Review: Unleashed

Unleashed
Author: Sophie Jordan
Published: February 24th, 2015
Hardcover, 368 pages
3 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Davy has spent the last few months trying to come to terms with the fact that she tested positive for the kill gene HTS (also known as Homicidal Tendency Syndrome). She swore she would not let it change, and that her DNA did not define her... but then she killed a man.

Now on the run, Davy must decide whether she'll be ruled by the kill gene or if she'll follow her heart and fight for her right to live free. But with her own potential for violence lying right beneath the surface, Davy doesn't even know if she can trust herself.

The first book in this series, Uninvited, blew me away. Sophie Jordan's books have always had a mix of romance and adventure, so I had high hopes going into this one, the second book in a two book series. We left Davy on the run with her gorgeous boyfriend Sean and two friends as they try to escape the white coats that want to use them as weapons. But Davy is haunted by the memory of the man she killed to protect Sean and that feeling just won't go away.

I must mention a huge spoiler here because it's such a big part of the book and I know those who have read this one will understand. Davy gets separated from her friends and ends up in the middle of a rebellion camp, where she meets Caden, a guy she quickly gets attached to. This pissed a lot of us off. It's a two part series and Sophie changes the love interest? I loved Sean and I wanted them to be together so badly, but I will be honest, I loved the new guy. He was a great hero and love interest and his feelings for Davy seemed genuine. The moments they had together were swoon-worthy (as Sophie is a fabulous romance writer) The way she wrote this romance made perfect sense to the story and I was happy with the outcome to everything. I mean it was strange and it took me off guard and I really wanted Sean to be happy, but in the end, I understood why Sophie played it out that way.

The new romance wasn't my pet-peeve with this book. Davy's days spent in the camp were written wonderfully and I loved all the new people she met. Her bravery and power were harnessed and even though she realized having the kill gene inside of her really does make her react differently, she`took that power and used it to gain respect. I wish there had been more focus on the rebellion or anything having to do with HTS. It seemed almost like the hoopla over all of it happened quietly in the background and was all nicely solved into a nice little package without Davy even having to lift a finger. I guess this could be seen as realistic, a young girl may not actually be able to help stop the government, but I wish there had been more to this story than Davy falling in love again and the world suddenly being an okay place for her to live in. It seemed forced and unfinished and I wish, oh man do I wish, that I had loved every last bit of this book. There is no explanation for why the HTS exists or how to actually fix it. Everyone just goes on knowing that they are carriers but trying to live normal lives.

I'm glad I got a happily ever after though. Davy and Caden's short but sweet story ended nicely and as did everyone else's. The writing was great and Sophie is a pro at love scenes. She'll always be one of my favourites in the kissing department. Here's hoping I like her next book better!

Waiting on Wednesday: Unleashed

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where we spotlight an upcoming release we are eagerly waiting for.

My WoW this week is:

Unleashed
By Sophie Jordan
Hardcover, 368 pages
Expected Publication: February 24, 2015

From Goodreads:

Davy has spent the last few months trying to come to terms with the fact that she tested positive for the kill gene HTS (also known as Homicidal Tendency Syndrome). She swore she would not let it change her, and that her DNA did not define her... but then she killed a man.

Now on the run, Davy must decide whether she'll be ruled by the kill gene or if she'll follow her heart and fight for her right to live free. But with her own potential for violence lying right beneath the surface, Davy doesn't even know if she can trust herself. 

I loved Sophie's first book in this series, Uninvited, where we were introduced to this world where people test to see if you'll be a killer. It was crazy and felt surprisingly real and Davy's story broke my heart yet gave me a lot of hope. I can't wait to read more about her story and see where it takes her next. Sophie's writing is gorgeous and I'm a fan of all her work, so I can't wait for more of it!

Review: Uninvited

Uninvited
Author: Sophie Jordan
Published: January 28, 2014
Hardcover, 384 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.


The minute I opened this book, I was hooked. Jordan has created this world that doesn't seem too unlike our own where people are tested for HTS, aka the kill gene. Those with tendencies to become murders are labelled as such and become outcasts to society. Davy has a great life, a great boyfriend and goes to a prestigious school, but when she tests positive for HTS, suddenly everything is gone. She is uninvited from her school and is sent to public school to learn along side other carriers. Her new life as a carrier is off to a rocky start and it just shows how brutal her life will be from now on. Stuck in a basement with only a few students and a very sketchy teacher, Davy quickly finds herself trusting Sean, a fortified killer based on the tattooed confirmation around his neck. She knows she should stay away from him, but he is always there for her and she starts to see too much of herself in him.

I related to Davy right away. Not that I live a privileged life or anything, but I know I would hate it if I lost what I have. She reacted so perfectly, too scared to really say anything but dying to break away on the inside. The way she deals with being uninvited and thrown into this new school just shows how brave she is. The scariest thing is that this could happen so easily in our world. One word and we could be separated and those who have done wrong could easily be labelled as such for the world to see. I think that's what scared me most about this book - how easily it is for society to turn against you even if you haven't done anything wrong. Day has never murdered anyone, never done anything even close to it. But as soon as she is marked a carrier, the world assumes she will. And when she does use a violent act to protect herself (like any sane person would do) she is suddenly thrust into the same category as murderers. I needed to know more and I kept turning the page to see how Davy would survive this new world. Throughout the novel, I found myself realizing that I would react the same way as her, I'd do the same things she does to get out of awful situations and by the end of it, I was rooting so loudly for her that I can't wait to read the rest of her story.

This books shows that just because someone is characterized as something does not mean that defines them. Sean may have the mark around his neck but you can't judge a book by its cover. He is protective of Davy, knowing that she is going through the same thing as him. They are both labelled as something they're not and forced to live with the consequences. I fell in love with their relationship, hoping that they can both overcome the obstacles in front of them and make it through life unscratched. Jordan continues to impress me and based on the ending of this book, I know I'm in for more of a wild ride with the sequel, Unleashed. 

“Ironic. I'm here because of my inherent dangerousness, but it's my inherent politeness that makes me put up with this. With him.”