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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
Very interesting story
New series alert! I enjoyed this story about a girl with no history who had been experimented on for powers. She is rescued and gets to experience normal life. I also enjoyed that she gets placed in a positive family environment. The guys are also interesting and not the typical tropes. Very excited to see what's next for this story.
New series alert! I enjoyed this story about a girl with no history who had been experimented on for powers. She is rescued and gets to experience normal life. I also enjoyed that she gets placed in a positive family environment. The guys are also interesting and not the typical tropes. Very excited to see what's next for this story.
Wow!!! I could not put this book down!! It is absolutely amazing - and I need more! Like right now!!
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ok
This was an ok book, but not great. So much potential, yet the culmination of those ideas was a little off. I enjoyed the new town, new family, new school, along with the prerequisite guys that adopt her. They amused me pretty quickly and kept the air between the group sparking, even when they adopted Jayden, another lost boy. All good points, yet there were too many run on scenes, or scenes that moved the plot nowhere, emotions that made little sense in context or were left unexplained. Tension seemed to build often in rooms, but we are not quite let into WHY. I need to search her portfolio, as part of me wonders if I missed a book somewhere in this universe - if that’s the case, this review will be edited up.
Pros:
- the characters.
- Foster parents are awesome.
Cons:
- Confusing reactions?
- Run on scenes.
- Mystery is good for plot, not so much for reactions.
This was an ok book, but not great. So much potential, yet the culmination of those ideas was a little off. I enjoyed the new town, new family, new school, along with the prerequisite guys that adopt her. They amused me pretty quickly and kept the air between the group sparking, even when they adopted Jayden, another lost boy. All good points, yet there were too many run on scenes, or scenes that moved the plot nowhere, emotions that made little sense in context or were left unexplained. Tension seemed to build often in rooms, but we are not quite let into WHY. I need to search her portfolio, as part of me wonders if I missed a book somewhere in this universe - if that’s the case, this review will be edited up.
Pros:
- the characters.
- Foster parents are awesome.
Cons:
- Confusing reactions?
- Run on scenes.
- Mystery is good for plot, not so much for reactions.
I wanted to like this, I was drawn to the premise, but the execution just wasn't there and there were too many plot holes.
You have your female main character (FMC) who is rescued from the Institute she has lived in as long as she can remember. She doesn't remember ever being in the real world, having family, or anything other than being in this Institute where they test kids powers and punish them by locking them in a room when they don't perform. On top of that the way the character act and speak is a mix between beeping middle aged or how middle age people wished teens would act. It's awkward and jilting and not very enjoyable.
Mild spoilers ahead.
The book starts out with her being rescued from the Institute by a group of people who are like her and are searching for their own friend, whom our FMC apparently know. Right off the bat you feel like you are a book behind. Those reads line a spin off series that would explain who these other people are, the girl they are searching for, and the world we are in, because you certainly don't get a satisfactory explanation of that in this book.
Still on a mission to find their friend, the rescue group drops the FMC off in a new town with foster parents. There is no introduction. No explanation. Just you live here now, oh are you hungry, let's pick a room, we will go shopping and get you signed up for school. They don't even develop a back story for her to tell all of the small town kids she will be meeting at her high school beyond I just moved here from boarding school. That's it. That is as deep as the back story goes. No answer for how she ended up in foster care, what boarding school, what happened to her parents, how she ended up in this town, nothing.
FMC slips into teenage life super easy, except for the occasional do I like chicken? I don't know I've never made chicken. Oh no you are buying me a bikini? This is so skimpy. Oh please don't spend money on me. First of all, besides the chicken those are all learned behaviors, something she wouldn't have been taught in the Institute where they were (I assume because we are never told) training her to be some sort of weapon and not giving her any lessons in the real world or how to live outside. Her foster parents are completely oblivious to this too. They have to know about her super natural connection, why else would the savior group have dropped her off with these people?
There is also the fact that FMC knows she is on the run from this Institute that has had her as long as she can remember but she doesn't think she should tell someone that she keeps feeling g like she is being watched, or that she is getting text messages telling her she is being watched, or that she keeps seeing a tracker from the Institute?!!! Come on. At the very least she would have texted the people who rescued her.
And why is she familiar and the obsessive target of a tracker for the Institute? She lived in the Institute her entire life, no one ever had to go out into the world to track her and bring her in, so why does this tracker have anything to do with her? They have a long running relationship that required the guy be chemically restrained from her, how did that happen??
And what is the story with this universe we are in? She was possibly created in this Institute, at least one of her guys was some how an experiment. Was that at birth or was he tested on as a young child? The other are apparently born into their powers and constantly subject to testing by scientists. But why? Does everyone get tested, like you get your hearing, vision, scoliosis, and super power testing every year at school in the nurses office? Or do they test within their own community? Either way, why are the guys hiding their powers from their parents, and wouldn't their parents be hip to the whole powers thing if they are being used and making the news.
And the foster parents' response at the end just makes no sense. They don't ask any questions just, you're grounded, but we love you and will never kick you out.
Honestly it reads like author took ideas from all of the different books in this and similar genres, told you those things were happening here, and didn't take the time and work to developers the character, world, and story, building a rich story that they then lead the reader through.
This was really disappointing.
You have your female main character (FMC) who is rescued from the Institute she has lived in as long as she can remember. She doesn't remember ever being in the real world, having family, or anything other than being in this Institute where they test kids powers and punish them by locking them in a room when they don't perform. On top of that the way the character act and speak is a mix between beeping middle aged or how middle age people wished teens would act. It's awkward and jilting and not very enjoyable.
Mild spoilers ahead.
The book starts out with her being rescued from the Institute by a group of people who are like her and are searching for their own friend, whom our FMC apparently know. Right off the bat you feel like you are a book behind. Those reads line a spin off series that would explain who these other people are, the girl they are searching for, and the world we are in, because you certainly don't get a satisfactory explanation of that in this book.
Still on a mission to find their friend, the rescue group drops the FMC off in a new town with foster parents. There is no introduction. No explanation. Just you live here now, oh are you hungry, let's pick a room, we will go shopping and get you signed up for school. They don't even develop a back story for her to tell all of the small town kids she will be meeting at her high school beyond I just moved here from boarding school. That's it. That is as deep as the back story goes. No answer for how she ended up in foster care, what boarding school, what happened to her parents, how she ended up in this town, nothing.
FMC slips into teenage life super easy, except for the occasional do I like chicken? I don't know I've never made chicken. Oh no you are buying me a bikini? This is so skimpy. Oh please don't spend money on me. First of all, besides the chicken those are all learned behaviors, something she wouldn't have been taught in the Institute where they were (I assume because we are never told) training her to be some sort of weapon and not giving her any lessons in the real world or how to live outside. Her foster parents are completely oblivious to this too. They have to know about her super natural connection, why else would the savior group have dropped her off with these people?
There is also the fact that FMC knows she is on the run from this Institute that has had her as long as she can remember but she doesn't think she should tell someone that she keeps feeling g like she is being watched, or that she is getting text messages telling her she is being watched, or that she keeps seeing a tracker from the Institute?!!! Come on. At the very least she would have texted the people who rescued her.
And why is she familiar and the obsessive target of a tracker for the Institute? She lived in the Institute her entire life, no one ever had to go out into the world to track her and bring her in, so why does this tracker have anything to do with her? They have a long running relationship that required the guy be chemically restrained from her, how did that happen??
And what is the story with this universe we are in? She was possibly created in this Institute, at least one of her guys was some how an experiment. Was that at birth or was he tested on as a young child? The other are apparently born into their powers and constantly subject to testing by scientists. But why? Does everyone get tested, like you get your hearing, vision, scoliosis, and super power testing every year at school in the nurses office? Or do they test within their own community? Either way, why are the guys hiding their powers from their parents, and wouldn't their parents be hip to the whole powers thing if they are being used and making the news.
And the foster parents' response at the end just makes no sense. They don't ask any questions just, you're grounded, but we love you and will never kick you out.
Honestly it reads like author took ideas from all of the different books in this and similar genres, told you those things were happening here, and didn't take the time and work to developers the character, world, and story, building a rich story that they then lead the reader through.
This was really disappointing.
I loved this book! I found the story interesting and engaging. I liked all the characters as well as the MC. I'm curious to learn more about their backgrounds and powers. I am interested in seeing where the story goes as the series progresses! Definitely recommend!
Interesting Opening
So first I wish this gave more info about the world and maybe some info about what it connects to. The opening scenes where they're searching for Kat just seem like those characters came from somewhere, I mean I may be wrong but why the big interest in searching for the mysterious Kat who never appears again in the book if she's not a leading character in a connecting book? And if she is what book is it because I wanna read it.
There's enough given about the world to make it clear the author knows the rules but as it's a first person story staring a lead character who spent her entire life as a science project, she doesn't know the world, therefore the reader only knows what she does. So yeah I want to know more about this world. The characters are interesting and well developed. Each of the leads was distinctive and none blended together which in an rh is something I appreciate. There were some things I questioned how Hailey could know and also how the boys seemed to know her thoughts without her telling them, but other than that basically my biggest complaint is the need to know more.
The story is definitely slow burn as there are barely hints of this becoming anything beyond friendship at this point, but I love that Swanson is taking the time to build believable relationships.
Overall it was a good story, despite my disjointed review I'm writing while half asleep. I look forward to reading more.
So first I wish this gave more info about the world and maybe some info about what it connects to. The opening scenes where they're searching for Kat just seem like those characters came from somewhere, I mean I may be wrong but why the big interest in searching for the mysterious Kat who never appears again in the book if she's not a leading character in a connecting book? And if she is what book is it because I wanna read it.
There's enough given about the world to make it clear the author knows the rules but as it's a first person story staring a lead character who spent her entire life as a science project, she doesn't know the world, therefore the reader only knows what she does. So yeah I want to know more about this world. The characters are interesting and well developed. Each of the leads was distinctive and none blended together which in an rh is something I appreciate. There were some things I questioned how Hailey could know and also how the boys seemed to know her thoughts without her telling them, but other than that basically my biggest complaint is the need to know more.
The story is definitely slow burn as there are barely hints of this becoming anything beyond friendship at this point, but I love that Swanson is taking the time to build believable relationships.
Overall it was a good story, despite my disjointed review I'm writing while half asleep. I look forward to reading more.
It was alright, I feel like I've read this story many times before though. For me, it didn't set itself apart too much, but I can easily see someone who likes superheros loving this series.