Adaptation

I feel about this like how I felt about [b:Ash 6472451 Ash Malinda Lo https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1286563960s/6472451.jpg 6550542], which is like... I wanted to like it more than I actually liked it. I'm stoked that there's a bi love triangle and diverse characters in a sci-fi conspiracy thriller! But also... eh? I'll definitely rec this to teens–perhaps those who aren't so jaded will find this less predictable/annoying. And of course lots of teens will be happy to see characters like themselves reflected in the pages.

This book opened up with birds going crazy and plunging into the ground (to their deaths) or flying en masse into airplanes causing crashes all over the world.

My first thought was what is happening here?

As I continued reading, I grew more and more fascinated - and more and more confused.

Mysteries, secrets, and conspiracies oh my!

This is one book where I couldn't possibly have predicted what was really going on.

That makes me adore Malinda Lo.

Reese is my favorite kind of main character. As her life is imploding and the world around her seems to be going crazy, she doesn't keep everything to herself (even though the government required her to sign an NDA after her accident). She finds ways to talk to her mom (yes - her mother). She decides - with David - that it's okay to bring her best friend Julian into the loop. She doesn't just suffer in silence and try to fix the world herself. I get so angry with characters who do that!

Her mom is actually involved in her life. That never happens in YA! A large chunk of the book is dedicated to Reese discovering that she likes girls (too). Her mom catches her kissing a girl, and there's no drama whatsoever surrounding the scene. LOVE.

I do think the ending was wrapped up a little too neatly (in what world would the government release Reese and David simply because of media pressure?) but I'm excited to see what happens next. This story is far from over.