Chromosomes

by Ashleigh Reynolds

Sweet freedom lasted half a day.

Emma Hill longed for the day when she would be free to live her life. Free from the endless cycle of foster homes. Free from the life that defined her for twelve years. She had a lot of ideas about her new start. None of them involved being the prisoner of a mad scientist.

Emma is kidnapped on her eighteenth birthday and brought to a facility that is run by a man hell-bent on creating monsters. She is thrown together with one of his creations, a young man that is equal parts terrifying and intriguing.

Together, they escape, seeking refuge in a desolate town. But her companion isn’t the only thing that goes bump in the night, and the person running the facility will do anything to get them back.

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Romance

225 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2017

About the author

Ashleigh Reynolds was born and raised in Northern California where she was surrounded by fantasy novels, horror films, and role playing games.

She began writing in Kindergarten when she penned (in crayon of course) a short story about a princess and her pet "gragon".

Since that time, she has moved multiple times and currently lives in Minnesota with her husband Mark, their dog Willard, and a mean spirited cat named Butters.

Paroxysm Effect is Ashleigh's first publish book that she wrote in the off time she had from her full time job. Which pretty much meant her husband had plenty of time to play Destiny as she zoned out on the couch and wrote at night with the occasional animal running across the laptop.

Reviews

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I was given a free electronic copy of this book by the author, in accordance with the terms of For Love of a Book's Advance Reader Opportunity Program."

Soooo.... official statements aside, I am not sure what I thought about it...It was okay I guess. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either...


I liked the idea behind the story as well as the overall development, although it was dragging a bit at the beginning and the the second half of the book was just rushing forth with different things happening at the same time.
I liked the characters a lot. One thing I always appreciate in the books is their consistency, how their personalities don't do the bipolar thing all the time. The heroine was a bit too hysterical and whiny for my taste, as well as too naive and prejudiced, but then again, maybe she was meant to be that way? She did describe herself as weak and pathetic totally corresponding with my opinion. Maybe she just stuck to her true nature. (Still pondering that one)
The hero was amazing. A silent one and only described through the eyes of the heroine, but he seemed smart, determined,selfless and really kind. Sometimes I wondered about his "wild" side hinting at some psychopathic tendencies, but oh well, Dexter was a psychopath as well, and look how that played out - everyone loved him.
Anyway. Back to the topic.
The ending threw me off a bit and left me a lot confused. But I do love a surprise ending that leaves you hopeful and wondering about future possibilities. Except cliffhangers. Hate those. Damn, I am doing that bipolar thing myself. Oh,whatever.


Cover - 5
Plot - 4
Hero- 4
Heroine - 3.5
Avoiding cliche - 3
Romance - 3.5
Fluency - 4
Ending - 3.5
-------------
Overall -3.8125

[Erica Robyn Metcalf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chromosomes by Ashleigh Reynolds is an action-packed read that will make you feel incredibly uneasy while you can't help but continue to flip the pages to see what happens next.

Pick this one up on a day off! You won't be able to put it down!

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.

This is another read that I highly recommend you go into a bit blind. So I will keep this review pretty brief!

This book was so addicting; I really struggled to put it down. Once I started reading, I was totally hooked. I just had to know what would happen next!

There were so many elements that were incredibly unsettling, but I couldn't help but be interested in the darkness.

The two main characters were lovely. They were certainly characters that I found myself rooting for. I really enjoyed learning more about each of them while they also got to know one another.

I found the main female character, Emma, absolutely hysterical! I loved her inner thoughts that were shared through the narration and how she poked fun at many things that would have been taken too seriously (or not seriously enough!) in other instances.

One thing that I really loved was that the author commented on things that I had thought about just moments before. For example, Emma kept telling people to, "keep the change." When I found myself questioning her actions, the author explained it in the following paragraph!

I also really enjoyed that this story both started and ended with a bang! I was getting nervous toward the end, hoping that we weren't going to be left hanging. But then, the author ended it perfectly.


My favorite passages:
He was the thing of nightmares mashed in with the thing my pesky hormones dreamed about. Handsome, sure. Would murder me in a second without a wavering thought, definitely.

We passed down the corridor in a flash with me barely able to make out the numbers on the doors. I took a hesitant glance down and saw that my feet weren't even touching the ground. He had me tucked under his arm, as if I weighed nothing. As if I was a football, an he was making a last-ditch effort at a touchdown.


My final thoughts:
While reading Chromosomes, I couldn't help but think about the Beauty and the Beast TV Series. So of course I would love to see this book turned into a movie or show! If you're a fan of shows in that genre with some darkness added in, I highly recommend this book!

[C.E. Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

****I received the book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review****

“Chromosomes” is a great action-packed page turner. Despite the ominous cover and mildly scary synopsis of a young girl who gets abducted on her birthday and is kept imprisoned by a mad scientist to be tossed at a young man who is not all—and more—than he appears to be, this book is more young adult in its nature than horror, or even thriller. But that’s what I liked best about it. Its themes feel familiar, it has heavy doses of science fiction, mixed in with young adult and romance genres, but everything flowed well together. Reynolds tells this story in first person from the eyes of Emma, and I loved it. First person is such a hard perspective to write in, and the author did a marvelous job, making Emma, and everyone (and thing) she encounters feel authentic, and gripping. I had to force myself to put the book down and get back to work on more than one occasion!

However, I feel like I need to put a trigger warning for this book, despite how much I enjoyed it. There is a lot of violence against women in Reynolds story, as well as themes of sexual harassment/abuse. It fits with the story and the mad scientist vibe that Reynolds wants to portray, but just know that those themes are present so if you have a hard time with things like that, this book may not be right for you. Even with the themes though, I struggle to rate this book out of its young adult genre given Emma’s relationship with Holden. So, just consider yourself forewarned.

Unlike a lot of YA books I’ve read, the romance in this book feels exceptionally genuine. Emma knows her feelings are crazy, but recognizes that her body is responding on a (mostly) physical level—at first. That transition is done so well, too! It makes the reader just as hesitant as Emma is, and ultimately forgiving the love interest despite, well, the things he does that I can’t tell you because of spoilers. However, Emma does fall into a trope about 70% into the book, one that was always there, but I forgave because there’s a lot being thrown at her, and she’s struggling to make sense of it while also trying not to get hysterical. She is a classic damsel in distress, getting thrown around and constantly needing to be rescued. It does work for most of the book, but towards the end, I found myself wishing she’d save herself just this once, that she’d be strong and fight back—that she’d be a hero. Perhaps Emma grows more in the next book (which I don’t know if there is—but I’ll get to that), but it did start to bother me close to the end. Not enough to make me hate the story by any means, but it did diminish my good feelings somewhat.

For the most part, “Chromosomes” is a very well told story and there was very little I didn’t like about the book. That being said, it did need one more round of edits as I began spotting a handful of awkward sentences and spelling / grammatical errors. It wasn’t too bad, but it was there and after a while, I couldn’t stop seeing it. Additionally, the ending was a bit odd.

The book is a complete story, even with the rather unsatisfying ending, but it was complete. And then the last paragraph happens and suddenly … I’m not so sure if the book IS complete. Which makes me think there is—or will be—a sequel. I kind of hope there will be one, for I really did enjoy reading about Emma and the crazy science facility she gets taken to, but I’m not entirely sure what the next book would be about, either, precisely because there is a lot of finality to how Reynolds ended this story (can’t say what or how because of spoilers, again). It makes me a bit skeptical, and doesn’t alleviate the otherwise sort-of-unsatisfying ending, leaving me confused as to how I really felt about this book, for there was so much I genuinely enjoyed about the story! But with the (minor) issues with editing, the damsel in distress trope, and the ending, I can’t give this book a full 5 stars, but it’s definitely above a 4, as well. So, I’ll give it a 4.75 instead, and cross my fingers for a sequel!

[Tiffany Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

FTC DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED AN E-ARC FROM THE AUTHOR THROUGH A GOODREADS GIVEAWAY. RECEIPT OF THIS BOOK IN THIS MANNER DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR THE CONTENT OF MY REVIEW!

Emma Hill longed for the day that she’d be free from the endless cycle of foster homes, free from the life that had defined her for those twelve long years. All she wanted was the freedom to live her own life. She had dreamed of her eighteenth birthday and about her new start. She never once considered that her freedom might only last a day before she found herself in a worse position than she’d been in before. Not once when she was planning her new life did Emma think that she might end up being kidnapped and brought to a facility run by a mad scientist who is determined to create monsters, and has been successful at it. She’s thrown together with one of his creations, a young man that’s as terrifying as he is intriguing. Together, they escape the compound and try to get to safety, seeking refuge in a desolate town. But, her companion isn’t the only one of the scientist’s creations that are out there. Her kidnapper has unleashed more of his special creations to apprehend them and return them both to the facility and he will stop at nothing to get them both back. Suddenly, Emma finds herself in a situation where the only person she can rely on was created to be a monster.

This was definitely a fast paced, action packed page turner! Once I started I didn’t want to put it down and pretty much read it in one sitting. Reynolds does such a great job with character development and having Holden and Emma’s relationship progress at a somewhat normal pace. It wasn’t just “boom! They’re in love!” like a lot of books do. Also you could really get a strong sense of the struggle that Holden was going through as he tried to control some very real aspects of who he is that were literally bred into him. Since it was written from Emma’s point of view, you get to see everything as she experiences it, her fear of being set back and her conflict as she tries to determine exactly how much she can trust Holden and if she’s safe with him. I loved watching their friendship build as they both realize that they can only depend on each other and that Holden is the only one who can even possibly keep a Emma safe. Honestly, the only thing that has me giving this 4 stars instead of 5 is that the ending seemed rather abrupt and a little forced. It just didn’t feel complete so I can only hope that there’s going to be a sequel. I’ll definitely be on the lookout as there were many questions left unanswered.

[†Reviews of a FearStreetZombie† · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in return for an honest review.

Chromosomes was a really quick and interesting read.

I really don't think I have read anything quiet like this before. The story line kept me completely sucked in on the edge of my seat.

The only thing I wasn't to big on was the stockholm syndrome. I try not to use that term because I know when you go through a traumatic experience you tend to bond completely with the person you went through it with. Buuuuut I can't not use it this time because first she was kidnapped then she was stuck with a guy who dang near killed her every time he got mad and still, she fell for him.

That being said, while I wasn't a fan of that, I really did enjoy the book. Though short, still managed to keep me entertained and made me fall in love with the characters. Seven might have worked my nerves, in the end. He grew on me. Lol

I wanted more to that ending! Lol It was so bittersweet! I LOVED IT!

[Mayu · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw the cover and the genre the book was listed in For love of a Book's ARO Program, I expected this book to be little more thrilling and suspenseful than what it turned out to be. But I am not complaining because even though it turned out to be less thrilling, I absolutely enjoyed reading this book and definitely look forward to read more books by Ashleigh Reynolds.

Emma and the young man from the facility, Holden/ Seven were the main characters. I loved both Emma and Holden's characters. Emma was a strong woman, whose will to get free and survive, didn't die even after everything she went through. Holden's character was also good, though he was agressive but most of the time he spent with Emma, he was a sweet heart.

The first part and the last part was very thrilling, full of suspense and action packed and kept me at the edge of my seat. The middle part was not that suspenseful, this part focused on Holden and Emma's relationship. I enjoyed reading the time they spent together in this part, this middle part was actually the part I enjoyed reading the most and wished it had stayed a bit longer.

I had just two problems with this book, the first was I would have liked more explanation for a few things, second was the end. I am not saying the end was bad or anything, but it was not really a HEA and was kind of open ended. I am not disappointed with the end but I would have liked Chromosomes more if the end was a bit different. Despite this two problems, I enjoyed reading Chromosomes a lot, I would definitely recommend this book.

Final words

If you are looking for a read which is thrilling, action packed, suspenseful but is still heartwarming and sweet at parts, then definitely you need to buy yourself a copy of Chromosomes.


(4.5 stars out of 5)


*I was given a free electronic copy of this book by the author, in accordance with the terms of For Love of a Book's Advance Reader Opportunity Program.*

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book but I ended up being hooked after the 1st page. I don't want to give anything away as I definitely think this is a book that will suck the reader in with the suspense. This was kind of like with the mad scientist wanting to play God and rule his world as he saw fit and thrown in the mix is a blossoming love story that I found myself rooting for the 2 people to fall in love and make it on their own. Alas that didn't happen but with the ending it gives me Hope there will be a book 2.

[L. S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re into paranormal/science-fiction-type romances that follow nearly every trope set down by the genre, Chromosomes is for you.

Emma’s kidnapped and held at a mysterious facility, only to be broken out by one of the residents. Holden, better known as “Subject Seven” is a very dangerous person, and his relationship with Emma begins for one reason, and one reason only. Of course, that changes during the course of their escape.

Now, I’ll start by saying that the narrative was very well-written. An excellent first-person tone was maintained throughout. For the most part, I loved the way Emma’s personality was constructed. She was smart, sassy, and just generally likeable. To be honest, all the character personalities were done well. I liked the way their individual stories progressed. Even their development was on-point. Overall conflict was external, but the majority of the driving conflict was internal. It allowed the novel to focus more on the characters and properly develop them.

What bothered me about Emma’s character was that she was the classic “damsel in distress.” She was always being saved, being knocked out, and constantly had to be protected. It got a little repetitive. To be honest, aside from the role she was required to play by the facility, it felt like she didn’t do a whole lot. She was there strictly for Holden and his development. Holden’s character wasn’t free of tropey standards, either. While the story was told from Emma’s point of view, it felt like his story, not hers. He was the main focus of everything, not her, regardless of how important she was made out to be.

The romance aspect wasn’t bad. Again, followed the classic formula, but was better written than quite a few I’ve read. Because of that, progression was easily predictable, so the climax and resolution wasn’t much of a stunning surprise. Their relationship, all things considered, leaned more on the healthy side. That was definitely a point in their favor.

A sequel is a certainty. I can say that things were written well enough that I want to find out what happens. There’s a few different routes that follow-ups could take. They could turn out to be pretty epic if genre shackles could be broken.

The novel itself and the story weren’t inherently bad. They just lacked some originality. Character personalities really helped make up for weaker areas. The writing style was excellent and very enjoyable. Writing in first person is a huge strength of the author, something I wish I could say for a lot of novels.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Emma Hill wishes for freedom from the cycle of foster homes, she receives imprisonment in a weird science building place thing (nailed it). There she meets a strange but interesting boy who is all kinds of messed up. Together, they hatch an escape plan and see what life is like on the run.

After the first page, I knew this book was going to be weird, and I was down for it. I mean, who doesn't want to read about a mad scientist and his victims? I was slightly uncomfortable the entire time... and I loved it. Reynolds kept me on the edge of my seat, always wondering what would happen next.

The characters were great; they worked well together. There was a lot of chemistry between them, but there was an underlying sense of fear. I was left wondering if they could survive and be together.

I don't want to spoil any of this; Chromosomes is the type of book that you should read just because I said so. I'll move on to the ratings and let you be on your merry way.

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Language: Honestly, I can't remember...

Drugs/Drinking: I also can't remember, but given that they were trapped in a facility the whole time, I doubt it.

Sexual Content: ...I can't remember, but there better be some tension because I'm going to reread this.

Violence: Pretty sure there are some needles and general experimentation and shooting.

Age Recommendation: Maybe 15 and up??? I seriously need to reread this.

[Patrycja · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book through @goodreads giveaway.

This little book is amazing. I absolutely loved the story line and the protagonist Emma. She is absolute badass heroine. She is funny, and witty.

This is sci-fi romance, YA novel. I would say it is a modern twist of "Beauty and the Beast", "Twilight" series, and mix of good comedy in between.
It is fun to read and the end is surprising.
This reads so well and quick and I was just turning pages to see what will happen next.
Great novel!

Synopsis:
After spending most of her life in foster care, Emma finally is 18 years old and free to leave the foster system. But her freedom doesn't last long.
She is abducted and ends up in some strange facility.
Everything seems like from sci-fi movie and Emma wishes it really was just a movie, not the real place she was kept against her will. The only person that she is willing to trust, is not exactly a human being.
While trying to save her life Emma realizes that a man who supposed to be a monster is more human and compassionate than people who supposed to be humanly but turned to be monsters.

[Susan McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action-packed and sizzling hot!

Emma is captured and dumped in a small room full of bloodstains. Even the headboard on the bed is stained. She has no idea who her captors are or what they want from her, but she is sure that she is about to die.
When they dump her in a dark alley, she thinks she’s free, but it’s not to be. When she is attacked by a man, his sinister intentions are quite clear. But she is saved by a very tall man who is all muscle with unnatural-looking green eyes, and now she doesn’t know if he has truly saved her, or if she’s now on the menu.
To her surprise, he doesn’t kill her. In fact, they end up escaping together, and that’s the beginning of their journey.
I liked the main characters and their interactions and it was hard to put the book down. I had to force myself to stop reading and get back to work! (I work from home).
I really enjoyed this book and the ending left me wanting more.

[Lisa Diggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read.

I love the idea of this book, but I think I was impatient for the love interest to form and to find out what was going on that it frustrated me at times. This means The author did a good job of handing out information in bits and pieces that kept me engrossed in the story. The writing was good and kept me engaged and I liked how the book was setup for the next story. Emma the main character was easy to connect to and I rooted for her throughout the story and I really wanted her and Holden to get together for real but hopefully that happens in the next story. If you can't tell I'm all about the romance lol.

[SA · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another wonderful series from the author perfecting the elements of mystery, romance and thriller. This author grabs you with her books on crazy scientists, threats in futuristic worlds, and crazy good couples that make you sigh in bliss. Emma is kidnapped by a crazy scientist and is used to bait an extremely dangerous creature for his own experimentation. Do not miss this book on Emma and Holden, you'll love the taming of the monster as well as learning more about what goes inside that lab. My only complaint is that I want more.

[Saundra Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Emma is a young woman with an unfortunate childhood, ready to begin living for herself. Tragically life has some very unpleasant surprises waiting for her. This tale that takes you into depths far beyond The Island of Dr. Moreau and explores the inhumanity people sometimes sink to for science at the same time it shows the tenderness of a blossomimg first relationship.

[Hazmat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters and plot were creative and deep. The situations and suspense realistic while maintaining their otherworldly essence.

[Kat Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

*giveaway winner*

I don't usually read SCI FI so this was a departure from the norm for me. Interesting futuristic concept. Easy to read and keeps the attention.

[Linda Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me on the edge of my seat . Great charters and story-line . Supersize ending . Hoping for more Chromosomes 2 Maybe ? Loved this book

[Scherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Interesting book. I really liked this book.

[Audrey Ziebol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read. Emma was so daring and ready to escape. It was a very unusual love story.

[Monica Peavy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of fun/death afterlife, murder- you know?

There are allot of rules in the afterlife.
There is also death. Yes I said death. Murder and mystery and some contact too with the living world. Fun fun.