Lovin' los libros

False Memory (False Memory #1)
   by: Dan Krokos

Publication Date: Aug. 14, 2012
Publisher: Hyperion
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Purchased for Kindle
Page Count: 336 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars

Wow. What an awesome read! I found myself hooked from the very first page! Seriously, I could not put this one down to save my life! From page one, we are thrown right into the middle of this action packed story and there is seriously no down time for our main character Miranda. We first meet her and she has no memory of her life. She knows her name and her age and that's it. After a very unsettling incident at the mall, Miranda finds a boy sitting calmly amidst the chaos and seeks him out for answers. He is Peter, a friend and a part of her team. Peter is very calm, controlled, and direct. He explains what Miranda needs to know and then continues on. He is the leader of the team and I found myself really liking him.

Miranda is such an awesome character. Not only can she kick serious butt, but despite losing her memory, she doesn't freak out over what's happening to her. She remains in control and even though she has no idea what is going on, decides to trust Peter and get some answers. After finding out she is part of a team whose brains have been engineered to affect other people's brains, she also learns that they have to be administered special shots in order to keep from losing their memory. Peter brings her back to headquarters where she finds out their team consisted of two others: Noah and Olive (both of whom are currently MIA). Miranda discovers that Noah was her boyfriend, yet she has no memory of being with him. This certainly makes things a bit awkward once her and Peter do find both Noah and Olive.

I didn't dislike Noah, but I didn't find myself rooting for him and Miranda to work out either. We find out that he made some pretty big decisions that really affected the whole team. You can tell he feels really guilty about them, though.

We don't get a whole lot of character development in this story. However, I still found myself liking them and enjoying reading about them, so the lack of depth didn't deter me from reading at all!

We do have somewhat of a love triangle, but considering Miranda doesn't even remember Noah, it's really a non-issue right now. I do think this will play a larger role in the next book, though. However, the romance is pretty low key and not the main focus of the story.

The story is fast moving, well paced, and full of surprising plot twists that I didn't even see coming. I love a good sci-fi story and I really feel like this one fit the bill perfectly. Memory loss, genetically altered people being used as weapons, clones, mass destruction and chaos... what's not to get excited about?!



False Sight (False Memory #2)
   by: Dan Krokos

Publication Date: Aug. 13, 2013
Publisher: Hyperion
Genre: Science-Fiction
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 336 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars



After finishing False Memory, I couldn't wait to dive right in to False Sight! Krokos had me completely hooked on this idea of genetically altered teens, who were created to be used as weapons to control the masses. However, it goes much deeper than that. I couldn't wait to find out what happened next for Miranda and her friends. After making some shocking discoveries about their Creators and themselves, they begin this book looking to have some semblance of a normal life. However, Dan Krokos doesn't hold back with his plot twists and certainly isn't afraid of a little shock value either. I don't think we were even a third of the way in and bam! Dan definitely throws us for a huge loop, that we never saw coming. As a reader, I enjoy being kept on my toes and I love authors that aren't afraid to take our heads for a spin.

Miranda is still as tough as ever- she really experiences some pretty horrifying things in this book, and as much as she wants to break down, she know she can't. There's no time for weakness in her world. Miranda absolutely broke my heart, because she really wants a normal life- she wants to be able to go to school and eventually settle down, have a family. Even though the crew starts out trying to lead a normal life by attending school, it's not long before they are immediately thrown into their next adventure and have to abandon that course of action. Having been created, the idea that they might not be completely in control of their own lives is a very real possibility. The team is on edge, and Miranda is worried that she may turn against her friends and betray them. She knows the best thing would be for her to leave, yet deep down she doesn't want to be alone. She also knows Peter would just come after her and try to find her.

I love Peter and Miranda together. Again, the romance is very subtle and is not a major theme in these novels. However, there's something about these two that just feels right when they are together or sharing a small moment. Peter is the leader and despite everything that happens Miranda knows he can take care of himself and forces herself to remember that even when things look bleak. Relationships can be difficult in these types of books because while you feel a longing for that other person, you have to be able to determine what is best for everyone involved and not just the person you care about. Everything is at stake in this book and Earth's survival is dependent on Miranda not failing. There was sort of a love triangle in the first book, but not really, as Miranda didn't remember her feelings for Noah. Things do change in this book after an incident rocks Miranda's world involving Noah. Miranda and Noah's relationship changes and the two form a rather unique bond. At first I was nervous because like I said- I love Peter and Miranda together. But Noah becomes someone that Miranda needs in her life to help balance the absolute chaos she is feeling on the outside.

I didn't quite enjoy this book as much as the first one for some reason (I think the complexity of some parts made the book drag a bit), but it was still a great read. Again, Dan didn't hold back with his plot twists or the direction in which he took the novel. We are introduced to new characters, we discover more about the Creators and their plan, and we also find a new enemy in the Eyeless (which- holy crap- SCARY!) There's not much more I can say about this book, because I definitely don't want to spoil anything, but the build up in the last half of the book is INSANE. And that ending?! Well, let's just say it will crush you and then give you hope for what's to come in the third book. I can't wait!