+

Length: 323 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $18.00

Publisher: Hachette: Little, Brown

Summary/ product description: “An action-packed, romantic, and suspenseful third book in the Altered series.

The Branch is in shambles, but Anna, Sam, Cas, and Nick can't rest easy. Remnants of the organization lurk unseen and the flashbacks to their old lives are only getting stronger--especially Nick's.

Following scattered memories and clues from his Branch file, Nick sets off alone in search of answers and in search of the girl who haunts his dreams. But the sleepy town where she lives in full of secrets and Nick soon learns that uncovering their shared past may have deadly consequences.”

My Review:  Reborn is the finale to the Altered Saga, with the exception of an upcoming e-novella. Instead of Anna’s perspective, we get Nick’s and a girl named Elizabeth. It’s definitely different and unexpected. The previous book Erased ended in a way that made me wonder if it was the final book, but maybe it’s because Anna’s story is complete. The author decided it was time to give another character a chance in the spotlight. Nick is very broody and had a rough life. His memories from his life before the Branch are returning. He’s also remembered something horrible he may have done: holding a young girl at gunpoint.

Nick goes to the small town of Trademarr, Illinois (not a real town, I looked it up.) to find this girl and make she’s alive. When they come face to face, Elizabeth sees that Nick looks pretty much the same as he did six years ago. Nick had actually saved her those years ago. As they get to know each other, Nick finds out that there was a lab near this town and wonders what the Branch may have done to Elizabeth back then. What’s the truth?

With mystery and shock factor, Reborn is an awesome finale. There’s action and romance. There’s some cool science fiction elements. There are characters from the previous book as well as new ones. I enjoyed everything once I got into it. I just missed Anna and Sam, but I really liked Nick even when he acted a bit mean. The romance between him and Elizabeth was more gentle. Nick also went to the bar a lot in the book, but he’s over 21, so it’s okay. This is not a book for younger teens. The book is more New-Adultish, minus the sex. 

Also, I liked the setting, which is Illinois, where I live. Not Michigan like the previous books. I love Michigan, though. Trademarr sounds like is has to be in Chicagoland, but they mention it being by a lake, but not Lake Michigan. Maybe McHenry or Lake county or even Kankakee. Not many cliffs in Illinois except by the Mississippi or Illinois rivers. Lot of corn fields here though. The author has that right at least.

I recommend this series to fans of: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, Maximum Ride by James Patterson, False Memory by Dan Krokos, Unremembered by Jessica Brody, Revived by Cat Patrick. Pretty much, if you love books with genetically altered/engineered characters that are on the run from secret government organizations, then you should definitely read this. It’s still refreshingly unique.

Cover Art Review: Similar to previous cover. Maybe the blue is for Nick’s icy blue eyes.

Erased by Jennifer Rush

Series: Altered (bk. 2)

Genera(s): Sci-fi Thriller/Romance

Subjects: genetic alteration, abilities, memory, runaways, identity, secret government organizations

Setting: Michigan (Lower peninsula) during January 

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV (Anna) past tense

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 275 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $18.00

Publisher: Hachette: Little, Brown 

Summary/ product description: “They thought they had escaped. They were wrong.

After fleeing the Branch with Sam, Cas, and Nick, Anna is trying to make sense of the memories resurfacing from her old life. At the same time, she's learning how to survive in hiding, following Sam's rules: Don't draw attention to yourself. Always carry a weapon. Know your surroundings. Watch your back.

Then a figure from Anna's childhood reappears. Is it a Branch setup, or could it be the reunion Anna has hoped for? Uncertain of where her loyalties lie, Anna must fight to learn the truth -- before she is betrayed again. Ultimately, the answers hinge on one question: What was the real reason her memories were erased?

Jennifer Rush delivers a thrilling sequel to Altered in a novel packed with mysteries, lies, and surprises that are sure to keep readers guessing until the last age is turned.”

My Review: Erased is the second book in the Altered series. Not the final book. It’s currently supposed to be a trilogy. As a sequel, it was the fastest, most thrilling sequel I’ve read yet this year. I absolutely love all the character. Anna is an awesome protagonist. She loves to draw, which I love to draw too. She’s also pretty kickass and awesome. Sam is definitely a great guy and really cares about Anna. There’s a good romance between them. Sam is definitely sexy, but who knows how old he actually is. He’s probably around 25, even though he was altered and now ages more slowly. 

I like Nick, despite his anger issues and mean comments. He also cares about Anna and I was starting to think a love triangle would develop. Nick hides his emotions behind an angry and broody attitude. Cas is the playful and fun guy of the group. He’s always teasing and saying ridiculous things.  He is basically like Kenji from Shatter Me, personality-wise. Trev we don’t get to see much till later on. He betrayed Anna in Altered. We get to meet new characters, including people related to Anna. 

I like all the sci-fi stuff. The Branch is a secret government organization, kind of like Itex from the Maximum Ride series or Ultra from the CW’s Tomorrow People. Even though the science used is definitely fictional, it’s still a very interesting concept. It’s kind of like the CW TV show Beauty and the Beast. The boys are not truly genetically altered. Their DNA is not changing. It’s their body’s chemistry and hormones that are changed because of the Altered drug and the anti-aging drug. It’s kind of like steroids, but it has less negative effects.

Another thing that I love about these books? The setting. I’m probably reading it during the perfect time of year. It’s January, and in the book it’s January, In the lower peninsula or Michigan. My favorite frequent vacation destination, which I only go to in summer. The author is from Michigan. I know of a few other Michiganian authors: Courtney Allison Moulton and Aimee Carter. I’ve been to Traverse City and Grand Rapids multiple times, as well as Ludington and Muskegon, Hart and Warren and pretty much every city along the Lake Michigan shore of the southern peninsula. It’s so easy to picture the dunes, even snow covered. There is no Port Cadia, Michigan listed on the map, but there is an Arcadia. We drove through there, and I assume the author meant Arcadia but used Port Cadia. Also, they drove to Indiana in the book, which of course I’ve been to. I live in Chicagoland, Illinois. 

On that note, I just have so many feeling from this book. There were so many shocking scenes that had my heart racing and me hanging of the edge of my seat. I enjoyed this book inside and out and really wish it was about a hundred pages longer. I was kind of nervous toward the end because the plot started making me think that this was the final installment. A singular sequel. I read the e-novella Forged, which was great, but I wanted more. I was so relieved to find out that there is a 3^rd book. So what will it be called. REMEMBERED? Too many letters. CHANGED? To similar to ALTERED. SEVERED, CREATED? What do you guy think? 

I recommend this series to fans of: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, Maximum Ride by James Patterson, False Memory by Dan Krokos, Unremembered by Jessica Brody, Revived by Cat Patrick. Pretty much, if you love books with genetically altered/engineered characters that are on the run from secret government organizations, then you should definitely read this. It’s still refreshingly unique. 

Cover Art Review: I love this cover. The graph texture is interesting and the type of the title is unique. The orange is striking. I also like the hot guy.

Don’t Look Now by Michelle Gagnon

Series: PERSEFoNE (bk. 2)

Genera: Action Thriller/Suspense/Sci-fi

Subjects: hackers, computers, technology, experiments, foster care 

Setting: Boston, Massachusetts, Arizona and California

POV/Tense: 3rd person POV (alternating between Noah, Peter, Amanda and Teo), Past tense

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 319 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary/ product description: “Noa Torsen is on the run. Having outsmarted the sinister corporation Pike & Dolan, Noa and her friend Zeke now move stealthily across the country, protecting runaways before they become test subjects for P&D's horrific experiments. Noa knows all too well what that feels like: Whatever they did to her has left her exhausted and scared.

Back in Boston, Peter anxiously follows Noa's movements from his computer, using his hacker skills to feed her the information she needs to stay alive. But he's desperate to do something more, especially when he learns what P&D has done to his ex-girlfriend Amanda.

Then, in an explosive confrontation, Noa and her team are trapped in the one place they thought was safe. It will take everything Noa and Peter have to bring down the corporation before it gets them first. And with no one to trust and enemies hiding at every turn, they may be the only people alive who can.

This stunning second book in the critically acclaimed Don't Turn Around trilogy raises the stakes to their absolute limit and will leave readers begging for the exciting conclusion, Don't Let Go.”

My Review: This sequel was definitely more thrilling and exciting than the first book. Still this series is lacking in the sci-fi department. It’s got its good point. There’s action and adventure and a bit of a mystery. The characters are okay, but I don’t really care much for them. There’s more romance in this book than the first. Not between Peter and Noa though. Peter and Noa are on opposite side of the country, and don’t meet up till the very end. Noa has a relationship going with Zeke, a hacker we met in the middle/near-end of the first book. They are in the southwest, California and Arizona. Peter is back with Amanda and still in Boston. We also get to meet a few new characters including Teo, a Hispanic boy from California. The story alternates in 3^rd person POV between Noa, Teo, Peter and Amanda. I don’t recall ever getting Zeke’s perspective. I’m not a big fan of switching perspectives when it’s written in 3^rd person.

I recently read a book called Blackout by Robison Wells, and this somehow remind me of it. This book didn’t have kids with superpowers, but there is a disease in this book called PEMA, and there’s teen vigilantes called Persefone’s Army. Most of the kid in the PA are runaways, orphans and kids who were in foster care. They’re living on the street or on the run. Peter just helps out by hacking, but he’s not a runaway. His parents are rich. Noa is the leader, and the team leader of the Southwest group. A lot has happened since the first book ended and I feel like there should have been a novella to abridge that gap. Four months have passed, and suddenly Zeke’s Noa’s boyfriend, the PA is created and Noa’s in the southwest and has connections. We missed out on a lot. The time line is definitely confusing.

Other than those issues, there’s solid improvement in this installment. I kind of wish that Noa did more hacking herself, or maybe that her extra-thalamus would give her super powers. She still has irregular eating and sleeping habits from it. I was also hoping to see what they did to other kids. Maybe the third book will have a twist or what I’ve been waiting for. There’s a twist near the end that’s about what PEMA is. I can’t wait to find out more. Don’t Look Now is a fast read, and I suggest reading Don’t Turn Around first. If you like books by Robison Wells, or Find Me by Romily Bernard, you may like this. If you like books about hacker, technology and teens on the run, then you should totally try this book series.

Cover Art Review: I like this cover better than the 1^st book’s hardcover. The orange, yellow and turquoise work well as a color scheme. The hexagons and the pixels are cool graphics. The title is nice and big. The hair photo is okay, and says thriller.