The Invisible by Amelia Kahaney

Series: Brokenhearted (bk. 2)

Genera(s): Dystopian Sci-fi/Action Thriller

Subjects: crime, criminals, abilities, genetic alteration, vigilantes, superheroes, superpowers, love, ballerinas

Setting: the City of Bedlam (an alternate version of Chicago)

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, present tense: Anthem Fleet

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 291 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover and soon in Paperback

List Price: $17.99/$9.99

Publisher: HarperTeen and Alloy Entertainment

Summary/ product description: “In the riveting sequel to the reimagined superhero story The Brokenhearted, Anthem Fleet takes on a powerful new villain and makes some startling discoveries about her family and her past that will forever change her.

Taking up where The Brokenhearted ended, the sequel finds Anthem Fleet attempting to return to a normal life after an experimental surgery that left her with a bionic hummingbird heart and a terrifying new strength. But she can’t shake her suspicions about her father’s connection to the Syndicate and she can’t ignore the cries of help in the crime-ridden city of Bedlam. She finds new promise in her relationship with Ford, but after his lifesaving surgery, the Ford Anthem knew slips away.

When a mysterious new group called “The Invisible” starts attacking the privileged North Siders, Anthem has to step up and be the New Hope that Bedlam needs, or Bedlam will fall…once and for all.

Publishers Weekly called The Brokenhearted an “atmospheric, adventure-laced debut” with “graceful world-building, strong characterizations, and an enveloping plot.”

My Review:  The Invisible is the amazing sequel to The Brokenhearted. It’s full of awesome and kind of feels like The Dark Knight meets The Black Swan. Anthem has gone all vigilante, much like Bruce Wayne of Oliver Queen, but unlike them she’s had her heart modified and now she’s super fast and has enhanced senses.

Something bad goes down at a horse show and group that calls themselves the Invisible makes threats. They release videos urging the rich North siders to give their money to the South side. If not, bad stuff will happen. Then don’t take it seriously and someone gets killed. Despite her speed, Anthem was too late. Her and Ford want to find this Invisible just as much as the authorizes. Worse thing happen, and the North side finally does give some money. People now know that the New Hope is out there, but they don’t know it’s Anthem.

Also, we discover things about Anthem’s dead sister Regina.

I originally thought this was set in Chicago. It’s actually set in Bedlam, a city that is based off on Chicago. It’s an alternate reality version of Chicago that’s like Gotham from Batman. It may be a mixed of Detroit and Chicago. Like Chicago, it’s buy a lake, but Lake Morris, not Lake Michigan. There’s a river, like the Chicago River, and a North and South side. The poverty line it much more exaggerated. It’s much more dystopian-like.

If you’re a YA reader who enjoys Gotham (on Fox) or the Batman movies, then you’ll love The Brokenhearted series. Also if you love Arrow on the CW or this older show called Dark Angel. It’s very reminiscent of comic books and graphic novels. There’s so many book I can compare it too, not just TV, movies and superhero stuff. If you liked Divergent, Shatter Me, Die For Me, Cinder, Dark Star, Mila 2.0, False Memory. It’s very much like urban fantasy, minus anything paranormal. It’s action sci-fi, not steam punk. People have cell phones and dye their hair in punky colors and other modern things. I’m note sure if there will be a third book. I want there to be one, but I’m okay with this being the final book. If that sound like something you’d like to read, then give this series a read.

Cover Art Review: Lovely metal hummingbird. It’s very awesome! And also, the cityscape below is infact Chicago. I checked. That oval roofed building I recognize. 

Origin by Jessica Khoury

Publication Date: Sept 4, 2012 (and I’ve finally read it!)

Series: Corpus (bk. 1)

Genera(s): Sci-fi/Romance

Subjects: experiments, genetic engineering, immortality, rainforests,

Setting: In the Amazon Rainforest in a facility called Little Cam

POV/Tense: 1^st person, present tense: Pia

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 394 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover/Paperback

Publisher: Penguin: Razorbill

Summary/ product description: “Pia has grown up in a secret laboratory hidden deep in the Amazon rain forest. She was raised by a team of scientists who have created her to be the start of a new immortal race. But on the night of her seventeenth birthday, Pia discovers a hole in the electric fence that surrounds her sterile home―and sneaks outside the compound for the first time in her life.

Free in the jungle, Pia meets Eio, a boy from a nearby village. Together, they embark on a race against time to discover the truth about Pia's origin―a truth with deadly consequences that will change their lives forever.

Origin is a beautifully told, shocking new way to look at an age-old desire: to live forever, no matter the cost.

My Review:  Almost three years since this book has come out and it’s been sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. Maybe I would have read it sooner if I got it from the library instead of buying it. Anyways, I’m glad I read it. It’s a very unique book. It’s set in the Amazon Rainforest on a medical research facility called Little Cam. It’s a secret place because it’s where Pia was made. She’s the first immortal, and the only one.

The love interest of Pia is a boy named Eio. His father is a scientist at Little Cam, but his mother was a native. He was raised by the native, though he looks different from them. Pia meets him when she finds a hole in the fence that keeps her out of the jungle and finally goes into the jungle. Eio seems charming and sweet and even has a sense of humor. He’s kind of like Tarzan, but not completely wild. He’s pretty smart because his father taught him English and about the world. Pia’s been sheltered and doesn’t know anything about the world outside Little Cam.

Pia reminds me of Seraphina from the Unremembered series by Jessica Brody. She’s has a photographic memory, enhance reflexes and speed, but not much upper-body strength. She cannot be cut open, shot or impaled in anyway. She indestructible, but still feels pain. She was born, not created in a lab. The deadly nector of a flower was combined with something and then injected into her ancestors over 5 generation to make Pia an immortal. It’s a really interesting sci-fi idea. I’d recommend this book to fans of Unremembered, Maximum Ride, Altered by Jennifer Rush, The Rules by Stacy Kade and other books with genetic engineering and mad science.

Cover Art Review: I love the cover. The rainforest texture is pretty and the flower and the outline with the title.

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.