The Origin Mystery by A.G. Riddle

The Origin Mystery series includes: Atlantis Gene, Atlantis Plague, and Atlantis World.

Summary

THE ATLANTIS GENE is a thought-provoking techno-thriller about global genetic experiments, ancient conspiracies, and the mysteries of human evolution. Its complex characters and historical and scientific details will stay with you long after you finish. This sci-fi adventure is the first book in A.G. Riddle’s Origin Mystery Series.

Review

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The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Summary

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

Review

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Dust Chronicles by Maureen McGowan

The Dust Chronicles includes: Deviants, Compliance, and Glory.

Summary

In a post-apocalyptic world, where the earth is buried by asteroid dust that’s mutated the DNA of some humans, orphaned, sixteen-year-old Glory must protect her younger brother and escape the domed city that’s been her entire world.

Outside in the ruins, they’re pursued by the authorities and by sadistic, scab-covered Shredders who are addicted to the lethal-to-humans dust now covering the planet. Glory’s quests to transport herself and her brother to safety make up the thrilling and fascinating first volume of The Dust Chronicles.

Review

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The Testing Series by Joelle Charbonneau

Summary

The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.

But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

Review

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The Breeders by Ashley Quigley

Summary

Ariet has been taken from her family, who are told she has died of an illness; when, in fact, she has been drugged and removed against her will to a secret underground location. Selected for a genetic breeding program by the Creators, the Monarchy of the New World, Ariet and her captor Mason, have to provide an offspring with a predetermined inherited genetic profile, or face termination. They find mutual empathy for one another when their unborn child does not carry the desirable gene. Unable to accept the scheduled termination of her pregnancy by the Creators and to save the life of her offspring, Mason helps her escape to an area outside of the Four Quadrants. Mason's childhood friend Thor, a Guardian in the Great Tower, flees with Ariet to protect her from the unknown, whilst leaving Mason behind to bring down the rulers of the New World. With the aid of refugees from the Old World, Ariet, together with her child and Thor risk everything to join Mason in his fight to destroy the Monarchy.

Review

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Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans

Summary

Since her untimely death the day before her eighteenth birthday, Felicia Ward has been trapped in Level 2, a stark white afterlife located between our world and the next. Along with her fellow drones, Felicia passes the endless hours reliving memories of her time on Earth and mourning what she’s lost—family, friends, and Neil, the boy she loved.

Then a girl in a neighboring chamber is found dead, and nobody but Felicia recalls that she existed in the first place. When Julian—a dangerously charming guy Felicia knew in life—comes to offer Felicia a way out, Felicia learns the truth: If she joins the rebellion to overthrow the Morati, the angel guardians of Level 2, she can be with Neil again.

Suspended between Heaven and Earth, Felicia finds herself at the center of an age-old struggle between good and evil. As memories from her life come back to haunt her, and as the Morati hunt her down, Felicia will discover it’s not just her own redemption at stake… but the salvation of all mankind.

Review

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Divided by Elsie Chapman

Divided is book 2 of the Dualed series by Elsie Chapman. The first book is Dualed.

Summary

The hunter becomes the hunted. . . .
West Grayer is done killing. She defeated her Alternate, a twin raised by another family, and proved she’s worthy of a future. She’s ready to move on with her life.
The Board has other plans. They want her to kill one last time, and offer her a deal worth killing for. But when West recognizes her target as a ghost from her past, she realizes she’s in over her head. The Board is lying, and West will have to uncover the truth of the past to secure her future.
How far will the Board go to keep their secrets safe? And how far will West go to save those she loves?

Review

As a continuation it did help make the characters feel more complete and rounded.

Note: I was provided a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Dualed by Elsie Chapman

Dualed is the first book in the Dualed series by Elsie Chapman. Book 2 is Divided.

Summary

In the city of Kersh, everyone must eliminate their genetic Alternate twin, raised by another family, before their twentieth birthday. West Grayer, 15, has trained as a fighter, and has one month to hunt and kill her Alt. A tragic misstep shakes her confidence. Guilty, grieving, she feels unworthy, runs from her Alt and from love - both can destroy her.

Two of you exist. Only one will survive.
West Grayer is ready. She's trained for years to confront her Alternate, a twin raised by another family. Survival means a good job, marriage—life.
But then a tragic misstep leaves West questioning: Is she the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future?
If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from herself, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Review

Dualed was better than I initially thought it would be. Even as I began reading, I wasn't very impressed. But somewhere along the way I began to care about the character, and be drawn into the story. To be honest, there are still parts that I feel could have been explained better, such as why she truly becomes a striker (aka assassin). But by the end I guess it mostly makes sense, just would have liked a more definitive reason to begin with. The story takes place in a dystopian future in one specific 'city', though it seems larger than just a city. But, it is in one of those worlds where we really don't know much of what is beyond her 'city'. It is briefly described, but it is one of those situations where you wonder if this will eventually come into play or if the entire story will only take place within the confines of the 'city'. This first book only takes place within the city, but there is a 2nd book recently released, so I plan on reading it to see if there is anything more revealed.

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I am the Weapon by Allen Zadoff

I am the Weapon is book 1 of The Unknown Assassin series by Allen Zadoff. It is also known as Boy Nobody.

Summary

Boy Nobody is the perennial new kid in school, the one few notice and nobody thinks much about. He shows up in a new high school in a new town under a new name, makes a few friends, and doesn't stay long. Just long enough for someone in his new friend's family to die-of "natural causes." Mission accomplished, Boy Nobody disappears, moving on to the next target.

But when he's assigned to the mayor of New York City, things change. The daughter is unlike anyone he has encountered before; the mayor reminds him of his father. And when memories and questions surface, his handlers at The Program are watching. Because somewhere deep inside, Boy Nobody is somebody: the kid he once was; the teen who wants normal things, like a real home and parents; a young man who wants out. And who just might want those things badly enough to sabotage The Program's mission.

In this action-packed series debut, author Allen Zadoff pens a page-turning thriller that is as thought-provoking as it is gripping, introducing an utterly original and unforgettable antihero.

Review

I am the Weapon is non-stop action. It has you questioning the whole way, and I did not see what was coming. The main character is likable and real. This was a good book, a fast read with an interesting plot with twists.

Note: I was provided a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am the Weapon @ GoodReads
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Some Fine Day by Kat Ross

Summary

Sixteen-year-old Jansin Nordqvist is on the verge of graduating from the black ops factory known as the Academy. She's smart and deadly, and knows three things with absolute certainty:
1. When the world flooded and civilization retreated deep underground, there was no one left on the surface.
2. The only species to thrive there are the toads, a primate/amphibian hybrid with a serious mean streak.
3. There's no place on Earth where you can hide from the hypercanes, continent-sized storms that have raged for decades.
Jansin has been lied to. On all counts.

Review

At first I wasn't quite sure what to expect. In the beginning it seemed a basic story of underground girl going on vacation above ground. After she emerges from her underground world though things are not as they seem. The main character is developed well, and grows, but the other characters are supporting but don't really grow on their own. The main love interest is said to have changed, but I don't feel we know him well enough in the beginning to see such change. I would like to have been able to see more in the beginning, to see who the main character was before she discovered the world for what it was. Also, she has a relationship in the beginning that we know very little about, and I felt that could have been developed more as well. The ending is good for the most part, but is frustrating because as it ties up the main storyline, there are many loose ends and it leaves it as a cliffhanger, leaving me wondering about the fate of the main characters.

Note: I was provided a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Some Fine Day @ GoodReads

Some Fine Day @ Amazon

Cipher by S.E. Bennett

Summary

Cipher Omega is a failed experiment, an identical clone of the brilliant, damaged woman whose genome the scientists of the Basement were trying to copy and improve. All her life she has dreamt of life outside the laboratory, on the surface world, but when her home is destroyed and she’s left the only survivor of a hundred-year human cloning project, she is forced to face the reality of the military-ruled nation that created her. Aided by the only other surviving child of the Basement, an enigmatic solider named Tor, and two rebel freedom fighters named Bowen and Oona Rivers, Cipher finds herself searching for answers, at any cost.

Review

Cipher was a very good read. You are quickly drawn into the character and her predicament. The characters have flaws and are realistic, even as you're wishing they'd just speak up sometimes. It's a unique and interesting plot, with twists and uncertainties. It was a good read and I would definitely be interested in reading more of this series.


Note: I was provided a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Cipher @ Amazon