Unleashed

December 1, 2014

Gr 8 Up-Davy and her friends are back in this sequel to Uninvited (HarperCollins, 2014). Since receiving her diagnosis of Homicidal Tendency Syndrome, Davy's life has changed dramatically. As government policies about treatment of those in possession of the "kill gene" continue to evolve, her position in society becomes increasingly untenable. Her initial attempt to escape to Mexico is unsuccessful and she is separated from her friends (and boyfriend, Sean). She is rescued by a group of resistance fighters and quickly develops feelings for Caden. There is infighting within the resistance cell, but Davy is torn between staying with Caden and attempting to reach Mexico and Sean. Everything wraps up neatly and quickly. Readers will miss Sean and be confused by Davy's quick change of heart toward Caden. More sophisticated readers of dystopian fiction may question why the book didn't delve deeper into the concept of a "kill gene," instead of simply accepting it as a plot point. However, fans of the first installment will likely enjoy this and the subsequent volume. Purchase where Uninvited and other romantic dystopian titles have been popular.-Kristin Anderson, Columbus Metropolitan Library System, OH

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2014
Davy's escaped from the government camp of Uninvited (2014), but she's on the run and still far from safe.At a safe house, Davy and her fellow escaped Homicidal Tendency Syndrome carriers wait to cross the border to Mexico, where they'll be out of reach of the U.S. government. But Davy can't stop thinking of the man she shot at the government training school, under the threat of love interest Sean's execution if she refused. Unable to separate thoughts of Sean from her victim, Davy's romantic feelings wane. The group's border crossing is a predictable disaster, and injured Davy is separated from her friends-but luckily rescued by a new handsome boy! Teenage resistance leader Caden brings her to a secret Resistance compound for treatment, and the plot dramatically slows. The HTS program's history and its ongoing efforts are mainly told in epigraphs between chapters-press items, communication transcripts and the like-leaving the bulk of the text focused on the romantic storyline. Tiresome girl-on-girl hostility stemming from romantic rivalry runs rampant and motivates big decisions made by the female characters. The occasional action scenes are more compelling. The ending seems to conclude the story-well, the romantic story at least-but readers may feel let down by the scant resolution of the HTS storyline and how so much of it passes off the page entirely. Only for romance fans. (Dystopian romance. 14-18)

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July 1, 2015
Injured and separated from her friends in their escape to Mexico, Davy (Uninvited) is rescued by Caden, a fellow Homicidal Tendency Syndrome carrier. Recovering in a resistance cell, Davy must keep her guard up if she wants to reunite with her friends, keep herself safe, and fight her growing feelings for Caden. A well-crafted, if low-stakes, dystopian novel awash in romance tropes.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)