This is a little softer than what I normally read and would categorize it as YA and more for girls that need to read some Sci-Fi. All YAdults should read Sci-Fi.
The story itself is interesting and the characters, as a whole, are well thought out and effectively come to life. There is a threaded romance element, which on the surface for me, was creepy. I’m not in touch with my feels, I guess.
Luckily, the story is much broader than that, and takes on a more voyeuristic view vs. personal identity position for the reader. There are plenty of central characters to this story, but all are threaded around Jo (Julie Vorov), a high school kid that is pretty much on the ball. There is some teen drama at the onset, but the real guts of the story begin to unfold quickly.
The fun bit - Julie is like Neo and the rest of humanity are chilling in the Matrix. The downside – the Others want to take Earth as their own and wipe out the bits and bytes.
Luckily, there is a small group of alien scientists who are trying to stop this from happening. It so happens, one in particular, has been keeping an eye on the Vorovs for quite a long time.
The book has a pretty quick pace, full of death, life, aliens, wormholes, fun scenery, tech, and even monks. They are Kung-Fu fighting. It looks like there is a sequel in the works, which revolves around two other characters (Peter, Jo’s brother, and Gibbor).
In all, I enjoyed the read. The premise is fun and the chapters flow well. 4 of 5 Stars. ARC provided by author.
From the Publisher:
Julie Vorov thought her job was to do well in high school and stay out of trouble. She also thought her biggest problem was betraying her best friend by hooking-up with a traitorous boyfriend. But in a world where being human is just a matter of programming, everything changes.
Suddenly, Julie finds herself allied with a scrappy group of alien scientists whose own world has already been destroyed. Together, they mount a clandestine effort to stop the Earth from also being eradicated. And Julie discovers that she’s the pivotal instability—the tipping point—in the plans of another group of aliens bent on invasion.
As Julie battles to save everything she cares about, she uncovers secrets about her own origins that shatter the core of her beliefs. And she falls so deeply in love that the most extreme obstacles posed by loyalty, age, gender, species, and parents will have to be overcome. Your heart always recognizes the one you love.