Awakening Review

400 pages
Release date: April 9th, 2013

Once a GEN (genetically engineered nonhuman) girl terrified of her first Assignment, Kayla is now a member of the Kinship, a secret organization of GENs, lowborns, and trueborns. Kayla travels on Kinship business, collecting information to further the cause of GEN freedom. Despite Kayla’s relative freedom, she is still a slave to the trueborn ruling class. She rarely sees trueborn Devak, and any relationship between them is still strictly forbidden. Kayla longs to be truly free, but other priorities have gotten in the way. A paradoxically deadly new virus has swept through GEN sectors—a disease only GENs catch. And GEN warrens and warehouses are being bombed, with only a scrawled clue: F.H.E. Freedom, Humanity, Equality. With the virus and the bombings decimating the GEN community, freedom and love are put on the back burner as Kayla and her friends find a way to stop the killing . . . before it’s too late.

Review (ARC):
This novel wasn't as exceptionally good as the first one but it still held its own. Kayla is strong, physically and mentally, even though she is a GEN. Kayla's life has changed quite a bit since joining the Kinship. Although the prejudice against GENs still exist, Kayla has found a satisfying, yet dangerous existance in helping the Kinship. The relationship between Kayla and Devak is complicated due to their different stations in life, and doesn't seem as if it will get any better. Then there is the issue with the Kinship supposedly helping the GENS. Even with all of the work being put towards equalization of the different classes, progress doesn't seem to be taking place. This story is a mass of intrigue as Kayla tries to figure out several different mysteries that all seem to be connected. Although there isn't a lot of action, the mystery of the bombings and the virus kept my eyes glued to each page until the end. I'm really interested to see how Kayla's story continues as well as the progression to freeing the GENs, in the next novel of this series. I would recommend this novel if you like science fiction but make sure to pick up Tankborn first.