While I enjoyed the spy aspects of this book and certainly Ren became more interesting as the novel went on, I wasn't as keen on Shine's narrative style.



Spies, thieves and assassins - when I was a kid I ate fantasy books filled with these three as if they were going out of style. Which really it was unusual to find an age appropriate book with any of those professions being the main character. Now I toss a shoe and I'll land on at least four books in the young adult genre with any and all.

This was one of the books I picked up at ALA Midwinter this past January. I didn't go into the show thinking about this book, but the coverart (and the publisher rep) sold me on the idea. Told in a first person format, we follow Ren as she goes around doing shadowy things for a Shadowy group before she ultimately decides to ditch it all for what she feels is morally right. Or something akin to that.

The problem was that Ren had the most annoying tone ever conceived. She was part cocky, part snide, part obnoxious and topped with an undercurrent of poor me. Shine introduces us to Ren's present life by first having Ren tell us her backstory, THEN we get to what she's currently up to. Sort of. I got a little confused with the timing in the book as Ren would sometimes backtrack in her story with little warning.

Also as I was expecting an action type spy thriller paramilitary sort of book I wasn't as keen on the romance that budded all over the place. Romance with Junie, another operative and who is strictly off limits. Quasi-romance with Gareth, her charge to protect. Friction between the guys. Friction between Ren and the guys. Friction between the Shadowy Operation who doesn't want her close to either guy.

Honestly the book didn't need it. Why this incessant need to make a close bond between a guy and girl lead to romance? If Ren defied all things because she had a deep friendship with the guys, the plot would have gone just the same. Shadowy Operation would have STILL been against her forming ANY bond and used it against her. Shine didn't have me believing that the romance she felt for the guys was catalyst enough to make her question everything.

I found the idea of F.A.T.E. to be intriguing--awful way to recruit, but also horribly effective if you go by Junie and Ren. I've always been a moral grey area sort of girl when it came to my governments and espionage, so it makes sense to me that if such a thing was possible it would be exploited and used.

I definitely think this is a solid read if you're a fan of such things. And as history has shown my intolerance for certain narrative voices cough Blood Red Road cough is not usually the acknowledged opinion. ( )

Pretty good. Yet another book to go onto the AGFTAPTKAHGLTNGTFAHTSD shelf (Average Girl who is Forced to Train by Abusive People, Transforms into an Kickass Action Hero, Gets into a Love Triangle With Nice Guy Teen and Fellow Action Hero Teen, and Saves the Day). That shelf is getting crowded. ( )

Are you looking for action? Start reading.

Ren has a normal, geeky life until she is kidnapped in the middle of the night and taken to a facility to be trained as a Shadow. This training is to take four years. After four years, she’ll be given a person to protect from danger because he/she is important to the future.

Ren spends four years learning every weapon and how to fight combat, how to kill, and how to stay hidden. She only stands it because Junie is there. They rely on each other to make it through training without dying or going crazy. They realize that they will be separated when they finish their training.

The novel is very fast-paced. There’s nothing not to like--except that it’s NOT a stand-alone novel. Yes, this is book one! Drat! There’s intrigue, action, and hints of love to make you sit in a chair turning the pages until you finish reading. ( )

I received an email inviting me to be a part of the blog tour for this book and I jumped at the chance. The description I had read seemed so unique, so different, that I just had to read it. I was not disappointed.

The premise of this book was unlike anything else I have read recently. I was enthralled and amazed by both the story line and the characters.

I instantly fell in love with Ren. She was sarcastic and funny and a total smartass. She reminded me of me.

Imagine being an awkward, gawky teenager one minute, and the next you are being plucked from your bed, not without violence, I might add, and wrested away in the middle of the night, never to see your family again. Then imagine being dropped into a place that you never knew existed and put through a grueling hell for 4 years. Intrigued yet? I sure was.

The characters start out as typical teenagers, but then they develop over time into so, so much more. This story will grab ahold of you and drag you along for the ride of a lifetime. And then, just when you think the ride is over, and you might get a happily ever after, the cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers leaves you gasping, wondering what the heck just happened, and then asking how long it will be before you can find out what happens.

This is definitely a must read YA novel this summer, and if you are a fan of dystopian fiction, or just good action stories in general, this is the novel for you. Give it a read. You will not be disappointed. ( )

I received an email inviting me to be a part of the blog tour for this book and I jumped at the chance. The description I had read seemed so unique, so different, that I just had to read it. I was not disappointed.

The premise of this book was unlike anything else I have read recently. I was enthralled and amazed by both the story line and the characters.

I instantly fell in love with Ren. She was sarcastic and funny and a total smartass. She reminded me of me.

Imagine being an awkward, gawky teenager one minute, and the next you are being plucked from your bed, not without violence, I might add, and wrested away in the middle of the night, never to see your family again. Then imagine being dropped into a place that you never knew existed and put through a grueling hell for 4 years. Intrigued yet? I sure was.

The characters start out as typical teenagers, but then they develop over time into so, so much more. This story will grab ahold of you and drag you along for the ride of a lifetime. And then, just when you think the ride is over, and you might get a happily ever after, the cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers leaves you gasping, wondering what the heck just happened, and then asking how long it will be before you can find out what happens.

This is definitely a must read YA novel this summer, and if you are a fan of dystopian fiction, or just good action stories in general, this is the novel for you. Give it a read. You will not be disappointed. ( )