Feb 25, 2015

Review: The Replaced by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Replaced
Author: Kimberly Dertin
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: 4.28.2015
Pages: 368
Genre: Young Adult, SciFi, Romance
Series: The Taking #2
Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: 3 ½ Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):
Kyra hasn't been the same since she returned from her mysterious five-year disappearance. Now, on the run from the NSA, Kyra is forced to hide out with others who, like her, have been Returned. Yet she is determined to find Tyler, the boy she loves who was also abducted—all because of her. When her group intercepts a message that Tyler might still be alive but is in the hands of a shadowy government organization that experiments on the Returned, Kyra knows it's a risk to go after him. What if it's a trap? And worse, what if the returned Tyler isn't the same boy she lost? 

Perfect for fans of The Fifth Wave and the Body Finder series, The Replaced is both chilling and explosive, with creepy, otherworldly elements and twisty, psychological thrills that will have you questioning what exactly it means to be human. 

Review:
After the heart-stopping ending of THE TAKING, I was desperate for more. More Kyra, more Tyler, more alien crazy, more EVERYTHING. But I have to admit, I'm a little let down by this book.

Let's start with what I loved: I loved Kyra in this book (OK, she makes a few bonehead mistakes, but she's a teenager who was abducted by aliens and Returned 5 years later - cut her a break). She's a fantastic narrator and Kimberly Derting writes her in a way that you cannot help but root for her.

The entire Replaced element ... I loved it. It is a total game changer, and that is all I'll say without spoiling you. But trust me - it's EPIC.

My biggest let down: The romance. I'm not going to get into specifics but a couple of things happened here that made me wonder why Tyler and Kyra ever got together in book 1. Because what happens here? Total 180. It's not a BAD decision, mind you. I enjoyed the romance, but it made the romance in book 1 fell invalidated, and since so much of Kyra and Tyler’s relationship played a part in THE TAKING, it kind of made the book feel like a waste of time.

Confused yet? Good. So am I - and I read the book.


I will read the last book because I'm curious to see how it ends, but I do fell a little let down and my expectations for the ending are now more of a mild curiosity than a burning desire to dive back in.

4 comments:

  1. I liked book one, but wasn't in love with it. Sad that book two isn't as good. Maybe I'll wait to see what people think of book 3 before reading this one.

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  2. Hmmm... I wasn't crazy about the first book. Mainly due to the romance actually. I thought it was a bit quick and just kind of felt weird with the whole age difference/no age difference thing? But now my curiosity is piqued with this 180 on the romance. What does that mean, Hannah???

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  3. I didn't even know Kimberly Derting wrote a new book, lol. It does sound confusing, so I'm not sure if I'll end up checking this one out. Thanks for the honest review, love!

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  4. I haven't read book one (story of my life!), but I planned to. Is it worth it?

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