Revolutionary - Krista McGee

Revolutionary  is the third and final installment in the Anomaly trilogy.  Thalli, Berk, Rhen, Dallas, and Alex are back in the State, under the control of Dr. Loudin.  They are trying to find a way to work together to thwart his plans to remain in control of not just the State, but to reach out and control or annihilate the remaining pockets of survivors on the surface.  Can Thalli trust the Designer to work all things for good?  How does she explain the things she learns of and the horrors she witnesses?  Can she and her friends stop Dr. Loudin?

I have enjoyed this series, beginning with Anomaly, and found this to be a fairly satisfying conclusion.  Dr. Loudin is written as so truly evil that I hated him passionately as I read, and I ached for Thalli and her friends as they experienced his torture and twisted plans.  He was truly a futuristic-based Hitler.  As true to character as his plotline fell, it was hard to read; the torture and deaths were agonizing and grievous.  My biggest issue was that I felt that the ending was abrupt, and it left me feeling unresolved.

Overall, I feel like this trilogy is a viable alternative to the current YA dystopia trend.  There may be more complex storylines and settings, but this trilogy's search for meaning and the Designer gives this series depth and purpose that a secular book would leave untapped.  Thalli's experiences, within her constructed setting, of searching for faith and experiencing God - as well as her doubts - rang true, and not over-the-top.  I could definitely see this trilogy as a set of movies or a mini-series; the cast of developed characters was small, but well-rounded, and the setting was intriguing and easily visualized.

I give this book 3.5 stars.  Having read everything the author has written thus far, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

You can find Revolutionary HERE.
You can find Krista's website HERE.

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson, as part of their booklook bloggers program, in exchange for my honest review.

Anomaly - by Krista McGee

Within the State, productivity is paramount.  To this end, emotions, curiosity, and relationships are not only frowned upon, but they have been mostly eradicated through DNA manipulation of the generations.  However, Thalli is considered an Anomaly; created to be her pod's musician, she pours all of her illicit emotions into her music.  The creators of the State, the Ten Scientists, watch Thalli closely, and when it becomes obvious through her reactions to an ancient piece of music that she cannot function within the confines of the State's rules, they schedule her for annihilation.  Removed from her Pod, with only her childhood friend Berk, now a promising Scientist, fighting for her survival, Thalli meets John who speaks to her about the Designer.  What is Thalli to believe now?  Is there more to life than the Scientists allow?  Is there a purpose to her "malformation"? Is there any hope for her to escape death?  Does she even want to, or is death really only the beginning?

I was very excited to get this book for review - I really enjoyed Krista McGee's first trilogy, First Date, Starring Me, and Right Where I Belong.  This book did not disappoint.  Although a departure from the author's initial genre, delving into dystopia, her characters are just as well developed, and her fictionally generated world draws the reader in, making it easy to imagine living in a world where the earth's surface has been eradicated and the only remaining civilization is contained underground.  Eerily possible, too, is a world where the Scientists controlling such a world have erased any emotion or connection to God.  Yet, even there, there is a remnant of God's faithful, a sole believer who has survived to teach others of His existence.  This portion of the story really drew me in - as Thalli not only had to learn of a God she never heard of, but also concepts like love and marriage that were foreign to her.

Although the levels of manipulation within the story toed the line of implausible, the story was still well done, and I enjoyed it very much.  I was excited to see that it's the first in a trilogy, but heavily disappointed to see that #2 isn't due out until next summer!

I give this book 4 stars, and I can't wait to see where Ms. McGee takes this story!

You can find Anomaly HERE.
You can find Krista McGee's blog HERE. (She's even doing an iPad Mini Giveaway right NOW!)

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson publishers, as part of their BookSneeze program, in exchange for my honest review.

Right Where I Belong - by Krista McGee

Right Where I Belong, by Krista McGee, follows Natalia Lopez as she makes the decision to leave Spain and follow her ex-stepmother, Maureen, to Tampa, Florida, after her father's divorce.  Maureen has led Natalia to a faith in Jesus, and Natalia has no other Christian support system remaining in Spain.  Both her father and her mother support the idea of her departure, saying it will look good on her college applications to attend a high school in the States.  Once Natalia arrives, however, her new friends and the education she's receiving at a small Christian high school may lead her to find a calling that her parents would have never expected.  Natalia herself comes face-to-face with unexpected developments as she has vowed to herself to remain single, and yet can't stop thinking about a certain tall, red-headed, pastor's son.

This book was a loose follow-up to First Date and Starring Me, with some of the characters from the previous two stories making an appearance.  However, the book would function fine as a stand-alone, and I actually found myself disappointed that Addy and Kara didn't feature more prominently in this installment.  In fact, I found most of the supporting characters in this story much flatter than the previous two novels.  Natalia was sort of a one-woman-show for this book, and while her story was interesting, I would have liked to have seen a stronger supporting cast.  Natalia's hunger for knowledge of God was admirable, and I liked seeing her character and behavior change as she learned more of who God was and what He wanted for her and from her.  She wasn't the only character to change in the book, and although I wanted more from the other characters, it was good to see them change as well, and to catch glimpses of strong Christians who had had their own struggles with the faith.

I give this book 3 stars.  If I hadn't been hoping for more to Addy and Kara's stories, I think I would have had fewer reservations about it.
I reviewed First Date HERE.
I reviewed Starring Me HERE.
You can find Krista's website HERE.  It looks like she has the start of a new trilogy coming out this year, and I can't wait to find out more about it!

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson, as part of their BookSneeze program, in exchange for my honest review.

Starring Me - by Krista McGee

We first met Kara McKormick in First Date, where she befriended Addy during the reality show to win a date with the President's son.  When we pick up with Kara in Starring Me, she and Addy are still friends, and Kara is hoping to pursue a career in acting.  The opportunity arises for her to audition for a teen-driven variety show, but what Kara doesn't know is that the audition is based less on talent and more on her character.  Even less expected is that this search for a career will also lead her to God.

Chad Beacon is one of America's current heartthrobs.  Having celebrity land in his lap after winning a reality talent contest, he is hoping to broaden his career options by adding acting to his resume.  His parents know that if he is to spend a significant amount of time with a female co-star, his heart will become invested in her, and so they, understandably, want a say in choosing the actress.

I really enjoyed First Date, and had been looking forward to learning more about Kara in this sequel. Her spunkiness and her friendship with Addy continued to enrich the story.  Kara's family, too, added life and depth to the book, and felt like a family I would love to be a part of.  I loved watching her journey of faith, from her complete denial of the existence of God, to the questioning of his existence, to her acceptance and joy at the discovery that He loved her.  Her emotions always felt real and honest, and for the most part, the people that helped her get there seemed genuine.

My only issue with the book was perhaps that Chad felt too perfect.  He didn't really seem to struggle with anything, and even though his faith was his own, he was very quick to agree with everything his parents suggested.  I've known solid teenage Christians, but I don't know if I've ever known someone that in sync with their parents.  His character felt a little flat for all the perfection.

Overall, this was a great sequel.  And I was still left wanting more!  It isn't super deep, but there are some thought-provoking elements to keep it from being too light.  Kara's struggles to decide between career and family, even her decisions over which career path to choose, these are things that most readers can identify with on some level.  Watching how God orchestrated her path to draw her to Himself can cause us to wonder where He has worked in our lives to draw us to Him.

I give this book 4 stars.  I definitely recommend that you read First Date first, and then follow it up with this enjoyable sequel!

You can read Krista's blog HERE.  I look forward to reading more from this author!

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

First Date - by Krista McGee

First Date is a fun, lighthearted book about Addy Davidson, a high-school student at a small Christian school, who is chosen to be one of one hundred girls vying for a chance to win a date to prom with the President's son. Addy resists the idea from the very beginning, not even wanting to participate, but allows her Uncle Mike and principal to convince her to at least get on the plane. Convinced that she still doesn't want to be a part of the reality show, she tries to get kicked off as soon as possible. Being herself without the pretenses and ambitions of the other contestants, however, draws the positive attention of the First Son, and the negative attentions of the producer, as well as the majority of the other contestants who feel she is making a mockery of their chance for stardom. Addy comes to the conclusion that if God has put her in this competition, then she needs to be the light He has made her to be, whether that means being nice to the girls who are out to sabotage her or sharing her faith in a very public forum.

After the last several books that I have read, this was a welcome change. A light, quick read, I enjoyed the characters and found Addy to be easy to relate to. A quiet, hardworking student, who wants to stay out of the spotlight and focus on getting into college, you wanted to root for her. The setting of a reality show was current and enjoyable as a light read, and the ambitious backstabbing of the other contestants felt all too plausible. It was nice that Addy had someone who stuck up for her, though, and I enjoyed watching Addy transition from doing everything she could to escape the situation to doing what she could for God. Not perfect, by even her own admission, but courageous enough to try what she felt called to do. I also enjoyed that even though there were predictable aspects to the story, they felt natural and occurred with reasonable lead-up and follow-through. And the ending was not entirely predictable, but that made it enjoyable. It also looks like there will be a sequel, with Addy's roommate and friend, Kara, as the main story; I look forward to following these characters.

I give this book 3.5 stars - a nice break from heavier reading, but no life-changing depth or revelations.

I received this book for free as part of the Thomas Nelson Booksneeze books for bloggers program. I was not required to give a positive review.