Mila 2.0: Renegade

Can we please take a moment and appreciate this beautiful cover? *ooh...ahhh....special...very special*

The covers in this series (Mila 2.0 and Renegade) are simply stunning! Kudos to whoever designed the covers!

I had an awesome time reading the first book in this series, and I had an awesome time reading the second book as well. Renegade once again throws questions at readers to make them think. Like really think. What does it mean to be human? When does science begin to push the edges (in terms of ethical grounds)? What is love?

Mila is on the run with Hunter, and she's facing many self conflicts; Hunter still doesn't know she's an android, and even Mila herself is struggling to determine whether her feelings are "real" or computer generated.

My feelings for the Hunter-Mila relationship are still iffy. I definitely liked their relationship more than before, but I still can't get over the fact that they had the whole insta-love scenario going on for them in book one. Nevertheless, I love how Hunter is always so sweet and courteous. I was probably grinning like an idiot the whole time when reading about Hunter--I love how he treats everyone with respect!

Speaking of guys in Renegade, the novel ends with Lucas and Mila stranded in a desert...and I think Lucas may or may not be developing feelings for Mila. Ms. Driza, if you are reading this, please please don't set up a love triangle scenario between Lucas, Mila and Hunter in the next book! Maybe just keep Lucas and Mila's relationship at a "just friends" level, please? Pretty please?

Okay...moving onto the plot of the book. Wow....a lot of secrets are revealed in Renegade. Like...a lot. ***Spoiler Alert*** For example, Hunter finds out Mila is an android, Mila and Hunter find out Hunter's parents are part of V.O., that V.O. isn't as terrible has Holland depicted them to be, etc. At one point, Mila also suspected that Hunter was working for the V.O. because she found a tracker in his car. Personally I thought she jumped to conclusions too quickly because somebody else could've easily placed the tracker there. (Later we find out that Hunter is not part of V.O....but that didn't really come as a shock to me since I never really did believe him to be part of it.)

***Spoiler Free Zone***

Okay, let's talk about the ending, shall we? IT WAS FREAKING AMAZING! The last 50-100 pages was like...bam bam bam....non stop action. And...***Spoiler Alert*** Reading that chapter in which Mila is stripped of her emotions was amazing was heart wrenching and strangely addictive at the same time. Her complete 180 degree change is personality was a huge shock and I can't believed she actually killed Peyton!! *runs around screaming*

***Spoiler Free Zone***

So, in conclusion? I liked Renegade (and loved the last 25% of the novel) and look forward to further works by Debra Driza. Would recommend to any fans of YA scifi!

The plot of Renegade is pretty action packed like the first book. There a little clues hinting to the answers to the readers questions before we do find the answers. I love a story like this that has a the thrill of mystery and being on the run. I actually wouldn’t have minded if Mila had been on the run on her own. I didn’t need a romantic aspect to help propel the story for me, it would have been fine without that. However it is definitely there.

I was pretty angry with Mila at the end of the first book because she made that stinking phone call. I was really bothered by the Hunter Mila relationship in both the first book and a bit in the second book. I couldn’t understand that if she liked Hunter so much why she would put him danger, especially after the way they tortured her mom to get to her. It would be one thing if she told him the truth and he made the decision to stay with her but she doesn’t. The whole thing does kind of come to a head during this book and honestly I wasn’t as upset with Hunter’s actions as Mila’s. She can act very spoiled and selfish. I think at the same time it’s a testament to how human like this Android girl is. As much as I found the whole relationship flustering, I think there was a point for it. We really see the softer more human side of Mila through Hunter.He brings out a different side of her.

Now Lucas makes a lot more sense to me to be the romantic interest. Even though he really isn’t. Mila definitely has a fondness for him and even though we don’t get to see him a ton I love his interactions with her. There is something comforting about Lucas. Like someone we know is actually on Mila’s side. I felt like everyone else was really up in the air on the trust factor. Even people her mom sends her to. You never know what people’s motivations are or if they will help her or not.

Getting back to Mila, I love her story. I love that she’s an android and that she is battling with that little of humanness she is feeling. It’s kind of strange and intriguing at times. I forgot often that she is not technically real. It made me wonder about what really makes her tick. I kept thinking there has to be more here, more to her than what we are seeing.

I don’t want to give away too much about this book because of that whole thrill aspect when you read. It was fast paced and the plot kept moving and had a lot of interesting twist and turns. As far as the ending, well there is reason that you are going to want to pick up book 3. I think if you enjoyed the first book then you will like this book. It does not lag the same way second books do sometimes because there is a lot of new information and things just keep on rolling. I liked that this book really stayed on track with the story and kept me interested the entire time. I’m curious to see how Mila’s story ends in the next the book.

Title: Mila 2.0

Author: Debra Driza

Genre: YA Sci-Fi

Book Blurb:
Mila 2.0 is the first book in an electrifying sci-fi thriller series about a teenage girl who discovers that she is an experiment in artificial intelligence.
Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past—that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

Mila 2.0 is Debra Driza’s bold debut and the first book in a Bourne Identity-style trilogy that combines heart-pounding action with a riveting exploration of what it really means to be human. Fans of I Am Number Four will love Mila for who she is and what she longs to be—and a cliffhanger ending will leave them breathlessly awaiting the sequel.

Review:

Wow....I completely devoured Mila 2.0--a 470 page book--within a day. In one sitting. On a school night. Needless to say, I stayed up quite late catching up on homework (actually, I just finished an essay ten minutes ago that I should've started working on last night but didn't due to my little book indulgence...but that's besides the point.) If there is one thing I can praise about Mila 2.0, it would be Mila, the main character, herself.

Where do I begin to describe Mila's awesomeness? I simply loved her voice and narration! And watching her grow and change throughout the novel was amazing. At the beginning, Mila's just a normal teenage girl trying to survive high school. Then she discovers she's a cyborg of some sorts...and the knowledge that she's not human is something that plagues Mila for much of the novel.

Throughout the book, readers will question themselves, "What does it mean to be human?" Is it your DNA that determines that? How you look? To have empathy? Mila struggles to come to terms that she has no heart, no brain or blood. Instead she has a hard drive and wires. But she still feels emotions...or are they simply "artificial" emotions created by her internal computer? These are questions and doubts that Mila battles, and I was cheering for her each time she conquered each fear. *Yeah! Go Mila!*

The plot was also totally unique! To be honest, I don't think there are many books out there featuring an android/cyborg main character (the only one I can think of is Cinder off the top of my head right now.) Although some parts of the plot probably could've been shortened or even cut out, I enjoyed the story solely because I really liked Mila's voice, which once again proves how important it is for readers to like/connect to the main character.

BUT...there was a *whispers* instant love scenario. *facepalms*

Within the first chapter of the book, Mr. Love Interest is introduced right away. And wait...guess what happens. Yep! Boy meets girl. Girl meets boy. Both falls heads over heel for each other without really any good, concrete reason(s). I think I just died a little bit there (and not in a good way.) I think the novel would've been waayyy better off without Hunter (aka Mila's love interest) since he only appears in the first 15% of the book and then the last chapter.

Anyways...aside from that (in case you couldn't tell, insta love is one of my pet peeves) I absolutely loved Mila 2.0. The characters were amazing...oh no! Just realized I forgot to mention Mila 3.0 (she's another character) before! Okay, I'll do it now because she's definitely worth the time--Mila 3.0 is basically identical to Mila (who's really a second gen android, making her full name Mila 2.0, but we'll just call her Mila for simplicity's sake) except that she has less emotions. And although Mila 3.0 is pitted against Mila in a series of competitions, it's hard to hate Mila 3.0 because she is malicious or anything. She simply is. She states the facts oh so matter of factly and views everything as black and white. And personally, I think that's what makes Mila 3.0 stand out. Yes, you could view her as a villain (I mean, she did almost kill Mila), but on the other hand, she doesn't mean to harm Mila for any spiteful reasons. I think it's Mila 3.0's apathy that makes her so scary.

Alright...back to the review...I would highly recommend this book for anyone who likes sci-fi and/or nonhuman protagonists (I seem to have liking for nonhuman or not-quite human characters...Cinder, Reboot, The Drowned Cities, etc.) Go read this book now!

I received a copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review!

I’m not going to lie, Renegade by Debra Driza surprised me to no end. From the very start, this sequel to Driza’s debut, MILA 2.0, had me intrigued. Not only does the story begin almost right where it left off, but the prose is so fluid that you can't help but be immediately pulled in. With it's nearly non-stop action, secrets, twists and turns, and troublesome romance, Renegade not only outshines its predecessors, but creates a whole new excitement for this series.

Mila, the protagonist, is re-introduced to us as the same android we parted ways with in the first book. What's different, however, is how much more she acts and feels like a human--at least, for the most part of this book. One of the things I loved about Mila's re-introduction is that we're not bombarded with paragraphs describing what happened in the previous book. You're expected to know how Mila's life has changed without needing a prompting from the author, which shows trust in the reader (which is awesome).

Driza does an excellent job of making us empathize with Mila as she faces rejection and unforeseen enemies, but she also reminds us of Mila's differences. It's this push and pull in the narrative that makes us aware of how complex Mila's world can be. We can't just simply love her or hate her, just like she can't simply be a human or an android. Our emotions are invested in this character because, ultimately, we want her to survive and be what she wants to be, but unlike Pinocchio, there's no magic fairy to save Mila.

The adventure aspect of the novel was awesome. I felt like I was going to overdose on action and suspense, since I've just read two awesome books in a row that feature these two genres. The cool thing about these genres is that rather than making the story lag, it speed things up; adding to the urgency of the situations. The betrayals, the heartbreak, the rejections; they all add up to one explosive conclusion that I did not see coming. At all.

While I normally would say, oh no, another long series?, MILA 2.0 is not finished yet. There are still so many questions left unanswered, people to help, and a lack of acceptance that still eludes Mila. I want the antagonists in this series to realize that Mila is more than an android with debilitating emotions. She is a powerfully imperfect female role model that accepts that in order to be stronger, she needs to know the weakness of emotions.

This is, surprisingly, a fairly quick read. Though the writing is dense and may, at first, appear a bit overwhelming, you'll quickly become too involved with the story to realize how scared you were at first.

I recommend this series to readers who love Science Fiction, adventure, suspense, and anything to do with androids and how they relate to humanity.

I really liked the whole concept and idea behind MILA, an android girl with real human emotions and memories that can't be explained and even though I didn't totally fall in love with the book, I liked it enough to know that I wanted to continue on with the series.

I had so many questions about V.O. that I needed answered, not to mention about Hunter. Was he good, was he bad?> Was he everything he appeared to be?

Yep, lots of questions and I was really hoping I would get a lot of them, if not all of them, answered in this second installment.

And oh boy did I!

I don’t' even know what to say in fear that I will spoil something somehow so I am going to try and leave this as simple as I possibly can and spoiler free.

This one started right off where the first one ended, with Mila calling Hunter and asking him to meet her. While it started there, it certainly didn't end there. From the first chapter there are still so many questions, so much suspicion and uncertainly about Mila herself, her mom, the V.O. and of course about Hunter not to mention the action starts pretty quickly with fights, dangers, and Mila constantly needing to be on guard, all while trying to remain as human as she feels.

There is a lot that goes on and yet still a lot left to be done. Yes we get answers, a lot in fact but those answers just cause new questions to come out and with the new questions you once again have to start questioning everyone around Mila. Who are the bad guys, who can she trust and most of all, what in the heck is she exactly and why...well, there are a whole lot of why's in there.

I actually really enjoyed this. Once again, more than I thought I would. I am actually really really curious what the author is going to do in the next book. How she is going to explain everything, handle everything and of course, end everything.

Who will still be left standing and what it will all mean to Mila in the end.

I will definitely be there reading right along with everyone else that has tried this series and was surprised by it because I just have to know how it all plays out and goes down.

Poor Mila. She's going through so much and seeing her try to cope with everything that's happened was utterly heartbreaking at times. Just her inner struggle with her emotions and humanity with the android parts of her were hard enough. Then you add in the grief from the loss of her mother, and her not knowing who to trust leaving her feeling isolated and alone. Sure she was travelling with Hunter, but as she had to hide so much from him and she couldn't be sure of his reaction to the "true" her, that isolation still held true. I can't imagine being in her position, and my heart really went out to her. I love when characters are written so strongly that they suck you right in, and that definitely was the case here.

There was a pretty big plot twist in this book that I had seen coming, but I still enjoyed the way it all played out. The world behind the story is expanding, and I'm really loving the way it's all coming together. I cannot wait to see how things turn out next after the doozy of an ending in this one. But you'll just have to read the book to see for yourself.

I'm pretty sure this series will be a trilogy, so as always in these type of series, I went into this second installment with a bit of trepidation while waiting for the oh so common sophomoric slump. Luckily this time I needn't have worried as MILA 2.0 RENEGADE was every bit as good as the first installment if not even better. With characters you can get behind and an action packed and suspenseful plot, this one is not to be missed. I'll certainly be counting down the days until the final book is released.

24, Terminator and Pinocchio walk into a bar, meet a pretty young lady, then take her back to their hotel room for some hot, raucous book-making and out pops MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza.

MILA 2.0 is action-packed and thrilling, with a grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-throw-you-around plot that doesn't give you up to another book. I don't think those words even do it justice! Let's just say this is one of those books that was made for my DVR, and I can't wait to watch the show.

Mila thinks she is just an ordinary girl that was uprooted by her grieving mother from Philadelphia to Clearwater, Minnesota (donchuknow!), with no memory of the blazing fire that took her father's life. All she knows is the lingering scent on his flannel shirt she refuses to stop wearing, that her mother continues to remain distant, and she isn't allowed to do anything even remotely dangerous. Like take a horse for a nice afternoon trot. Oh yeah, and she has weird dreams sometimes, too.

Driza spends a lot of time building up MILA 2.0 with the personalities of the characters: Mila is a bit of a wallflower, grieving and just wanting to blend in to her new home. She's made friends with the cooler kids, but some of them are less accepting of her, while others only like her because she's someone new in a small town, I suspect. Her mother, Nicole, is distant but always the concerned parent, at least for the first half of the story, scolding Mila for going faster than a walk on the horse, or any number of other things that might get her daughter hurt. She often left me scratching my head, because I wanted to know WHY this was so important. Hunter is the prerequisite "New Boy" in Clearwater, moving into town right after Mila does. He seems to really like her, and he does seem genuine, but I am suspicious of him for a number of reasons.

I enjoyed the parent-child dynamic between Mila and Nicole. It was obvious that there was something "off" (like, I dunno, someone isn't a real human, perhaps?) but it was also apparent that Nicole cared very deeply for Mila, as if Mila were her own.

I did not like Kaylee, but I suppose she served her purpose. In fact, I didn't like her in a good way, she was one of those Mean Girls from high school. Will we get to see more of her, since it's pretty much her fault that Mila's and Nicole's cover gets blown? Oh the intrigue!

Lucas is someone I want to know more about. I get the feeling that Driza is creating a love-triangle somewhere along the way here, maybe in the second book, and I think it could really work with this story, and the dynamic between Hunter, Mila and Lucas. Lucas is also imperfect, physically, and I really enjoyed that he wasn't a dreamy guy, there to save the day. He felt real.

"I just want to be a real boy!" Well, Pinnochio, Mila just wants to be a real girl. When Mila finds out she isn't human, but a very sophisticated Android engineered in a secret lab by the government, she focuses solely on the fact that she isn't a real person. She can't believe she doesn't have a heart, or veins, or organs, but still feels emotions like any real person would. Her skin feels like my skin, her eyes look like my eyes. In fact, my only quibble with this book is with her engineering. Nicole asks her if she is sure she wants to cut her hair, because it doesn't actually grow. Say what?! You mean to tell me that she has fake skin that feels, smells and looks real, eyes that look real, fingernails, and everything else, but they couldn't engineer hair to grow? Yeah right. Anyway, I digress. Maybe the only thing extraordinary about her (I mean, other than that she's a sophisticated robot) is her exceptional beauty. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck.... She realizes that she feels things and this is what matters. This is what makes us human. Perhaps she's far more human than some of the human characters in the novel.

Driza did a fabulous job narrating the internal voices and commands that drive Mila throughout the story. Often Mila sees threats and has to use her Android functions, and I think this could have been hard to do in a first-person novel, but MILA 2.0 reads effortlessly.

This is a science-fiction novel, but a lot of the action is saved for the latter half of the novel. MILA 2.0 is filled with fight scenes, sophisticated government ops, and even a car-chase through D.C. (my stomping grounds, ya'll!). The build-up from "Am I a human or a robot?" to "I am going to kick the butt of every person in this room because I feel things" is OMGEPIC and I can't wait for the next book.

*This book was read before my Brain Tumor surgery in August 2014. I should have posted a review before surgery, but life was hectic.*

Mila 2.0 was a fun read by a great new author, Debra Driza. I definitely recommend it to all you YA readers.

Mila was a fun character! I loved the beginning with her a normal teenager going to school. She was the new girl trying to make friends. I don’t want to get into the amazingly cool things that happened, but just know that if you like teen fiction with some action you’ll like this one.

It was great getting to know Mila when she thought she was a regular human girl. There was a guy named Hunter who was also fun getting to know. The only thing that started to annoy me was her constant surprise of what she found out about herself. I guess that only annoyed me because I’m the opposite. The story really was great.

I look forward to reading book 2! Mila 2.0 was full of normal high school days then wild days on the run!

Content Ratings: content details found at kathryncooperwrites.com
Sexual: none
Language: mild
Violence: mild

I really wanted to like this one. Really. The concept is fun, it's well written, the action scenes are exciting and honestly just down my alley. But it left a lacking and discombobulated impression. As a movie it would be probably one of my favorites... if the romance would be cut out that it. Yep, I didn't particularly enjoy the romance in it. It wasn't bad per say.. I just don't know why it's there in the first place. It feels very cut off of the rest of the book and awkward. Looking at it on it own, it probably wouldn't be that bad, but it just doesn't fuse to the rest.

The Story line is fast and fun. Definitely a great read for action fans. It's not anything new but it's well told and thought through.

I found that the character building was lacking at best. Maybe that's why the romance part didn't work for me.
Mila in the end is the only character that is interesting. An android who by accident discovers that she isn't human. Her thought pattern and her change are really well written.But that's as far as I think the character development went.
Hunter is cute and mysterious and a big question mark for me. I am not sure why he was given such prominence, and he never is much more than Mila's wishful dreams. Other than his looks and minor details about him - there is no character building at all. While their interaction is actually really sweet, as I said before, I am not sure if its is just a unnecessary surplus to the book. And added bit of extra interest, at least that's what it feel like. Saying all this I should maybe mention that I am totally on team Hunter- he is totally the dude! HOT and mysterious, quiet and interesting. Just dont know how he fits into this particular story.
Mila's girlfriends are simply awful. Shallow and self-centred, so cliche they bordered on cartoon-like.
The entire book is written from Mila's POV, so I guess one can expect more emphases on Mila's character. But the lack of character building in the support characters meant that Mila's relationships to others feel strained and put together and most of the time just awkward.
I find it particularly annoying, because there are moments when Driza actually writes beautiful moments between two characters which means, this could have been avoided!

The writing style is fast straight forward. And I loved the way Driza tackled the whole android side to this. I absolutely enjoyed the action scenes!

All in all a good book- sadly lacking in character building- I can recommend it for someone who is looking for a fun,action packed light read..
To be honest I would love this as a movie- I am quite sure it could be one of my favorite movies actually!

Mila 2.0 has a fascinating premise, one that calls to mind Marissa Meyer's Cinder but on a more extreme level. The only problem is that Mila 2.0 doesn't quite deliver on that premise. While there are a few definite strong points here, I found myself struggling to get through the middle of the book, and I don't know that it will leave much of a lasting impression on me.

I think my main qualm with Mila 2.0 is that there are so many people, places, and ideas thrown at us that it's hard to discern what's supposed to be important and what's not. Along with that, I found there was no time for us to learn much about the characters past a very general sense of their purpose in the book. At almost five hundred pages, I think there could have been quite a bit more development of those characters important to this and future books.

Also, for all it's touting as a fast-paced thriller, I got bored for close to two hundred pages in the middle there. What happened could have been important to the future books, but I only remember the broadest bits of what went on, and had to power through that bit. It did finally pick up again and I was immersed for the last fifty to a hundred pages, but it was difficult for a while.

While I'm spewing these negative things, I do think Mila 2.0 is an engaging and well plotted book. I felt the tension during the fight and chase scenes and was definitely nervous for Mila. I think the idea is a good one and that there's a lot of potential, especially now that the story base is established. I believe Mila has a lot of room--and necessity--to grow, but that she has the makings of a great heroine, one readers can really root for.

Disclaimer: I LOVED this book. The only reason that graphic up there doesn't show a full 5 birdies is that I purposely strung it out because I wanted to be able to sit in the story longer. This is a hefty YA at 480 pages, true. MILA 2.0 is such a fun, engaging story, though, that I had to work to pace myself; I really wanted to sit and chew through the pages until I reached the end. Since our 5 graphic says "couldn't put it down", I opted for 4.5.

MILA is an acronym, though at the beginning of the book, the character is just Mila, the new girl in town whose dad died recently and whose mom is seriously overprotective. She's a sweet girl who's trying to find her spot in her circle of friends while struggling to gain her freedom, just like any other teen. The problem is, she's not a teen at all.

Mila's journey here in volume 1 of the series is pretty dramatic and action-packed. There are several locations, fight scenes, and characters who may or may not be potential allies. She learns that her humanity is not necessarily a deficiency- nor is her android side. She grows to the point of being capable of independence, but not necessarily wanting it.

My favorite novel of all time is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. This novel shares many of the same questions about what exactly comprises our humanity, yet is in the much-more-accessible format of modern YA sci fi. Mila, like Shelley's monster, feels human, yet has inhuman abilities. She feels isolated, even when she meets another like her, because she is so acutely human-like. Instead of being horrifically ugly, she is perfectly beautiful- lacking the small imperfections that mark our individuality. And of course, the whole ethics of creating life issue is wide open for exploration. Oh, to be back in the classroom- this would be SUCH a fun comparison study!

I've read that this may be a tv series in the fall- and if it is, it's going to be top on my DVR list. I can see it in my head, and it's going to be fantastic!

Don't miss out on this one! I'm betting it will appear on several "best of 2013" lists.

Mila 2.0 was exhilarating! It send my head spinning in so many directions that by the time I was finished I couldn't tell which way was up! It was loaded with kick-butt action and a thrilling plot, but also raises some very real questions that make you think.

The book starts as you'd expect any normal story about any normal girl would, but soon Mila's world is turned on its head when she finds out she isn't human. Instead, she's a secret military project who has to hide from all those weirdo's who are trying to catch her and do who-knows-what. So Mila and her "mom" run. And thus beings an adventure of a lifetime!

Mila was a wonderful main character. She starts out kind of confused and alone, but still sure of who she is. After she finds out she isn't human, though, she really doesn't know what in the world to think. She was easily relatable and I was able to warm up to her quickly. There was a lot of internal conflict as Mila tries to understand who and what she is. What makes you human? Is it all physical and no emotional? That's exactly what Mila's trying to figure out. This and everything else she goes through adds a lot to her complexity and development throughout the book.

I loved that Mila was at the forefront of the novel. Sure there's romance and action, but Mila herself is the center of attention and everything else comes second, only there when it's playing an important role in the plot. I think less and less we're seeing books that are so clearly character driven, so I appreciated that.

Mila 2.0 was an outstanding debut with a promising future!

originally posted here: [...]

The cover is simply stunning. I think with the Bourne Identity reference, we can all guess that this book would be action-packed and exciting (Even though I haven't seen any Bourne Identity movies, I've seen the trailers). I think that in that aspect, the book does not disappoint. You will have your closeup combat, obstacle race, car chase, and so much more. Apart from the action, we can find teenage angst, self-actualization, heartbreakers, and whatnot. This is a definite page-turner~

I think that there were a lot of questions unanswered in this book. I'm not sure if the author is saving up the information for the sequels, but I'm not quite sure what to believe. Am I allowed to make assumptions out of the few pieces of information that the author already wrote about? Or will there be more plot twists along the way? Sadly, I cannot really answer that at the moment.

Mila is a 16-year-old girl who moved to the little town of Clearwater in Minnesota with her mother. Her father died in a fire incident that she can barely remember. In fact, there is a lot about her past that she cannot fully remember. And soon she finds out why - she's an android with programmed memories and emotions. Her "mom" was actually her co-creator who smuggled her away from the military compound and kept her hidden. However, Mila cannot stay hidden for long. Now she must run away from all the people who want to use her, while dealing with this new revelation in her life that she cannot easily accept. Is she really just an android or is she more human than we think? But what if it's the only thing that can save her?

Debra Driza was very effective in drawing her macabre scenes of injuries, android parts, torture, and death. I definitely felt queasy reading some of the chapters, but then again, I'm not a big fan of those kinds of things. This is definitely not the kind of book I would normally read, but I loved it anyway. What actually drove me away from the full rating was Mila's overemotional side (and the confusing info). I just don't like how whiny she can get sometimes that I want to get rid of her human side. But it's not all that bad I think. Some were quite understandable considering the situations.

Oh, and I just have to say, I do not trust Hunter, the love interest, at all. I don't really know why. He does nothing wrong. He's actually pretty sweet. But I do not trust him, even though the thought of him keeps Mila going. Maybe it's just me, but you can pretty much judge yourself. I'd rather go with Lucas Webb even though he's working for General Holland, the evil military co-creator of MILA, and even though he has a little deformity. Actually, I'm not so sure about the love interests in the series. See? We need more information!

OVERALL, this is definitely not a book that can stand alone, and it leaves much to be desired. I'm not sure if that is how the author really intended it, but it's not something I'm much fond of. However, the story was very entertaining and captivating, and I would definitely want to know more about Mila so I'll read the following book.

RENEGADE is clearly the middle book in a trilogy. Mila has escaped the lab run by the evil General Holland but she lost the woman she knew as her mother in her escape. She called her friend Hunter in a moment of weakness and spends the first quarter of the book feeling guilty for putting him in order and also feeling guilty for her desire to leave him despite the fact that that would be the safest thing to do for him.

Mila and Hunter are tracking down some people that her mother told her about as she was dying. They are also trying to stay away from the Vita Obscura because her mother told her that they wanted her to experiment on. She said they wanted to take her apart to understand her technology and sell it to the highest bidder.

This story tells what happens when she is captured by the Vita Oscura. It is filled with new discoveries and new problems. It also ends on a major cliffhanger. Had I known that, I would have waited for the third book to come out before I read this one. I face months of wondering what is going to happen next!

Science fiction fans and romance fans will find things to enjoy in this series. Mila is a great character with lots of conflicts and issues but also with lots of character and heart. Hunter isn't a bad boyfriend either.

Full review on Reader's Dialogue: [...]

The story of finding humanity in yourself when you're actually just a machine - oddly relatable.

I love Mila, for all that she's not even human. Her character is so compelling, which should be a clue right off that she's far more than a machine. Of course, it is because her creators programmed too much emotion into her, but the bits where she realizes that she's becoming more human than they could possibly have imagined, where she goes beyond her programming and stakes a claim to her right to exist, those bits are so powerful. She's a really strong girl, and her humor - which her "mother" points to as proof of her humanity - is sharp and funny. And sarcastic - my favorite kind.

There's plenty of fast-paced action as Mila and her mother are running away, tension and fear underlying all of it but razor-sharp wits and calculation. The airport scene is kind of badass. I love the scenes where she's being tested once they're captured, not only because of Lucas, the guy who's in charge of administering the tests, but because every step of the way, Mila shows how she functions as an emotional human, capable of compassion and terror, and while sometimes that helps her win, sometimes it gets in the way and trips her up - but that's perfect, because without that, she wouldn't get any of our sympathy or deserve to keep existing. Which is of course exactly the opposite of what the scientists are thinking. Oh, and there's plenty of heart-stopping action there, too!

When she finally gets out, the cost is so great that for a moment I thought she might not be able to go on. But she's strong. She's resilient, and she now has a purpose - so watch out scientists, you're gonna be roasted in the next book! And I can't wait to see it happen!

I really enjoyed this book. Mila is a likeable character, and just wants to be normal. She doesn’t deal with things too well when her world gets flipped upside down. She doesn’t know what’s real, and what’s not. The only thing I didn’t care for with Mila is her hang up on this one guy. She knew him for a couple of days, but then would obsess over him sort of. It was weird.

Mila fights becoming what she was made for the entire time. She doesn’t want to have all of these advanced features. There are a few things that happened in this book that I hope are elaborated on in the sequel. Even though we meet the people responsible for Mila’s creation, I want to know where she came from. I mean there’s so many questions here.

I love Mila’s bravery when she has to make hard choices. Experiment or not, nobody should be put through the things she is. It’s cruel.

With the ending of Mila 2.0, I’m excited to see what is going to happen next. There are so many possibilities with events that could happen!!!

Mila lives with mother in a boring, tiny Minnesota town. She's used to bigger cities and larger populations, but due to her father's death, her mom felt they needed a change of scenery. Mila has gaps in her memory and doesn't remember when her father died or even if she was there when it happened. Needless to say, she is overwhelmed with dealing with her emotions, adapting to her new surroundings, dealing with her overbearing mother, and coping with the death of her father. A car accident that leaves Mila injured uncovers a shocking secret that her mother tried to keep from her: she's actually an android. Now, she and her mother have to run because the government and another mysterious organization are after them. While running from people who want to kidnap her, Mila has to come to grips with her newly discovered state of being and the relationship with her mother that was essentially built on lies.

There have been a few teen series with artificial intelligence as the focus and they seem to be quite similar to each other. I had a set of expectations going into Mila 2.0 because of this, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it didn't follow the typical formula I had become familiar with. The first part of the story establishes Mila as normal teenage girl in a very emotional situation. She keeps to herself and is very shy, but has her own circle of friends. Her social life is thrown into turmoil when Hunter, a mysterious and hot boy, comes to live in the small town. Her friends turn on her when Hunter shows her more interest and this leads to the car accident and revelation of her true nature. I hated her best friend Kaylee, who dropped Mila over a random boy she doesn't even know, but the portrayal is disturbingly accurate. Although I'm usually not a fan of cliche romances, I didn't mind this one. The actual romance is paper thin and based on instalove, but the reason it is there is necessary. It gives Mila something that is only hers, not manufactured by her mother or the people who made her, and it cements her humanity. It's a small portion of the book, but gives her an anchor and something to fight for when she feels despair.

The next portion of the book follows Mila and her mother on the run. Mila finds out what she is and has to process that information. She could have just allowed her anger and despair to consume her, but she pushes through. Not only does she have to rethink her entire self image, but she also has to figure out how to use all her android programming as uncomfortable as that makes her in order to survive. Their journey also makes her differentiate how much of her memories and personality are programmed and how much are hers. The rest of the story is emotional, exciting, heartstopping, and addicting. I love the third act the most because it gives insight into one of the groups out to get her and shows how her humanity and emotions make her a unique hybrid that has the best of both worlds.

Mila 2.0 is a wonderful debut novel. It isn't perfect, but the writing flows well and kept me reading for hours on end. I can't wait for the next book in the series and I would recommend this installment to fans of science fiction and artificial intelligence stories.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A great science fiction read about a girl android holding on to her humanity.

Opening Sentence: Beyond the eastern border of Greenwood Ranch, orange poured across the sky, edging the clouds like flames.

The Review:

It's always nice to read a story with elements that you haven't seen before or seen in a while. Debra Driza's Mila 2.0 was refreshing. In a world of paranormal beings, dystopian societies, and life altering realistic scenarios, Mila 2.0 is about a regular girl, who isn't so regular. I was captivated by the synopsis. A girl android? It brought me back to the days of reading Isaac Asimov.

Driza's Mila 2.0 has a contemporary feel to it with science fiction tendencies. Mila survived a tragic fire, where her father did not. She lives with her strict and overprotective mother. Her routine is predictable and safe, deemed and controlled by her mom. After the death of her dad, Mila has become anti-social, quiet, and closed off. The only person she calls a friend is Kaylee, a semi-popular girl that brings Mila out of the borders of loneliness. Mila was a character easy to relate to, android or not. I liked the ease and simplicity of her voice. It was fresh, while being feminine and youthful. She was strong, but rebellious, like all young teens are.

In the first half of the book, Mila is as human as humans can get. She has teenage emotions, the highs and lows, and she definitely thinks in that over analyzing way that teenagers do. In the latter part of the book, Mila changes. Without telling you too much, Mila goes through a transformation that is expected as a result of the events that happen. What is surprising about it all is how Driza keeps her humanity. There is a fine balance between human and android, one that Driza talks about, and it was enjoyable to see that defined.

Mila 2.0 is set in an alternate universe of present day. While the background and location is familiar, it brings an ease to the reading experience. With the information that is given in regards to android technologies, the setting doesn't overshadow the details. I think the main focus is the intricacies that Driza brought into Mila's anatomy. I was able to see each android element, and it was like watching a movie. I can get very visual when it comes to science fiction elements, and I'm really glad Driza described Mila in the way she did.

I loved the intro to Mila 2.0 as well as to Mila herself. I knew about the basic premise, but was pleasantly surprised at how Driza wrote the plot. The delivery of the situation, along with the precipice, was brilliant. The story had a slow but steady progression, filling in with details when needed. There is a turning point in the book, where the pace quickens, and it matches with the events that take place. What once was slow enough to gather information, is now quick to keep up with the action.

Mila 2.0 had a contemporary feel while bringing in science fiction elements. I enjoyed every moment of it, and I think you will also.

FTC Advisory: Katherine Tegan Books/Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Mila 2.0. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Androids and cyborgs are some of my favorite creatures in all of sci-fi, so there was no doubt that I needed to get my hands on this book. So many people loved this book that I had gotten my hopes up pretty high, despite the fact that I'd also seen several very negative reviews. As to be expected, I fell somewhere in the middle.

What did I like about Mila 2.0?

I enjoyed the mystery of Mila's past/origins, and following the trail with her toward discovering the answers. I absolutely adored the way that Mila and Hunter interacted with one another in the beginning, and felt that it was very natural. It actually gave me flutters, which is sadly rare for YA books. I liked learning about the interesting android technology created and used at the compound where Mila was created.

What left me underwhelmed?

Well, just about everything else? There were so many things I questioned (Why did her mom still call her Mila if they were hiding from, like, everyone? Why did Mila and her high school friends behave that way toward one another? Why was Mila still pining after a boy she only knew for a couple of days?). The book started off almost like a contemporary book, just a bunch of high school drama and a romantic interest. Then all of a sudden it switched modes completely and turned into a different book.

So where does this leave me?

I don't know. I liked some parts, but a lot of other parts were either annoying or didn't make sense. Maybe I'm becoming jaded toward YA books. Maybe I've just developed higher standards for sci-fi books these days. Maybe it just wasn't the book I wanted it to be. I don't know. I'm not sure if I will read the next book in the series, but you never know how much my interest may be piqued when it comes out.

Recommended for those who want a light sci-fi YA story and don't mind a weak-ish protagonist.

This is going to be a quickie review because most of what I say would lead to spoilers.

Renegade picks up right where Mila 2.0 leaves off. I love that Mila allows herself to take chances even when bad things can happen. Hunter is so freaking sweet, it’s unreal. He does everything he can ot be there for Mila, even after some of the events leave him mad. We also get to meet some new characters. Some of them were pretty great, but a few I wanted to smack around. I mean seriously, manipulating people is not cool.

Renegade is action packed. There were a few plot twists that I saw coming since the first book, but overall there were some nice surprises in there. We see characters I never thought we’d get a chance to. The ending was the mother of all cliffhangers, and I’m excited to see where Driza takes it in the next book.

Renegade is a great follow up to Mila 2.0. We finally get the answers to some things, but are definitely left with a few more questions.

I really enjoyed ready this book. Some books just flow really well and this book does just that and in fact so well that this book would make a wonderful movie. I can just picture the scenes and characters flowing so well on the big screen.
Mila has just moved to small town Minnesota after the death of her father, but her memories of most of her childhood are gone. She is trying to start her life over by going to high school, having a small circle of friends, and even starts to have feeling for a boy when she discovers something horrible about herself. Mila isn't human. She is a top secret military weapon who her 'mom' stole from a secret facility to protect her and has been raising her as an ordinary human child. Just when Mila thinks things couldn't get any worse she now find herself being chased by two organizations (the original secret government organization and now an additional covert organization)who will stop at nothing to make Mila their own weapon. The only option Mila has left is to run. Run away from everything she has left that has made her human. But what happens when she and her mom is caught? What will they do to her now? To get into the action and find out what really happens with Mila you have to get a copy of Mila 2.0. Be prepared for a great action ride that will have your heart pounding right along with Mila's fake one.
I would rate this book as teen reading level appropriate as it does contain a little violence but the author does a wonderful job of keeping everything above gore. Filled with tons of action and a splash of romance Mila 2.0 had me hooked from the first chapter all the way until the end. Filled with twists and turns and a shocking ending that just leaves the reader for me, I can only say grab this book for you wont be sorry!

I’m feeling kind of mixed about this book. It’s well-written and I enjoyed it, I just didn’t love it the way I wanted to. This is a much more cerebral, emotion-driven, story than the previous one and I wasn’t expecting that at all. There’re lots of zig zags to the plot; when you’re happily going in one direction, it will suddenly veer off on a new tangent. I can’t call them twists and turns because none of them came as a surprise to me.

I unexpectedly recieved this book from the publisher with a letter saying that this book was fantastic and that it was already being developed into a TV series. I was pretty surprised that it was already being developed before the book was even published, but I had a feeling this was going to be a great book.

Alias, Tomb Raider, Dollhouse (ok a LOT of Dollhouse), La Femme Nikkita- those are the shows I think about when I think of Mila (and perhaps the Borg a bit too ha ha!). Mila is a kick-butt heroine that finds out she isn't entirely human (spoiler alert!).

Mila started off a bit rough for me- she seemed more computer and less human in the beginning. I really had trouble getting a feel for who Mila was at first. However, once her "other" side was revealed I found myself enjoying Mila more.

I enjoyed that the villain in this book really was a villain. Even being given a side of his humanity through his children, he really seems to have no redeemable qualities- I liked that a lot. Sometimes it is good just to read a book where the hero is good and the villain is bad and there are no gray areas. I wish I could have gotten to know Mila's mother a little better- she seems like the only underdeveloped character in the entire book.

I do, however, have one problem with this book- the ending. WHAT was that ending? I found it incredibly unbelievable for so many reasons. I want to talk about it, but I don't want to ruin the entire book by giving away the ending. (and by the ending I mean the last 3 pages of the book). Luckily the rest of the book was spectacular and Mila is going to be a series- so I will hold out and wait to see where this plot is going.

Completely unexpected, this novel rather captivated me.

Following Mila and her adventures, I found myself having flashes of different sort of movies.
In the first place, "DARYL" by Simon Wincer, where a young adopted boy learns of his extraordinary abilities that have an interest for the military. This is the first part of the story, when Mila peacefully live with her mother in the Minessota, and she discovers her android side.

Then, chases, fights and paranoia prevailing around the identity of the bad guys, who threaten the two women, reminded me of scenes from "The Bourne Identity" by Doug Liman.
The story becomes darker, although gadgets discovered inside Mila bring a little levity. What woman has not dreamed of having a built-in GPS?

Finally, trapped in the lab, I had impressions of "The Hunger Games" by Gary Ross mixed with an old movie played by Arnold Schwarzenegger: "The Running Man" by Paul Michael Glaser. In this part, the scenes are tougher.
Particulary during the beating and the frightening obstacle course set up for the third test.

Is it bothered me to see different references through my reading? Not really because the mixture is well done and the narrative full of rhythm . Between espionage, combats, laboratory rats experiences, android and human feelings, the reader do not get bored.

In terms of characters, some are more interesting than others. Hunter and the place it plays in Mila's mind has perplexed me. And I a Lucas fan !

Hopefully, more revelations should be coming in the sequel...

A trilogy of science fiction to follow.

Lucie
newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr

With a brand-new premise about artificial intelligence, Mila 2.0 sure does keep us readers caught up in every twist and turn. Unfortunately even with those thrilling twists and turns, I never felt like we arrived at the climax of the novel. Nevertheless Mila 2.0 was an enjoyable read just because of the freshness of the idea (at least, I hadn't read something similar in the YA genre until now) and the writing was pleasant to read.

The plot was for me the best part of this novel. It went as it usual does, with Mila finding out that she is not who she thought she was. From then on, the novel is filled with action and exciting moments, enough to make us readers eager to get to the last page. The only big problem with this novel, in my opinion, was the romance. Her relationship with Hunter was always a central theme in the novel, despite the lack of development between them. Furthermore he doesn't play a big role in the story but is always remembered as a big deal; the problem is: he isn't a remarkable character.

Mila was a more interesting character but I wasn't able to enjoy her much. But her emotions are well-described and probably I will enjoy her more in the sequel. Hunter, as mentioned, didn't thrill me as he should have but let's wait to see how things will play out in the course of the trilogy. Lucas, another possible love interest, was also a bit superfluous in the story; I expected him to become something more but somehow it felt like the author was holding out on us. He was left behind without even an afterthought.

Mila 2.0 was a great debut to a trilogy that has potential to become something awesome. Even though there were many things that bothered me in this novel, there were also many that I thoroughly enjoyed. I'm certainly awaiting the next installment, and you should too!

4.5 stars

The following review is based on an eARC provided to me by the HarperCollins UK via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
It can also be found on my blog here: [...]

Review:
I'm not usually a big fan of science fiction but after reading Debra Driza's wonderful debut I will definitely have to rethink my stance toward the genre! Once this book got moving it had me on the edge of my seat and despite Mila's not-quite-human nature, I never had problems connecting with her, so if this is something that usually keeps you from reading SF don't let it deter you in this case!

From the description, I knew going in that Mila was actually an android. However, she is so incredibly human that I sort of forgot, or at least didn't think this fact through properly and draw the consequences. Mila is trying to fit in at her new school, but she's still reeling from her father's death a few weeks ago. They were very close and she goes over their memories together over and over... apart from the one spot she doesn't remember - the day their house burnt down and he died. What's worse is that Mila cannot really share her grief with her mum because she has withdrawn from her since the fire and their subsequent move to the middle of nowhere, Minnesota, and Mila often wonders whether her mother even loves her anymore.

Things change when Hunter moves to their small town. Mila's `best friend' Kaylee (I never liked her, but then again one isn't supposed to) has the hots for him... as does Mila, and pretty much everyone else. But Hunter is interested in quiet Mila. They connect and have a couple bonding conversations... until a car accident changes everything and Mila finds out about who and what she really is. And let me tell you, even though I theoretically `knew', or thought I did, my mind was still scrambling to catch up with everything. Because it wasn't how I thought it would be! Mila's anguish at finding out that she isn't human and that everything she believed was a lie was palpable to me as a reader. I ached with her all the way and I felt so incredibly sorry for her! After that revelation, things go out of control and Mila and her mum have to run. From then on, the book is one big adrenalin trip that goes so many places I hadn't anticipated and managed to surprise me over and over! Maybe it's partly because I'm unfamiliar with the genre but once we left `high school' I found the novel to be completely unpredictable, right down to the ending.

It's really hard to talk about this book without spoilers, so I will have to leave the plot alone for now. As I've said I thought Mila was a fully formed and deep character. She really struggled with the idea that she was supposed to be inhuman, not real, a machine, even as her enhanced `functions' started to come in more and more handy. Her mum was equally complex and I hope to find out a bit more about her past in the sequels, which I will definitely read. Another character that I came to love is Lucas but I unfortunately can't say more about him apart from the fact that I hope I haven't seen the last of him.

As for Hunter... he's part of the bit I wasn't one hundred percent happy with in the book. I get it that Mila is attracted to him, and it makes sense with her past and all, but I just didn't find him to have that much substance. He was sort of elusive. I mean what does Mila really know about him? I understand how she latched on to him because he was one of her few non-fake good memories, but I do wish his description was a bit more varied than her remembering his "lopsided smile" so many times. I wish they would have been given a bit more time before they were torn apart; it would have made the romantic angle of the novel more believable to me. I hope this, too, will be deepened in the sequel.

Apart from that I can find nothing to complain about. The plot was surprising and utterly engrossing. It was ultimately different from what I expected, but in the best possible way! There was plenty of action but the plot wasn't rushed and unfolded naturally. The scientific elements were described in a way that made them shockingly believable. In our age of 3D printers and whatnot I could actually imagine something like this happening. Mila's abilities were as amazing as they were frightening. The novel touches on some of the big questions - what makes us human? How far may scientific research go until it becomes hubris? I liked that these themes were not explored in a heavy-handed way. It made me think because even though the issues in themselves are not new, Mila's perspective was.

Overall, I think that sci-fi fans and action junkies will take as much away from MILA 2.0 as those readers more focused on character and beautiful writing. This novel definitely deserves the hype it got even prior to publication! I am very curious to see Mila's journey continue in the next installment of the series.

This book written by Debra Driza is such an interesting book, but i guess the synopsis of the book kinda give all them details that about Mila. I don't like the synopsis, really, because it doesn't give you an element of excitement. You will just say " ahhh, so that's what Mila is. OK." I would want it that I can say , " What? Mila is like this? Mila is like that? Wow!" But it's just for me or I guess i'll call the synopsis a spoiler.

It's just interesting(ironic) because there are some minor details that you have to know and you need to know. enk. Not really minor but it's interesting because you will further know the life and history of Mila. You will know her background.

CHARACTERS

Mila is a 16 yr old girl. Their family transferred from Phily to a small town in Minesota. Her father died in a fire and she could have died. That was here background but that was all she remembered. SOme memories of her are blurry. BUT Mila as a character did not capture me. I was sad because I was really hoping that she can captivate me, but none. Even the parts where she was struggling, I did not had her feelings in me. I don't know why but that was it. Well, at first she did capture me but as the story goes on, she slowly drifted away from me. :(

Then her mom, ooops! I never she was that. That was one surprise. But like Mila, she did not capture my line of interest.

Then there comes Kaylee. She was a bitch. (Sorry for the word) I was really mad with Kaylee in the story. She was the only friend that Mila had until a boy from out of town also transferred there. Kaylee was jealous because the boy was into Mila so she dreaded Mila and shortly made her life miserable until Mila took the run as mentioned in the synopsis.

The only character that had my most attention was Lucas. He was helpless. I felt really sad for him. It was as if he could not do anything to get out from the hell he is working/living in. He was such a good friend. I really felt bad for him. err.

PLOT

One thing that I liked about the plot is that it was action-packed. Aside from that , it was somehow predictable. I don't know why but I also felt that the author is having a hard time choosing the right words to write.

ENDING

I really don't like the ending as well. It wasn't a cliffhanger. I felt bad because I somehow knew that she would do that.

OVER-ALL

Action-packed but predictable, this book was enjoyable but somehow hard to internalize. I had mixed feelings while reading this book.

3.5/5

Mila is still grieving for her late father. Though, her memories are choppy and confusing after an accident. And her mother seems to be acting strangely around her, keeping her at arm's length. She has only made a couple friends, since arriving in Minnesota. But when the new guy in school shows interest in her, suddenly her best friend completely changes. And not for the better. When Mila is in an accident, she discovers something even more devastating. She's not human. And Mila's blooming romance is cut short, when she and her mother have to flee from dangerous men who will stop at nothing to get her technology.

This science fiction adventure is an impressive debut by a talented new author. This fast-paced, action-packed thriller is impossible to put down. Mila 2.0 is non-stop excitement and suspense from beginning to end. The story unfolds in a dramatic way, with an incredibly strong and well-developed heroine. Futuristic technology paired with the intensity of a spy novel, both teens and adults alike should enjoy this one. First in a planned trilogy, I can't wait for the next. This has certainly made the list of my favorite reads for 2013.

This book was a little slow getting started, but once it started rolling, it never slowed down!

If you've read this far, you know the basics, so let me just get to the best part of the book, which is the three tests she has to undergo for the her and her mother's lives. basically a competition between her and 3.0 to see who is the "better" version. I enjoyed the whole book, but I read this section breathlessly, eagerly anticipating the tests, the results, and how her relationship with Lucas, the cute and sweet young lab assistant would turn out.

Initially, I thought the book was kind of wordy (in a cliched way at times), the author's writing style grew on me and I really got into the book at that point. This is perfect book for both teenage boys and girls, and should appeal to both. It does have a bit of scary torture scenes (bad government men vs android girls), but nothing too hardcore.

I have to say, I liked this book a lot, and will read other books in the series. I can definitely see movie potential in this book as well.

I was originally attracted to Mila 2.0 because of its amazing cover, which I feel says so much about the story, but very subtly.
The story is immediately intriguing, as the reader is allowed to share Mila's memories which do not fit with the story of her father's death. However, her emotions are poignant, and this continues throughout the book, thereby being the way in which we can connect ourselves to Mila's character and feel sympathy for her.
Mila's romance is short, but the memories of this give her strength when she is in difficulty later in the book. I admit I was initially suspicious of Hunter but was pleased when I was shown to be wrong. After discovering the truth about herself I think her time with Hunter allows her to feel 'normal'.
It is in the second half of the book that Debra Driza develops the sci-fi plot. This also leads to added tension and excitement for the reader.
I think Mila 2.0 is a clever story, both in terms of character creation and plot development, as Debra Drizanever takes the reader where they are expecting to go. I am highly anticipating the sequel and have already downloaded the prequel!
This was given to me as a review copy from Netgalley, but has had no influence on my opinion.

I enjoyed reading this story about an android who is more human than machine. It was an interesting concept to me--a girl who doesn't realize she's a machine until an accident happens.

Sure, I thought some of it was far fetched. And I thought the connection between Mila and her mom was weird. The mom seemed awfully cold at first to have loved Mila enough to steal her from the science lab. And Mila was really infatuated with a boy she only knew for a short period of time.

There was lots of action that kept me on the edge of my couch. It was faced paced and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book. (And there's a prequel novella that I'm going to read next!)

Oh, and I have to say, I think there's something off with Three. I can't figure it out, but it'll be interesting to see if more comes of that in the next book or if I was just imagining it.

Mila still hasn’t told Hunter the truth about what she is, which leads to some awkward explanations as she follows leads to find her “father.” But along the way she begins to suspect Hunter hasn’t been upfront with her either. Meanwhile, Mila tries to uncover the truth about the android program and where she really came from.

Renegade is the second installment in an action-packed, science fiction trilogy. Full of intense suspense, mystery, intrigue, and romance – this fast paced sequel is pure excitement. The last third of the novel takes an unexpected twist that I didn’t see coming. And Mila is put in a predicament that could change everything. The suspense builds to a thrilling cliffhanger that left me eager for the final chapter in this incredible series.

*Review previously posted at SciFiChick.com

Average is the best word to describe this book; not really memorable but not completely forgettable either.

Hunter is plain dumb. He believed Mila when she said, "I'm a spy," why would he believe her when she doesn't act like a spy at all? Mila's also not the brightest bulb in the bunch either, but come on, even she wouldn't have fell for that.

Mila keeps saying she's a android, but if she has human parts too, doesn't that make her a cyborg? Not an android. Cause android is all robot and cyborg is part human/part robot.

The whole emotions must go away at the end was lame and made me hate Mila for falling for that. How could Mila not see through the faintly veiled "modification" ploy. For pete's sake, she's part robot, there must be some logic somewhere deep, deep, deep, deep down.

I was so excited after reading the synopsis for this novel, but it didn't live up to my expectations. The first portion of the novel moved at such a slow pace. I just couldn't force myself to find it interesting or continue reading. My reading time is precious and rare so I'm not going to trudge through a book I'm not enjoying.

I found it impossible to connect with the main character. It also seemed like I was dumped into a book, but was missing some vital information about what had happened to the characters. I discovered this was covered in a short story prequel. Would have been great to know this BEFORE I started reading.

I'm seriously bummed I couldn't finish this. Perhaps I'll try again later because after reading other reviews it seems this really picks up after the initial slow start.