Altered: Awakening

by Robbin Solomon

THE ALTERED SERIES - BOOK 1

Sammy Riley sees her mother twice. Upstairs. Downstairs. In the same impossible moment.

That's when she realizes that nothing is what it seems.

Not her life. Not her family. And definitely not herself.

Shapeshifters. Secret experiments. A brilliant, unstable scientist who sees teenagers as lab experiments. Sammy and her twin brother Stone aren't normal—they're engineered weapons, and Dr. Jasper will do anything to keep them under his control.

But Sammy refuses to be anyone's experiment.

With Stone by her side and a desperate network of others like them, she'll uncover the truth about what was done to them and who's hunting them now. The question isn't who she was engineered to be. It's who she'll choose to become.

For fans of THE DARKEST MINDS, MAXIMUM RIDE, and STRANGER THINGS.

AWAKENING is a pulse-pounding YA sci-fi thriller about identity, family, and fighting back when the world wants to control you.

Book 2 in the ALTERED series - coming 2026.

237 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 15, 2026

About the author

Robbin Solomon writes YA Sci-Fi thrillers about identity, family, and fighting back when the world wants to control you. Her debut novel, ALTERED: AWAKENING, introduces Sammy Riley—a girl who sees her mother in two places at once and must uncover the truth before her world unravels. Robbin lives in California with her family. Book 2 in the Altered series is coming in 2026.

Reviews

[Delphia Von Heeder]

Altered is Book 1 in the Seeking Series by Robbin Solomon. This story is a contemporary fantasy. I thought the author was creative with Sammy,16, and her twin , Stone, having them be manipulated. I thought that the story was a mystery as well futuristic. Although the main characters are teenagers, I believe that adults will enjoy this story. I am looking forward to book 2. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Shilo Goodson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had the potential to be an interesting book. A bunch of teens discover that they were given special powers even before they were born. Someone is coming after them because of these powers. Unfortunately, several issues prevented this book from reaching its potential.

One of the first things I noticed about this book was that it really needed a high-quality editor to look it over. There were missing words, missing punctuation, the wrong punctuation, words that should have been capitalized, and several other issues. At one point, it is mentioned that one of the main characters has an uncle who works at Hudson College, which would put the story in Toronto, Canada, according to my research. Later, the uncle works at Butte College, which I think is where the author intended to have the uncle work, since it's in Chico, California, the area where the rest of the story takes place.

I felt like there were a lot of issues with the plot. The best way that I can explain it is to say that the main characters talk a lot about trying to stay safe. Yet, their actions don't fit with their words. I feel like if they were really concerned, they would hide out a lot more than they do instead of just going back to their own houses, where they know that they won't be safe. There are also other actions that just really don't feel like they fit with the plot.

This book does include swearing. There's quite a bit of kissing between characters, including characters who've only met a short time ago. I felt like the romance between the characters was overdone. While there's no graphic sexual content, there's some implied sex between two teens. While there's no graphic violence, there are several violent scenes and talk of characters being killed or kidnapped.

Overall, I felt like this was a 2.5-star book. I rounded down because of the assortment of grammatical mistakes.

I received a free ARC from BookSirens, and I am offering my honest opinion. With that in mind, because this was an ARC, maybe some of the issues I mentioned will not be in the final copy. With some editing, this could be at least a 4-star book.

[Ruby Ridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this book complimentary from Book Sirens in e-book form in return for my honest review. Everything stated in this review is of my own opinion and I was not compensated monetarily for providing this review.
Sorry, couldn't give this book more than a three star rating It falls into all the traps that give YA super hero books a bad name.
Insta-love, this really is lazy writing, from the moment Jason appeared he proceeded to ruin what could have been a good read. he was obviously added with the 12 yo girl audience in mind
The need to pair off all the characters in boy-girl pairs (no gay couples). This always makes me wonder if the author ever actually went to school or observed the interactions between teens in a group. Why do these authors feel the need to pair off everyone in the group.
On the plus side, some of the power sets were interesting and had promise for future novels i we can get beyond the melting insides and kissing every time they are not walking and intertwine a romance with the action.
The ending was good if a little rushed but at least it was a proper ending and the book came to a proper ending and not one of these split into two novels that leave you flapping at the end.
Recommended for middle school and lower. Three stars.

[Jeff Lambert · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book started as a great YA novel, but then the narrative became too forced. There were many times that it felt like things were being forced along and not developing organically.

The premise of the book is really interesting, but the back story of the antagonist didn’t land with me. Why did they want to peruse the teens? What was their rationale for wanting to get revenge?

If there had been more back story and motive developed I would definitely have given a higher rating.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lily Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't stop thinking about the mother. The book opens with Sammy seeing her mom in two places at once, and I assumed it was a glitch or a power thing. But now I'm deeper in, and the author is dropping hints that maybe the mom was never real? Or maybe she was part of the experiment? There's a scene where Sammy tries to remember a childhood memory and it just... glitches. Like a corrupted video file. It's giving The Village vibes. I don't trust anyone in this book except Stone. Maybe not even him.

[Edward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so the whole "Sammy sees her mother upstairs and downstairs" thing from the beginning? It wasn't a one-time trick. It keeps happening with other people too. She's starting to see doubles of strangers, and I think it's her power glitching or expanding. There's a theory forming in my head that she's not just a shapeshifter maybe she's perceiving alternate versions of people? Or seeing through lies? The author is being really clever with the breadcrumbs. I'm highlighting every weird visual moment. This is way smarter than I expected from a YA sci-fi.

[Larry Morphew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up reading Maximum Ride, and the scene where Sammy and Stone first arrive at the other Altered kids' hideout hit me right in the nostalgia. The graffiti on the walls, the sleeping bags on a concrete floor, the kid sitting in the corner sharpening a knife just in case. It's grimy and desperate and hopeful all at once. The leader of the network (a girl named Kael) has this hard edge that makes me think she's lost a lot of people. I'm only a few chapters into this arc, but I already know the safe house isn't going to stay safe for long. That's how these books work. Buckling up.

[Reth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just realized something. The book is called Altered, and I assumed it was about being genetically altered. But Sammy is starting to talk about "altering" her future, "altering" what Dr. Jasper made her into. She wants to take the word back. Like, yes, he altered her DNA, but she's going to alter her own destiny. That's the real rebellion. I love when a title has layers. I'm almost at the end and I'm scared of the cliffhanger everyone mentioned, but I'm also excited to see what choice Sammy makes. She's not a victim anymore. She's a chooser.

[Sabastian Scarlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this for my 15-year-old daughter but ended up reading it first. The writing is smart and doesn't talk down to the reader. The concept of genetic engineering and secret experiments feels very "Black Mirror" but with the hope of a classic teen rebellion story. The twin perspective is unique and adds a layer of tension that single-protagonist books lack. Highly recommend for family road trips (once you vet the mild sci-fi violence).

[Cornelia Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm at the part where Stone shifts for the first time to protect Sammy, and OH MY GOD. The author describes it as "bones reordering like broken furniture" and I actually winced. It's not pretty or cinematic it's violent and desperate. And the way Sammy watches her twin turn into something else and doesn't run away? That's love right there. I've reread that scene three times. Dr. Jasper made them into weapons, but Stone just chose to be a shield. I'm not okay.

[Eddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a flashback chapter from Dr. Jasper's perspective and I have CHILLS. He doesn't see himself as a villain. At all. He talks about Sammy and Stone like they're art projects. "My finest work. They just don't understand yet." That line is going to stick with me. The scariest villains are the ones who think they're helping. The author used to be a reporter and honestly, the cold, clinical way Jasper describes the kids feels so real. I need these twins to burn his lab to the ground.

[Cormac Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the literal first paragraph, this book grabs you and doesn't let go! The opening scene where Sammy sees her mother in two places at once completely set the tone for a wild, suspenseful ride. I loved the dynamic between Sammy and her twin brother, Stone. Watching them realize they are engineered weapons and fighting back against a brilliant, twisted scientist kept me on the edge of my seat. If you love sci-fi thrillers with massive stakes, you need to read this immediately!

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awakening pulls you in from its chilling opening and never lets go. What begins as a normal teenage problem quickly spirals into a mind-bending discovery that shatters Samantha Riley’s understanding of reality. Seeing her mother in two places at once is just the first crack in a world filled with secrets, danger, and impossible powers.

[Amelia James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to stop and write a review because that opening scene with Sammy seeing her mother upstairs AND downstairs just broke my brain. Dr. Jasper hasn't even done anything "evil" yet on page, but the tension is suffocating. The author does a fantastic job of making you feel the gaslighting. I have a feeling Stone is hiding something big. Will update when I finish, but this is 5 stars so far.

[Jhonny Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why did I start this at 10pm? Big mistake. Huge. I keep telling myself "one more chapter" and then suddenly it's midnight. The pacing is relentless. I just got to the part where the "desperate network" of other Altered kids is introduced, and I'm already emotionally attached to a character named Wren. If anything happens to her, I'm rioting. Full review to come, but this is gripping.

[Barbara L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this in two sittings. The action starts on page one and doesn't let up. I loved the dynamic between Sammy and her twin brother, Stone it feels so authentic. The concept of being an "engineered weapon" is scary, but watching Sammy refuse to be a victim is empowering. If you like YA sci-fi with strong female leads, buy this now. It’s only 237 pages, but it packs a punch

[Wilfred · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not finished, but I already know I'm going to be mad that I have to wait until 2026 for the next one. The plot twist that dropped at the 60% mark about what Dr. Jasper actually did to the twins? I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING. I'm literally reading this during my lunch break at work. My coworkers think I'm antisocial. Worth it. Will update with a full review once I recover from the ending.

[Pustaka Yoyoh · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Not a good read but not also a bad read. I guess, this isn't my cup of tea? And oh, I would appreciate if the author put more show don't tell technique in this book. Also, the ending was a little rushed but I'll take it. At least, we get a proper ending for this book.

[Lara Hank · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to read this book because the idea of seeing your mother in two places at the same time upstairs and downstairs is the creepiest, most intriguing opening I've ever heard. I need to know how that's possible

[Kathleen White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazon I loved the book I can’t wait for the second one highly recommend

[Betty Greene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really addictive start to the series. The mix of mystery, emotion, and supernatural elements kept me hooked from the first chapters. I already want to read book two.

[Jane Rockefeller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the atmosphere of this book. The characters felt real and the story slowly pulled me deeper with every chapter. A fun and emotional read.

[Isreal Bautista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robbin Solomon did a great job building suspense throughout the story. The chemistry between the characters and the emotional moments made this hard to put down.

[Paulina Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A strong opening for a new series. The world building was intriguing and the storyline had just the right balance of action, mystery, and drama.

[Gregory Linton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to read Altered: Awakening because I'm a sucker for twin dynamics. A brother and sister who were experimented on together, who have only each other to trust? Sign me up immediately

[Douglas Kraemer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Jasper sounds like the kind of villain who thinks he's the hero. 'Brilliant, unstable scientist who sees teenagers as lab experiments' is my favorite kind of antagonist.

[Ben Kling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shapeshifters who aren't glamorous superheroes, they're engineered weapons trying to remember who they were before the lab. That's fresh

[Alfredo William]

The question isn't who she was engineered to be. It's who she'll choose to become." That identity hook pulls me in every time.

[Steven Monday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing is what it seems. Not her life. Not her family. And definitely not herself." No easy answers just a mystery I need to unravel.

[Carrie Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published February 2026, it's brand new, and getting in on the ground floor of a series before Book 2 drops is appealing