Uninvited

Summary:
Davy starts out on top of the world. She is homecoming queen, a musical prodigy, and on her way to Julliard. Her boyfriend is hot and everything is coming up roses, until her genetic testing comes back and she is found to have to have the Homicidal Tendency Syndrome. Now she has been uninvited from her private school and forced to attend a new school and is segregated from all of the regular kids. Then she is sent to this mysterious training facility and she doesn't exactly know what to do or why she is there.

My thoughts:
I wanted to love this book. I love Sophie Jordan. She is on e of the few author's that has personally been involved with my students and helped me out with a project I completed on young adult literature. That doesn't just happen all of the time. So, I was biased going into this novel. The premise of the book sounded interesting and dystopians are my favorite, so I jumped in. Unfortunately, I never built that special bond with Davy. I actually found that I liked Sean more than anything. He is much more of a hero to me than Davy is. Also, I found that Davy was a little slow on the uptake. For someone that was on top of the world with everything and in a prestigious school, I just figured she would pick up on things quickly. She doesn't. It's almost to the point where I wanted someone to bop her over the head. Overall, I enjoyed the plot in spite of the fact that I wasn't really interested in Davy.

I have read Jordan's dragon novel, Firelight, and though I recall it being a bit silly, I do remember it fondly. This is less of a traditional fantasy, and more of a dystopian fiction novel - set about ten years in the future. In Jordan's vision of the future, science has narrowed down the gene responsible for violent behavior. Davy, a seventeen year old senior and musical prodigy, has everything going for her - the hottest boy in his school loves her, her best friend vies for her attention and she's all set to attend Julliard. And in an instant, this perfect life falls apart. The results from Davy's gene test have come in - and she is a carrier of the HTS gene, colloquially known as the kill gene.

Thrust into a new school, with new rules governing her life, feared by her friends and family, Davy struggles to navigate her life marked as a dangerous killer. Carriers of the gene are treated as second-class citizens (reminiscent of Hillary Jordan's When She Woke) and give America the feel of Nazi Germany more than the puritanical Hawthorne overtones of Jordan's novel. The second half of the book - with Davy even further removed from her former life - reminds me a bit of Mind Games by Kiersten White. It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I hope that the sequel will be released soon! It's a fast paced novel - I think I read it in about three hours! With the violence, romance and age of the protagonists, this is for the older end of the YA market. the interludes between chapters hint at a broader scope than just Davy's story, so it will be interesting to see what Jordan will do with these characters and this grim version of the future that she has created. I imagine it will incite some interesting discussions amongst its readers - and I definitely plan on reading a sequel.

I chose an audiobook format for this book, mostly because the narrator was Rebecca Gibel and I absolutely adored her narration of Splintered and Unhinged, thankfully her performance did not disappoint. Gibel's voice aids Sophie Jordan in her dystopian tale of the other, and what are we risking by containing said "other."

Plot: What caught my eye about this title was the idea that the impulse to kill another human being can be isolated by a gene. I'm happy to say that this novel did not disappoint and I can't wait to see how Jordan expands on the government's treatment of these imprinted individuals in the concluding novel. The pacing for this is perfect and Sophie Jordan took Davy's journey a lot further than I had expected. You start by experiencing a the day in the life of Davy Hamilton, perfect grades, perfect boyfriend, perfect life. That all falls to pieces when she gets word of her HTS status, and you get to experience her fall from social acceptance. The book really got interesting in the last act as the government started to take more drastic measurements against HTS carriers. One thing that really helped keep the story interesting were the random transcripts/letters/conversations regarding Davy's family, occurrences of HTS-carriers committing crimes, and the government's plan for HTS-carriers.

Characters: I liked all of the characters from this novel. Davy Hamilton started off being somewhat unlikable because she's got the "how could this happen to perfect ME?" attitude in the beginning. She kind of reminded me of Piper Chapman from Orange is the New Black. Davy's love interest, Sean, also interested me; he had an interesting past and had such a dark perspective on life. I just wanted to hold him and tell him that everything will be better. Davy and Sean's love story was also very sweet; it progressed naturally and was never in-your-face-mushy-love-story. Thank God.

Setting: This is a very realistic novel. What do you think the government would do if they found they could weed through DNA and find the serial killers? Yeah, it'd be some GitMo Bay stuff. Uninvited takes place in three general settings and it wasn't until the final setting that I started to get a dystopian feel from this novel. I say this because the entire novel sounded like a natural response to HTS carriers, but of course it all escalated quite quickly.

Audiobook Performance: I know I'm not an audiobook expert but I LOVE me some Rebeca Gibel. I really love the different voices she has all the characters and her delivery is perfect. You can hear the fear in Sean's voice and how distraught Davy is. In terms of performance alone, I give the audio book 4/5.

Short n Sweet: Uninvited is a great novel for any dystopian fan that will get you invested in this world and has you guessing what happens next. The characterization is strong and you will be rooting for Sean and Davy from the moment they lock eyes on each other. I can't wait for the final installment!

Review originally posted on A Kernel of Nonsense blog.

The United States is in a state of desperation. The number of murders across the nation has grown exponentially. With no real solution in sight, society turns to its scientists who believe they have isolated the gene found in those who commit murder. Testing is now the norm, those with Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS) are driven to the outskirts of society–shunned by their peers and in more extreme cases, imprisoned in camps.

Davy Hamilton has everything going for her: a promising college career in music, doting parents, and a loving boyfriend. When the results for Davy’s HTS test come back positive, Davy can hardly believe it. Her once bright future begins to crumble before her eyes. When her friends and family begin to pull away, Davy is left feeling abandoned. Her only anchor is a fellow carrier, Sean O’Rouke, who becomes the only person she can turn to.
Uninvited is another case of a book’s plot being more interesting than its characters. Fearing the worst, society has taken to openly condemning those who haven’t committed a crime. The problem with this sort of thinking is equating two very different truths: having the potential to commit a murder is not the same thing as committing said murder. And there are other crimes that I consider more horrendous than murder and those who might not have HTS can commit crimes just as evil and sometimes more evil.

Society believes that those with HTS are ticking time bombs, but don’t seem to see the problem with isolating and mistreating these people. I’m not saying they should wine and dine them in hopes that they won’t turn on them, but they must see that beating them and sticking them in camps can aggravate these ‘dangerous’ people. It doesn’t seem too smart to me.

Sophie Jordan’s Uninvited is filled with too many static characters and cliché relationships. No one in Davy’s life steps up to the plate when she tests positive for HTS except her older brother, who we are told is kind of a screw-up. The problem is his reaction to her situation is a tad violent, making him look a little unhinged for which we are given no explanation. Davy’s social circle is comprised of undeveloped characters who are only a means to isolate her without contributing anything else to the storyline. Davy and Sean’s relationship is…well, let’s just say that I’ve read it before. Privileged girl, dangerous boy, brooding looks, silent stares. I’m pretty sure they have only a handful of conversations before Davy is suddenly worried what Sean thinks of her, maybe even less. There isn’t enough depth to either character, but especially Sean.

I loved Uninvited from the minute I started reading the first page. It first took me back to high school with the young love. Then it intrigued me with the HTS screening debut. I thought, oooh this is going to be interesting and it was. I could barely put the book down for work lol Davy's character is so seemingly gentle and her musical talents seem impressive. The storyline was also very good. Seeing so many of the people she cares about turn on her (over something she had no control over) so quickly was crazy. I did think that something was going on between her boyfriend and her friend which was insult to injury to her. It's so crazy how one minute your life is great and the next all hell breaks loose. I love how her brother was so encouraging. It's important to have someone in your life that is when things have gone awry. I will say that there were some serious questions unanswered (like how Sean got his brand) but I can live with that because after all, I plan to read "Unleashed" here shortly. All in all I loved the story and am curious to see how it all ends; especially with all that was happening. Sophie Jordan is a new author to me but she definitely has earned my admiration with Uninvited.

What an AMAZING story!!!!!!!
Congrats to Mrs. Jordan for an incredible gift as an author!!!!!!

Simply WOW!!!!! What a storyline!!!!! Ms. Jordan does a great job in crafting characters we truly hate & can't stand!! First Davy's perfect life was painfully shredded to bits after having being diagnosed with the 'killer gene' HTC! A suppose DNA test that can predict who the killers & murders are in order to protect society from them, but it has reached a point that it's nothing more then a Witch Hunt!

Grrrrr Power craze & few in charge of the mass is messed up lead by a Mr. ( not calling him doctor because it's a crime against all the those who truly help in our medical professions) Wainwright gaining the authority to segregate kids to adults with this HTC gene!

Turning society against them is a key factor in how we get so brainwashed in (any) society!
Second further screening needs to be implanted because anyone can kill given a reason,which is messed up that ruin the lives of individuals with bright careers & lives ahead like Davy! That said the story would not be what it is if only 'real' criminals were sentenced to these regulations away from the rest of society & later sent to interment camps!

A Witch Hunt that they do not have the means to control the number of growing carriers to HTC to those who are 'unaffected'
What I hate most is that her own BFF & BF (back then) turn Davy in to get branded like a cow wearing H tattooed on her chest like it's an A from Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter! WTF so called friends that are suppose to love & support you even her family only her brother was there, but still he could not do much!!
LOVE SEAN & GIL the truest friends anyone can hope to find!!!!!

Despite cruel twist that happened to Davy's life Ms. Jordan created excellent characters in helping Davy cope with this new harsh life & eeeekkkss sooo excited when Sean came & saved Davy in the bathroom from the scumbag of a teacher & later with her branding & fights in Mt. Haven!

Reminds me of Four & Tris in Divergent (awesome book) yipppeeeee!!!
Not to by into appearances & a mindless drone to a prefabricated society!!

FREE WILL STILL EXISTS!!!! A tough female that comes from privilege to rise up & stand up for herself while making the best friends along the way!!!

Value of BELIEVING IN YOURSELF!!!! Power of friendship & TRUE LOVE....triumphs against all odds!!!!!!

Can't wait to read the sequel see how Davy, Sean & Gil go next!!!!!!!

Highly recommend!!!!! ❤️

Given recent advances in genetic testing, it's good to get teens thinking about genetic testing and potential government policies that could flow from it. For example, most people would probably agree violence is in part genetic/biological wiring, and in part environmental influences. And they'd agree that you shouldn't imprison people unless they've actually committed a crime. But, when people are afraid, all of that goes out of the window. It still amazes me that we interned the Japanese, for example, during World War II. Made them leave their homes and put them in a separate camp. For the sole "crime" of being Japanese. Sound familiar?? It will if you read this book.

This book imagines a world in which a "killer" gene has been identified. The masses become afraid of them (and politicians/leaders feed and foment this fear) and policy makers use that fear to separate "killers" from the public. First to allow them in the community but school them separately, eventually to isolate them completely in camps.

Another point that is addressed is that by TREATING the kids who have the gene like killers, that puts into play environmental forces (rejection, isolation, etc...) that actually MAKE some of the kids become killers.

And, of course there are those who would try to exploit this "killer" gene and turn them into well trained weapons of some sort.

Anyway, others have described the plot of the book well. Beautiful Davy has a perfect life until she is found to have the killer gene. Then she loses her perfect life and realizes how fragile her happiness was, how fragile her relationships were. Only her family stands by her, but she is eventually separated from them and put into a training camp and has to learn to deal with a wide range of teens labeled as "killers" like herself -- some of them clearly unhinged and aggressive.

The writing in general was a little too staccato for my liking, but the author tells a good story. I could see it as a movie, lots of things seemed to be written like she was describing a movie in her mind. I liked the way the author led into some of the chapters with an exchange of terse text messages. I thought it was an effective way to provide a lot of context without a lot of verbal exposition.

Overall, 4 stars, I'm definitely engaged enough to read the sequel!

I wanted to read Uninvited because the synopsis appealed to me. I can't imagine isolating a gene like that and then all of the sudden being told that you have the killer gene. The ramifications as well as the fallout, friends and possibly family isolating you, jobs, school, and how you're viewed all changed in an instant intrigues me and I like the premise. I've also been wanting to read something by Sophie Jordan because I know her other series was popular but I just haven't had a chance to get caught up, so with a new series, I have a new chance.
I connected with Davy, she is smart and good at music, something I admire in others but have no talent for myself. Her reactions to finding out she had the gene was emotional, and lived up to what I was expecting. I can't imagine myself in her shoes, but I imagine that I would react similarly. She is naive at times, but I love how her world view is forced to shift as she fights against being labeled. But she discovers others that she sympathizes, connects with, wonders why they are marked, or are they like her and feel they are there by mistake. She is a rich white female, so she doesn't fit the profile of a violent person, someone capable of murder, and that leaves her with less in common with others in the Cage, the other carriers at her new school. But as she gets to know some of them, they have more in common than she'd once thought, even if only their future has been jerked from them and they have limited options for college, jobs, and the rest of their lives.
As for as romance, at the very beginning, I had to keep telling myself not to like Zac, the above mentioned boyfriend in the synopsis, because I knew that regardless of the chemistry they had, that he was going to be a douche. Sure enough, even though he wasn't as bad as her other friends, he still proved himself unworthy.
The mystery of Sean was great. He was an enigma in the HTS world, people seemed to fear him, and I wanted to know why. Because each encounter he had with Davy was intense, but he showed kindness to her. There is some incredible tension between the two, and it was easy to start rooting for a romance between them instead of silly old Zac. He showed up at just the right time to help her and get her out of tough situations, or just to help her pick herself up off the floor when she's down.
The pacing was great, as well as easing us into the changes in the world, while at the same time providing the details we need to know in a unique format. At the beginning of some chapters, there are short government fyi's or convos between senators and those leading the program in charge of those with HTS, or even between Zac and her friend Tori. It kept my attention at all times, whether its character development and change of Davy, mystery with Sean, building the relationship between Davy and her troublemaker but non-HTS carrier Mitchell, to other action that moved the plot along.
Thinking back though, the world building didn't make sense in a few areas, especially New Haven. Their abilities and why they were chosen if they were just to be trained for fighting kinda puzzled me, but this may be revealed in the next book. That aside, that doesn't take away any of my enjoyment of the series, it is one that I didn't want to put down.
The ending wrapped up the threads of this book pretty well, and I am excited to get into the next book of the series to see what happened after the exciting ending.

Bottom Line: Action packed with a likable main character who gets tougher as she's trust into a whole new and intriguing to me world.

I actually was really skeptic about this story from the very beginning, but I decided the cover was really neat and it really drew me into reading this. I am so glad that I did read it because this book was an AMAZING read. I loved how the characters just pull you to want to protect them. Also that it makes you wonder if this could ever happen and how would you feel to be judged so quickly. This is an amazing book and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Uninvited is a very emotional book. Not just sad. I was angry, happy, devastated, hopeful. I mean, you name it, I probably felt it. For a book to bring so many conflicting emotions for a reader, is a good book. No, a fantastically amazing book. Not only were my emotions all over the place, my mind was spinning from overload. It really makes you think. I’ll be honest, some of the thoughts I had probably would have marked me as a carrier, if that’s how it worked.

In a futuristic world where everyone is tested for HTS ( Homicidal Tendency Syndrome), Davy’s life is thrown upside down when she tests positive for the gene. Shunned, bullied and treated like animals, there really isn’t ANY hope for a future for these people. Davy, being a good girl and musical prodigy, learns first hand the obstacles, pain and horrifying future that lays ahead of her. In the course of two days, her life changes drastically from a good school, a future, friends and a boyfriend; to having only her brother and fellow carriers as allies– and even that’s a stretch.

Could you even imagine? Being treated so shitty because of something you MIGHT do? To be arrested on site for being outside after curfew. One HINT at violence and you are literally branded? Being put in a cage with others like you, just in case you might snap at school.. To have everyone you love, turn on you in matter of HOURS? Having your life turned upside down in a matter of days. This, is Uninvited.

What I loved most about this book, aside from the feels and such, was that it touches on the subject of Nature VS Nurture. Are we born into what we become? Or does our experience in life, the way we are treated mold is into who we are? The thing is; fear and anger are real monsters. After a few carriers do something horrifying, there are protesters, attacks and changes to where the carriers are located, resulting in several carriers being harmed and killed. You see where I am going with this? These people are TOLD they will snap, hurt and kill one day; yet THEY are the ones being hurt and killed by those WITHOUT the gene. Example;

“Ironically, being labeled a dangerous individual has left me a target for violence. How messed up is that?” quote at 16% of eARC

“Because last week I was functioning in the real word. I was better than functioning. But now I have to prove it?” quote at 18% of eARC

It’s mind-boggling. I also really loved the small chapter breaks. We get to see more this way and I looked forward to reading those.

As much as my heart went out to Davy, she is really hard to like. She is the BIGGEST hypocrite. Granted she, like everyone else, thought all carriers were dangerous and deserved how they were treated. Until she was one. She was constantly going on about how it was a mistake, they were wrong and she vowed to prove everyone wrong; that she wasn’t a killer. Yet, she was terrified of other carriers, made comments about those who were marked and generally thought of them as the bad guy(s). It was SO FRUSTRATING. However; it felt real. No one changes their beliefs and values over night. Over time, she started to realize that there were carriers were good people. That there were BAD people out there that, supposedly, did not have the gene. She was a very strong girl though. She adapted, changed and it was so inspiring to see her break out of her mold. What she went threw was just so sad, especially something that happened towards the end with Sean and another carrier.

There is a slow brewing romance too. Sean. It took me a long time to warm up to him. He was so difficult to READ. But his actions, in a way, spoke for him. He was generally a good guy. Yes, he was quick to fly off the handle, especially where Davy was concerned but that is just a protective instinct, not a KILLER instinct. I can’t tell you how many times this guy got in a fight. Although Davy had Gil (a fellow carrier), Sean was the one that was really there for her. He gave her the tough love that she needed to realize that THIS was her life now. That there were worse things than death and that she had to own and deal with the cards she was dealt. My only qualm about their relationship? It took something DRASTIC for Sean to wake the hell up. It was just so obvious that she really cared for him and it kind of pissed me off that it took THAT for him too see it.

My Peeve- Well, I felt like we didn’t get much history/backstory on the start of the testing. Sure, increase of violence was obviously the trigger but what made them test for THAT? When did it start? Also, the book is split into two parts, CLEARLY, but I couldn’t get over how.. different it all seemed. It felt like a completely different book. Maybe if it had been a longer period of time between the two parts? I don’t know.

Overall- I loved it. Was it perfect? No. But any book can that make me think and bring about every single emotion deserves love. This book will stay with you long after you finish. I highly recommend it. I can’t wait for the next book!

Uninvited was a fast and interesting read featuring a good, well-behaved heroine thrust into a violent, cruel, and unfair life simply because she was tested positive for the Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTC) gene, also known as the kill gene.

THE STORY

My first impression of the book was that the concept was fresh. I don't read many books with a concept like the kill gene, and it was nice to read about something a little different. At the same time, though, I thought the rest of the book was formulaic. There was the good girl with a good boyfriend (that of course, turns out to be a complete jerk) whose life suddenly falls from popularity for whatever horrible reason and the seemingly bad, tattooed, scarred, and mysterious guy who she was obviously going to fall for. I regretfully made a note of this at 24 percent through the book, feeling a touch disappointed in the book.

Thankfully, though, that disappointment was quickly forgotten as the book twisted a little and veered away from the path of my expectations. It became an even more interesting read, now that I could enjoy the story without worrying so much that the story accompanying the great concept turned out to be less formulaic than I though it would be.

THE SCIENCE

The genetics is a bit shaky. It didn't go into depth into how the kill gene was passed down and what it really meant to be a "carrier." There wasn't very much explanation behind why Davy was a carrier and the rest of her family didn't, even though the only way for her to even get the kill gene in the first place was if her parents both technically carried kill genes as well. I can only assume that being declared as being a carrier of the kill gene actually means having two recessive alleles expressing for HTC or having some sort of genetic mutation, but all I can do is assume that because there was hardly any spotlight on the genetics behind the syndrome.

Besides seeing more explanation, I would've loved to see more science and genetics in general built into the story. There was only a small amount of it, and it would've been really cool to see more done with a really cool and interesting scientific concept. However, that's not weighing too heavily on my opinion of the book because Uninvited is the first of a series. There's plenty of room for more science later on.

THE HEROINE

I really liked Davy, despite the fact that I can never remember her name (I get name amnesia often). She was nice and normal—not the ruthless, bloodthirsty killer that people expect a one with the kill gene to be. She had to be constantly saved by Sean in fights or other tough situations, but that didn't necessarily mean she wasn't strong. She just needed to adjust to her new life and develop a tougher skin and show she was capable of demonstrating her strength.

OVERALL

I quite enjoyed reading Uninvited. Despite the disappointments in the beginning quarter, I loved the story. It was fast, interesting, and definitely not dull. And it's definitely worth reading!

Source: I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss in return for an honest review.

This book was nothing like what I expected and that was a great thing. I went into this book not really sure what I was expecting out of it but the premise intrigued me and made me want to read this one. I can't even imagine this world that Davy was living in. I mean imagine being a teen on top with everything you could want and you are also talented and a great student and then it is all snatched away from you because of what you may become. I loved that the author touched on such a topic because it really made you think what happens when people already expect you to become a horrible person. I loved that despite what Davy was labeled as she refused to become what they wanted her to be. I loved her spirit and positive attitude throughout this book and was rooting for her to come out on top. As we get deeper into the book we soon learn that things may not be what they seem and you start not being able to tell the good guys from the bad and I loved every minute of it.

Davy soon learns her normal life and all that she knew is going to change in major ways. I think the world the author created is one that terrified but yet intrigued me at the same time as I loved finding out everything about how they tested for the kill gene. On the other hand I hated that they were basically willing to write people off as killers and not even give them to chance to prove they could be better. I hated to see how Davy was treated and I have to say it made me not like her parents that much because they really didn't fight for her at all. I loved that Davy was strong enough to endure everything that was being thrown her way but I think I liked it better once she made some friends like her and started to realize that just maybe she would be ok. I have to say that I am loving the friendship that is building between Sean and Davy and I really want to know more about who Sean is. I love the mystery behind him and can't wait to see what will become of him and Davy. I love that the author isn't pushing a instalove romance on us and are letting them slowly become a person the other one can count on.

Overall this was an awesome read and I am already waiting on the next book as I have to know what happens next in Davy's world. The author created a great and terrifying world full of complex characters that I felt connected to and wanted to learn more about. I loved seeing the side of normal people without the HTS gene also because it showed how some people treat those they think are criminals. This book was full of plenty of action and the author wrote with such ease that you get sucked into this book and don't even realize it. This book truly sucked me in and I was sad to see it all end. I am anxiously awaiting the next book. I highly recommend this one to readers of a great story full of great characters and a fast moving plot.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Action packed story filled with love, consequences, and adventure. From the first page, I was hooked and after that it was impossible to put down.

Opening Sentence: I ALWAYS KNEW I WAS DIFFERENT.

The Review:

Davy Hamilton has the perfect life. At the age of three she was deemed a musical prodigy since she could play Chopin on the piano from just hearing it once. As she grew older she developed talents for a dozen different instruments and had a killer voice to go along with it. She only has a few months left of her senior year and once she graduates she will be attending Julliard. Her amazing boyfriend Kyle is going to NYU, so they will be able to stay together. She has her whole future planned, but then one bad test ruins everything.

The government has found a way to test humans for a thing called HTS or the killing gene. If you possess this gene it means that at some point in your life you are going to kill another human being. After Davy is diagnosed as a HTS carrier everything falls apart. Her perfect boyfriend dumps her, her parents can’t be in the same room as her, all her friends stop talking to her, and there is no way Julliard is going to want her now. The only person that doesn’t look at her differently is fellow HTS carrier, Sean, but how can Davy trust someone that is bound to be a killer? She doesn’t feel any different but genetics never lie, so how can Davy even trust herself?

Davy starts off as a really sweet girl, but she lives in a bubble. Growing up with rich parents and being the model child, she has never felt ostracized in anyway. She honestly had the perfect life and when everything is torn away she doesn’t know how to deal with it. She is naïve to think that people won’t treat her differently, but soon reality sets in and she realizes that everyone looks at her differently. She struggles but she also grows immensely throughout the story. I really like Davy, it was easy to sympathize with her. The more I got to know her the more I liked her.

Sean is totally dreamy. He has a bad boy persona, and killer good looks. He grew up in the foster care system and has known that he carried the HTS gene since he was a kid. He doesn’t care what others think of him, and he is not someone you want to mess with. But he is actually a really good person, and he has a protective streak, especially when it comes to Davy. For the most part, Sean’s story remains a mystery, so I’m really looking forward to finding out more about him in the next book.

This was a really addictive book, once I picked it up, it was almost impossible to put down. It is action packed and full of suspense, romance, and intrigue. The cast of characters are compelling and interesting. For the most part, you only really get to know Davy in this book, but I hope in the sequel we get more background on all the secondary characters. Because they are amazing and I would love to know more about them. The plot kept me guessing, but there were times that things felt a little too convenient. The pacing of the book was perfect, I never felt a lull in the story. The ending was satisfying, but it left me anxious for the next book. This really was a great read, and I would highly recommend it to fans of YA dystopian novels, it will not disappoint.

Notable Scene:

Mom looks at me finally. Her lips compress and flatten like it’s hard for her to even look at me. “You can’t go back to school.”

“What? I don’t—”

“Let me finish.” She takes a breath like she’s preparing to dive into deep waters. “You’ve been uninvited.”

Her lip curls at this last bit. Everton Academy never expels students. They “uninvite.” As though the gentle euphemism could mask the reality of what being uninvited means.

I slide a step back. My hip bumps into a table holding an assortment of framed family photos. One hits the floor with a loud crack. I don’t even move to pick it up.

Shaking my head, I whisper, “Why?”

It’s Dad who responds, his voice biting deep with the words that will change everything forever. “You have the kill gene.”

FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of Uninvited. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review

As someone who’s now studying science and who wants to work with people with genetic abnormalities I was fascinated by the idea of the “kill gene” or the gene that codes for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome. Even though the book only takes place about ten years in the future the United States is a very different place. Violence crimes are on the rise and several cities (Dallas, Philadelphia, Phoenix among others) have been lost to hoards of the ultra-violent, or carriers as they’re known. An organization called The Wainwright Group, led by the scientist who discovered the HTS gene, is pretty much running the country, testing for the gene and then monitoring people who test positively.

Davy Hamilton isn’t a violent person. She lives in a rich suburb, she’s a musical genius, and she’s the popular girl with the boyfriend all the other girls lust after. And then everything changes. She’s told she possess the kill gene and her life completely changes. She’s “uninvited” from her fancy private school, her boyfriend breaks up with her, her friends abandon her, and even her parents seem scared of her. Yet Davy doesn’t feel any different.

Watching what happens to Davy after her carrier status is made known was terrible. This girl, with so much promise, is treated like an animal. She begins to attend the local public school, but even there she’s not allowed to mix with the other kids and instead is kept confined to a classroom called the “cage” with five other HTS-positive people and a perverted teacher. Reading the story it’s no wonder that people with HTS are violent. Everything good in their life, whether it be family, friends, talent, or just kindness is stripped away from them. The Wainwright Group classifies these people as violent and horrible, treats them as though they’re violent and horrible, and then what else is there except for them to become violent and horrible?

There is a lot that happens in this book in 384 pages. At times, even though it’s not a slow book, I felt like parts really dragged. The days that Davy spent in the cage at her new school seemed endless, but then I guess to Davy they were. Then, at other times, when things changed, and there’s a lot of change in this book, it felt like it happened really rapidly. Uninvited is also filled with horrible things. As anxious as some of the situations made me I really admired that Sophie Jordan wasn’t afraid to push the envelope and go to a darker place.

There are two really big compliments I can pay to this book. First, I never knew what was going to happen. Obviously I knew Davy was going to be positive for HTS and have her life destroyed and I figured she would fight back in some way, but I never even tried to predict what was going to happen next because I felt like Sophie Jordan was constantly throwing me off balance. Even at the end of this book, which is a cliffhanger, I’m still not really sure what’s going to happen next. Second, while I was reading I kept being reminded of two other books I really enjoyed, The Program and Reboot. The Reboot comparisons came later in the book so I won’t go into them so much, but I thought of The Program from the very beginning. Even though they’re very different situations, the ideas of a society that’s not terribly different from ours and something happening in the main character’s brain that they can’t control, but a scary organization wants to mess with, are true of both books.

Bottom Line: I don’t know if I went into this with low expectations or no just no real idea what it was going to be about, but this book really pleasantly surprised me and I found myself completely drawn into the story and both the science geek and the book lover in me really enjoyed it. Sophie Jordan’s storytelling had me constantly unsure of what would happen, but also dying to know what came next. I can’t wait until the sequel comes out to find out what happens to Davy and the others with the HTS gene.

I received an electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss (thank you!). All opinions are my own.

The premise for this book is so intriguing and it really made for a great story. This is a dystopian done right. Dystopias are very hit or miss for me and this one was definitely a hit! It was very different from a lot of the ones I had previously read and that made it a really good read. It also isn’t set too far in the future, which makes the events seem even more likely.

Davy is a heroine I think a lot of people will be able to relate to. She is a normal person thrust into a changing society. Her normal life is turned on its head when she is found to have the kill gene. Suddenly she has no friends and even her parents don’t know how to deal with her. The only person who doesn’t change is her brother, but even he is powerless to do anything about the situation. It was very interesting watching Davy change from someone who had everything she wanted to someone who the world fears and tries to control.

Our love interest Sean is a bit of a mystery. It takes a while to get to know him, but it is clear there is more there than meets the eye. I can say that I really like him. Despite what society has labeled him as, it’s clear he is a good guy and he has good intentions. Also I love his name! It’s not a name you come across in books a lot and I just really like that.

What I love about this book is that it makes you question things. I mean clearly this gene has been identified for a reason and honestly some of the characters you meet with this gene are clearly violent and unstable. However characters like Davy, Sean, and Gil make you question that. Sure they lash out, but don’t we all at times? Why is it not okay for them to lash out but for someone “normal” to? Just because a gene says they may hurt someone one day? I mean, who are we to judge? Also, is it really right to lock people away because of some future possible crime? Hasn’t history taught us anything? I mean, I guess this all goes back to the whole nature vs nurture debate. Do your genes decide everything or is it the way you are raised, or some combination of the two?

What was really different about this novel is that we see the dystopian society evolve. We start off in a pretty normal society and watch how it escalates. We watch how fears and events shape the society and how that fear gives the wrong people more power. I mean, usually we just have to accept that a dystopian society is the way it is. It’s not often we get to see how it became that way. I definitely loved this aspect of the story.

I always say the best novels are the novels that make you question things and Uninvited definitely makes you question things. The story moves along at a steady pace, and while it may seem slow at times, it really succeeds in setting up the world and letting the events play out. This is a great read and perfect for sci-fi and dystopian fans.

Love it, love it, LOVE IT! Uninvited was an absolutely amazing YA read. It thrilling, romantic, and downright chilling. "Love it" doesn't even begin to describe how much I utterly adored this book.

I'm in awe of this author. Apparently, Sophie Jordan can write anything and get it right. I've read her adult romance books, and loved them. I've read her recent New Adult book and loved it. I know she has another YA series, but this is the first YA book I read from her and I loved it. I have to say, that's pretty impressive.
But, let's move on to the actually story, now :)

The world building for this book was excellent. So much so, that I could imagine the possibility of this future. In this version of the future, scientists have found a gene that is more prevalent in murderers. They called it HTS (Homicidal Tendency Syndrome), or kill gene as it is more casually referred to. As more and more mass killings happen, the government starts to separate those with the gene away from society, in an attempt to lock up the danger. There were absolutely no holes in this world building. It was completely thought out and eerily plausible. Especially when one of the characters, a vicious and cruel psychopath, was the exact proof for why the HTS thing would be useful. But, not all cases are the same. It was definitely a dilemma to think about and it was brilliantly done.

Davy's life is absolutely ruined when her test for HTS. Her friends want nothing to do with her, her boyfriend abandons her, and her parents no longer see her as their daughter. She is taken out of society and treated like a pariah. Only her brother continues to stand by her. Now, the previously well liked and girl with a bright future ahead of her has to learn to be a social outcast. I really liked Davy. She was a strong character. She learned how to deal with her new reality and became a force to be reckoned with. I thought she was wonderful.

Sean was also great. He was complicated. He had already been an outcast as a child raised in the foster care system, so the knowledge that he was also an HTS carrier came about, his life was still just as bad as it was before. But, having lived in that existence for so long, he was somewhat cold and unwilling to trust anyone. But, he was still a truly good person at heart, though no one would believe that of him. He was protective of those who can't care for themselves and very sweet when he wanted to be. I adored him. He was a perfectly flawed hero.

The romance was wonderful. It built slowly, as both Davy and Sean learned to be able to trust each other. They were so sweet together. I'm anxious to see how things turn out for them in the next book.

I liked that the secondary characters were more than just props in this book. They all played big roles and were complete characters on their own, particularly Gil and Sabine. Even one character, another HTS carrier, who was completely insane was a wonderfully dynamic and perfectly hateful character.

The plot was fast paced. I was hooked the entire way through. There were tons of surprises along the way, not to mention the secrets involved in the whole HTS scheme. I really enjoyed the story and the ending has me itching to get my hands on the sequel. Can't wait to read that one!

Uninvited was a brilliant YA dystopian romance. I loved everything about it, from the romance, to the thrills, to the many secrets. It was all perfect. Anyone and everyone should read this amazing book.

*I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Jordan gave us characters that both fit our perception of what someone with homicidal tendency syndrome would be/act like and those who didn't creating a unique group of characters. The tale is told from Davy's perspective, and we get to experience everything first hand through her. She is a likable character with a strong moral compass. Before she is classified, her understanding of those that carry HTS is a regurgitation of government propaganda and television's sensationalism. We see her grow and comprehend as the tale progresses. Davy could have acted like a spoiled brat but instead she strives to achieve, not to gloat on the "what could haves" but to better herself and those around her. While she is still naïve, she does listen to advice and continually shows growth. Sean is another carrier who befriends her, looks out for her and tries to make her understand the brutal, harsh reality of her new life. Sean's life resembles the classic profile of someone who moves in and out of the criminal system. Family members, her past friends, and new team mates all enhance the tale and give us a clearer picture of the world. While we are privy to interviews, newspaper clipping, and internal government documents I would have really liked to have PoV's from other characters. The characters as a whole were interesting, but I felt this was more of a plot driven tale. My hope is that she expands on the characters going forward.

Uninvited was brilliantly constructed and engaging. Jordan began the tale before Davy's life changed allowing us to get a panoramic view and feel for what was occurring in this futuristic society. News reports, friend's reactions, police reports, all made us privy to the chaos. Jordan's depiction of Davy, before, during and as she becomes part of the system is what made this dystopian for me. Often dystopians result in from escaped viruses or a catastrophic event, but we engineered this world ourselves. While I didn't easily connect with the characters, I think it was the author's intention. Instead, we saw the world shift as these characters went from human to animal. It was at times raw and brutal making me cringe and question humanity. It was eerily plausible, and it caused me to think about current laws in government, current testing, and zero tolerance rules that border on ridiculousness in our public schools. Nature vs. Nurture, social cleansing, and society as a whole are all called into question. It will cause you to think of our own history and fanatic rulers who wanted to rid our world of undesirables. There is a slight romance with moments of attraction, racing hearts and blushing. It developed slowly from friendship, need, and trust. It felt genuine while remaining firmly in the background. The story had ebb and flow to it that allowed me to absorb and reflect as Jordan slowly began to increase the tension. I began reading, and the next moment I looked up to discover I had consumed the first half in one sitting. The last portion of this book was intense, and the ending cut off at the perfect point. After the climax, she brought us back down and cooled us off leaving us with a sense of direction for the next book. Copy received from publisher and unbiased review originally posted at caffeinated book reviewer.

THE STORY
Uninvited is a chilling look into a future with genetic profiling, raising the question of much influence a person's life choices are predetermined by their DNA. A new DNA test has been discovered that can detect a 'kill gene', a gene that has been linked to a person becoming a murder. With homicides on the rise in the US, the government uses this test to keep tabs on the 'Carriers' of this gene, to prevent the homocide rate from rising. Most citizens are happy to go along with this scheme, including Davy, believing it will make the country safer. That is until she it found to be a Carrier and she starts to question the validity of the test. She quickly becomes ostracised by her old friends and cast aside by society, with her entire life crumbling around her, she has no one to trust, not even her new Carrier classmates. However after the dark and dangerous Sean comes to her rescue, she starts to see hope that she's not completely alone in this confusing new world.

As the government takes an new heavy handed approach and public hysteria increases, it becomes clear that nowhere is safe for Davy. She is forced into a new and dangerous life, and even Sean can't always be there to save her. And Davy is forced to ask herself, what would it take for her to become the killer everyone believes her to be?

THE CHARACTERS
Davy actually starts out as the kind of character I love to hate; wealthy, privileged, attractive, perfect friends and boyfriend etc. But there is a lot more to her than that. From early on she was labeled a musical 'prodigy', with a beautiful voice and playing numerous instruments. She has a very sheltered life and always does the right thing, never wanting to disappoint anyone. However in spite of her 'perfection' I didn't hate her, she's not an arrogant drama queen, she's caring and very innocent. She grew on me very quickly and I loved seeing her grow a lot throughout the story.

Sean is the dark, brooding boy at the back of the Carrier classroom or 'The Cage' as it's known. He's already been 'Marked' as Carrier who has committed an offence and gives of a dangerous 'don't get in my way' vibe. Living with his foster family and other Carrier foster children, his life has always been surrounded by danger, and this is reflected in his personalty. Sean is very closed off at the beginning and it does take a little while to get to know him. But he is worth the wait, he's very loyal to the few that earn his trust and I respected him for that.

THE ROMANCE
At first Sean says very little to Davy, putting on his tough guy persona to protect him from the dangers of being a Carrier. But it's obvious there is a gentler side to him underneath his protective exterior, and it's Davy who he eventually trusts enough to show this side to. He can see that she's very innocent and quickly becomes protective of her. Overtime a tentative friendship is formed and grows very slowly into something more. The romance isn't the main focus of the story, but it's always there in the background slowly developing with a few hot scenes sprinkled throughout - and definitely no insta-love!!

THE WRITING
After reading and loving Sophie's Firelight series, this book was a must read for me. Although in saying that this story have a very different feel to it, which only highlights the versatility of her writing. She's created a dystopian world that actually feels plausible, with government corruption and public hysteria giving the world a very claustrophobic feeling. The story progresses nicely, with strong world building & character development and an incredibly powerful ending.

FINAL WORD:
With it's raw and intense storyline, Uninvited gives us a uniquely dark and edgy Dystopian world. I found myself asking if this DNA test was actually causing the murders, rather than preventing them. How many times, does a person have to be told they will be a killer, before they start believing it? I just couldn't stop thinking about it. Uninvited makes you question everything, who would you believe, who would trust, and most importantly, who would you kill for? This one is not to be missed!

CONTENT:
Sexuality: mild-medium / heavy kissing and discussions of sex
Violence: strong / regular bashings and frequent references etc of murder (not overly descriptive)
Language: mild
Drugs & alcohol: mild

Paperback provided by Harper Collins Australia for fair & honest review

Musical prodigy Davy Hamilton is popular, has an amazing boyfriend, and a bright future… until she gets the results of a simple blood test that change everything. Davy is a carrier of the kill gene. Those with Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTC) might seem normal, and Davy certainly doesn’t feel or act any different than before her diagnosis, but those that carry the gene eventually turn into killers, no matter who they were before. Davy loses everything: her boyfriend, her acceptance into Julliard, her family. She’s uninvited from the private school she’s attended for years and transferred to a public school, where she locked away and forgotten with other HTC carriers. Just as Davy starts to adjust to this her new, harsh reality, and maybe even connect with some of the other carriers, she’s sent to a special government camp where things take a violent and unexpected turn. Soon, Davy begins to question everything she knows about the HTC gene and the kill gene carriers and their supposedly inevitable fates.

I love Sophie Jordan’s books. She’s a fantastic writer, always has employs an engaging premise, and writes really great romance. I often find the romantic plot lines in YA lacking, but I can always count on Jordan to deliver a swoon worthy romantic interest and satisfying tension between characters. Sean, the love interest in UNINVITED, is no exception to the rule. He’s complex, protective, and has a dark edge

I’m also a fan of UNINVITED being the first in a duology. I often leave the third book in trilogies unread. I always mean to read them, but I worry that I won’t feel the full effect of the trilogy if I don’t reread the first and second books, which I never seem to have time to go back and read, so I never finish the last book. A duology is much more realistic for me, plus, you skip over the troublesome middle/bridge book that happens with trilogies. I’m, obviously, a huge fan of the duology and hope to see more in 2014/2015!

UNINVITED has a fast-paced plot with plenty of thrills, which was awesome, but what I really liked about it was the lingering ideas it leaves readers with. Pre-diagnosis Davy and, for the most part, the rest of the uninfected world, believes that those who carry the kill gene are fated to become killers. There is no escaping this destiny, no matter who you are before violent and homicidal tendencies develop. But, readers meet Davy before her diagnosis. She is a well-adjusted, talented, loving, normal teenaged girl. After her diagnosis, everything she does is viewed through a kill gene-colored lens; innocent actions suddenly have a sinister undertone, everyone is always waiting for her to snap. Even Davy worries about her feelings, her emotions, her actions. Davy is still the Davy she was the day before her diagnosis, so are these changes due to the gene or due to the expectations and societal pressures put upon those with the kill gene? Are the ensuing violent actions a product of an unhealthy psychological cycle and self-fulfilling prophecy?

UNINVITED has romance, action, and thrills in addition to being a though provoking read. Highly recommended! Plus, check out that gorgeous cover! Notice the strands of DNA in her hair? Love!

3.5 Stars. When popular high school girl and musical prodigy Davy Hamilton tests positive for "the killer gene" (HTC) she is tossed out of her plush private school and ostracized. She gets to find out if her friends and family like her for who she is, the girl they have always known, or whether they only see her as a latent killer that they never really knew. The power of labels and prejudice are major themes in the story.

Jordan weaves the threads of human genetic potential fairly well, trying to set off Davy's prodigious inherited musical skill, she could play perfectly when she was a child, with the potential of the killer HTC gene. If Davy can have a predisposition for music, why not for violence and murder? When Davy is thrown in with other HTC positive kids she sees that not all of them seem like killers, some seem just like her. Is it fair to prejudge them? Or is it reasonable and smart for the government to round up latent killers before they can do harm?

The book examines what it means to be prejudged, and whether the label makes you into what people think you are. We could apply that to race, religion or any number of other things, too. Jordan makes it clear that some or most of the HTC positive kids *are* violent sociopaths, making it a tougher call whether it is wrong to prejudge people. It isn't the same as a false stereotype based on race. For the sake of expedience, it may well be the right thing to do based on the statistics, but is it moral to sweep up innocents like Davy with all the other killers? Or is she really is just a ticking time bomb?

The book is slow to start, with too much interior dialogue and too little action. Not much happens for the first half of the book, as Davy is tossed into a small, locked high school "class" with a few other dangerous HTC positive kids. Lots and lots of Davy's attention focuses on her old boyfriend and the new "bad boy" in class. Which one is really the bad person? The book is a teen romance, there is no question about that, a tad more than I wanted it to be, but perhaps just right for others. In addition to romantic tension there is also tension from bullies, who seem credibly sociopathic and pose a real danger to a girl who's soft and has zero street smarts. And that's something Jordan does well. The characters all seem fairly plausible. The sociopaths seem realistically sociopathic, though she seems to loose sight of the fact that just being sociopathic doesn't mean you are a *violent* sociopath, rather, the non-violent kids with HTC don't seem to be sociopaths at all. (About 1 to 3 percent of the real-world population is sociopathic, people who don't have human empathy or kindness for others, but can often fake it perfectly. But they aren't all serial killers.) Anyway, maybe she'll explore more about sociopathy in her world in the sequel.

The story takes a bit of an abrupt change as the government cracks down nationwide after a mall shooting. The action picks up a bit and the stakes are raised. Less interior dialogue and musings, more things actually happening. But the change in location and pacing kind of divides the book into halves that don't quite match. And then it ends in just a few pages. Sort of. More a set up for another book, as we don't know what will happen to our protagonists.

As much as I think Jordan got the human interaction down well, and some of the genetic and sociological questions she explores are interesting, I found the background for the story is a bit vague. Why, exactly, is crime on the rise all around the country, such that entire major cities are completely quarantined? Not *organized* crime, either, just "crime," apparently just individual violence? No reason, it seems, other than that Jordan needed an excuse for the DNA tests and discriminatory detentions. The book has a the sort of pre-dystopia set up you'd expect from a zombie movie, where something *contagious* is taking over cities, except HTC is genetic - inherited from your parents - and not contagious. So the set up seems kind of off and didn't work for me, nor did the insidious corporation that is behind the genetic testing and government approved detentions. There was no need for the corporation to behind the testing. It made zero difference to the plot and it was an entirely superfluous addition to the book, perhaps it just included as a toy for Jordan to play with in future books. Whatever the case, it was a throw away in this book.

As for the ending, that was kind of rushed - an all too easy escape without a real resolution, more of a set up for a sequel than an ending. Overall, I found the book to be decent, but not great. I looked forward to the end rather than being disappointed there wasn't more to keep reading.

It is hard to find an original dystopian novel these days, especially when all themes are metaphors for stories long embedded in our history and psyches. However, it is always the individual story that sets a book apart, and Sophie Jordan definitely offers a unique and engaging look at a dangerous world through the eyes of Davy Hamilton -- music prodigy, entitled, rich. The way Jordan captures the reactions of Davy's family and friends is so real...and so disturbing. Davy learns that you really don't know people until you see them respond under stress. And for those living fairly stress-free, entitled lives, that response isn't so pretty. Even Davy, who doesn't seem to have a cruel bone in her body, spends a lot of time trying to solve life-threatening problems through the mechanisms that worked for her in the past: denial and following the rules. What I like about Davy is that after the denial, she skips the self-pity and applies herself to solving her dilemma as best she can. She never loses her compassion, although she thinks she does. And she realizes that if people in her life could turn on her so quickly, then the life she thought she had wasn't real. Though not free in her world, she ultimately finds that freedom is not about living a controlled a life but about being open to the unknown.

On a larger scale, it is interesting that society feels justified in containing people with the killer gene by killing them. However, only one side is labeled as killers. They push HTS carriers to the point where they have to defend themselves, and then label them as violent. While Davy can hardly wrap her head around the hypocrisy, her fellow HTS carrier ally, Sean, knows how to navigate this brutal world because he grew up disadvantaged. Through Sean, Davy discovers that a clearer marker of a person's character is less in what they are than in who they are. And while Uninvited is a fictional story about people stereotyped because of a genetic marker, it offers a clearer picture of the impact that real-life racial and economic markers can make on society today. Either way, when the apocalypse comes the entitled are screwed.

Short and Sweet:

Suspenseful, thought-provoking and violent, Uninvited is a terrifying look at what a future with the ability to identify killers with a genetic test could look like. What if you tested positive for the 'kill gene?'

To Elaborate....
Davy Hamilton is an above average girl. In fact, she's very nearly a musical prodigy. Davy is also dating the most desired boy in school and has been accepted to Julliard. Life is good. That is, until she gets a call from her mother telling her to leave school immediately. Whether or not she has the kill gene is the last thing on her mind as she makes her way home. In fact, Davy is certain that this whole ordeal is most likely a result of something her trouble making brother has done. However, she soon discovers that she has tested positive for HTS, or Homicidal Tendency Syndrome. She is quickly and unceremoniously 'uninvited' from her high school, and eventually from Julliard.

Everything changes overnight. Her friends despise her. Her boyfriend literally runs from her. You see, everyone knows that you can't trust a HTS carrier. You never know when they will snap and kill. Even Davy's own parents can hardly look at her. But Davy can't seem to reconcile these stereotypes and 'facts' with how she feels inside. Is the HTS gene crouched inside her, unknown to herself and ready to erupt? Or is it possible that everything she knows about the 'kill gene' and those who have it is flawed?

Uninvited is a dark picture of how, if we aren't careful, we can become the very thing we fear. This story is an important one; illuminating the things we are capable of doing to justify our own ideas, beliefs and prejudices. Throughout this tragic landscape, Davy must decide who she really is in the midst of being viewed and treated differently (and often violently) by those she encounters. In a world that views the presence of the kill gene as black and white, she must come to terms with the grey area she now finds herself in. Uninvited addresses the process of how we get our information, come to believe concepts and how sometimes a closer look is necessary to form an accurate, informed opinion. An original and engaging story! I can't wait to read the second installment of this thrilling duology!

(Audiobook format) – I really enjoyed it. I bought the story’s premise hook, line and sinker. Davy is a very likeable main character. A musical prodigy by the age of 3 with a loving family and a hot loving boyfriend, she has a pretty great life. That is until her genetic test results reveal that she is a HTS (Homicidal Tendency Syndrome) gene carrier indicating that she will be a killer someday. That revelation sets off a chain of events that unravels everything – her family life, academic aspirations, romantic relationship and her self-identity. The pacing was so flawlessly natural that it made it easy for me as the reader to experience Davy’s rollercoaster ride of emotions which ranged from shock, anger, fear, resignation and finally extreme determination. I’m definitely eager to find out what happens next in Davy’s world. Also, be sure to read the author’s letter to the readers at the end of the book.

QUICK BREAKDOWN
Audiobook Narrator: excellent

Story: set in the Future; core issues are nature versus nurture and how society chooses to deal with violence and the prevention of it

Violence: yes, but not of the gory or mindless kind

Romance level: medium teenage/young adult level, issues include pressure to have sex, breaking up, how to transition to a new love interest

Sex: some heavy petting and kissing

Setting: mainly San Antonio, TX suburb, Davy’s high schools (2), and a special training camp

Realism: high, extremely plausible considering the scientific and technological advances that already exist in the 21st century

Sequel/Series planned: Yes, a 2nd book is planned to wrap up Davy’s story

The idea of genetic profiling to find a ‘kill gene’ is something I find fascinating. There is a thin line between protecting someone from harm and punishing the innocent if an act has yet to be committed. Uninvited takes that concept to a new level. There is no view into the future, just a genetic anomaly that could indicate someone is capable of murder. Not that they WILL but that they COULD. Of all the people who could be capable of murder Davy was the least expected. She was a prodigy in all things music whose life was headed for the big leagues. A Straight A+ dream student with a close bestie and a boyfriend who said he loved her.

Davy’s life starts to crumble and the prestigious school she has been attending for so long uninvites her after hearing that she is a murderer, their minds already made up and her conviction unable to be denied because it is in her very DNA. Davy’s perspective is unique and intriguing. She is a bold character who has a very realistic reaction to everything that happens. You feel closer to her the farther everyone strays from her because something about the way in which she feels so lonely in the most human emotion of all. She is lumped together with kids that have been forced to lead half lives and many of whom have known they were ‘murderers’ for a lot longer than she has, even if none of them have actually committed the act.

During her journey from pampered to public enemy the most poignant note for me was just how plausible the entire situation was and that in times of injustice the things that truly matter become much more evident. Discovering who your real friends are, knowing yourself, having something or someone you love. These things can be a stabilizer and as all of her stabilizers are stripped away the girl known for having every advantage suddenly has an extreme disadvantage and a new view of the world around her – A world that is in a state of upheaval.

Overall, a very striking story with a wonderfully realistic voice and a brand new point of view. The entire journey keeps you on the edge of your seat or wrapped up in bed hiding under the comforters. It makes you think, makes you feel and I can hardly wait to read the next volume in this duology!

Uninvited was a pretty decent book with a very interesting plot. This is my first Jordan book and I have to say I really like her writing and her characters. While I was hoping for more character-building, especially from Davy, I think that will come as the series progresses. I like how Jordan took this girl who was living a seemingly perfect life and just threw her to the wolves basically. How people react to her having the HTS gene is pretty predictable, but it was interesting to see it all play out. Even though there wasn’t a lot of action or excitement, I felt compelled to read the story and see what Davy goes through.

As far as characters go, I didn’t really see anything special about Davy, but I didn’t mind being in her head. She’s not annoying, but she’s also not lovable. She’s a bit naive, which is understandable given how she was raised, but I liked that she doesn’t get overly irritating when the world turns against her and then when she joins the training camp, Mount Haven. Sean was your typical brooding, mysterious type who Davy can’t help but feel connected to. I liked how their relationship progressed, and even though this book was light on the romance, I didn’t mind it at all. The secondary characters added their flair to the story, too. I really liked Davy’s brother and I wanted to punch her best friend.

I definitely want to know more about this agency and the motives behind the training camp. A lot of the background for this world wasn’t thoroughly explained in Uninvited, which turned me off from it a bit, but overall, it was a good start to the series. I felt like this book had a Divergent or Crewel type of feel to it, except it was shorter and not as involved, but that worked for me because too much detail bores me most of the time. I’ll be checking out the sequel, for sure.

When I first heard the premise of Sophie Jordan’s UNINVITED, I was intrigued. The book is even better than I expected!

Davy Hamilton had the perfect life—private school , a wonderful family, a scholarship to Julliard and a boyfriend who loved her—until she was identified as a carrier of the “kill gene”. Overnight she lost everything and everyone she loved and became an outcast, isolated with other teens with the gene.

Sean O’Rouke was marked with the “H” tattoo on his neck, proof of his violent behavior and yet his kindness toward Davy makes her want to trust him. And as their situation goes from bad to worse, they are trapped in a violent world where their feelings for each other are ruthlessly used against them.

Davy is a fairly normal seventeen year old (aside from being a musical genius) so it takes her a while to accept her new life and the restrictions put on her. Her transition is gradual and believable as is the development of her relationship with Sean. And Sean? Think bad boy with a hero’s heart who is always there for her, even when she doesn’t understand how much she needs him.

The story is fast paced with great characters, and lots of action and plot twists. Although it has an underlying dystopian theme, we aren’t beaten over the head with socio-political commentary. And because it takes place in a near future—2021—the world is familiar and the science believable. Even the concept of screening the entire population for the kill gene didn’t seem farfetched. And what the government did with the data was downright terrifying!

Although this is a YA and written for teens, the violence and emotional intensity might be too much for younger readers. For the rest of us it’s an exciting page-turner you won’t be able to put down.

Sophie Jordan's "Uninvited" made me excited to read dystopia again. It was different from all the other "end of the world" scenarios you normally read about in this genre and brings a scientific factor to it I had not expected. This book has been heavily compared to Tom Cruise's Minority Report, and with good reason. It raises a lot of moral questions about nature vs nurture and whether a person should be punished or judged based on what’s in their DNA. Does the fact that you have a gene that predisposes you to commit murder mean that you’re actually going to commit a murder someday?

Davy Hamilton is the girl that has it all. A rich family, a hot boyfriend, musical talent, and a privileged life ahead of her. That is until the preppy school she goes to decides to test all students for HTS (Homicidal Tendency Syndrome) and Davy's test comes back positive. Suddenly Davy's world is turned upside down and everything she has ever loved and had is slowly stripped away from her. No longer is she the most popular girl in school with the boyfriend every girl could want, she is now a pariah that has been "uninvited" from the places she had been welcomed at before.

What really grabbed me the most about this story is how Davy struggles with accepting that her life had changed for good. She even held on to her own prejudice against those in the same situation as her as long as she could, until life had beaten her so hard she finally had to let go of it. At times I wanted to shake her, scream at her to snap out of it. I guess that's why I felt connected to her because isn't that how it sometimes goes that we don't see things how they are until it's too late? I definitely enjoyed this story and can't wait for the sequel to find out what happens to Davy and her friends after the killer cliffhanger at the end of this book. Definitely a great read.

Uninvited was a delight to read from Sophie Jordan. I was already a loyal fan because of her YA Firelight series, adult historical romances and previous to this novel her first published New Adult book Foreplay. So when I heard she was going back to YA and it was dystopian based, I was all on board. And with a cover like that, you just knew you need to read the book to see what that hair with DNA strands is all about.

Uninvited can sit proudly next to others books in its genres, the storyline was unique and fresh. The characters kept you engrossed in the story. Jordan knew how to balance this tale with plenty of action, romance and mystery. Imagine living in a world where they now check your DNA to know if you will be a murderer in the future. How crazy and unfair is that to those that are normal and have a bright future ahead of themselves, to have that strip away in one day because a test says you will be dangerous in the future and commit murder. You have to feel pity for Davy, she is labeled with HTS (Homicidal Tendency Syndrome) and her current life is no more. She will now be out casted and frown up. Davy refuses to believe that is her future and makes it her goal to prove the test was wrong and maintain normalcy in her life.

Normal is the last thing Davy will endure. She is in for a very bumpy road ahead of her. Follow along as Davy tries to find what normal really is and who the real friends are that should be by her side.

If you want to read a story with a realistic voice in its main protagonist and storyline that keeps you on your toes every single page, then grab your copy of Uninvited today. I can't wait to see what the sequel brings. Jordan continues to show us why she is a NYT bestselling author. - Yara

"Uninvited" at first was a slow start read for me. I had only read a few pages across a few day period and it didn't draw me in at first. Then I sat down to read it on a Saturday morning and didn't put it down again until I was done. Sophie Jordan crafted a world that isn't so off in the future, it's set in 2021, so it's not impossible to think that this could be our world in the very near future. It does make you think about what would happen if they could find a "kill gene" in humans and how our world would be different because of it. It was interesting because some of the people in the book that didn't have the kill gene acted more violent than the ones that did, which I also could see happening.

Davy Hamilton is a very sympathetic character. She has it all-perfect teen life, with a bright future at Julliard, and a handsome boyfriend but it all gets taken away from her when she's told that she was tested positive for the kill gene. The book follows her journey through a new school and then to a training facility where she's forced to go and be with other carriers of the gene. There were great supporting characters. I do wish that Sean, a fellow carrier, was fleshed out more. You find out a little bit of his backstory but not how he got his tattoo that marked him as a proven violent carrier. Although, if there is going to be a sequel to this story, I'm sure that will be there in the next book.

Overall, I thought it was a pretty good book and if there's another book in the series, I'll be willing to pick it up as well as looking into reading Sophie Jordan's other books.

Note: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In Uninvited, Davy Hamilton's world begins to spiral into something completely unrecognizable when she is identified as a carrier of the HTS gene. She has to figure out what to make out of a life she has no longer has any control over.

I enjoyed this. I thought the concept was very interesting. What would you do if one of your friends or family members was identified as a carrier of a gene that says they are violent at their very core? Would you scoff at the absurdity? Or would you buy into it no matter how well you know that person? That's what we're dealing with here in the first book of this series.

I think Uninvited holds a lot of promise. I enjoyed Davy and I felt like the author did a great job addressing all of the aforementioned questions in a balanced and realistic way. Davy's reactions to her life being turned upside down were spot on. I like Sean. He's tough and mysterious, but I hope we get more from him in the next book. I wanna know more about his childhood and his foster siblings. I think it'd be fun to get inside his head, hear the story from his POV.

Even though a lot of things about this story were predictable, the writing did a great job of tugging at my emotions. That and the concept kept me intrigued. Plus, I thought the second half of the novel was appalling, and so I couldn't put it down. I liked the romance between Davy and Sean. The pacing is working for me, but I do hope we get a little more as the story continues. The ending was a little too easy, but I'm looking forward to the next book. I definitely recommend this to those intrigued by the concept

Uninvited started off with a bang. The United States are doing some testing to filter out individuals who have a gene that's been linked with homicidal tendencies. This, as a med student, was particularly heartbreaking. I mean it goes against every human right to accuse people of something they haven't done just because they have some 'scientific proof' that they some day will. We have no means of knowing the future, why don't people get it?

But anyway this is fiction and I tend to get irked off easily. But even if you know nothing about science, this book's whole plot will get you worked up. Especially after you meet our main character, Davy. Davina is a prodigy, no kidding, she can play pretty much any instrument and she sings too. Music is inside of her and that is a fact.

While Davy was a little bit too naive and sometimes she was pretty thick, I still found myself rooting for her and cheering her on every page. It must be so hard (and wrong) to be judged for something you cannot change, like your DNA, but to me, Davy handled it with pride. She didn't always did the correct thing but you just now she is not malicious or evil, she is just a girl (albeit a very confused one).

And then we have Sean. Who has had a horrible life since getting tested and discovered to be a positive carrier of the homicidal gene when he was just a little boy. But as much as you and I hate that this happened, it is probably what made him so compassionate and accepting. He was a big highlight of the book.

The first half of the book is about Davy discovering she is a carrier and we get to see everything unwind as she struggles to accept her new reality. I ate this all up like my life depended on it. I raced through it all because it just was so action-packed (emotionally speaking) and I couldn't catch a breath to stop the feels from overbearing me. It was my favorite part.

Now the second part, where the literal action happens, I wasn't that crazy for. Yeah. I liked it but somehow it seemed to me like almost a different story than what I was reading at first. It became a little too much like every other dystopian book out there, which you all know I am not a big fan of.

Still, I really, really liked this story. I liked the concept and I liked that is something I can totally see really happening. I am sure there's still more to come, I can just tell from the ending. And I'm glad there's more because I haven't had enough of these characters and their story yet. Extremely recommended. One of my favorite reads of 2014 so far!

The Good: Uninvited's premise is phenomenal. It's execution lived up to its potential, which is a rare and wonderful thing. This book is scary in its realistic plot progression. If HTS was a thing and the government could test for it, I see things playing out just as Jordan wrote. What I wouldn't have envisioned was what would happen to a girl like Davy. How would a girl like that survive in that type of world? Jordan has created a captivating character and placed her in a unthinkable situation. The results are nothing short of spectacular.

The Bad: There is an entire cast pf HTS positive characters and we only really get to know Davy more than superficially. We see a little more of Sean and Gil, but the rest are nothing more than one-dimensional placeholders. Each is a type and each stays true to it. While this makes Davy and the 2 boys stand out more and makes the reader care about them well beyond the others, it seems like a wasted opportunity to highlight the different types of struggles these people would have in the world.

A gifted, perfect teenager who tests positive for a kill gene? Interesting! And a new concept too (to me anyways)!

I really liked Davy. I liked the way she was both before and after she came back positive for HTS. She changed and adapted, yes, but at heart she stayed the same. And Sean--hot, bad boy Sean. Or is he? We never find out why he got imprinted. I'm curious to know if he truly is a bad guy and did something horrible, or if it was for a silly incident like Davy's was.

The idea of a kill gene kind of makes you think. What if all these mass murderers really did have something in common (or even murderers in general)? I'm not so sure testing would be the solution. I found the treatment of people with HTS disturbing. Kind of like racism in a way. And it's like some of violence was because of the way these people were treated.

The ending definitely leaves you hanging on. It's not a huge cliffhanger but it's just enough to know that there's more to come and makes you want to know what's going to happen.

3.5 Stars
Uninvited was an interesting concept, and not fully dystopian read, but more the verge beginning of a dystopian. I listened to the audiobook for the first 40% of the book, and was totally drawn in. I did feel that the twists and turns were a bit predictable, but can't really say that it took away from the book for me. The whole concept of the kill gene, and what scientists were trying to do, was thought-provoking.

I wouldn't say that this book was as action-packed as the blurb describes, but it's interesting. I think the next book will offer a little more excitement. The romantic aspect of the book was a bit annoying in the beginning, but slowly eased into a steamy/swoony relationship. Also, I would have liked less of the beginning and more, more, more of the ending (in an effort to avoid spoiling, I will not say what specifically, but the second half of the book was more exciting and that's what I liked).

Overall, it was a good read and I look forward to more from Sophie Jordan!

This was a pretty intriguing and interesting story about a world where you are labeled as dangerous and murderous based on whether you have a certain gene or not. Davy has lead a pretty pampered life up until now, when she finds out she has the killer gene. She has friends turn on her, family treats her different, and she's thrown into some pretty hostile situations. She handles herself about as well as I'd expect someone to handle these situations, plus the reactions people have to her is basically how I would have expected them to act in real life. I could easily envision this as reality as I read. The author's writing captured the nature of people, both good and bad. I was pretty impressed with Uninvited, and I'm anxious to get started on the next book.

Sophie Jordan is feisty, personable and a great author. I was at Authors After Dark last year when I came upon her reading a chapter from her latest book, Uninvited. The premise was interesting and very unique. Everyone is being tested for HTS, or Homicidal Tendency Syndrome, and when heroine Davy tests positive, she's uninvited to her school, and her life will never be the same. As the doctor who discovered HTS gets more and more powerful and more and more support from the people and the president, Davy will have to fight for her life and dig deep to survive.

I loved Sean — he's my new book boyfriend — an HTS carrier with the mark on his neck. He's still a good guy, and DANG, I want him. Watching as he and Davy flit around one another and then later at camp as they band together was amazing, and the second book can't come out soon enough. Now we get to chat with Sophie ...

To read what Sophie answered (like her favorite book boyfriend and how she came up with HTS head over to the HEA blog!

Comparing this book to The Scarlet Letter and Minority Report was spot on. As the government begins testing for HTS (Homicidal Tendency Syndrome) and branding people with the syndrome that have reported done anything even slightly violent, Davy finds herself caught up in the net. Kicked our of her private school because here DNA has tested positive, she is sent to "the cage" - along with 5 other carriers.

Davy's story was brilliantly written. Her shock, shame, and confusion of her suddenly changed circumstances. As she meets new carriers and discovers that there are others that are just like her - branded without reason - and others that have embraced their status letting their baser insticts take over. Sean seems to straddle the line between the two. A seemingly violent person, yet different than the others in his reasons for letting it out.

I was amazed at how quickly this book took over my day and I had a very difficult time stopping. At the end we have a semblence of a resolution, but I can tell there is so much more to be told still.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

I thought that the main character was too self-absorbed with very little character growth. The plot was formulaic and predictable. What it has going for it is a great premise. The author also does a good job creating suspense in certain scenes. I wish the protagonist hadn't been rescued so many times and so conveniently by her love interest. The good news is that the premise isn't at all ruined by the first book. There is still ample opportunity to do some formula-killing, genre-smashing, and rule-breaking character growth and plotting in the sequels. This one was ok. I think teenagers will like this better in general than adults who like YA fiction. Genres are nearly dead anyway. I want to see this author break out and take some risks. I liked it well enough to give her other books a try but I won't recommend this one until I see what she does with the rest of the series.

I was very excited to read Uninvited when I heard about it because it sounded very original. I did enjoy the book but I was also left with a ton of questions. Does Davy's brother have the HTS gene? Did her parent pay someone off to change his results? How did it happen with him but not with Davy? Is the HTS gene just a way for the government to control/ instil fear into the population? What exactly is the HTS gene? (This was never fully explained). Where did the HTS gene come from? How was it first discovered? What was the point of the training camp? What happened to those sent to the detention camps? Gah, I have so many questions without answers, I need book two now!
I am really looking forward to see what will happen in the next instalment. Do they all survive? Will they meet other from the training camp again? Will they ever see their families again? I can't wait to get my hands on the second book. I would recommend this to those who want more of a unique read.

This near-future tale takes a unique spin on what makes a killer. This world believes they’ve found the answer in a genetic test. Whether or not a carrier has committed a crime – they’re suddenly all treated like criminals. Davy has an ideal life with a promising future as a gifted musician. But everything is taken from her in an instant. She’s relatable with a good heart, which makes her troubles that much harder to take.

Uninvited is the first in a dramatic new series. DNA profiling is taken to the extreme, as the country decides to put nature above free will and personal choice. Yet with murders on the rise, it’s offered up in a believable way. Davy’s journey is heart-wrenching, suspenseful, and entirely captivating. I began with no expectations, and thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this impressive and thought-provoking story.

*Review previously posted at SciFiChick.

I absolutely loved Uninvited. If it wasn’t for the fact that I had to work the next day I would have pulled an all-nighter.

The world that Jordan creates is intense. I know I wouldn’t like to be judged based on a DNA test. But that’s what happens, and the people that have HTC are treated like they have the plague. Davy has a hard time getting situated with her new life, and the ugliness it can involve.

I love Davy’s character. She’s smart, talented, and does not want to believe she’s capable of being a killer. She is so strong for having to deal with pretty much everything on her own. She also learns not to judge others, especially since she’s feeling the force of that.

There were some scenes that had me cringing, and hoping for another outcome. All in all, this is a fast paced read. I can’t wait for the next book to come out. Too bad that’s a year away!

Was really disappointed. There are certain structures in books that almost every author follows, and sometimes they break away from the structure successfully. This was not one of those times. Our heroine has no call to action, no plans, no inspiration. Only got 2/3 of the way through because the book was stressing me out too much, which has never happened. The author just keeps piling things on Davy without any real... purpose. The events do not inspire her. An act of kindness - a teacher saying "Prove them wrong"- you think can be a turning point, but no; our prodigy makes a stupid mistake and lands herself in an even worse position. She is barely a character, merely someone for actions to happen to with no relief for the reader.

I was SO excited to read Uninvited. I remember when I first heard about it I was like, YES… this will be the dystopian that cures all my reluctance. And then it wasn’t…

Uninvited opens up showing how perfect Davy’s life is. Her boyfriend is sought after by every female in school, she is a musical prodigy all set to go off to Juilliard when she graduates, her best friend loves her and relies on her and her family is extremely well off. By setting up the novel this way it really shows you how far the ball is going to drop when it’s revealed that she has HTS.

I liked Davy. But I didn’t love her. Strangely enough I didn’t feel much personal attachment to her. The reason being is that there was really no character development. I would there think would be because she has just learned that she has this illness and has to make her way in the world, or maybe I just missed it, but I didn’t find there was enough. All of the characters, Sean, Mitchell, Sabine, Gil, that were close to Davy I also liked but again, I felt like there was a lot of missed opportunities in development of the relationships. You do see a bit of it with Sean but in a sense it was just kind of.. no relationship and then one. We miss the part of where it comes together. These things alone added up to me being really detached from the characters and made me not pull into the story like I would have liked.

The plot was ok enough, fairly fast paced but somewhat choppy. I had a hard time figuring out the timeline at first as it didn’t really say at times and often I found I was farther ahead in their life than I had thought.

There were two things that I found rather strange. One was the title, Uninvited basically means she was asked to leave school. That was it… and it happens within the first chapter or two. I just found it odd that the title is something that is not referenced, other than once. Another thing was the strangely mismatched pop culture references. Actually this alone, was something that really made me question the story. It is referenced that Davy’s mother said her father looked like Brad Pitt and Davy said, “whoever that was”. Then later The Beatles, Glee and Johnny Cash were referenced. Ok understandable.. The Beatles and Johnny Cash are both legendary in music but Glee? I may or may not be the biggest Gleek around so I’m not discrediting them… but do I really that future children are going to know Glee over Brad Pitt? No. Brad Pitt has been in a ton of movies that have since become cult classics. Pop Culture is still obviously popular in this future America, so I hardly think that Brad Pitt’s movies would have been forgotten if everyone still knows who Glee is. I know it’s a strange thing to notice but this really made the story a bit unbelievable to me.

One thing that I really enjoyed however was the emotional aspect of Uninvited. It was incredibly heartbreaking to know that people are treated like animals based on their kill gene status. Branded, shut into rooms like cages, it was absolutely disgusting. That really got to me and a particular branding scene had me in tears with the emotion that particular scene held.

All in all, Uninvited was just ok. I will be reading the next book because I really want to know what happens with Davy and her friends. It’s an interesting possibility of a future world and has drawn me in enough to want to continue.

*I received this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review*

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
Book One of the Uninvited duology
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: January 28, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann.

What I Liked:

When I started this book, I had just about zero expectations. I wasn't super excited to read this book, like I know many bloggers were/are. I absolutely hated Jordan's Firelight series, so I told myself, if this book is anything like her other YA series, I'm giving up. Of course, I LOVED her New Adult contemporary romance novel, Foreplay (surprise! I actually liked an NA novel!), so that gave me some hope.

Well, it's safe to say that this novel was nothing like the Firelight novels (thank goodness!). I loved the plot of this story, the characters, the romance, the originality... Jordan definitely packed a good punch with this novel. And it doesn't hurt that this novel is one of only two books - part of a duology! There is nothing wrong with trilogies, only that there are soooo many of them out there in recent times. A standalone novel, the occasional duology, companion series - those are refreshing!

Davy Hamilton has the killing gene - the one piece of DNA that is sure to ruin anyone's life. She is immediately ostracized, as she is sent to a different school, abandoned by her friends and her boyfriend, and targeted by the other carriers. Davy is a bit of an easy target, because she is sweet, soft, not selfish. But life with the gene is no joke. And in no time, things escalate, and the government takes drastic measures to contain the carriers of the HTS "killing" gene.

One thing that I noticed (and loved) was that I read this book in one sitting. This doesn't happen too often for me - usually, life interrupts, or I get bored, or the book just isn't interesting enough. I flew through this book in no time. I remember reading, and BAM! I was already 40%, 65%, 89% finished. This tells me that the author did an excellent job of keeping me engaged in the story, and keeping me reading.

The story itself is definitely interesting. It follows Davy's life - there is a small part in the beginning that gives readers a glimpse of Davy's life before she found out. I like when authors do this - because then it allows readers to subconsciously compare the two lives, pre-gene and post-gene. Most of the book is spent dealing with Davy and her "adjustment". Jordan does not fail to toss around her characters. She makes Davy and Sean and Gil and many other characters suffer, which is sad, but shows that Jordan is capable of taking the story to different levels.

I actually really liked Davy, which surprised me. I was expecting a weak and stupid heroine like the one in the Firelight series (no offense?), but I did not find that in Davy. Davy is sweet and soft and not at all a killer, but I don't think she is weak or stupid. I can't fault her for any decisions she made, or her disposition. Her character development is excellent - Jordan really takes Davy on a journey. Davy definitely grows, from beginning to end.

Another character that I really liked was Sean. Sean is a carrier that Davy meets officially when Davy begins to attend the other school, after learning that she carries the HTS gene. Yes, Sean becomes a love interest. But he is so much more than that. He IS mysterious and handsome and brooding, and while he sounds like a YA hero cliche, he isn't. I can't put my finger on what exactly is different. Maybe it's the actual affliction - the killing gene - that sets him and this story apart from others. But he's different. And I like him.

Well, I've gone and told you a little bit about the romance. Davy and Sean! I hope and pray there will be no serious love triangle in this duology. That was one of the things I HATED in the Firelight trilogy. And the romance in this book is so subtle and simple yet complex. Jordan literally takes the entire novel to let the romance take its course. I LIKE this - that the romance isn't the only part of the book. It's so secondary, yet, Jordan never lets us forget that it is there.

The whole killing gene thing is so original! At least, I haven't read anything similar to this book. This novel is set in the future, but I wouldn't quite call it a dystopia. It has some qualities of a dystopia, but I really see it is part thriller, part science fiction. And I love the science part of this book!

All in all, a terrific read! I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.

What I Did Not Like:

This is going to sound lousy of me, but I can't really think of anything to put in this section. YES, I'm giving this one four stars. It doesn't feel like a five-star novel to me, so I'm giving it four stars. But I don't really have a specific reason or reasons as to why I knocked off a star.

It's a four-star novel to me, okay? That's how I *feel* about this one, not what it adds up to. If that makes sense. I didn't LOVE this one, like, it's not my new favorite novel or anything, but I really, really enjoyed it.

Would I Recommend It:

Yes, I would! If you were planning on reading this book, then make sure you do so! It's worth the read, and who knows? You might really fall in love with Davy (and Sean's) story! If you weren't interested in this one, or are seeing it for the first time, give it a try! This novel is part thriller, part science fiction, and a tiny bit dystopia. And there is a subtle romance. So, there is something for just about everyone!

Rating:

4 stars. I will definitely be interested in reading the second book in this duology! I can't wait to see the direction that Jordan takes with that conclusion novel.

Davy Hamilton is a musical prodigy. At the age of three she sat down at a piano and started playing perfectly, with no prior practice or training. Her life has always been set, she'll graduate from high school and attend Julliard, where she has already been accepted and do something musical with her life. Or so she thought. When her test results comeback saying she is a carrier for the HTS gene (the one that causes homicidal tendencies), everything changes. Suddenly everyone in her life is shunning her and she is forced to change schools and be around other maniacs with the kill gene. There had to be so kind of error, but she knows that that can never be fixed now and she must try to make the best out of this terrible situation.

Davy is that perfect girl with all the right friends and the hot popular boyfriend that most people fantasized about in high school. It was more than a little fun to watch the rich popular girl get knocked off her pedestal, though the more you come to care about her, the less fun it becomes. She's such a strong character, but she losses all her confidence when the gets labeled a carrier and she almost losses herself in the struggle to keep her stuff together. I imagine everyone would go through a similar transformation if life as they knew it was ripped from their grasp.

Sean O'Rourke is that bad guy you momma always warned you about, or is he? He's the classic bad guy with a heart of gold, who has had the carrier label since a young age. He even has the carrier brand around his neck because society deemed one of his actions so dangerous that the world need to always be aware that he was a carrier. As much as I wanted to be irritated at him for being a bit cliche with the bad boy imagine, he's ability to always save Davy melted my heart. Against his better judgement, he always comes to her rescue, while spouting those annoying "it's better if you stay away" sentiments. He gets over that eventually, but I wanted to punch him every time he even implied it.

This novel has all the things I look for when I'm reading, like good characters, interesting story, great writing, all that jazz, but what really gets me here is the philosophical question it presents about the characters. Are these people really violent deviants who are genetically coded to murder and pillage or do the majority act out based on the fact that society pushes them into that role? Yes, it's obvious that there are a number of carriers who truly deserve the label and are violent beyond reasonable understanding, but aren't we more than our genetic code? Don't we have the choice, in most cases, to act as violently as our hormones command us to or to stop and think about our actions? If society is going to treat us like crap regardless of if we fight our urges or not, why bother? These poor people are shunned and abused by society as a whole and even each other. You'd think they'd band together to create a support group, but there are too many who'd rather just accept the role society has placed them in and act out than fight the injustice. And things that are normally acceptable, like slapping your ex-boyfriend for being a jerk, are now a sign that you really are a carrier for the kill gene.

This is my first Sophie Jordan novel. I know, this chick manages to write books in all three of my favorite genres (young adult, new adult, and historical romance), so I don't know why it has taken me so long to get around to reading her novels, but if they are all this good, sign me up! This novel had very few issues for me, no love triangle, no instalove, and no cliffhanger. The ending doesn't wrap everything up in a nice little bow, but things end on a hopeful note which is all I ask for. My only minor issues are the cover and the length. Despite the fact that this is almost 400 pages, it felt short. When I flipped to the last page on Luna, I couldn't believe it was over. There was still so much more territory that needed to be covered! It's not that it felt underdeveloped, but I was just craving more. The cover also doesn't really match the story at all. I don't see at all how the levitating girl gives any indication of what this story is about. Maybe I'm wrong, but it just doesn't fit to me.

This is one of the more unique YA novels I've read it a while. Jordan manages to wholly captivate her with her story and leave them desperate for me. I will definitely be on the lookout for the next novel in this series, as well as anything else attached to this talented woman's name. If her new adult novels or her historical romance novels are half as good, I'm in for a real treat!

****Thank you to HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, for providing me with an eARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review****

This was a fascinating story about what would happen if they decided to treat people according to what their DNA said about them and not by the way they act. They discover the kill gene and everyone with it as treated as a killer even if they haven't done anything. It all seems so unfair and wrong, but I understand too how they felt when they found out that people had the propensity to be violent and became suspicious of them according to that knowledge. It was very thought provoking and I will probably be thinking about it for days. I can't wait to see what happens next, but sadly I have to wait because it isn't out yet! SIGH!!!!!

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan first drew my attention with its well-written blurb and comparison to Minority Report. Being the avid science fiction fanatic that I am it tickled every nerdy bone in my body. My expectations were soaring and my imagination concocted a very kick a$$ story in my head. However, when I began to devour Uninvited, my hopes started to deflate. Just a little at first. Then just a little more. Finally, I was so consumed by the “OMG what’s going to happen next” I started to overlook the things that didn’t appeal to me as a reader and kept going. The premise was fascinating, the characters though not so much. Even though I was dying to LOVE Uninvited…I was sadly only able to just like the novel. And it’s sad, really sad; a tragedy even.

Our story follows the ordinary and too perfect life of Davy Hamilton: a musical prodigy with big dreams, the stellar best friend, amazing boyfriend and somewhat normal home life. Until one day when her life is not so ordinary because she’s been diagnosed as an HTS carrier. She has The Kill Gene (enter ominous music here). Pretty quickly, everything she held dear is ripped from her grasp and she’s tossed into the world of “killers”. Along the way, she begins to lose the normalcy of her too perfect life and begins to discover who her true friends are and how her family is anything but perfect.

At first, I felt awkward reading about Davy. I keep saying “too perfect” because that’s how her life seemed, entirely too perfect. Her brother was the screw up in the eyes of their family. But to me he seemed the most level-headed and normal of the bunch. I was thrilled when Davy’s world began to crumble because I wanted to see her reaction. I wanted to see how she would overcome this terrible situation. However, Davy (in my humble opinion) was so dramatic and probably the most annoying narrator I’ve read in a LONG time. She was very judgmental about everything and then hated when people in turn judged her. Although she was trying to work through her own prejudice, I don’t think she was very sympathetic to other peoples situations. I know she had to keep her guard up at all times but I felt like she was too naïve in some instances and too quick to react in others (she did all of this in a whiny manner too mind you). She hated being scrutinized Who wouldn’t? But she seemed overly clueless about the world and everyone in it.

I don’t think anyone in the world believes everything they are told. Yet Davy seemed to. It’s almost like she couldn’t think of form an opinion for herself without needing someone to step in and justify it for her. I wanted her strong. Opinionated even. However, what I got was a mostly step-back-and-let- things-happen-to-me-because-I don’t-know-what-else-to-do main character. And it infuriated me. I wanted to scream, take action! Do something! But no, she needed the handsome I-would-die-without-him love interest to save her at every turn. I’m not sure why, but ALL the females in this novel seemed to need masculine protection. I mean really…the only way a girl can survive in this world is by (excuse the language) whoring herself out? No thanks.

Overall, I started to give Uninvited 4 Controllers. But then, like always, when I write my reviews and the characters talk to me (yes, characters often speak to me LOL), I find myself changing the rating. Not because it’s a terrible book either. There were some themes in this novel that were not well executed and there seemed to be a great divide between the premise and world building, or the lack there of. Some of it I found to be unbelievable. Out of a whole nation of carriers only 50 people are chosen for a special program and somehow Davy manages to get the handsome not-so-special guy into the same program????? Yeah right. This is one of those novels I wish lived up to my expectations. Between the cover and the amazing blurb, I was let down. A lot. The second half of the story did improve but it wasn’t enough for me to LOVE it overall.

Originally Reviewed At: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 3 out of 5 Controllers
Reviewer: Me

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
17-year-old Davina (Davy) is shocked when she is told that she is a carrier for a gene known as HTS, a gene that has been shown to be linked to ‘Homicidal Tendency Syndrome’.
Carriers of HTS are segregated, and suddenly Davy’s life is not her own. She’s not allowed to go to her regular school – she’s been ‘uninvited’, and she loses her place at Julliard, and her friends and boyfriend.
Does having the HTS gene really make her a killer though? And will her life ever be the same again?

This was an interesting story, but the pace felt a little slow in places.

Davy was an okay character, although I didn’t like that she basically had a boy’s name. What is wrong with Davina? And why shorten it to Davy?
When Davy found out that she was a carrier I felt really sorry for her, and as the book went on, more things happened that weren’t exactly nice, although at times I felt like she made things worse for herself. Generally Davina was a bit of a pushover, and didn’t really stick up for herself all that much, which considering she was a singer, and popular, was a little odd.

The storyline in this was quite interesting, and I thought the idea of having a gene that related to homicidal tendencies was believable, and the way it was handled was also quite believable. What I struggled with was the fact that Davina seemed nothing like the other carriers, and Sean (the love interest) also seemed like a generally good guy considering that he also carried the gene.
There was a bit of romance in this one, but not a lot. I really disliked Davy’s boyfriend at the start of the book (Zac), and I thought he was basically a bit of an ass. I liked Sean, and I liked Davy and Sean together, and I thought that the relationship was Sean was much better for her than her relationship with Zac, and was happy with the way this relationship progressed.

I did find that this story seemed to drag a bit in places. It just didn’t seem exciting enough, and while I wanted to know what happened, I also felt like I was getting bored with what was going on at points. Maybe it was just the way that Davy just laid back and took whatever was thrown at her, or maybe it was just the slow pace, but I did get frustrated with this book at points.
The ending to this was okay, although to me it didn’t feel much like an ending. The book just sort of stopped at what felt like half-way through, and left us with a bit of a cliff-hanger, and I didn’t feel like much was resolved at all.
Overall; interesting story, but a bit slow in places.
6.75 out of 10.

From the very beginning you'd already see just how perfect Davy is. She's beautiful, she's a music prodigy set to attend Julliard, she has the perfect boyfriend every girl in their private school is drooling over, and her family loves her dearly. But all that came to and end when she tested for positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome a.k.a. the kill gene. She gets expelled from her school (they call it getting "uninvited" ha! Like that makes it sound any less depressing), her friends and her boyfriend frame her, her family doesn't know what to do with her or how to act around her... basically her perfect life falls apart.

So... Uninvited. I swear I would've liked this more if the world-building was given more attention to than the romance which, in my opinion, wasn't all that good either. The whole time I was reading, I was waiting for any sort of history behind HTS. That's great and all but I was looking for more background. When did they start testing? What triggered the mandatory testing? Are other countries doing the same? Canada and Mexico were mentioned briefly but it was only to say that they don't want anybody from the United States crossing their borders. So it would seem that only the US is having trouble with HTS. That only makes me question the world-building more. It was hard for me to buy into the entire plot because the foundation wasn't that good.

Then there's the romance. Davy and Sean's relationship wasn't that believable for me. Again, another thing that lacks solid foundation. I didn't really see why they should be with each other. Davy was kind of insta-obsessed with Sean at first because he's the gorgeous bad boy. Her descriptions of Sean were a bit overkill if you ask me. The more Davy reached out to Sean, the more he pushed her away and told her to not to trust anyone, even him. Then Davy gets into all sorts of trouble and surprise, surprise, Sean is always there to protect her. Next thing you know, they're getting hot and heavy in a training camp room. While they weren't exactly in love, their attraction was just as intense. It seems that the fact that they're both carriers is the only thing that binds them together. I probably wouldn't have a problem with the romance if it wasn't given so much importance.

And Davy. I know she's supposed to be smart but there were just too many instances where she didn't act like it. It could be a way to make her appear innocent and harmless but I think it as overdone.

Rants aside, I did like that Uninvited tries to explore nature vs. nurture and what makes people who they are. It was disgusting how carriers, especially innocent ones like Davy, were treated. I seriously wanted to strangle every non-carrier who were horrible to Davy. They were all being a bunch of hypocrites! So yeah, I may have not liked the story much but at least I felt the right emotions at the appropriate times.

Uninvited gets 2 stars from me. Enjoyable but not enough for me to like it.

What a stellar book. I truly enjoyed reading The Firelight series by Jordan, but this was a step above and beyond. This book really wowed me, because I absolutely loved the plot. There were a few points that the plot really made me question it, but that was more of questioning the idea of a kill gene than anything else. This book takes some awful hypotheticals and makes you truly wonder.

This book really makes you feel for Davy who had this perfect life before. She was happy and had a life and then everything was stripped from her just because she allegedly had the potential for for murder. All because some test says that she has the propensity to kill. The came a point in the book where I was devastated for Davy because she was being punished for something that she had yet to do.

A really interesting part of this book was that between each chapter, we were given a glimpse in to what was going on in the outside world. We saw clips of instant messaging and broadcasts involving the HTS and even correspondence with the president regarding what should be done with them. I felt that it added to the story being we had more context for what was going on around Davy's world.

I also adored that the romance was not an instalove or pushed. It happened and it didn't happen right away, it took some time for it to really develop which eased my nerves. Sean was a strong character who still has so many secrets that I cannot wait to find out about. I felt like I was in the book with Davy and Sean, I felt their fear and despair. I think that this was a fabulous start to a new series from Sophie Jordan and the next book cannot come out soon enough.

Davy Hamilton has it all: a great family, great friends and an amazing boyfriend. She has her future planned out. First college at Julliard (with her boyfriend across town at NYU) and then a wonderful life with her future husband and kids.

All that changes when Davy tests positive for HTS, Homicidal Tendency Syndrome. She has hurt anyone yet, but scientists claim that because she is a carrier of HTS, she will eventually.

Davy is pulled out of her private school and set to school in "the cage" where she meets Sean, a fellow HTS carrier. Now she'll find out what she's really made of.

PJV Quickie: Sophie Jordan is a powerhouse author, everything this women produces I have really enjoyed. Especially her young adult titles. UNINVITED was no different, it was complex, exciting, emotional and it just made me want to talk about it. You can’t get any better.

Review: The concept of this book made me pause. I have to admit that I wasn’t that intrigued with it. And now I’ll admit, my first impression was completely wrong. The story focuses on Davy, a high school senior with the perfect life. Rich family, hot boyfriend, a scholarship to Julliard and a great best friend. She is the darling of her high school until her DNA test results come back from a forced testing done by her school. In the not to distant future, DNA mapping has been able to locate a gene that is unique to potential killers. Chances are, if you are a convicted murderer, you have this gene. It is dubbed the kill gene.

Davy tests positive for the kill gene and her perfect life crumbles around her. The only person that understands what she is going through is fellow HTS carrier, Sean. A potential killer. Just like her.

That is basically the synopsis, but what it doesn’t go into is how Jordan handled the world of this future where we can diagnose killers. Because, while I was reading this novel, Spc. Ivan Lopez brought a .45 caliber handgun onto the Fort Hood base and killed three people, injuring 16. If we were able to pinpoint a killer gene, Ivan Lopez wouldn’t be in the Army, would he? Or he wouldn’t be able to run around free with a .45 caliber. It makes sense. Especially when tragedies like Sandy Hook resonate through the country.

But, Jordan stepped it up a notch. She forced me to face what it would be like to be an individual with this gene. Because, the people that kill like this, are individuals with lives — until things came together and the result is death. She introduces us to Davy, who is perfect, perfect life. She has the gene, if her life wasn’t perfect, if she was bullied, if she was in a broken home, if she was unattractive — would this make her a killer? Is she different from the others that have this gene? Or will one-day Davy pick up a gun and go to a crowded mall because her boyfriend broke up with her or her mommy didn’t hug her enough?

All these things went through my head as I read this book. It made me think, how would I react if I was in this situation? Wow, the plot! Then, the characters were also phenom. Davy was the primary character and Jordan introduces us to a bevy of secondary characters, with not as much flavor, but the point was to reinforce that Davy is alone in facing this situation. There is also a good romantic interplay between Davy and Sean, but I wouldn’t categorize this book as a romance. The anxiety of potential “hook-up” gives an interesting twist to the novel, but the emphasis is on Davy and the outside forces that are pushing at her. It also focuses on the future world and the actions of politicians, civilians and fellow HTS carriers, which all impact the plot and Davy’s timeline. It was all so well done, obviously written by an experienced and talented writer.

A great book, a PJV Must Read!!

Then why oh, why, PJ is it getting 4.5 stars and not a glowing 5? The ending. I have to say, the ending to me was a little blurry. I don’t want to give anything away, but Davy has to face all this adversity at every moment in this complex plot, but the final climax was almost easy compared to her other struggles. Call me picky, but I didn’t think it would have been this easy.

Recommendations: For fans of subtle young adult dystopian titles, this is a great example! Young adult contemporary fans will also enjoy. If you like authors like Kendare Blake, Veronica Rossi, and Kiersten White you’ll love Sophie Jordan.

Like this title – check out Mind Games by Kiersten White

I was needing something completely different from my normal read, and this book did not disappoint! My heart absolutely broke for Davy and many times I found myself holding my breath. Sean is such an enigma and I really hope the author delves deeper into his character in the second book.
The book poses a great question regarding nature vs nurture... Does the stigma of being labeled a potential killer raise the chances of someone becoming one? Does isolating carriers make them more susceptible to their gene?

I was very happily surprised by this novel. Lately, I have been just exhausted by all of the futuristic, dystopian novels that have flooded the YA market in the past few years. Every book is the same, every character is the same. Uninvited was, finally, an original premise! The Homicidal Tendency Gene is being tested for in every teenager and Davy tests positive for it. Up until that point, her life was perfect. Great boyfriend, popular, and happy, her world is turned upside with her test results.

I really appreciated the author's fresh take on this somewhat overdone futuristic setting. I can't wait to read more.

This book defiantly sucked me in within only a few pages! Starting with Davy and seeing her have everything a girl wants defiantly makes everyone want to see how bad this goes and how fast. I love the idea of this book with the new genes. The Kill Gene is the main idea behind this book, and it is BRILLIANT. At the end in the Authors note Sophie Jordan said that Davy is everyone. That is so true. As i thought of it, i knew that anyone would do exactly what Davy did. She did what it took to stay alive and pushed herself to the limit. She is a true hero to many people. The idea behind this book is something that really isn't too far fetched. While it isn't something that we have to deal with, it could totally happen. I loved Sean throughout the entire book and looked forward to every seen he was in. I am so excited for Unleashed to come out soon and can't wait to read the next part of Davy and Sean's adventure.

My Initial Reaction…
Wowzers! It’s been a while since I read a good YA Dystopia and this hit the spot. Great world building and fabulous characters made me stretch out activities just so I could keep listening to Uninvited.

The Narration…
Rebecca Gibel is a new-to-me narrator that I absolutely enjoyed. As usual, I spent a few chapters getting used to her voices, but I quickly got swept away in her reading and forgot that I was being read to. There were a few really shining moments, like when Davy is drugged or when a character had a particularly strong Jersey accent. It’s moments like those that a good narrator makes an audio read a better experience than reading for yourself. Rebecca gave those moments voice in a way that I don’t think I could have done justice in my head. I definitely recommend this as an audio read and I’ll be adding Rebecca to my list of go-to narrators.

The Characters…
Uninvited is told entirely from Davy’s point of view, which I think was perfect for this story. Davy is a prodigy. A genius. At the age of three she sat down at the piano and just started playing. She didn’t have to be taught, she just knew. And music is a big part of how Davy deals with life – there are constant references to music throughout and I think true music lovers would probably really enjoy this element of the book. I’m not a music lover, but it certainly didn’t detract since it helped me understand and see Davy. Anyway, Davy has this perfect life ahead of her – she’s been going to a lux private school and has the boyfriend everyone wants. She’s going to Julliard after graduation. She has no worries. Until she’s identified as an HTS (Homicidal Tendency Syndrome) carrier. Suddenly, she’s not a person anymore, but a dangerous carrier. Seeing her lose everything – school, friends, privileged life, her own sense of self – was brilliantly done (and often infuriating). Who’d have thought a prodigy would have room for personal growth? But Davy grows big time in Uninvited as her HTS classification makes her struggle with who she is.

The rest of the characters I’ll sort into two categories – carriers and non-carriers. At the start ofUninvited we get a glimpse of Davy’s life before HTS and thus the friends and boyfriend she had. Although seeing her relationship with them change is very important, we don’t really get to know these characters that well. I did grow to hate one character pretty intensely, especially considering how little I actually got to see of her. Seeing Davy’s family respond to her HTS classification was particularly well done, even if a wee-bit reliant on stereotypes. You’ve got the workaholic, thinks-he-can-buy-everything father and the weak, yet loving mother. I personally loved Davy’s brother and wished we got to see a bit more of him.

The other HTS carriers are the really exciting characters and the ones we get to know best. I can’t talk about them all, though there were a lot and they were all well-written. Shortly after her classification, Davy gets to know two carriers particularly well – Sean and Gil. Sean is your foster-kid whose had it rough, seems tough, but you think he might just be a good guy. Gil is your computer nerd. I really loved them both, pretty much from the word go. Sean stands out from the start because he’s been imprinted (a tattoo on the neck that warns that a carrier has acted violently) and Davy starts out afraid of him. Her relationship and feelings about Sean were a great mechanism for her wrestling with her own identity as an HTS carrier, and I really enjoyed her struggle to break down stereotypes and misconceptions. If you like a bit of romance, Uninvited delivers, but it’s definitely not a Romance. This is just a back drop (as was appropriate IMHO) and feelings develop at an appropriate pace, complete with confusion and mixed feelings. Yay for no insta-love or love-triangles! As for Gil - For Buffy fans out there, you’ll understand what I mean when I say that Gil was Willow in my head. Seems weak and easy to pick on, but deep down he’s a lot stronger than most would give him credit for. And I loved him.

The Story…
The concept behind Uninvited is brilliant because it’s scarily believable. And it takes place in 2021- not even 10 years in our future, which makes it that much more eerie. In this future United States (Davy lives in Texas, like I do, which added another eerie dimension for me), scientists have discovered the HTS gene and linked it to a large percentage of homicides. As is typical, people respond in fear and people with HTS – called carriers – have their rights stripped more and more. We see this drastically progress after Davy’s own classification and it’s enough to make you book-hurling mad. I’m thankful I was listening or I might have a damaged hardback book right now.

Each chapter included a brief snippet of a news report, or text messages, or some sort of communication that gives you a glimpse of events outside of Davy’s own personal view, adding just enough to make our own view of events more dynamic and real without making us know much more than Davy. I found the world building and the way that Sophie Jordan told the story utterly convincing and I easily lost myself in it. I love that she actually gave a date for a point in the future, because it helped create a certain level of expectations. For example, I expected some technological advances, but not to the extent that I might if we were talking 2100. All-in-all I felt it was well-executed.

Concluding Sentiments…
I’m particularly happy that, while Uninvited didn’t end on a cliff-hanger, it’s also not a stand alone. There’s just enough resolution for me to go to bed tonight without stressing about what’s going to happen next, but there’s so much more that really needs to be dealt with. I eagerly await the next book in this series!

This book has left me with mixed emotions. In some ways I didn't really like the main character, but in other ways, I understood her. In other ways I hated that this was about something like a homicidal gene and nothing was really happening in the beginning, but then when the end came I hated the people that were doing these things. Because this was by Sophie Jordan I was expecting to love it, but that's not exactly what I got. And honestly, I know I'm the black sheep with this one, but I'm ok with that.
At first I didn't really like the main character Davy because she was such a goodie goodie. Now of course that's a great trait to have, but when presented with things and people like those she was dealing with, something's got to give. I felt like she was making life harder on herself by not adapting to the world around her. But at the same time, I understood why she did it. She wanted to stay as true to herself as possible. And that's what I liked about her the most. She was true to herself and her personality the entire book.
I also didn't like the slow pacing of the book. Up until page 232 (ARC), I was a bit bored and threatening to DNF it. Why? Because it seemed like most of the drama that she was facing was petty high school drama, like "ooooh I want your boyfriend so I'm going to make your life hell." And for this to be about carriers of a gene that make murderers, I was NOT impressed by that. But I trudged on and I'm glad I did. After that, the book started getting interesting. That's when it became a true thriller. At this point I truly was biting all my nails off and trying to talk some sense into Davy as she let down her guard so many countless times. I even found myself putting down the book and like talking out loud to Davy like she could hear me smh To go along with the writing style, I also liked the chapter dividers. They went along with the story so well and they made each thing that happened with in the next chapter so much more amped. It really helped make the story for me.
I also liked the romance. It was a slow build and rightfully so. Clearly, a love life at a time like this isn't what matters the most. But I loved that. (Which is strange because I am a HUGE lover of the swoonage.) But with this it just worked. They knew that there were a thousand other important things that they could be doing and that being together could hurt them, but in the end their love got to be too great.
Sophie Jordan delivers a gripping novel about an HTS gene that will tear your soul into pieces. So much so that you won't recognize yourself. I was proud that Davy was able to hold onto her sense of self during this super crazy time. But, with that being said, I expected more action and suspense. Maybe there will be more in the sequel.