REVIEW: REBOOT BY AMY TINTERA.

Title: Reboot (Reboot #1)
Author: Amy Tintera
Edition: Paperback
Published: May 7, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 265
Source: Bought from Fully Booked
Category: Dystopia, Romance, Paranormal
Trailer: Here.

Synopsis:

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

Reboot is totally gripping!

The cover. Look at the cover. As simple as this final print, I didn't realize it holds so much meaning after I've read Reboot. It's an eye catcher and I loved it. Combine it with such thrilling synopsis, I don't know what else there is to say. And what totally hooked me into getting this? The title. As an IT Tech, I surely encounter this term every single day but in a story, no, not at all. So am thrilled.

In a world where you die, whether from a virus or murder, you get to Reboot. The longer the minutes you're dead, the stronger your new body become. Wren is a implacable skilled Reboot because she rose from the dead one hundred seventy eight minutes after she died. Reboots are contained/trained and given missions in HARC. When the newbies are introduced for training, Callum or Twenty Two, catches her attention. He acts like a human and there's almost no trace of being a reboot. His smile does something to Wren's emotion which is weird because Reboots like her doesn't have emotions. She doesn't train low numbered Reboots but Callum challenged her - his humanness irritates HARC and threathened to eliminate him. When Ever, Wren's friend who's under sixty, starts acting weird and attacks her, she realizes HARC is doing something to them. They're turning them into a uncontrollable Reboots. She then decides to do the unthinkable: stop following HARC and escape.

I really enjoyed the world building of this novel. The futuristic zombie-infected world where you would wish to die to be "immortal". I think its a very unique take on how zombies are projected. And I love zombies. You know, The Walking Dead's long-lasting effect. I also loved how Tintera showcased Texas. The action-packed scenes definitely intensified my urge to finish the book in one sitting. I mean, its not everyday one can encounter such page-filled action moves right? The pacing wasn't even slow! However (yeah, here we go), I was left wondering so much about the process of Rebooting. I think it wasn't clearly explained how the virus affected the human genetics to cause a lifeless body to wake from the dead. I kept asking how it all started and how the virus made Reboots reboot and even gained powers. As a reader, I wanted to basically know the history of the plague this story is telling but I didn't get satisfied with what I was given. I know there's more to it than this and I am crossing my fingers that in the sequel, that MORE would be present.

The characters are all IMPRESSIVE! 178's assassin skills, 22's humanness and Ever's friendship were all polished finely! I loved their love-hate relationships and how they helped each other's characters to develop. And what happened to Ever? SERIOUSLY MIND-BOGGLING AND HEART-WRENCHING. I just want to like wrap my hands around my body and sit in a corner then rock back and forth. However (yeap, there's another one), I couldn't fathom why ALL OF A SUDDEN, 178 started caring. I also couldn't wrap my mind around 22's soft side. So, was it like 22 was 178's kryptonite?

Reboot is an entirely one of a kind take on the ever phenomenal Zombies theme and Tintera beautifully expanded it through her debut novel. With the low rate of human survival opposing the "immortality" Reboots possessed, the danger is always at bay. The fast-paced, action-packed and romantic disposal of Reboot will surely impose a strong need for the sequel!

"He turned to me. His expression was serious, but I liked how it softened slightly when he looked at me. Like the way he looked at me was different from how he looked at everyone else."