What do you think?
Rate this book
Altered #0.5
Forged
Before Anna and Sam, there was Dani and Sam.
There's one rule that all Branch operatives must live by: No attachments. When Dani O'Brien entered the Branch, she planned to trade her freedom so that her family could have a better life. But joining up with the mysterious organization is more than she bargained for. Branch head Connor watches over her closely--too closely. The training is brutal, the experiments are secret, and the missions promise to be anything but ordinary. The only thing getting Dani through each day is the hope that she'll run into Sam--a young man, about her age, who wears the world on his shoulders.
Find out how it all began in this short-story prequel to Jennifer Rush's thrilling and suspenseful Altered series.
There's one rule that all Branch operatives must live by: No attachments. When Dani O'Brien entered the Branch, she planned to trade her freedom so that her family could have a better life. But joining up with the mysterious organization is more than she bargained for. Branch head Connor watches over her closely--too closely. The training is brutal, the experiments are secret, and the missions promise to be anything but ordinary. The only thing getting Dani through each day is the hope that she'll run into Sam--a young man, about her age, who wears the world on his shoulders.
Find out how it all began in this short-story prequel to Jennifer Rush's thrilling and suspenseful Altered series.
49 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 3, 2013
31 people are currently reading
3217 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Rush
29 books1,632 followersJennifer Rush grew up reading vampire fiction and took her first stab at writing her own bloodsucker book as a teenager (it might win an award for the worst vampire fiction ever written).
Now, many years and many books later, Jennifer enjoys writing action-packed middle grade and YA. She is the author of the Altered saga and Bot Wars series (written under the pen name J.V. Kade).
Jennifer currently lives on the shoreline of Lake Michigan with her husband and daughter, and occasionally gets to see her son when he needs to do laundry.
Now, many years and many books later, Jennifer enjoys writing action-packed middle grade and YA. She is the author of the Altered saga and Bot Wars series (written under the pen name J.V. Kade).
Jennifer currently lives on the shoreline of Lake Michigan with her husband and daughter, and occasionally gets to see her son when he needs to do laundry.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
up-next-priority
December 6, 2013
NOW!!! I want it NOW!!!
March 12, 2017
i don't understand how this is a necessary- prequel when there is nothing important here to the main story. We don't even know Dani, or even her relationship with Sam. We don't know anything about anything. but OK.
April 7, 2016
*chuckles* I love how Connor is the bad guy you want to hate but for some reason you can't. At least we got a brief look into Dani's personality.
December 9, 2013
OOOH!!!
I don’t know what to say… hate Connor more… or think that he’s really SEXy
Ps: I LOVE Edgar Allan Poe’s “Annabelle Lee”. It is actually my favorite poem. :)
@gleekidMC
I don’t know what to say… hate Connor more… or think that he’s really SEXy
Ps: I LOVE Edgar Allan Poe’s “Annabelle Lee”. It is actually my favorite poem. :)
@gleekidMC
July 15, 2017
Me da mucha pena Dani... y Connor, no me fío de ese ni un pelo!!!!!! Mal rollo me da. Me pone los pelos de punta. Ahora, leyendo la sinopsis del siguiente no entiendo muy bien el asunto porque según Dani su padre era un borracho así que 🤔 a ver si averiguo más siguiendo la lectura
December 12, 2013
Originally posted at:
Nocturnal Predators Reviews
From the opening synopsis line I thought I was going to get to immerse myself in the relationship that was, at one point, Dani and Sam. Unfortunately that wasn't what I got. This was actually just a REALLY short, vague and unnecessary background story on what Dani went through. I already had a vague idea of what happened I didn't really need a novella written up on it.
Dani seems like a nice enough girl. Since she and Anna are sisters, both had a bad family life. Since Anna is younger she never got the brunt of it. Dani was made an offer she couldn't refuse and because she cared for Anna she accepted. It's pretty sad since everything she did was in vain and the sh*t hit the fan anyway that the end. I suspect Erased (Book #2) will elaborate a little more on this aspect of Dani and Anna's life.
We (readers) barely got to be in the presence of Sam. That's what I was looking for when I got this. To say I was annoyed is putting it mildly. I wanted to know how Sam was before he met Anna and started to care for her. I wanted to know what he saw in Dani from the beginning when she just started training. I wanted to know why they got separated and what he did to have his memory erased (which is where Altered kicks off).
Overall it was well written and the plot moved that a descent pace. I just had my expectations toward one thing and got something completely different. So it's my bad.
Favorite Quotes:
No favorite quotes for this novella.
Nocturnal Predators Reviews
From the opening synopsis line I thought I was going to get to immerse myself in the relationship that was, at one point, Dani and Sam. Unfortunately that wasn't what I got. This was actually just a REALLY short, vague and unnecessary background story on what Dani went through. I already had a vague idea of what happened I didn't really need a novella written up on it.
Dani seems like a nice enough girl. Since she and Anna are sisters, both had a bad family life. Since Anna is younger she never got the brunt of it. Dani was made an offer she couldn't refuse and because she cared for Anna she accepted. It's pretty sad since everything she did was in vain and the sh*t hit the fan anyway that the end. I suspect Erased (Book #2) will elaborate a little more on this aspect of Dani and Anna's life.
We (readers) barely got to be in the presence of Sam. That's what I was looking for when I got this. To say I was annoyed is putting it mildly. I wanted to know how Sam was before he met Anna and started to care for her. I wanted to know what he saw in Dani from the beginning when she just started training. I wanted to know why they got separated and what he did to have his memory erased (which is where Altered kicks off).
Overall it was well written and the plot moved that a descent pace. I just had my expectations toward one thing and got something completely different. So it's my bad.
Favorite Quotes:
No favorite quotes for this novella.
March 13, 2014
I don’t know what to say about this one. I thought knowing more about Dani would give me an even better understanding of the Altered series – the kind that only comes from knowing the back story.
I was wrong. I found that this 41-page ebook did nothing to enhance my understanding/enjoyment of the Altered series. I was actually thrown by it. Not only did it feel rapidly pieced together, but it also seemed like a carbon-copy of the situations we saw Anna go through in Altered.
Although it is nice to see the beginning through Dani’s eyes, but I think the series could have continued without this prequel because there was no real backstory given. The information given about Dani doesn’t change how little we really know of her experiences nor does it explain why/how she disappeared before the events that occur in the first book of the series (Altered).
For more reviews, please go to Phoenix's Library.
I was wrong. I found that this 41-page ebook did nothing to enhance my understanding/enjoyment of the Altered series. I was actually thrown by it. Not only did it feel rapidly pieced together, but it also seemed like a carbon-copy of the situations we saw Anna go through in Altered.
Although it is nice to see the beginning through Dani’s eyes, but I think the series could have continued without this prequel because there was no real backstory given. The information given about Dani doesn’t change how little we really know of her experiences nor does it explain why/how she disappeared before the events that occur in the first book of the series (Altered).
For more reviews, please go to Phoenix's Library.
June 10, 2016
По поводу этой новеллы я могу сказать только:
1. Написано хорошо. Сюжет прост и задумка понятна. Как всегда автор намешала экшен и романтик, за что мы так любим эту серию. И даже не смотря на мини-дозы и того, и другого, конечный результат вышел легким и увлекательным.
2. Если вы обойдете эту новеллу стороной то, вы абсолютно ничего не потеряет. Даже не смотря на то что новелла мне понравилась на уровне "нормально", история ни о чем, ничего нового вы из нее не узнаете. Такие новеллы интересно читать между книгами, а не после.
Думаю, что на этом мое знакомство с этой серией заканчивается.
1. Написано хорошо. Сюжет прост и задумка понятна. Как всегда автор намешала экшен и романтик, за что мы так любим эту серию. И даже не смотря на мини-дозы и того, и другого, конечный результат вышел легким и увлекательным.
2. Если вы обойдете эту новеллу стороной то, вы абсолютно ничего не потеряет. Даже не смотря на то что новелла мне понравилась на уровне "нормально", история ни о чем, ничего нового вы из нее не узнаете. Такие новеллы интересно читать между книгами, а не после.
Думаю, что на этом мое знакомство с этой серией заканчивается.
December 6, 2013
I want more!! I was so excited to read about Dani and Sam, and I loved this novella! Granted it probably raised more questions than it answered…. But it did give some interesting insights. It shed a little bit of a different light on a few characters, although I still want to know more. This little story was as action packed and surprising as Altered. I can't wait for Erased!
www.wanderingthepages.tumblr.com
www.wanderingthepages.tumblr.com
May 18, 2014
Me han engañado. Yo pensaba que la hermana de Anna, Dani, se enamoraba de Sam. Pero resulta que Sam no era Sam, y que Dani se sentía atraída hacia un tal Connor.
Quería que tuviera más de 48 páginas.
Me gusta que la autora nos haga creer en algo y luego aparezca con otra cosa totalmente diferente. Nunca sé en quién creer. Todo es un misterio. Me atrevo a decir que puede que Dani no esté muerta.
Quería que tuviera más de 48 páginas.
Me gusta que la autora nos haga creer en algo y luego aparezca con otra cosa totalmente diferente. Nunca sé en quién creer. Todo es un misterio. Me atrevo a decir que puede que Dani no esté muerta.
September 28, 2022
I thought I could never dislike a book of this series, but somehow, this didn't EXACTLY do it for me. Maybe I had different expectations, since it said "Before Anna and Sam there was Dani and Sam" and we barely got any Dani and Sam. We barely got any Sam at all. We still don't know, what happened between these two and why they became important to each other.
Also, I still don't know what's up with these covers, lol.
However, the writing style is as amazing as always!
Also, I still don't know what's up with these covers, lol.
However, the writing style is as amazing as always!
March 4, 2014
"Forged" is the prequel to the two book series, "Altered." The book tells the beginning of it all from Dani's point of view. Dani's uncle, the leader of the branch, offered her a deal. He said that if she came and worked for him then he would give her and Anna a normal life away from their alcoholic father. Soon Dani became a test subject in training. She was trained for battle and got her butt kicked by Natalia almost everyday. There was another boy there, named Sam. Since he was the only other one there Dani felt a sort of attachment to him like he was the only one who knew what she was going through. Same tried to explain everything to Dani, but eventually he stop showing up to breakfast. Dani still had no idea why she was there or what she was training for. Finally her supervisor, Conner, took her out for dinner and said he would tell her anything she asked. Conner tried to rush her out of there, and before she knew it she was being grabbed. She found herself locked in a room with Sam. Eventually they escaped but got chased. Sam tripped her on purpose, and was eventually killed. Anna returned back to the facility where she found out it was a test to test her strength, and she failed. As it turns out the Sam she was with the entire time wasn't the real Sam. He was actually a heroine addict that Conner claimed was useless. The real Sam is the one who shot the fake one. Unfortunately this is where the story ends which left me with a lot of questions.
Dani is a very strong and determined person. She puts her life in danger just to give her little sister a safer home. Conner is very manipulative, but very intelligent and charming. He made Dani sort of fall for him. Natalia is Conner's half sister. She did the training for Dani, and was very stubborn.
The book takes place in modern time somewhere close to Lake Michigan. There were many times throughout the book when Dani would take a walk along the beach to think, and is also where her and the fake Sam were running from the people who captured them.
I think the theme of this book is to only trust yourself. People will lie to you and deceive you all the time, the way they lied about who Sam really was and how they fake captured her.
I think that this book is almost pointless, because it left me with so many questions. I read the two books from the series first. In those books it made it seem like the way Sam and Dani met was that they were boyfriend and girlfriend at home, and had always known each other. That they just got into a lot of trouble with the branch. In this book it says they met at the branch after Sam killed the fake Sam. It also should have explained when Sam stole the documents, and EVERYTHING that led up to the first book. It was kind of a sucky prequel in my opinion. I recommend it just to get a little more feel what Conner and Dani were like, but it will leave you confused. I rate this book a two.
Dani is a very strong and determined person. She puts her life in danger just to give her little sister a safer home. Conner is very manipulative, but very intelligent and charming. He made Dani sort of fall for him. Natalia is Conner's half sister. She did the training for Dani, and was very stubborn.
The book takes place in modern time somewhere close to Lake Michigan. There were many times throughout the book when Dani would take a walk along the beach to think, and is also where her and the fake Sam were running from the people who captured them.
I think the theme of this book is to only trust yourself. People will lie to you and deceive you all the time, the way they lied about who Sam really was and how they fake captured her.
I think that this book is almost pointless, because it left me with so many questions. I read the two books from the series first. In those books it made it seem like the way Sam and Dani met was that they were boyfriend and girlfriend at home, and had always known each other. That they just got into a lot of trouble with the branch. In this book it says they met at the branch after Sam killed the fake Sam. It also should have explained when Sam stole the documents, and EVERYTHING that led up to the first book. It was kind of a sucky prequel in my opinion. I recommend it just to get a little more feel what Conner and Dani were like, but it will leave you confused. I rate this book a two.
December 6, 2015
"Forged" a prequel to the "Altered" trilogy begins when Dani O'Brien is enlisted by her uncle into the Branch in exchange for fixing her family's brokenness and giving her sister Anna a better life. Undergoing vigorous training Dani's drawn to the enigmatic Conner Van Norstrand head of research who watches her closely, masking his sinister plans under a charismatic personality.
Lonely until she meets Sam a tall, thin young man living on the same floor she tries striking up a friendship that's squashed when he disappears for days or locks his door. Only at dinner one evening with Conner does she reconnect with Sam after she's kidnapped and held hostage with him in a building by Lake Michigan. Not only will Dani's fighting skill be tested, but secrets will be revealed that will change her life forever.
The stage is set when Dani is recruited by a branch of the Scion Corporation whose research in military weaponry has lead to genetic alterations. Fast-paced and suspenseful, clues to the dangerous secrets Connor hides begin to unravel. The plot heats up when Dani is kidnapped and escapes with the help of Sam only to discover that life is cheap to an organization that needs to divest her of any attachments and emotions. Even the ending not only unveils a twist in the story, but the promise of more tension and excitement in the "Altered" trilogy.
In this novella Dani appears fearless, strong and intimidating, hiding uncertainty, loneliness and the pain of being separated from her sister. She quickly falls prey to the charming, good-looking Connor who closely watches her training sessions with his half- sister, the independent and stubborn Natalia. It is these personalities that add energy, power and drama to this fascinating background story.
I enjoyed "Forged" as Dani's character is beaten into shape through lies, misdirection and deceit.
Lonely until she meets Sam a tall, thin young man living on the same floor she tries striking up a friendship that's squashed when he disappears for days or locks his door. Only at dinner one evening with Conner does she reconnect with Sam after she's kidnapped and held hostage with him in a building by Lake Michigan. Not only will Dani's fighting skill be tested, but secrets will be revealed that will change her life forever.
The stage is set when Dani is recruited by a branch of the Scion Corporation whose research in military weaponry has lead to genetic alterations. Fast-paced and suspenseful, clues to the dangerous secrets Connor hides begin to unravel. The plot heats up when Dani is kidnapped and escapes with the help of Sam only to discover that life is cheap to an organization that needs to divest her of any attachments and emotions. Even the ending not only unveils a twist in the story, but the promise of more tension and excitement in the "Altered" trilogy.
In this novella Dani appears fearless, strong and intimidating, hiding uncertainty, loneliness and the pain of being separated from her sister. She quickly falls prey to the charming, good-looking Connor who closely watches her training sessions with his half- sister, the independent and stubborn Natalia. It is these personalities that add energy, power and drama to this fascinating background story.
I enjoyed "Forged" as Dani's character is beaten into shape through lies, misdirection and deceit.
January 4, 2015
Dani sigue sin caerme bien, creo que es por lo que pasa en Erased. Pero bueno, no puedo cambiar mis sentimientos hacía ella.
Y Connor...no lo paso.
Me dejo con una duda muy muy grande.
August 18, 2017
I found out after I had read the first book in this series that there were novellas...and then I kind of forgot while I continued on through my library's summer reading challenges (one of which prompted my reading Altered.) So, now that I've read all three of the Altered novels, I'm making my way through the novellas. Normally, I would prefer to read them in chronological order, but that's just me.
Anyway, I enjoyed Forged. It was an adequate length for me to feel like it was really telling a story and not just giving us an additional scene like some novellas do. I also really liked that it was about Dani and we got to learn a bit more about her and what prompted her decisions. The other thing that I wasn't expecting, was getting a glimpse into how evil Connor was.
If you liked the Altered series, or if you're wanting to get started with it, I do recommend this novella. It's worth the time.
Anyway, I enjoyed Forged. It was an adequate length for me to feel like it was really telling a story and not just giving us an additional scene like some novellas do. I also really liked that it was about Dani and we got to learn a bit more about her and what prompted her decisions. The other thing that I wasn't expecting, was getting a glimpse into how evil Connor was.
If you liked the Altered series, or if you're wanting to get started with it, I do recommend this novella. It's worth the time.
April 12, 2021
CAUTION: This is written from the perspective of having already read Altered.
.
.
.
.
.
I despise Dani. From the second she appeared in the photo with Sam all I could see was a potential threat to Anna and Sam. Because of that I couldn't get sucked into this.
I appreciate Jen Rush's brilliant writing style and pacing, her clever plot (I mean she almost made me like Connor), and I can sympathize with Dani's plight and how it has changed and molded her. However, I could not find a way to care for or about her.
So, 4/5. Brilliant but not for me.
.
.
.
.
.
I despise Dani. From the second she appeared in the photo with Sam all I could see was a potential threat to Anna and Sam. Because of that I couldn't get sucked into this.
I appreciate Jen Rush's brilliant writing style and pacing, her clever plot (I mean she almost made me like Connor), and I can sympathize with Dani's plight and how it has changed and molded her. However, I could not find a way to care for or about her.
So, 4/5. Brilliant but not for me.
April 30, 2025
WHY is this?
December 8, 2013
I really liked it and was excited to read some Pre-Altered story. We got to know Dani better and Anna's background. We learned the hard way about some tests and that the organization would literally walk over corpses. We want to read Erased! (aka I'm talking for a lot of people I guess). And since I was shocked and sad that the story was over so fast, I definetly liked it :)
December 19, 2014
en serio que esta historia me ha sorprendido pense que mis dudas se iban a aclarar y no quede con mas no se ni que decir a mi me ha encantado nuca crei que pasaria eso cuando comence a leer no quiero y no puedo decir mucho solo: ANTES DE ANNA Y SAM, HUBO UN DANI Y SAM.... lean es un libro grandioso
September 5, 2014
Hmmmmmmm.
The writing is engaging enough for me to continue reading but I was expecting a little more information. I know this is a prequel (hence the short length) but I can't help but feel like you need to read the first book before you read this one, which doesn't make sense to me.
Ah well. Will be picking up the first book anyway to see what all the fuss is about.
The writing is engaging enough for me to continue reading but I was expecting a little more information. I know this is a prequel (hence the short length) but I can't help but feel like you need to read the first book before you read this one, which doesn't make sense to me.
Ah well. Will be picking up the first book anyway to see what all the fuss is about.
April 29, 2015
Yo pensé que en este libro me iban a explicar la relación Dani y Sam, pero mangos me dejaron muy confundida, ¿y quién jodidos es Connor? Me da mala espina y debo decir que desde Altered me olía que Dani iba a estar viva.
December 17, 2022
1 3/4 star.
Aquí podeis leer mi reseña...
http://mayuamoraprimeravista.blogspot...
Un beso!!
Aquí podeis leer mi reseña...
http://mayuamoraprimeravista.blogspot...
Un beso!!
May 30, 2024
“Forged” is a very short prequel to the 'Altered' series.
A young woman, Dani, finds herself in a research facility with no idea of what it does.
It is mainly blood tests and lots of martial arts training – genetic alteration is mentioned but never explained.
There is one other trainee, Sam, who has been there for several months.
He, too, is unforthcoming.
And that's about it except for a trick ending.
It's not interesting enough to make me want to continue with the series proper.
2 Stars.
A young woman, Dani, finds herself in a research facility with no idea of what it does.
It is mainly blood tests and lots of martial arts training – genetic alteration is mentioned but never explained.
There is one other trainee, Sam, who has been there for several months.
He, too, is unforthcoming.
And that's about it except for a trick ending.
It's not interesting enough to make me want to continue with the series proper.
2 Stars.
January 30, 2018
The only book in the series I gave only four stars. "Only". Still, it was well thought out and written well, however, I wish there was a little more on Dani and Sam, given the description of the book. Still, it was a nice addition to the series, recommend for an audience of about 12+. The series was FANTASTIC! Would definitely recommend the whole thing.
September 7, 2018
This reads like a first draft, so I've decided to skip all the novellas for this series, as I'm worried they will be similar.
It feels like it was rushed out, and I don't really feel like I got anything out of this story that was useful or entertaining.
Don't worry about skipping this. It's definitely not a must read.
It feels like it was rushed out, and I don't really feel like I got anything out of this story that was useful or entertaining.
Don't worry about skipping this. It's definitely not a must read.
February 7, 2023
I guess we got to learn a little more about Dani in this short prequel, but honestly if felt more of a Dani and Conner story than Dani and Sam. Don't know what information this gave us, but I left with more questions. I feel like it would have been more interesting to get jumps from her joining to her having a more prominent roll. I still feel like we didn't learn anything from this one.
July 20, 2017
2 1/2 Stars
January 1, 2020
It was a good short read. I am only giving it 2 stars because I would have liked to have read a whole book about Dani and Sam’s life before Altered instead of just a novella.
February 11, 2020
WHAT THE HECK.. I thought this was gonna be a Sam and Dani love story but it WAS NOT AT ALL AND I REALLY LIKED IT. Why do i think Connors hot now...ive been bamboozled
August 3, 2022
Even though this cover looks risque the book wasn't.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews