Reboot by Amy Tintera
Synopsis:
Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes, she came back to life as a Reboot—stronger, faster, able to heal, but less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return, making Wren 178 the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas.
Callum 22, on the other hand, is practically still human. He’s the worst trainee Wren has ever had—his reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking pesky questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet he’s still her newbie. When Callum fails to measure up to Reboot standards, Wren is told to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before, but she’ll do whatever it takes to save Callum’s life. The perfect soldier is done taking orders.
Review:
Wren (178) believes that she’s emotionless and more zombie-like than human. But as the readers see her interact with others, it’s obvious she’s caring and sympathetic to others. But Wren does ruthlessly follow orders until Callum (22) begins to have an effect on her conscience. Tintera’s future world of Reboots resulting from a virus are zombie-like in that they aren’t exactly human. And the longer it takes a human to “reboot” (wake-up after death) supposedly the fewer emotions they have, making them better soldiers.
I loved the fantastic world-buliding and interesting characters. With intense suspense and heart-pounding adventure, Reboot is an exceptional debut. It’s a smart and distinctive twist on the zombie genre that any scifi or dystopia fan will enjoy. This is another surprising debut that will make my list of favorites for the year. Harper Teen, a favorite publisher of mine, and its various imprints has had an incredible lineup of new releases lately. And this is another standout title that shouldn’t be missed.