Renegade by Debra Driza (ARC)

Renegade (MILA 2.0, #2)
Debra Driza
Exp. Pub.: May 13, 2014 TODAY!!!

There is no one left for Mila to trust. Except for a boy she barely knows.

But Hunter has no idea who—and what—Mila really is. She can’t bear to reveal her secret, even though he’s unwittingly joined her search for Richard Grady, a man who may know more details of Mila’s complicated past.

Yet the road to the truth is more dangerous than ever. With General Holland and the Vita Obscura scouring the earth for her whereabouts, Mila must rely on her newfound android abilities to protect herself and Hunter from imminent harm. Still, embracing her identity as a machine leads her to question the state of her humanity—as well as Hunter’s real motives.

Perfect for fans of I Am Number Four and Divergent, this action-packed and heart-wrenching second installment of MILA 2.0 will leave readers breathlessly awaiting the series conclusion.

Less than a month ago, Mila was just an ordinary teenager trying to survive high school like everyone else. Until an accident left her with an exposed interior arm showing nothing but circuitry. Telling Hunter she had an experimental prosthetic arm was quick thinking, but it was only the beginning of a nightmare that just wouldn't end. Now she's being hunted by two organizations that just want her for her advanced technology, her mom's been killed by her former boss, her father never really existed (or did he?). And Hunter? Oddly enough, he's the only one Mila can think to call to help her find the person her mom told her about with her dying breath.

 

But having Hunter along for the ride is as painful as it is soothing, because Mila just can't seem to find the right way to tell the guy she's fallen for that she's an android. Not to mention all the guilt she feels constantly lying about who the people are they're tracking down, and the way his life is constantly at risk as she's being hunted by Holland, the V.O. and MILA 3.0. It's a bit selfish in fact, but Mila's having a hard time adapting to this freakish new life of computers and circuitry. But suspicions arise when Mila realizes all signs point to Hunter having his own lies and secrets.

I read MILA 2.0 just two months ago, so I still had the story fresh in my mind. I really enjoyed the first, so when I saw this was up for review, I snatched for it quicker than a fat kid on a cupcake. The pace and suspense kept me reading, not to mention watching Mila and Hunter's relationship jump all over the place, but I wasn't a huge fan of the ending. I'm fine with authors throwing in a cliffy, but the ending seemed rather abrupt. I couldn't believe it when I turned that page and WHAM! Book over. I was like - huh? I guess I prefer to have a little more resolution for the current novel than what was given here. Ending aside, I was incredibly happy with Renegade, and if you were a fan of the first, you'll love this one just as much.

ARC provided by Katherine Tegan Books.