Review: Reboot (Amy Tintera)

Title: Reboot
Series: Reboot, Book 1
Author: Amy Tintera
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Thriller
Told: First Person (Wren), Past Tense
Content Rating: Older Teen (violence, sensuality, minor innuendo)
Format Read: ARC (trade)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase On: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Summary:

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

*          *          *

In Three Words: Fast. Thrilling. Fierce.

Writing: Quick and easy.

Setting: Texas after (1) a virus that brings people back from the dead (aka zombies, but not) creates "Reboots"; (2) said Reboots wage war against the regular humans; and (3) the Reboots are defeated and a government-like group enslaves them to help keep the peace in their "new" and "better" Texas, aka all that remains of the human race. (At least, that was my impression.) A narrow setting, but an interesting one that worked well for the story.

Story: Wren 178 is content with her life as a Reboot soldier and newbie trainer until she impulsively takes on (and falls for) Callum, a new "recruit" who just can't cut it. When HARC threatens to eliminate him, Wren and Callum go on the run in search of a rumored Reboot haven. It was a simple plot, but this left room for a lot of action and Wren's emotional struggle.

Characters: Wren was fierce and strong - when she was fighting. For a girl who wasn't supposed to have any emotions, she showed them a lot. I was little disappointed by this, but her discovering her "human side" was the major point of the book, so I let it go. Callum was fun and cocky and stubborn and perfect for bringing out the human in Wren. For a weak guy, though, he seemed to have a ton of strength when it counted - which actually made me rather suspicious of him.

Romantic Relationship: While I felt Callum rather ruined strong and independent Wren with his romantic advances, he turned out to be good for her, giving her life a real purpose after years of stagnation.

Conclusion: While I would have preferred Wren show a little less emotion, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will definitely read it again. And I most certainly look forward to the rest of the series.

Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles