Altered by Gennifer Albin Chapter Reveal + Giveaway

If you do not know yet how much I loved Crewel you can read my review here (it has giraffe balls)! For the rest of you, you must know how excited I am to be on this chapter reveal tour for its sequel, Altered. On each stop, you will ge part of the 1st chapter until you've read it all! Plus, you get a chance to win an ARC!

*Altered, the sequel to Crewel, does not yet have a cover*

Altered Chapter One (Part 3)

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[...Continued from Part 1 at Bewitched Bookworms and Part 2 at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog]

“Clearly the fact that we are in some type of forsaken alternate reality is much less important than your grudge against me, so can we get this over with and move on?” Erik asks. He moves out of the shadows to face his brother. Standing there, they mirror each other, and for the first time I study them as brothers. I’d only just figured out the real reason they were cold to each other at the Coventry: they were both hiding that secret. They’re exactly the same height, something I’d not noticed before, but Jost is bulkier from his work at the Coventry. He’s dressed in casual work clothes, unlike Erik, whose suit, while wrinkly, is still smart. Erik’s hair brushes his shoulders and Jost’s is longer, but although they share the same unruly waves, Erik’s silvery hair is smoothly slicked into place. Jost’s wild dark locks look like you’d expect after as much action as we’ve seen. The one thing that’s exactly the same is their piercing blue eyes.

“Grudge?” Jost laughs, but there’s a hollowness to it. “You think watching my wife, our sister, our mother get wiped from Arras resulted in a grudge?”

“Then why are you here? What purpose does it serve to run to the Guild if you hate them so much for what they did to Rozenn?” Erik demands.

“That’s our problem.” Jost steps closer to him. “You’ve never understood. Even I knew why Rozenn’s brother and his friends were discontent. I know what the Guild is capable of, and so do you. How can you turn a blind eye? You’ve become one of them.”

“Jost, you were at the Coventry for two years, and I never once let it slip you were from Saxun.”

“It would have given away your own secret. You wouldn’t want those officials knowing you were a fisherman’s son,” Jost accuses.

Erik’s jaw tightens.  “I never once gave them a reason to suspect your motives, but I’ll be honest with you, I don’t understand what you were waiting for. I expected you to attack them, maybe even kill the Spinster who did it. Anything,” Erik says. “I wouldn’t have blamed you. I stood back, and you did nothing. I actually thought maybe you’d formed some type of twisted dependency on them.”

“That’s not it.” Jost sighs, and the lightest of lines remain on his forehead and around his eyes. “If you understood then you’d know I wasn’t looking for some quick, simple payback. I want to understand how the system operates.”

“How will that help you heal?” Erik demands. “What can you possibly gain?”

“Myself ? Not much. But understanding the system and getting the information into the right hands could do more damage.”

“So that’s it,” Erik says in a quiet voice. “You were plotting treason.”

“And killing Spinsters wouldn’t have been that?” Jost asks, responding to the allegation in his brother’s voice.

“Killing the one responsible would be reasonable,” Erik says. “But destroying the system would undermine the peace the Guild has established.”

“Peace?” Jost echoes with a laugh.

I think of the people who have been ripped, the neatly orga- nized proof in storage at the Coventry, the look of defeat on my father’s face as he tried to shove me into the tunnel the night the Guild came to claim me. No part of me wants to laugh.

Jost grabs my arm. “Ask Adelice. Ask her what it’s like to rip someone from Arras. Ask her if it’s peaceful for them.”

I open my mouth to protest being dragged into the middle of this, but Jost doesn’t wait for me to respond to his point.

“Or better yet, ask me, Erik. Ask me what it was like to see it happen.” Jost’s voice drops down and trails off. None of us speak. “I watched it. I saw her slip away piece by piece. I watched as they took her away from me.”

“I’m sorry,” Erik offers. He sounds sincere, but even I know his words are far from enough.

Jost shakes his head slightly as if to clear his thoughts, and looks out into the dark. “Rozenn was better than any of us. You or me. So was our mother.” He pauses. “And my daughter.” Erik’s shock registers like a slap across the face.

“Daughter?” he mouths. No actual sound comes, but the heaviness of the word presses on my chest, and judging from their expressions, they feel it, too.

“You missed out on a lot when you took off.” Jost’s words are dismissive, but he doesn’t look away from Erik.

“You could have telebounded me,” Erik insists. Now he’s the one who sounds accusatory.

“And what?” Jost asks. “You would have come to visit? You didn’t come when Dad got sick or I got married. I knew where we stood with you when you left to serve the Guild. Your family couldn’t help you move forward politically, so we were of no use to you.

“You wouldn’t have cared,” Jost continues. “You were busy cozying up to Maela, following her orders like the perfect Spinster’s errand boy. Just like you’ve been busy weaseling your way into Adelice’s heart.”


...Read more tomorrow over at The Book Cellar!

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Have not heard of Crewel yet? *gasp* Check what you're missing:

Crewel
Gennifer Albin

Series: Crewel World #1
Publication date: October 16th 2012
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Enter a tangled world of secrets and intrigue where a girl is in charge of other’s destinies, but not her own.

Sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has always been special. When her parents discover her gift—the ability to weave the very fabric of reality—they train her to hide it. For good reason, they don’t want her to become a Spinster — one of the elite, beautiful, and deadly women who determine what people eat, where they live, how many children they have, and even when they die.

Thrust into the opulent Western Coventry, Adelice will be tried, tested and tempted as she navigates the deadly politics at play behind its walls.  Now caught in a web of lies and forbidden romance, she must unravel the sinister truth behind her own unspeakable power.  Her world is hanging by a thread, and Adelice, alone, can decide to save it — or destroy it.

About the Author

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Gennifer's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

I like coffee. A lot. Writing gives me time to go get a cup without my kids. I like books as much as I like coffee, but it is easier to read with children hanging on you than drink coffee due to the threat of third degree burns. That's why coffee gets top billing in my intro: its unattainability.

I hold a Masters in English with a specialization in 18th century women's studies. While this is a highly marketable area of expertise, I stay home with my kids, which means my 3 year-old son uses correct grammar and doesn't burn down the house.

I have a ridiculously supportive husband who dreams of being included on a book jacket: "The author lives in Kansas with her husband, two children, and a Tuesday cat."

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Altered Chapter One Reveal Tour:

Monday, May 20—Prologue and Part One of Chapter One
Bewitched Bookworms

Tuesday, May 21—Part Two of Chapter One
Cuddlebuggery

Wednesday, May 22—Part Three of Chapter One
Xpresso Reads

Thursday, May 23—Part Four of Chapter One
The Book Cellar

Friday, May 24—Part Five of Chapter One
BookYAReview

Review: Altered by Jennifer Rush

Altered
Jennifer Rush
Series: Altered, #1
Publication date: January 1st 2013
by Little, Brown & Co.

 

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

*A copy was provided by Hachette Book Group Canada for review purposes*

Altered is one of those books that are highly addicting, with action that engrosses you until you become quite satisfied with the read. But, there are particulars that nagged at me which, individually, are irrelevant, but together, they become a little too bothersome to simply forgive and forget.

The whole story in Altered consists of a chase. These modified humans have escaped their prison, and, bringing Anna with them, are on the run from her father's employers. Throughout this run we get clues that were planted to help them find something that is apparently very important. Deciphering these clues were, for the most part, pretty interesting, even clever at times. However, when they stumble upon a "code" that is simply a mix of X V I letters... and they don't get what it means... I had to stop reading to take a breath and roll my eyes a little. Even though Anna is home schooled and lacking a life outside the lab, numeral numbers are hardly mystifying. Especially when she "gets it" after seeing a grandfather clock. This is definitely a very small matter, nonetheless, it got under my skin and made me see the protagonist as a little brainless.

That was the first annoyance I stumbled upon. The second came by when they idiotically decide to walk into the enemy headquarters. Why? I have no clue. It made no sense for them to do so other than to create more plot excitement. Obviously, it went about as well as you can imagine. Seeing as they had no reasoning behind this decision, I got irritated by the stupid factor of it and hoped they got what they deserved.

These issues aside, I did quite enjoy the book, especially the scientific notions involved. I love the idea of genetic modifications, humans with abilities or powers, and Altered is fascinating on that front. I wanted to know more, though. Why it all started; the point behind everything. I'll assume those details are forthcoming. In this first installment, we're focusing on the boys and learning the ropes along with them. The characters are a fun bunch of charismatic guys. Some charming, some… not. I enjoyed the diversity in their personalities, which made for a great group dynamic. They're all as close as brothers; they're all they've ever known, after all. There is also romance involved, which becomes the source of some controversy between the boys. I thought Rush blended this aspect well with the overall pacing of the book; it will satisfy those who need romance in their books, but it doesn't distract from the intensity of the plot. Personally, I never felt a true connection between Anna and Sam, though. It was missing that spark. This could be due to characterization issues: With so much happening, being on the run for most of the book, character building is not the book's first priority. This is fine for the type of story it's trying to be, but the authenticity is lacking in the romantic element.

Altered is not without its flaws, still, the story is engaging with enough excitement to make these flaws a little less consequential. Having seen this novel being tagged as dystopian/post apocalyptic, I must warn you that I never got a dystopian feel from this whatsoever. It's an action novel dealing with genetics, abilities, and a messed up government behind it all. Read it when you're in the mood for a fast paced sci-fi thriller, not a science-y dystopian--in which case I'd recommend Partials.  

3 Hot Espressos

Review: Altered by A.D. Croucher

Altered
A.D. Croucher
Series: Altered Sequence, #1
Publication date: July 16th 2012

 

Reese has a plan: keep his grades up, work hard on the basketball court, apply to his favorite Ivy League college, and don't get arrested.

There's just one problem.

Reese knows things no one should know. He always thought he just had good instincts, but he's noticed that it's been getting worse. Lately it seems like something else.

Something more than instinct.

And he's not the only one that has noticed.

They've been waiting.

Watching.

And now it's time.

With his life in danger, Reese needs a new plan: escape.

*A copy was provided by A.D. Croucher for review purposes*

Not to mistake this book with the upcoming Jennifer Rush novel by the same name, Altered by AD Croucher is also a sci-fi and it deals with genetics, wild experiments, and my personal favorite: altered humans with superhuman abilities. No matter my small quirks with it that ultimately decided its 3 star fate instead of the 4 I immediately wanted to give, it's a genuinely good book. It's entertaining, it offers a riveting plot that never ceases, and it has just the right combination of science fiction and action.

Having been tuned into the trend of science fiction novels lately, I was quick to get sucked into this novel when it spoke of mind reading and mysterious medical experiments. I found it wildly interesting, especially considering how it doesn't leap too out of range of plausibility; oftentimes, science is as scary as it is fascinating! If you're the type of reader who enjoys books with super powers, our protagonist here can read minds, we've also got super strength along with some more... bizarre experiment consequences in the mix. Not only are these kept a mystery, we're treated to plot twists that will completely change what you foresee from this whole series.

The mystery is one, albeit small, reason I did not end up completely in love with this novel. Of course I understand the need for secrets when it comes to any type of new medical undertaking, but between the doctors and Reese, I found the reasons for the secrecy a little weak. In his position, if I was explained from when I was old enough to understand, I would have been quite willing to work with them to potentially help their research--what has been done has already been done. He would have died if not for them, and it could help others. Why keep it hidden? Why take him against his will, do loads of tests on the kid, lock him in rooms, and basically wait until he tries to escape repeatedly before telling him what he's there for? Their explanation isn't even so scary--even though the truth may be a little altered. Instead of being anxious, I was wondering why there was all this drama. Perhaps we're expected to assume the worst. Perhaps I have just read so much horror that I've been conditioned (which scares me!).

Some dystopians are great because of world building, some propel you into your protagonist's fears and sufferings, others are simply fantastic because of their plot. The latter can work very well in some cases, but in others, it leaves you wanting more from your characters, which is the case in Altered. We meet some truly good characters--the protagonist being male was a plus for me as well,--but where it falters is in his development and, later on, in his romantic wandering. Although I did like his characters, and he has an easy voice to follow through this story, I can't say I know who he truly is more than a character in a book. He didn't particularly grab me. As for the romance in the novel, I think it to be its weakest point. There is a vague and brief love triangle with two girls--a nice step from the norm--and I did not feel anything between any of the characters in this novel, nor did I understand why he was so infatuated with one to the point of risking everything. Even the dramatic relationship between a girl and her mother (the villain) felt overly acted.

Yes this book brings it in the entertainment value--absolutely. It's when you consider the novel as a whole that it falters a little. As it's so short with only a little over 200 pages, you at least have no time to reflect on this lack of character development while you're being propelled into an adrenaline filled joyride. It's one made for, and undoubtedly enjoyed by, fans of action movies!

3 Hot Espressos