Book Boyfriend Reviews: YA

Title: Pawn
Author: Aimee Carter
Format read: Kindle e-book
Pages: 346
Pub Date: November 26, 2013
Genre: YA/Dystopian
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed
and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

When I read the synopsis for this book I just felt it was going to be one of those books that was going grab me.

Right from the jump, I was thrown into a world that reminded me kind of like the Hunger Games. At a certain age all kinds get tested. They will get a tattoo on the back of their necks stating what number they are. If you are a 2-3 basically you are a worker and never advance while 4's have it a bit better. Obviously if you are above a 5 you are pretty much set. Kitty our protagonist is tested and receives a
3. While her boyfriend Benjy gets a five. Now in this world this is kind of a big deal because she has to leave to another state and away from him. Then one night she is taken (after a few suspenseful pages) by the Prime Minister. It gets even weirder after this. Lies are exposed, truths are told and nobody will ever be the same again. Kitty is masked and turned into Lila. Say whaaa? I was like but...how...why...WHAATT?? Kitty now has to learn to be Lila. She has her face and her body. She must learn to be a different person. Oh and she has a "fiancé" now. Despite all of this she still is Kitty and never forgets that.

Oh and lets me not even get into what I learned about the "elsewhere" I think I was pretty much shocked. I was not expecting it. This book really kept me on my toes and I loved every minute of it. From beginning to end I was so involved in this story. The character and world building had my head dreaming up the story as I read along. I can not wait for the next book in this series.

I gave this book

5/5 hearts

Renegade (MILA 2.0 #2)
by Debra Driza
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (Harper Collins)
Release Date: May 13th 2014

Genre: Young Adult

Format/Source: ARC from the publisher

Rating: 4 hearts

There is no one left for Mila to trust. Except for a boy she barely knows.

But Hunter has no idea who—and what—Mila really is. She can’t bear to reveal her secret, even though he’s unwittingly joined her search for Richard Grady, a man who may know more details of Mila’s complicated past.

Yet the road to the truth is more dangerous than ever. With General Holland and the Vita Obscura scouring the earth for her whereabouts, Mila must rely on her newfound android abilities to protect herself and Hunter from imminent harm. Still, embracing her identity as a machine leads her to question the state of her humanity—as well as Hunter’s real motives.

Perfect for fans of I Am Number Four and Divergent, this action-packed and heart-wrenching second installment of MILA 2.0 will leave readers breathlessly awaiting the series conclusion.

Fast paced book that kept me turning the pages. That is how I will describe this book to you.

When I read the first book in this series, I enjoyed it. I truly loved the concept and wanted to know what was in store for Mila. Plus she is an Android I mean hello how cool is that?

This book starts off where the other left off. At the end of book one she calls Hunter who now comes to her aid. I love the banter between them two and when Mila interacts with him, she seems so human. I would forget at times that she is an Android. Hunter had me smiling because he always seems to know what to say to get Mila to come out of her shell. To make an awkward situation less awkward. He just gets her. I wasn't truly happy with Mila at times and her finickiness with her feelings for him, but I understood why she felt that way. It made her more real. After all she is a teenager so of course she tends to go back and forth, what teen doesn't?

I was a bit worried because I tend to find that usually the second book in a series lacks something, not this book. I could not stop reading because of the twists and turns. I had to find out what was going to happen next. The only clue she was given by her mother is two names. That's it. Now she is on a journey to figure out who these people are. Can they help her? Will they be allies or foes? Will they give her answers about her life and origins? So many questions. Will I tell you the answers? NOT.A.CHANCE! you need to read this book to find all of that out. I can tell you that several questions from book 1 are answered. I know I can be mean. There is a cliffhanger so yes, we must wait for the next book.

Overall I really enjoyed the way the author wrote Mila's character growth. There were times that Mila seemed so unsure, but that to me was great because she just learned in the last book (and in her time last week) that her whole life was a lie. She is coming to terms with that and also learning all the things she can do. Awesome things in my opinion. The first book set the tone and this book just brought it all together.

"I have a confession, too." he said, his voice snapping me out of my thoughts.

I turned to face him as the wind ruffled his hair. "Should I be scared?"

"No," he replied. "Well, maybe just a little bit."

"Okay, go ahead."

He blew out a nervous breath. "Mila, I really like you."

An embarrassingly goofy grin started forming on my lips so I quickly tried to cover my mouth with my hand.

"Wait, did you already know?" he said, smiling.

"I had a feeling," I said.

Too many feelings, in fact.

Always.

"Well, I don't just say that to any girl I meet," he said as the Ferris wheel embarked on its second revolution. He paused a beat, and then added, "Only, every third one or so."

I poke him in the ribs, and fake winced before I pulled me closer. "I'm joking. I only say that to girls I travel cross-country for. Which, to date, has only been you." he whispered, his mouth close to my ear.

I closed my eyes, forgetting how many times we circled, forgetting everything but how close Hunter was. Tonight was special, a memory that was real and that I could call my own. No one would be able to take this memory away from me. Ever.

Another reason why I wasn't sure I could let him go. He made me want to live a life I wanted to remember.

Other books in this series:

I'm the author of the MILA 2.0 series and the owner of the messiest purse on the planet, aka: the black hole of doom. I think bow ties are cool and when I grow up, I want to be Veronica Mars.

I rarely check my account at Goodreads, so if you need to get in touch with me, try twitter or Debra at debradriza.com.