Review: Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

Uninvited

Author: Sophie Jordan
Series: Uninvited #1
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Format: ebook
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelweiss
Rating: 3.5 Stars
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***I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way changed my opinion of the book. The review below is my open and honest opinion.*** 

Synopsis from Goodreads:

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 first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann.

My Review:

Imagine being told you’re a criminal, treated like an animal when you’ve done nothing wrong. Imagine all your dreams shattered, your world turned upside down, your future destroyed. That’s what happens to Davy when her DNA tests positive for HTS, aka the kill gene. Her plans of finishing high school and attending Julliard are gone. Her life is grim, the future uncertain.

This book was heart-wrenching. Davy had it all. Friends, a hot boyfriend, good grades, great parents, crazy musical talent, admission into Julliard. But then in one single moment it gets ripped away. Her friends ostracize her. Her boyfriend breaks up with her. Julliard revokes her admission. I wanted to sob for this girl, scream, punch the government in the face for treating her the way they did. I couldn’t handle the thought of this girl’s life being ruined for no good reason. I was so angry the whole time reading this and I loved that the author could evoke such strong emotion in me.

Honestly, I didn’t like Davy at first though I still felt horrible for her. She was stuck-up and looked down on other HTS carriers. She was weak, scared, and jumpy. While Davy did grow a lot, I wanted more. By the end she still is nervous around carriers. Granted, some of them are seriously sociopaths, but there were so many (like herself) that were perfectly normal and she just never got fully past the label. I also wanted her to become more badass. Stronger, tougher. But by the end, I still felt like she needed constant protecting and shelter.

The secondary characters were enjoyable. I especially liked Gil’s character, another carrier who is just the sweetest guy. And super smart. I hope we see more of him in the next book. And then there was Sean who was quite yummy. He’s protective, confident, and sure of himself, but somehow not in an arrogant way. Sean doesn’t care what anyone thinks of him. He wears the mark of a carrier proudly and I loved that about him. He didn’t make HTS a big deal. It was a horrible part of his life, but he moved on and continued living. That’s what I wanted Davy to do.

The world-building was a bit lacking in my opinion. We never really found out how HTS was discovered or how it evolved through the United States. I wanted to know more about how the Wainwright Agency came into power. I wanted to know how certain cities came to be quarantined, why they were quarantined, etc. I just felt like there were a lot of unanswered questions that could have been touched upon, making the book as a whole a lot stronger.

Another issue I had was the ending. It wasn’t necessarily a cliffhanger, but it felt very abrupt and a bit too easy. The characters struggled throughout the rest of the book, but then right before the end things just fell into place. I almost felt like the story was moving along well and then all of a sudden the author ran out of room and was just like “here you go!” and threw the ending onto the pages.

But overall I really enjoyed the book. The plot was fast-paced, gut-wrenching, and original. I was completely invested in the story and I tore through the pages. The characters were enjoyable and easy to relate to. I am extremely interested in seeing where the story goes next and will definitely be continuing on with the series. Happy reading all!

Have you read this book? Were you as heart-broken as I was over this whole situation? Did you also want to punch the government in the face?