A Happy 4th of July to all of you! We ended up celebrating yesterday already, due to my husband's work schedule, but we had tons and tons of fun. I did get the chance to hit today's read on Saturday evening thanks to the beautiful weather (a little cooler than it's been lately), which let me enjoy an hour or so outside.
Today's read releases today and heads in the science fiction direction and takes on the theme of artificial intelligence, while working with a bit of teen romance. It's a short read, which fit perfectly into my tight schedule, too. Now, was it worth it? Let's find out!
PROJECT A.I.D.E.N.
by Lindsey Frydman
Entangled Teen
YA Science Fiction
224 pages
Until the moment I met him, I’d never done anything wrong. Like, seriously, anything. Until that summery afternoon when an exceptionally cute boy with unnatural green eyes—like emerald flames—stepped out in front of my car. And I hit him.
Only the boy didn’t die. There isn’t a mark on him. And now Aiden is begging me to drive him somewhere, anywhere. Because he’s being hunted, and the people chasing him will only stop when he’s dead. I know I should just keep driving, but there’s something vulnerable in his voice, in his crooked smile, that makes me want to help him…even if it means leaving “good” behind.
And “leaving good” feels a whole lot like being alive. More alive than I’ve ever felt.
Now I’m risking everything—my safety, my relationship with my dad, even my freedom—for a guy I just met. It’s not Stockholm Syndrome or even Hot Hijacker Syndrome. Something tells me Aiden’s different, really different, and it’s not just his eyes, his strength, or his preternatural smarts. Or that when he kisses me, everything else just disappears.
It’s like he’s the perfect guy.
And he might just be hiding the perfect secret.
Only the boy didn’t die. There isn’t a mark on him. And now Aiden is begging me to drive him somewhere, anywhere. Because he’s being hunted, and the people chasing him will only stop when he’s dead. I know I should just keep driving, but there’s something vulnerable in his voice, in his crooked smile, that makes me want to help him…even if it means leaving “good” behind.
And “leaving good” feels a whole lot like being alive. More alive than I’ve ever felt.
Now I’m risking everything—my safety, my relationship with my dad, even my freedom—for a guy I just met. It’s not Stockholm Syndrome or even Hot Hijacker Syndrome. Something tells me Aiden’s different, really different, and it’s not just his eyes, his strength, or his preternatural smarts. Or that when he kisses me, everything else just disappears.
It’s like he’s the perfect guy.
And he might just be hiding the perfect secret.
MY TIDBITS
Adventure surrounding an A.I. gains a refreshing twist, while seeping in tension and a touch of romance.
Aiden would like nothing better than to have the chance to finally leave the room he's called home ever since a nearly deadly car accident several years before. The institute has done everything they could to save his life and more. He never forgets anything, is practically invincible, strong and fast. And he's a nice guy. Now, if only he could pass the last test, they'll finally let them go. Or will they?
This is an easy, quick read, which kept me in the pages until the very end. I read it in one sitting and didn't have even the slightest inkling of an urge to put it down. It was so quick and easy that I really was surprised, when I looked back and realized that it was over 200 pages and not much shorter. So, I'd have to say it was a good, entertaining read. But of course, I have to say more than that, don't I?
It's pretty clear from the title and cover that this one swirls around the theme of artificial intelligence, and it does so with a couple refreshing twists, which keep it from turning cliche. Aiden is a super, nice character with tons of simple charm and a very good heart. The heroine is just as kind and nice, and finds herself in over her head, trying to make the best decisions possible. Both are easy to root for the entire way through.
Something happens on every page, and while some twists are easy to see coming, others take by a bit of surprise. There were moments, where the actions of the main characters seemed a bit dumb, but all in all everything flowed well and was understandable. The story holds some depth but, at the same time, stays a bit light and a little too quick to the resolution. I did think it was a bit short for the subject matter and wanted to see a bit more chase and development, but, on the other hand, it was a lovely read to throw into a few hours. So, I can't really criticize it, either.
The romance is sweet, straight forward, and warms the heart. The ending does bring a bit of uncertainty and create just the right amount of tension to make sure it's not clear if things will work out or not...and I'm not going to say, which way it went because that'd ruin everything.
This is an enjoyable, quick read, which adds just the right amount of food for thought without going overly deep. I can recommend it to light science fiction fans, who enjoy a bit of tension, action, and tons of heart.
And here she is...
Lindsey has been writing since she was nine years old, when she discovered the awesomeness that is Harriet the Spy. Her books always include a romance, though sometimes there’s an added sci-fi or magical realism twist. She lives in Columbus, Ohio (where the weather is never quite right). Her BFA in Photography and Graphic Design has granted her a wide assortment of creative knowledge that serves as inspiration (and not much else). When she’s not crafting YA and NA stories, you'll likely find her spending waaay too much time on Pinterest, playing a video game, singing show-tunes, or performing in a burlesque show—because she enjoys giving her introversion a worthy adversary. (Plus, it's the closest to Broadway she’ll ever get.) Lindsey was a proud 2016 Pitch Wars Mentee and thoroughly adores being a part of the wonderful writing community. THE HEARTBEAT HYPOTHESIS is her debut novel.
