Breaking Free

by Alicia McCalla

Seventeen year old XJ Patterson is genetically enhanced. So is her revolutionary mother, Dorothy. CAGE, the Coalition to Assimilate Genetically Enhanced Persons, abducts Dorothy because she crossed the wrong person. XJ wants to rescue her mother, but she won't join the revolution to do it. If she becomes a revolutionary, she can't live a normal life. And all she wants is to be normal.

Brandon Miller wants XJ to be his girlfriend. He doesn't care that she's poor and he's rich. He doesn't care that she's black and he's white. But right now, his priority is convincing her to tell her story on Revolution TV.

Can he convince XJ in time to help her rescue Dorothy from the CAGE mind sweep?

Breaking Free is the first book in the Genetic Revolution series. Three young cousins, XJ, Amber, and Whitney, must reunite to become the ultimate weapon to destroy CAGE.

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Interracial Romance

232 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2012

About the author

After thirty years, Alicia McCalla accepted her calling as a writer of strong Black women heroines who fight back, sometimes to the death. Alicia’s stories are edgy, violent, and controversial with heart-pumping action and her protagonists are forced to make difficult choices.

Alicia began writing and self-publishing professionally in 2012. In the beginning, she wrote part-time while she worked full-time as a School Media Specialist. Tragedy struck and her only child, an officer in the US Navy was lost at sea. This single event changed everything. With the overwhelming intensity of her grief brain, she had to re-learn how to live fully while honoring her son’s legacy (he was one of her largest supporters and champions. He even produced a theme song for her work). She often takes the time to acknowledge her grief journey in her blog posts.

Now, Alicia is a full-time writer & merchandiser sharing stories and products of courageous, brave and strong Black women warriors. She enjoys writing Sistas with Skills, Swords & Superpowers. Alicia is Black Girl Nerd and regularly Cosplays strong female superheroes, warriors and maybe even a fairy. Because of her love of fan merchandise and desire to see Black women represented in SciFi and Fantasy Merchandise, she launched her shop Alicia McCalla’s Emporium featuring superheroines, vigilantes, huntresses and much more.

Alicia's influences include Octavia Butler, LA Banks, Faith Hunter, and Patricia Briggs.

She is an activist in the movement towards diversifying Science fiction and Fantasy (#diversityinSFF). She created the first "State of Black Science Fiction 2012" blog tour, is an active member in the State of Black Science Fiction FaceBook group and has a Pinterest account where she actively curates topics related to Black Warrior Women, Black Science Fiction, Fantasy and more.

Alicia writes for both new adults and adults with her brand of Black superheroes, dark fantasy, paranormal, and horror. She is a former Women Marine-Reservist and a decorated war veteran. Alicia is a native Detroiter who currently resides in metro Atlanta with her loving husband and many nieces and nephews. Sign-up on www.aliciamccalla.com for free reads, updates, sneak peeks, and merchandise coupons.

Reviews

[Julia971 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm all kinds of furious. This book let me down on too many levels.

It tells the story of XJ, a young GEP girl who witnessed her mother's abduction and try to help her. To do so, she relies on her holographic grandfather and a cute boy who has been secretely in love with her for years.
This was supposed to be a good story, an entertaining plot, but...

- the sci-fi side of the story is not good. This fight between Good revolutionary people and Bad CAGE people doesn't hold much suspense. We know what will happen and the only characters that could make it better: the grandfather and the evil mother, Nadia, are left on the side and we barely know their story. We don't really get to discover the world XJ lives in, nor can we measure the full potential of the enhancements the GEP are known for.

- The heroine is on a "sadness - anger" cycle and stuck on repeat. At thirst it was understandable, her being alone to face her opponents, but then it gets boring, and she gets boring too.

- The love interest is stupid. He never says what he wants to say, which is the right thing to say , instead, he just thinks it, and several times (just in case it wasn't clear for us) and he says the worst thing possible to keep drama in a pretty easy and smooth romance (they both love each other !!!)

- The romance is impossible to classify. It's either a "heavy" YA romance or a dull adult one , I can't decide. In all cases, it's not an enjoyable romance. It starts very steamy with mention of hardness just thinking about the girl, which gives it an adult vibe, then there is a lot of kissing interrupted by texts or phone calls, and then... nothing.

[Delaney Diamond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a multicultural sci-fi YA. Disclaimer: I didn't read this book. I gave it to my teenaged nephew because I know the types of books he likes to read, so this is actually his review. He's a man of few words.

He gave the book a four and said he enjoyed it. The story held his interest. He liked the main characters, liked the idea of the revolution and the powers the young people had. He will definitely read Book 2 when it comes out.

[Valjeanne Jeffers · Rating 5 out of 5]

“As Red Death jammed the IV needle into his arm, betrayal pierced his soul. Dr. Gary Leonard Kates, founder of the Revolution against CAGE, was tied to a chair. He thought about his three, little granddaughters as the lethal serum pulsed through his veins. He refused to tell Red Death the code. He’d take the secret to his death.” ~ Alicia McCalla, Breaking Free


Breaking Free, by Alicia McCalla is a YA science fiction novel that tells the story of XJ Patterson, a Black teenager. The story follows XJ as she battles “Cage,” a sinister governmental agency that oppresses psychically-gifted people of color, and fights to save her mom, the revolutionary Dorthy Kates-Patterson.

With flashes of brilliance, Author McCalla highlights XJ's discovery of love in the most unlikely of places, her reluctance to take on her mother's fight and the growth of her own preternatural powers—making her a force to be reckoned with. Ms. McCalla does not shy away from depicting the racism and classism of the alternate world she's created, a world eerily similar to our own, nor are her characters one dimensional. In fact, she even managed to make me feel sympathy for XJ's teenage, arch-nemesis.

Breaking Free is a fast-paced read, complete with edge of your seat SF, action and humor. And XJ is a likeable and strong heroine that young folks can easily identify with—most especially young folks of color. I thoroughly enjoyed Breaking Free, and I give it an enthusiastic five stars!

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this YA/paranormal/thriller/romance. The author clearly defined the war between huemans and genetically enhanced humans. Huemans want to control the genetically enhanced and if they can't they'll kill them. The author also utilizes the issues that occur in the teenage mindset e.g., mother/daughter/father/son identity struggles, 1st love, interracial dating, prejudice, racism, emotional dysfunction, individual freedom vs culture freedom. She carefully constructs and compares the racial movements and ideologies of the 20th century into a well woven story for the 21st century and beyond. Emotionally she presents the dichotomy of famous parents fighting for freedom and their children wanting to be their own person and not to be defined by who their parents were. But somehow the children realize that mantles can't be so easily thrown off. Excellent read! Can't wait for the sequals.

[Milton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book that does a good job blending teen hormones and science fiction. Alicia has a great hand in writing action scenes and her characters remain teenagers despite the seriousness of their situations. An enjoyable read.

[Deleyna Marr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know Alicia and read her wonderful blog. This book was from her heart and speaks to so many different issues of our time. A wonderful read that speaks to young people in their own language about the world they live in every day.

[S.R. Toliver · Rating 2 out of 5]

XJ Patterson was born into a family of revolutionaries, but she’s unsure of whether she wants to continue her family legacy or just be a normal teenage girl. With chapters told through the perspectives of XJ, her love interest, and her stepsister, multiple voices control the narrative and provide nuance that may not have been available otherwise. Yet, even with multiple perspectives, there are some plot points that are left open and some that are not explained at all. Specifically, it felt as though the author spent more time on the characters and their awkward love triangle than she did on building the world in which her characters lived. Additionally, I feel like the author was trying to discuss social issues in society, like interracial dating and ability, but the reliance on stereotypes to bring these issues to he forefront could have been diversified, thus moving it away from cliche territory.

[Toni Crowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book. Well thought our plot although I did not quite appreciate the cliff hanger at the end. I disliked some of the decisions made but I could understand the reasoning. Overall an engaging but slow read.

[Alicia Michaels · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice little debut and series starter. The building of the futuristic world was interesting and unique, although at times at felt as if I was missing important information....like how did the GEPs become genetically enhanced? Or...how are some of them hunted, while others are allowed to work for the organization doing hunting? In some instances I sort of drew my own conclusions, and that may have been the intention of McCalla in the first place.

While I felt some of the boyfriend, girlfriend, love triangle, betrayal stuff was a bit trivial at times (XJ could have been a lot more focused on rescuing her mother), I truly felt the connection between her and Brandon. XJ is a real and relatable character, and it's nice to see a protagonist of color in this genre. It's also nice to have a cast of strong secondary characters to fall back on.

I also wearied of some of the jargon, mainly because it was repeated a lot. Mainly, OMG, WTF, jungle bunny, uppity white girl, and other little things like that. At times they grated, but did not interrupt enjoyment of the story. I wanted to read more of this book, and by the end I was ready for more. I felt the storyline got stronger toward the end...maybe because I felt I understood what was going on more...and look forward to trying out book two and seeing what comes of the adventure embarked on here.

[Cathieebee · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character was way too immature and illogical that I just couldn't continue with her idiocy. This is not how teenagers think, act, and etc. Everything XJ did was bratty and annoying, Brandon was soo one dimensional, and the only interesting character was Heather and the best friend who had a crush on her. I did not finish this book because I soon lacked tolerance for XJ's careless behaviour.