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The Hybrid #1
Enhanced
Lee Urban is living a lie. In a society where everyone's DNA determines their destiny, being a Natural means automatic relegation to the gritty and dangerous Outskirts. With the harnessed power of gene-editing, the ability to create a super-human race has transformed the world and offered the opportunity of a genetically enhanced life. But only to those who can afford it. Born a Natural, Lee Urban was adopted into the Enhanced high society of the Asian Federation and forced to conceal her genetic roots. When her dream of attending Peking University becomes a reality, she is determined to go despite a warning from a mysterious source. Targeted by a hacker bent on exposing her true DNA, Urban faces off with an Artificial Intelligence Game that puts her—and her lies—to the test. What was supposed to be a dream come true turns into a lethal gamble of hide-and-seek with her genetics. Can Urban continue the act, or will the cracks in her story expose her and endanger her family?
350 pages, Hardcover
Published March 14, 2023
20 people are currently reading
3926 people want to read
About the author
Candace Kade
3 books349 followersCandace Kade spends her time dreaming up stories typically involving tech, psychology, culture, and/or swords. She is the author of the Hybrid series and a certified Krav Maga assistant instructor who loves writing fight scenes. A third culture kid, she considers Chengdu and OKC to be her homes. When she’s not exploring new countries, she enjoys hiking in national parks, moving, and teaching her two sons Mandarin. She can be bribed with boba tea, fluffy puppies, and breakfast tacos.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
June 5, 2023
2.5 stars, personally. (No Christian faith content, just a cleaner read.)
About this book:
“Lee Urban is living a lie.
In a society where everyone's DNA determines their destiny, being a Natural means automatic relegation to the gritty and dangerous Outskirts. With the harnessed power of gene-editing, the ability to create a super-human race has transformed the world and offered the opportunity of a genetically enhanced life. But only to those who can afford it.
Born a Natural, Lee Urban was adopted into the Enhanced high society of the Asian Federation and forced to conceal her genetic roots. When her dream of attending Peking University becomes a reality, she is determined to go despite a warning from a mysterious source.
Targeted by a hacker bent on exposing her true DNA, Urban faces off with an Artificial Intelligence Game that puts her—and her lies—to the test. What was supposed to be a dream come true turns into a lethal gamble of hide-and-seek with her genetics. Can Urban continue the act, or will the cracks in her story expose her and endanger her family?”
Series: Book #1 in “The Hybrid” trilogy.
Spiritual Content- No Christian Faith content;
*Note: As an embryo, if their parents pay enough, the fetus can have physical additions (like wings, dinosaur spikes, scales for skin, claws, fangs, horns on the side of their head, flamethrowers for hands, etc.) and mental additions (such as being smarter, being more creative, faster, having a superior immune system, etc.), those that have these abilities are called the “Enhanced” (those who were not Enhanced are called “Naturals” and are looked down on); Animals can also be Enhanced; Urban is a Natural who was adopted by an Enhanced family, if she’s ever revealed that she’s not Enhanced as well, her family would be destroyed and Urban would be casted out of the city; Mentions of those that hate Naturals calling them “primordial soup” or “soup” for short & a dangerous group that will kill Naturals if they attempt to mix with the Enhanced; Mentions of evolving, the evolution of machines, finding the ultimate species, & the ability of man to truly evolve; Mentions of programming being used for good or evil; Mentions of Buddhist temples that are no longer for worshiping the gods or ancestors, but now are a place to house the cremated bodies of the dead (the place creeps Urban out); Mentions of engineering of extinct creatures for the Games (a big competition for the Enhanced, animals include saber-toothed tigers, dragons, pterodactyls, T-rexes, raptors, mammoths, & timber wolves); A few mentions of temple monkeys; A mention of a devilish grin; A mention of a Kung Fu goddess; A mention of feng shui; A mention of someone thanking their lucky stars; A mention of a lucky bracelet.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dumb’, a ‘geez’, a ‘shoot’, a ‘suck’, a ‘suck it up’, an unfinished ‘what the—‘, a ‘wimpy’, two ‘confounded’s, two ‘dang’s, two ‘gah!’s, two ‘shut up’s, and eleven forms of ‘stupid’; Different Chinese words are used as exclamations or cussing (a “wakao”, a “wozi”, and “tiana” is said four times); A few mentions of curses (said, not written); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Almost drowning & almost being killed (up to semi-detailed); Being drugged & Passing out (up to semi-detailed); Explosions, Being attacked, Fighting, Seeing fights, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, Pain, & Passing out (semi-detailed); Street racing & Crashing (up to semi-detailed); Seeing someone stabbed with a pen & the blood (up to semi-detailed); Recalling almost being mugged (up to semi-detailed); Social drinking at parties (Urban has to put a pill in her drink to dissolve the alcohol as she’s a lightweight and it would be obvious that she’s a Natural since those who are Enhanced don’t get drunk; Later she’s forced to take a sip of a drink); A bit of lying; Urban wonders of she’s going to die in dangerous situations/fights (up to semi-detailed); Urban wonders if someone is trying to kill her; The Games are a competition for the Enhanced where they have to solve puzzles while fighting large animals that are after them (if they’re attacked by the animals, they “die” (disappear) in the competition and can be hurt in real life, up to semi-detailed); *Spoiler* ; Urban’s older brother tried to drown her as a child (recalling it and Urban hates water because of it; He is a jerk to her and belittles her); Urban says she’d rather die than end up in a particular job; Urban feels like she doesn’t belong in her family, doesn’t feel like her parents care about her, that she has nothing to show for her hard work, and that no one accepts her (*Spoiler* ); Mentions of a dangerous organization that’s goal is to kill Naturals & brutal murders (described that way, but not above barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a deadly air that causes deaths & hospitals and prisons using it for euthanasia, & Urban wondering what will happen if you’re in it (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of fires, explosion, & a death; Mentions of almost drownings (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of violence; Mentions of crimes, criminals, stealing, thieves, thefts, & almost getting mugged; Mentions of crashes, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fights, weapons, injuries, blood/bleeding, & being knocked out (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of alcohol, virgin drinks, drinking, social drinking at parties, bars, & someone being drunk (the legal age is 16); Mentions of parties & partying; Mentions of nightmares; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of rumors & gossip; Mentions of tattoos (as well as everyone having a “tatt” that can be scanned for paying or an their ID); A few mentions of someone being stabbed with a pen (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of Urban being berated by her parents for her grades and lack of respect; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of cigarettes; A few mentions of urine; A few mentions of graffiti; A couple mentions of kidnappings & ransom; A couple mentions of bullies; A couple mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of cheating; A mention of a war zone; A mention of someone saying they would rather die than give up; A mention of dung;
*Note: Near panic attacks (Urban tries to calm herself down, barely-above-not-detailed); Prejudice towards others (mostly Enhanced to Naturals, Naturals to the Enhanced), foreigners, & mentions of it (including how Natural servants are treated poorly and one almost being slapped); Mentions of mutant animals, people being killed by them, killing them in the Games, & injuries (to both animals and humans, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of vaccines (& Urban being appreciative for the flu vaccine patch); A few mentions of panic attacks; A mention of a man being disowned by his family for marrying a Natural.
Sexual Content- Urban’s boyfriend stares at her lips (twice), a blown kiss, an almost (semi-detailed) kiss, and a semi-detailed kiss; Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Warmth, Tingles, Butterflies, Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to touch & embrace (up to semi-detailed); Blushes & Winks; Noticing (including muscles, barely-above-not-detailed); A painful break-up (up to semi-detailed); Urban sits on her boyfriend’s lap in on the subway; Urban catches herself blushing over another guy when she already has a boyfriend; Mentions of boyfriends, dates, dating, & a break-up; Mentions of flirting, winks, & blushes; A few mentions of kisses & kissing; A few mentions of being hit on; A couple mentions of a girl squealing over a guy; A mention of an affair (& that when the man was caught, he wasn’t allowed to use public transportation again); A mention of seeing a couple kissing; A mention of (teasingly) telling someone to back off a guy’s girl; A mention of a crush; Love, being in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Urban wishes she was a beautiful redhead with bright-blue eyes; Mentions of being skinny & prejudice towards those who are skinny; A few mentions of Urban kicking a guy in the groin (self-defense); A few mentions of revealing clothes; A few mentions of curves (Urban commenting on her lack of curves and noticing other’s girls’ outfits highlighting their curves); A mention of someone saying another sounds like he had a “hormone overdose or something”; A mention of puberty; A mention of rock-hard abs; A mention of a diet.
-Lee Urban, age 17-18
P.O.V. switches between them
Dystopian/Set in 2120
368 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars (and a half)
{Please note the lack of Christian content & Mentions of evolution and take that in account of the ratings.}
Ever since I saw the details of this cover and heard it was a dystopian story, I instantly added to it my TBR.
Before I get into the details of things I liked and didn’t, let’s first note that there’s no Christian content in this book. It’s possible that a later book could introduce that element, but for this book: There was no faith content. I only review Christian Fiction on BFCG, so this puts me into a slightly awkward position because Enclave publishing is very popular in the Christian Sci-Fi/Fantasy industry and that Goodreads has this book listed as Christian Fiction. I ran into a similar dilemma with “Swift” a couple months ago that was also published by this publishing house. “Do I review it on BFCG or not?” I went back and forth on that book and now this one as well. Only because Enclaved Publishing is well-known by those in the Christian book community will their books be reviewed on here. So far, of the books I’ve read by them, some have no faith content and some have an allegory thread. It’s hard to rate this book because there’s no faith content and mentions of evolution-based ideas.
When I first started this book, I felt very thrown into the world and lost. Rather than a telling about the technology or the world, it’s more of a learning as you go, so it took a bit to be able to figure what everything was. Once I was able to get answers and figure things out, I found the world interesting. I just wasn’t the biggest fan of evolution-based comments or Urban herself. I think I did also find a plot hole (an important event being said to be a couple weeks away but then a few chapters and a few weeks later, it’s in two days).
Urban was super aware of her secret, and always wondering if others could figure out her secret or find out who she really was, which honestly did get on my nerves. I’m not sure whether she had major character development by the end or I just got used to her, but Urban bothered me less by the end of the book. I think the world and setting of was really different and interesting in this book, but there were different parts that pulled me out of the story and it just didn’t fully click with me.
Those who are Enhanced kind of feel like superheroes, but they don’t have the expectations to have to help people. Most are selfish, vain, and rude to others instead.
I did have to pause reading halfway through and make some fried dumplings because of all the food descriptions! Most books have mentions of sweets or desserts and since those don’t interest me at all, it was really funny for me to get a craving for a food because of a book! I did really like the Asia setting and found those parts to be the most interesting.
I found the big competition parts (called The Games) to be boring and kind of cheesy. I was lost on a lot of the action scenes…I’m honestly not sure if it was me or the writing style.
Would I read the second book? Hmm. Maybe. While this book didn’t end on a major cliffhanger, there’s still a lot to be explained and happen, but I know I would have to reread this first book before picking up the sequel. Which I don’t think I enjoyed this book enough to do, but perhaps, if the second book really interested me.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
About this book:
“Lee Urban is living a lie.
In a society where everyone's DNA determines their destiny, being a Natural means automatic relegation to the gritty and dangerous Outskirts. With the harnessed power of gene-editing, the ability to create a super-human race has transformed the world and offered the opportunity of a genetically enhanced life. But only to those who can afford it.
Born a Natural, Lee Urban was adopted into the Enhanced high society of the Asian Federation and forced to conceal her genetic roots. When her dream of attending Peking University becomes a reality, she is determined to go despite a warning from a mysterious source.
Targeted by a hacker bent on exposing her true DNA, Urban faces off with an Artificial Intelligence Game that puts her—and her lies—to the test. What was supposed to be a dream come true turns into a lethal gamble of hide-and-seek with her genetics. Can Urban continue the act, or will the cracks in her story expose her and endanger her family?”
Series: Book #1 in “The Hybrid” trilogy.
Spiritual Content- No Christian Faith content;
*Note: As an embryo, if their parents pay enough, the fetus can have physical additions (like wings, dinosaur spikes, scales for skin, claws, fangs, horns on the side of their head, flamethrowers for hands, etc.) and mental additions (such as being smarter, being more creative, faster, having a superior immune system, etc.), those that have these abilities are called the “Enhanced” (those who were not Enhanced are called “Naturals” and are looked down on); Animals can also be Enhanced; Urban is a Natural who was adopted by an Enhanced family, if she’s ever revealed that she’s not Enhanced as well, her family would be destroyed and Urban would be casted out of the city; Mentions of those that hate Naturals calling them “primordial soup” or “soup” for short & a dangerous group that will kill Naturals if they attempt to mix with the Enhanced; Mentions of evolving, the evolution of machines, finding the ultimate species, & the ability of man to truly evolve; Mentions of programming being used for good or evil; Mentions of Buddhist temples that are no longer for worshiping the gods or ancestors, but now are a place to house the cremated bodies of the dead (the place creeps Urban out); Mentions of engineering of extinct creatures for the Games (a big competition for the Enhanced, animals include saber-toothed tigers, dragons, pterodactyls, T-rexes, raptors, mammoths, & timber wolves); A few mentions of temple monkeys; A mention of a devilish grin; A mention of a Kung Fu goddess; A mention of feng shui; A mention of someone thanking their lucky stars; A mention of a lucky bracelet.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dumb’, a ‘geez’, a ‘shoot’, a ‘suck’, a ‘suck it up’, an unfinished ‘what the—‘, a ‘wimpy’, two ‘confounded’s, two ‘dang’s, two ‘gah!’s, two ‘shut up’s, and eleven forms of ‘stupid’; Different Chinese words are used as exclamations or cussing (a “wakao”, a “wozi”, and “tiana” is said four times); A few mentions of curses (said, not written); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Almost drowning & almost being killed (up to semi-detailed); Being drugged & Passing out (up to semi-detailed); Explosions, Being attacked, Fighting, Seeing fights, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, Pain, & Passing out (semi-detailed); Street racing & Crashing (up to semi-detailed); Seeing someone stabbed with a pen & the blood (up to semi-detailed); Recalling almost being mugged (up to semi-detailed); Social drinking at parties (Urban has to put a pill in her drink to dissolve the alcohol as she’s a lightweight and it would be obvious that she’s a Natural since those who are Enhanced don’t get drunk; Later she’s forced to take a sip of a drink); A bit of lying; Urban wonders of she’s going to die in dangerous situations/fights (up to semi-detailed); Urban wonders if someone is trying to kill her; The Games are a competition for the Enhanced where they have to solve puzzles while fighting large animals that are after them (if they’re attacked by the animals, they “die” (disappear) in the competition and can be hurt in real life, up to semi-detailed); *Spoiler* ; Urban’s older brother tried to drown her as a child (recalling it and Urban hates water because of it; He is a jerk to her and belittles her); Urban says she’d rather die than end up in a particular job; Urban feels like she doesn’t belong in her family, doesn’t feel like her parents care about her, that she has nothing to show for her hard work, and that no one accepts her (*Spoiler* ); Mentions of a dangerous organization that’s goal is to kill Naturals & brutal murders (described that way, but not above barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a deadly air that causes deaths & hospitals and prisons using it for euthanasia, & Urban wondering what will happen if you’re in it (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of fires, explosion, & a death; Mentions of almost drownings (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of violence; Mentions of crimes, criminals, stealing, thieves, thefts, & almost getting mugged; Mentions of crashes, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fights, weapons, injuries, blood/bleeding, & being knocked out (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of alcohol, virgin drinks, drinking, social drinking at parties, bars, & someone being drunk (the legal age is 16); Mentions of parties & partying; Mentions of nightmares; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of rumors & gossip; Mentions of tattoos (as well as everyone having a “tatt” that can be scanned for paying or an their ID); A few mentions of someone being stabbed with a pen (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of Urban being berated by her parents for her grades and lack of respect; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of cigarettes; A few mentions of urine; A few mentions of graffiti; A couple mentions of kidnappings & ransom; A couple mentions of bullies; A couple mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of cheating; A mention of a war zone; A mention of someone saying they would rather die than give up; A mention of dung;
*Note: Near panic attacks (Urban tries to calm herself down, barely-above-not-detailed); Prejudice towards others (mostly Enhanced to Naturals, Naturals to the Enhanced), foreigners, & mentions of it (including how Natural servants are treated poorly and one almost being slapped); Mentions of mutant animals, people being killed by them, killing them in the Games, & injuries (to both animals and humans, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of vaccines (& Urban being appreciative for the flu vaccine patch); A few mentions of panic attacks; A mention of a man being disowned by his family for marrying a Natural.
Sexual Content- Urban’s boyfriend stares at her lips (twice), a blown kiss, an almost (semi-detailed) kiss, and a semi-detailed kiss; Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Warmth, Tingles, Butterflies, Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to touch & embrace (up to semi-detailed); Blushes & Winks; Noticing (including muscles, barely-above-not-detailed); A painful break-up (up to semi-detailed); Urban sits on her boyfriend’s lap in on the subway; Urban catches herself blushing over another guy when she already has a boyfriend; Mentions of boyfriends, dates, dating, & a break-up; Mentions of flirting, winks, & blushes; A few mentions of kisses & kissing; A few mentions of being hit on; A couple mentions of a girl squealing over a guy; A mention of an affair (& that when the man was caught, he wasn’t allowed to use public transportation again); A mention of seeing a couple kissing; A mention of (teasingly) telling someone to back off a guy’s girl; A mention of a crush; Love, being in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Urban wishes she was a beautiful redhead with bright-blue eyes; Mentions of being skinny & prejudice towards those who are skinny; A few mentions of Urban kicking a guy in the groin (self-defense); A few mentions of revealing clothes; A few mentions of curves (Urban commenting on her lack of curves and noticing other’s girls’ outfits highlighting their curves); A mention of someone saying another sounds like he had a “hormone overdose or something”; A mention of puberty; A mention of rock-hard abs; A mention of a diet.
-Lee Urban, age 17-18
P.O.V. switches between them
Dystopian/Set in 2120
368 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars (and a half)
{Please note the lack of Christian content & Mentions of evolution and take that in account of the ratings.}
Ever since I saw the details of this cover and heard it was a dystopian story, I instantly added to it my TBR.
Before I get into the details of things I liked and didn’t, let’s first note that there’s no Christian content in this book. It’s possible that a later book could introduce that element, but for this book: There was no faith content. I only review Christian Fiction on BFCG, so this puts me into a slightly awkward position because Enclave publishing is very popular in the Christian Sci-Fi/Fantasy industry and that Goodreads has this book listed as Christian Fiction. I ran into a similar dilemma with “Swift” a couple months ago that was also published by this publishing house. “Do I review it on BFCG or not?” I went back and forth on that book and now this one as well. Only because Enclaved Publishing is well-known by those in the Christian book community will their books be reviewed on here. So far, of the books I’ve read by them, some have no faith content and some have an allegory thread. It’s hard to rate this book because there’s no faith content and mentions of evolution-based ideas.
When I first started this book, I felt very thrown into the world and lost. Rather than a telling about the technology or the world, it’s more of a learning as you go, so it took a bit to be able to figure what everything was. Once I was able to get answers and figure things out, I found the world interesting. I just wasn’t the biggest fan of evolution-based comments or Urban herself. I think I did also find a plot hole (an important event being said to be a couple weeks away but then a few chapters and a few weeks later, it’s in two days).
Urban was super aware of her secret, and always wondering if others could figure out her secret or find out who she really was, which honestly did get on my nerves. I’m not sure whether she had major character development by the end or I just got used to her, but Urban bothered me less by the end of the book. I think the world and setting of was really different and interesting in this book, but there were different parts that pulled me out of the story and it just didn’t fully click with me.
Those who are Enhanced kind of feel like superheroes, but they don’t have the expectations to have to help people. Most are selfish, vain, and rude to others instead.
I did have to pause reading halfway through and make some fried dumplings because of all the food descriptions! Most books have mentions of sweets or desserts and since those don’t interest me at all, it was really funny for me to get a craving for a food because of a book! I did really like the Asia setting and found those parts to be the most interesting.
I found the big competition parts (called The Games) to be boring and kind of cheesy. I was lost on a lot of the action scenes…I’m honestly not sure if it was me or the writing style.
Would I read the second book? Hmm. Maybe. While this book didn’t end on a major cliffhanger, there’s still a lot to be explained and happen, but I know I would have to reread this first book before picking up the sequel. Which I don’t think I enjoyed this book enough to do, but perhaps, if the second book really interested me.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
March 21, 2023
Y'aaalll this book was such a good time!! More people need to read it asap so I have someone to fangirl with *waits*
Now on to the actual review--
I didn't know what to expect when starting Enhanced. I think I was more curious than anything else about the setting. A YA novel set in futuristic China, eh? Not something I'd seen anywhere outside the Lunar Chronicles, which didn't stand out to me at all. Plus, the author was a TCK which is awesome! As for the premise itself, it intrigued me, but I wasn't really paying attention to the concept of a "futuristic society filled with genetically enhanced individuals" until I read the first chapter and realized, oh heck, this is gonna be fun.
So, let's start off with the characters. Urban's an interesting protagonist, one who's practically buckled over with the pressure of constantly trying too hard. She was sympathetic and genuinely likable, never fitting into one archetype or another, and her strengths and weaknesses are on full display throughout the story. I especially like the author's twist on the usual "academically-stressed Asian teen" with her; now that was unique! (More on that later though.) I also appreciate her relationship with Lillian, and how there were no messy secrets between them that would complicate things, as they often do in YA.
I really enjoyed the side characters too! Lillian is awesome and again, so is her relationship with Urban. Ash is utterly adorable and I can't wait to see more of him; his friendship with Urban is the cutest. There were a lot of different faces through the story, which is totally fine with me because it was cool seeing every aspect of the world Kade has created, and I'm super intrigued as to how things will continue. I would say the only character that "disappointed" me, if you can call it that, was Everest: I liked that he wasn't the annoying kind of love interest, if you know what I mean, but he just didn't seem as well-rounded as the others. Too perfect, I guess. Not in the perfect cinnamon roll way. More like... the perfect Chinese boyfriend *cough* that demands a higher suspension of disbelief than I am willing to give *cough* but anyway
The plot was fast-paced and definitely page-turning. There was one twist near the end that took me by surprise, and I almost can't believe I fell for it but you know a book is good when you don't have your pro-reader's-lens on, right? Right. And I might as well cover the prose in the same paragraph here--the writing was a bit rough at times, like it could have gone through a few more rounds of editing, but for the most part it wasn't distracting. The description, dialogue, etc. did their job explaining the alien world of sci-fi to me, and that's really good enough for me.
And BOY what a world it was! A world in which your most important grades aren't on your academic transcripts but rather on your social skills. Oh yeah, it's like that. (Can I get a big yikes from all my fellow awkward dumplings?) But as terrifying as such a world would be for people like yours truly, this was hands-down my favorite part of the book (yes, even more than Ash). It feels to me that the author could have been alluding to the problems raised by the Chinese concept of mianzi or "face," if you know you know--if that was her intention, then she chose a really interesting way to do it. (Probably not the first of its kind to have something like this, but in YA, close enough.) If it wasn't her intention... whatever, it was still cool. It brought an extra layer of dimension--and more stakes!--to the storyline, which was fabulous and certainly unexpected.
I also loved Kade's system for these genetically enhanced advancements in society, how they're divided into factions that feel particularly YA (in a good way, okay?). Some of that does remind you of the Lunar Chronicles, yet again. And best of all the sci-fi elements actually made SENSE to this non-sci-fi-inclined li'l brain of mine, which SURE makes a difference let me tell you. The boarding-school element was fun too, even if it's technically set at university instead of high school, which--can I gush about that for a sec? Most YA novels don't have uni settings, as you can imagine?? Anywayyy. The worldbuilding though. I loved reading about "New Beijing" and being able to visualize all the parts the author kept the same as the city I grew up in. The most random little funny things about Chinese culture that I've never seen mentioned anywhere else. The distinct, vivid, heavily air-polluted atmosphere of Beijing--total perfection.
Okay, so now that I've devoted two entire paragraphs of this review to worldbuilding, it's time to wrap it up.
This one is for my lovers of sci-fi, YA, real characters, cool settings, and Hunger-Games-esque massive death-maze competitions. It rocks. Overall, a fantastic debut, and I cannot wait for book two! (Seriously, when's it coming though?)
Now on to the actual review--
I didn't know what to expect when starting Enhanced. I think I was more curious than anything else about the setting. A YA novel set in futuristic China, eh? Not something I'd seen anywhere outside the Lunar Chronicles, which didn't stand out to me at all. Plus, the author was a TCK which is awesome! As for the premise itself, it intrigued me, but I wasn't really paying attention to the concept of a "futuristic society filled with genetically enhanced individuals" until I read the first chapter and realized, oh heck, this is gonna be fun.
So, let's start off with the characters. Urban's an interesting protagonist, one who's practically buckled over with the pressure of constantly trying too hard. She was sympathetic and genuinely likable, never fitting into one archetype or another, and her strengths and weaknesses are on full display throughout the story. I especially like the author's twist on the usual "academically-stressed Asian teen" with her; now that was unique! (More on that later though.) I also appreciate her relationship with Lillian, and how there were no messy secrets between them that would complicate things, as they often do in YA.
I really enjoyed the side characters too! Lillian is awesome and again, so is her relationship with Urban. Ash is utterly adorable and I can't wait to see more of him; his friendship with Urban is the cutest. There were a lot of different faces through the story, which is totally fine with me because it was cool seeing every aspect of the world Kade has created, and I'm super intrigued as to how things will continue. I would say the only character that "disappointed" me, if you can call it that, was Everest: I liked that he wasn't the annoying kind of love interest, if you know what I mean, but he just didn't seem as well-rounded as the others. Too perfect, I guess. Not in the perfect cinnamon roll way. More like... the perfect Chinese boyfriend *cough* that demands a higher suspension of disbelief than I am willing to give *cough* but anyway
The plot was fast-paced and definitely page-turning. There was one twist near the end that took me by surprise, and I almost can't believe I fell for it but you know a book is good when you don't have your pro-reader's-lens on, right? Right. And I might as well cover the prose in the same paragraph here--the writing was a bit rough at times, like it could have gone through a few more rounds of editing, but for the most part it wasn't distracting. The description, dialogue, etc. did their job explaining the alien world of sci-fi to me, and that's really good enough for me.
And BOY what a world it was! A world in which your most important grades aren't on your academic transcripts but rather on your social skills. Oh yeah, it's like that. (Can I get a big yikes from all my fellow awkward dumplings?) But as terrifying as such a world would be for people like yours truly, this was hands-down my favorite part of the book (yes, even more than Ash). It feels to me that the author could have been alluding to the problems raised by the Chinese concept of mianzi or "face," if you know you know--if that was her intention, then she chose a really interesting way to do it. (Probably not the first of its kind to have something like this, but in YA, close enough.) If it wasn't her intention... whatever, it was still cool. It brought an extra layer of dimension--and more stakes!--to the storyline, which was fabulous and certainly unexpected.
I also loved Kade's system for these genetically enhanced advancements in society, how they're divided into factions that feel particularly YA (in a good way, okay?). Some of that does remind you of the Lunar Chronicles, yet again. And best of all the sci-fi elements actually made SENSE to this non-sci-fi-inclined li'l brain of mine, which SURE makes a difference let me tell you. The boarding-school element was fun too, even if it's technically set at university instead of high school, which--can I gush about that for a sec? Most YA novels don't have uni settings, as you can imagine?? Anywayyy. The worldbuilding though. I loved reading about "New Beijing" and being able to visualize all the parts the author kept the same as the city I grew up in. The most random little funny things about Chinese culture that I've never seen mentioned anywhere else. The distinct, vivid, heavily air-polluted atmosphere of Beijing--total perfection.
Okay, so now that I've devoted two entire paragraphs of this review to worldbuilding, it's time to wrap it up.
This one is for my lovers of sci-fi, YA, real characters, cool settings, and Hunger-Games-esque massive death-maze competitions. It rocks. Overall, a fantastic debut, and I cannot wait for book two! (Seriously, when's it coming though?)
March 6, 2023
I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required. The following review is my honest opinion.
This book was a rollercoaster in all the best ways!
Anyone who's followed me for a while probably has seen me say that dystopian is a major hit-or-miss genre for me. As I slowly find ones with concepts that interest me, I'm finding that I consistently prefer the variety of dystopian that is focused on hope and the good people left in the fictional world, not hopelessness and the depths of depravity in the fictional world. I also don't mind some intrigue and investigation of interesting what-ifs. Enhanced hit on pretty much ALL of my personal preferences. Balance that with action that's plenty intense and exciting but never gory? Yes, please!
Candace Kade has mastered the art of writing and un-put-downable book because wow, this thing swept me off my feet and never let me catch my breath! Just when I thought Urban couldn't have any more problems in her life, they just kept coming, and situations kept happening, and things got more complicated and dangerous, and escalating and escalating until BOOM! Major reveals! I'm too slow a reader to do it, but this is the kind of book that some people could easily read in one sitting.
Candace has also created a fascinating and complex world that gives this story so much flavor and depth! Gene editing is a scientific concept that I never thought I'd necessarily want to read a complete novel about. It's a little bit hard to wrap my mind around the possibilities and complications thereof. But Candace apparently wrapped her mind around it quite well and absolutely ran with it. I can completely imagine how a "genetic revolution" would result in the world she presents us with: Where people with genetic enhancements that were given to them via gene editing at birth consider themselves better than the people who were just plain born with no alterations. And yet, even as Candace shows us all these strange and amazing alterations that a person could be given, she still shows us that these altered humans, despite having wings, mental enhancements, super strength, perfect health etc, etc, they are still just that: Human. Capable of choosing to do right and to do wrong, including in the manner in which they use their enhanced abilities. Capable of loving and hating, accepting and rejecting. Capable of still being dissatisfied with who or what they are despite all these special gifts they've been given. Urban ended up realizing this, too, and I loved that she was ultimately able to accept that natural or enhanced, we all have to decide to be content with what we have RIGHT NOW instead of constantly wanting something else, or we will never experience peace.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it ended! How dare it?!😛 I was nowhere near ready to reach the end! I wanted to keep going and find the answers to all these questions that have been raised! If it wasn't obvious, I will be snatching up the second book the moment it eventually comes out! *whimpers because I want the second book but this one doesn't even release until March 14th!*
I heartily recommend this book to people who enjoy science fiction and dystopian books that keep you on the edge of your seat!
Content Advisory:
This book is YA and appropriate for ages 14 and up. It might be okay for kids a little younger who are advanced readers and able to handle some intense action, but some of the science concepts might also be harder for younger readers.
Violence:
Many mentions of an organization of "super" enhanced humans who are prejudiced against non-enhanced humans to the point that they will and have committed murder if a "Natural" tries to be treated as an equal in a space that they believe is supposed to be exclusive to enhanced people. It's mentioned that even at a young age, Urban's mother made her read a graphic news report about one such murder to get her to understand what's at stake if Urban's lack of enhancements was to be found out. However, we, the readers, do not learn what the gory details of the article were.
A student in Urban's class becomes violent when denied what he wants and throws a pen hard enough to stab a fellow student in the neck. There's brief mention of blood and the victim writhing in pain, but the victim survives.
Urban's university has an event called "The Games" in which student competitors are given challenges specific to their genetic enhancements. They often have to fend off genetically enhanced animals or robots while they solve the riddles and puzzles. The students have protective suits, and medical personnel are on hand, but it's stated that the students sometimes still get hurt and occasionally are killed. Urban watches one game where sabertooth tigers are unleashed on the contestants. Sometimes the tigers attack the students and sometimes they get attacked by a Super student, but none of the violence is ever graphic, and all description that occurs is brief.
There are multiple passive attempts on an individual's life and one direct attack. The individual escapes poison gas and is later rescued from plummeting from a great height. In a rather hectic scene, many threats are thrown at an individual all at once. There's some general description of the chaos as animals attack each other, an environment catches fire, and a wrecking ball with spikes swings overhead, etc., but as always, none of it is graphic. There is mention of the smell of blood from the animal conflicts, but no visual description thereof, even when one animal gets swallowed up by sea creatures. The human involved in this has some close calls, but otherwise escapes uninjured.
Near the end of the book a rather intense and lengthy action scene occurs. Multiple individuals get threatened, body slammed, punched, cut, shot at, stabbed, plummet from a great height, and nearly drown. Emotionally intense though this is, and though some blows and bruises and occasionally some blood get described, all description is limited to only what is necessary to communicate what is happening. Description of injuries is never lingered upon even though it's still very clear that people are getting beaten up pretty badly.
Sexual:
Urban has a secret boyfriend, Everest, who she's been in a relationship with for about a year. Their relationship is sweet, and while some tingly, blushing feelings are occasionally described, it's never sexual. Everest is extremely respectful of her and vice versa. They hug and kiss a couple times and the kisses are mildly described.
Urban occasionally gets flustered around other handsome young men, but there are no love triangles. Her heart is loyal to Everest.
Urban is a little embarrassed to learn that Everest's parents are delighted to learn their son has been secretly dating because they're so desperate for grandkids that they kept setting him up with random young women. Everest revealed that he already had a girlfriend to get them to stop.
One character is a little bit of a flirt, but he's never inappropriate toward girls and his friendship with Urban specifically, remains platonic.
Spiritual:
Enclave Publishing is a Christian publisher, but sometimes their book are simply clean reads written by Christians vs being overtly Christian in spiritual content. Unless something appears in later books, this seems to be a story that isn't going to have any particular spiritual content. There are no mentions of God or faith.
Drug/alcohol:
There's mention that genetically enhanced people can drink alcohol with little to no consequence unless they drink an extreme amount. Urban, meanwhile, must hide her lack of enhancements by always carrying tablets she can drop into drinks that evaporate the alcohol. This is described at a couple of parties she attends where social drinking occurs. No excessive or casual drinking occurs, though.
Someone gets forcibly injected with a drug that causes them to pass out.
Other:
Urban has a couple of severe asthma attacks that result in her passing out before receiving medical attention. Both times, the symptoms and panic of her breathing difficulties are described in detail.
As the synopsis states, there are many lies in Urban's life. Many of them are necessary to protect her from people who would kill or otherwise harm her, but she and her sister also lie to their parents several times. There are consequences, however.
Urban's parents have been pretty tough on her over the years. She initially believes it's because, as a "natural" non-enhanced persin she's not good enough for her enhanced parents. But she comes to realize they love her deeply and have only been trying to protect her.
Urban's brother is a massive jerk. He's rude to most of his family, disrespectful to his parents, and particularly hostile towards Urban. He seems to think his Enhanced family would be better off without the "hassle" a daughter who's a Natural. The parents express disapproval of his words toward Urban, but apparently have been unsuccessful at correcting his behavior.
When Urban was just an elementary-age kid her brother (who has aquatic enhancements) basically tried to drown her, dragging her to the bottom of a pool and holding her there, mocking her for her inability to breathe underwater like him, until she punched him in his private parts. Their parents grounded him. He hasn't attempted to physically harm her since, but the few times he is on the page, he's always putting Urban down verbally.
This book was a rollercoaster in all the best ways!
Anyone who's followed me for a while probably has seen me say that dystopian is a major hit-or-miss genre for me. As I slowly find ones with concepts that interest me, I'm finding that I consistently prefer the variety of dystopian that is focused on hope and the good people left in the fictional world, not hopelessness and the depths of depravity in the fictional world. I also don't mind some intrigue and investigation of interesting what-ifs. Enhanced hit on pretty much ALL of my personal preferences. Balance that with action that's plenty intense and exciting but never gory? Yes, please!
Candace Kade has mastered the art of writing and un-put-downable book because wow, this thing swept me off my feet and never let me catch my breath! Just when I thought Urban couldn't have any more problems in her life, they just kept coming, and situations kept happening, and things got more complicated and dangerous, and escalating and escalating until BOOM! Major reveals! I'm too slow a reader to do it, but this is the kind of book that some people could easily read in one sitting.
Candace has also created a fascinating and complex world that gives this story so much flavor and depth! Gene editing is a scientific concept that I never thought I'd necessarily want to read a complete novel about. It's a little bit hard to wrap my mind around the possibilities and complications thereof. But Candace apparently wrapped her mind around it quite well and absolutely ran with it. I can completely imagine how a "genetic revolution" would result in the world she presents us with: Where people with genetic enhancements that were given to them via gene editing at birth consider themselves better than the people who were just plain born with no alterations. And yet, even as Candace shows us all these strange and amazing alterations that a person could be given, she still shows us that these altered humans, despite having wings, mental enhancements, super strength, perfect health etc, etc, they are still just that: Human. Capable of choosing to do right and to do wrong, including in the manner in which they use their enhanced abilities. Capable of loving and hating, accepting and rejecting. Capable of still being dissatisfied with who or what they are despite all these special gifts they've been given. Urban ended up realizing this, too, and I loved that she was ultimately able to accept that natural or enhanced, we all have to decide to be content with what we have RIGHT NOW instead of constantly wanting something else, or we will never experience peace.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it ended! How dare it?!😛 I was nowhere near ready to reach the end! I wanted to keep going and find the answers to all these questions that have been raised! If it wasn't obvious, I will be snatching up the second book the moment it eventually comes out! *whimpers because I want the second book but this one doesn't even release until March 14th!*
I heartily recommend this book to people who enjoy science fiction and dystopian books that keep you on the edge of your seat!
Content Advisory:
This book is YA and appropriate for ages 14 and up. It might be okay for kids a little younger who are advanced readers and able to handle some intense action, but some of the science concepts might also be harder for younger readers.
Violence:
Many mentions of an organization of "super" enhanced humans who are prejudiced against non-enhanced humans to the point that they will and have committed murder if a "Natural" tries to be treated as an equal in a space that they believe is supposed to be exclusive to enhanced people. It's mentioned that even at a young age, Urban's mother made her read a graphic news report about one such murder to get her to understand what's at stake if Urban's lack of enhancements was to be found out. However, we, the readers, do not learn what the gory details of the article were.
A student in Urban's class becomes violent when denied what he wants and throws a pen hard enough to stab a fellow student in the neck. There's brief mention of blood and the victim writhing in pain, but the victim survives.
Urban's university has an event called "The Games" in which student competitors are given challenges specific to their genetic enhancements. They often have to fend off genetically enhanced animals or robots while they solve the riddles and puzzles. The students have protective suits, and medical personnel are on hand, but it's stated that the students sometimes still get hurt and occasionally are killed. Urban watches one game where sabertooth tigers are unleashed on the contestants. Sometimes the tigers attack the students and sometimes they get attacked by a Super student, but none of the violence is ever graphic, and all description that occurs is brief.
There are multiple passive attempts on an individual's life and one direct attack. The individual escapes poison gas and is later rescued from plummeting from a great height. In a rather hectic scene, many threats are thrown at an individual all at once. There's some general description of the chaos as animals attack each other, an environment catches fire, and a wrecking ball with spikes swings overhead, etc., but as always, none of it is graphic. There is mention of the smell of blood from the animal conflicts, but no visual description thereof, even when one animal gets swallowed up by sea creatures. The human involved in this has some close calls, but otherwise escapes uninjured.
Near the end of the book a rather intense and lengthy action scene occurs. Multiple individuals get threatened, body slammed, punched, cut, shot at, stabbed, plummet from a great height, and nearly drown. Emotionally intense though this is, and though some blows and bruises and occasionally some blood get described, all description is limited to only what is necessary to communicate what is happening. Description of injuries is never lingered upon even though it's still very clear that people are getting beaten up pretty badly.
Sexual:
Urban has a secret boyfriend, Everest, who she's been in a relationship with for about a year. Their relationship is sweet, and while some tingly, blushing feelings are occasionally described, it's never sexual. Everest is extremely respectful of her and vice versa. They hug and kiss a couple times and the kisses are mildly described.
Urban occasionally gets flustered around other handsome young men, but there are no love triangles. Her heart is loyal to Everest.
Urban is a little embarrassed to learn that Everest's parents are delighted to learn their son has been secretly dating because they're so desperate for grandkids that they kept setting him up with random young women. Everest revealed that he already had a girlfriend to get them to stop.
One character is a little bit of a flirt, but he's never inappropriate toward girls and his friendship with Urban specifically, remains platonic.
Spiritual:
Enclave Publishing is a Christian publisher, but sometimes their book are simply clean reads written by Christians vs being overtly Christian in spiritual content. Unless something appears in later books, this seems to be a story that isn't going to have any particular spiritual content. There are no mentions of God or faith.
Drug/alcohol:
There's mention that genetically enhanced people can drink alcohol with little to no consequence unless they drink an extreme amount. Urban, meanwhile, must hide her lack of enhancements by always carrying tablets she can drop into drinks that evaporate the alcohol. This is described at a couple of parties she attends where social drinking occurs. No excessive or casual drinking occurs, though.
Someone gets forcibly injected with a drug that causes them to pass out.
Other:
Urban has a couple of severe asthma attacks that result in her passing out before receiving medical attention. Both times, the symptoms and panic of her breathing difficulties are described in detail.
As the synopsis states, there are many lies in Urban's life. Many of them are necessary to protect her from people who would kill or otherwise harm her, but she and her sister also lie to their parents several times. There are consequences, however.
Urban's parents have been pretty tough on her over the years. She initially believes it's because, as a "natural" non-enhanced persin she's not good enough for her enhanced parents. But she comes to realize they love her deeply and have only been trying to protect her.
Urban's brother is a massive jerk. He's rude to most of his family, disrespectful to his parents, and particularly hostile towards Urban. He seems to think his Enhanced family would be better off without the "hassle" a daughter who's a Natural. The parents express disapproval of his words toward Urban, but apparently have been unsuccessful at correcting his behavior.
When Urban was just an elementary-age kid her brother (who has aquatic enhancements) basically tried to drown her, dragging her to the bottom of a pool and holding her there, mocking her for her inability to breathe underwater like him, until she punched him in his private parts. Their parents grounded him. He hasn't attempted to physically harm her since, but the few times he is on the page, he's always putting Urban down verbally.
January 14, 2023
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5 stars)
Wow! What an interesting story! I really enjoyed reading this one!
Enhanced is set in Asia (China) about 100 years in the future. One of the things I enjoyed most about the book was how much I learned about Chinese culture by reading it! From reading Enhanced, it’s clear that the author not only lived in China long enough to understand the culture, but she also has a deep love for Chinese food. Some of the food descriptions made me hungry. Lol! While reading, I actually would stop occasionally to Google something—one example: Mooncakes and the Mooncake Festival. It was so interesting! I love books that pique my curiousity. Even better if it’s a sci-fi or fantasy book that makes me want to learn something about our real world.
The world building of Enhanced is excellent. The science fiction nerd in me really enjoyed the author’s take on a possible future with human genetic engineering becoming a reality. The contrast of the lives of the Enhanced compared with those of the Naturals (people without genetic enhancements) also gives a fresh look at the dangers of having prejudices towards others.
This YA scifi story kept my interest. The characters are pretty well-written. Lee Urban is a relatable main character. Urban’s desire to be loved for who she really is (as opposed to the expectations of others) and her artistic ambitions were things I could easily relate to. Side characters add drama and intrigue to the story, however, some are more fleshed out than others. I expect we will have a few of these side characters fleshed out better in the next book.
Kudos to the author for a plot twist I didn’t foresee! Total surprise and I loved it!
All in all, I thought Enhanced was a really unique story and am looking forward to book 2 in The Hybrid Series!
I received an Advance Reader Copy of Enhanced from the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my honest thoughts about this book.
Wow! What an interesting story! I really enjoyed reading this one!
Enhanced is set in Asia (China) about 100 years in the future. One of the things I enjoyed most about the book was how much I learned about Chinese culture by reading it! From reading Enhanced, it’s clear that the author not only lived in China long enough to understand the culture, but she also has a deep love for Chinese food. Some of the food descriptions made me hungry. Lol! While reading, I actually would stop occasionally to Google something—one example: Mooncakes and the Mooncake Festival. It was so interesting! I love books that pique my curiousity. Even better if it’s a sci-fi or fantasy book that makes me want to learn something about our real world.
The world building of Enhanced is excellent. The science fiction nerd in me really enjoyed the author’s take on a possible future with human genetic engineering becoming a reality. The contrast of the lives of the Enhanced compared with those of the Naturals (people without genetic enhancements) also gives a fresh look at the dangers of having prejudices towards others.
This YA scifi story kept my interest. The characters are pretty well-written. Lee Urban is a relatable main character. Urban’s desire to be loved for who she really is (as opposed to the expectations of others) and her artistic ambitions were things I could easily relate to. Side characters add drama and intrigue to the story, however, some are more fleshed out than others. I expect we will have a few of these side characters fleshed out better in the next book.
Kudos to the author for a plot twist I didn’t foresee! Total surprise and I loved it!
All in all, I thought Enhanced was a really unique story and am looking forward to book 2 in The Hybrid Series!
I received an Advance Reader Copy of Enhanced from the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my honest thoughts about this book.
January 21, 2024
Enhanced is an edge-of-your-seat science fiction story that, instead of taking place in space, takes place in Asia in the not so distant future. Set in 2124, it follows Urban, a teen girl who must hide her "Natural" status in order to survive...and maybe have a future as an artist. Clean and exciting, Enhanced is a great series starter, and I'm looking forward to book 2 (Hybrid, coming March 2024).
Content:
Mild romance, violence
Ages 13/14+
Content:
Mild romance, violence
Ages 13/14+
March 29, 2023
Wow. Just wow. Candace hooked me from the first page. The twists and turns were perfectly timed!
I am so honored to have been sent an early paperback arc of the book. Enhanced was my final read of 2022 and it was a glorious firework of an ending. I NEED book 2!!
Preorder this ASAP!
I am so honored to have been sent an early paperback arc of the book. Enhanced was my final read of 2022 and it was a glorious firework of an ending. I NEED book 2!!
Preorder this ASAP!
March 31, 2023
4.5 stars! I’m actually kind of surprised at how much I ended up loving this book. I’m not much of a futuristic tech-y guru, so initially, I was a bit bored by the world. But each vibrant touch that the author added brought more and more color to this setting, and I’m officially a big fan.
The first half of the story felt a little bit slow. Hence the Not-Quite-Five-Star rating. It was interesting enough to keep me reading, but I must confess, I almost DNF’d about a third of the way through. But I’m so glad I kept reading!
A colorful world, gorgeous imagery, a relatable and engaging MC, and excellently three-dimensional secondary characters!
Oftentimes, if I’m 80% through a book and there’s clearly too much to wrap up before the end, I’m devastated—but this time I was actually GLAD! Because I want to spend more time in this story and this world, and this means there’s going to be a sequel!
So excited for Book 2, even though it’s going to be a depressingly long time before we get it! 🙈 I also really want to find out more about the jujitsu instructor… 😏
The first half of the story felt a little bit slow. Hence the Not-Quite-Five-Star rating. It was interesting enough to keep me reading, but I must confess, I almost DNF’d about a third of the way through. But I’m so glad I kept reading!
A colorful world, gorgeous imagery, a relatable and engaging MC, and excellently three-dimensional secondary characters!
Oftentimes, if I’m 80% through a book and there’s clearly too much to wrap up before the end, I’m devastated—but this time I was actually GLAD! Because I want to spend more time in this story and this world, and this means there’s going to be a sequel!
So excited for Book 2, even though it’s going to be a depressingly long time before we get it! 🙈 I also really want to find out more about the jujitsu instructor… 😏
July 27, 2023
Enhanced is a solid start to The Hybrid Series.
The characters were well-developed and layered. I look forward to getting to know them more in the rest of the series! I also appreciated the sisterly bond between Lillian and Urban. Sibling relationships make me happy.
Initially, there was something about Kade's writing style that kept me from feeling like I was in Urban's head. Maybe it was the third-person POV, maybe it was just me. However, as the story went on, that distance faded and I was soon as wrapped up in the secrets and danger as Urban was.
The worldbuilding is super fun. While I am *not* a science person, I appreciated that Kade did have her worldbuilding for the Enhanced based in science, and seem like an actual possibility for the future. The Chinese culture elements were great--I loved all of the descriptions of food. 😂 In her bio, Kade says that she grew up in China, and you can tell so while reading Enhanced.
The plot was great. I liked how Kade balanced the general difficulties of school, hiding Urban's true identity, and the mysterious hacker--and tied all of the threads together. Be warned, there is a point where everything in the plot really gets rolling and it will be hard to put the book down!
The ending, while not a dreadful cliffhanger, will definitely leave you eager to find out what happens next in the series!
Cautions: one kiss; moderate romance; moderate violence
*I received an ARC from the publisher and was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own!*
The characters were well-developed and layered. I look forward to getting to know them more in the rest of the series! I also appreciated the sisterly bond between Lillian and Urban. Sibling relationships make me happy.
Initially, there was something about Kade's writing style that kept me from feeling like I was in Urban's head. Maybe it was the third-person POV, maybe it was just me. However, as the story went on, that distance faded and I was soon as wrapped up in the secrets and danger as Urban was.
The worldbuilding is super fun. While I am *not* a science person, I appreciated that Kade did have her worldbuilding for the Enhanced based in science, and seem like an actual possibility for the future. The Chinese culture elements were great--I loved all of the descriptions of food. 😂 In her bio, Kade says that she grew up in China, and you can tell so while reading Enhanced.
The plot was great. I liked how Kade balanced the general difficulties of school, hiding Urban's true identity, and the mysterious hacker--and tied all of the threads together. Be warned, there is a point where everything in the plot really gets rolling and it will be hard to put the book down!
The ending, while not a dreadful cliffhanger, will definitely leave you eager to find out what happens next in the series!
Cautions: one kiss; moderate romance; moderate violence
*I received an ARC from the publisher and was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own!*
February 20, 2024
I haven't always been one for sci-fi, but after closing the cover on 'Enhanced', I immediately wanted more of the unique setting and relatable characters. From page one, I was sucked into Urban's world and was especially enthralled by her friends and internal conflict. All in all, if you enjoy action, strong characters, uncommon plot, and a dystopian backdrop, this is the book for you!
October 28, 2025
In a world where YA Science Fiction is mostly gritty dystopian or space operas, Enhanced stands out as a suspenseful cyberpunk thrill ride with fleshed out characters, an immersive setting, and a well paced plot, with themes of belonging and self discovery. I was engaged into this story’s twist and turns until the very end and I won’t forget it anytime soon.
Our main protagonist, Urban, is a Natural (no super human enhancements) in a city full of Enhanced humans, from those adept to water, the sky, strength, among others. However, in order to retain her family’s elite status and to keep her dream as an artist alive (a job not fit for Naturals), she has to fake being Enhanced. She also wants to have a high sosh (basically a social credit score) so she can stay in society’s good graces. The pressure to balance all of that is getting to her, and I love her thoughts of not belonging as she struggles to live in a society where she’s at a massive disadvantage. They’re deep and visceral and I easily connected to her as she had to fight her way through everything with determination and figure out what she wants. I do appreciate that Urban already had a boyfriend in Everett when the story starts, which is not usual in YA. I love how the relationship is fleshed out with rocky moments in their dating life instead of the typical instalove.
The other characters were fleshed out well, especially Urban’s roommates and her family. Lilian, her adoptive sister was my favorite, always helping Urban out when she can. The family themselves were dynamic and brought plenty of conflict with Urban, trying to protect her. Though they got super interesting after some game changing plot twists at the end, for instance, .
The setting of New Beijing was immersive; futuristic and full of technology in the city, with most of the citizens having some superhuman enhancement to get through this world. I can almost see the bright lights and tall buildings as I read through, and the city felt like a new version of Beijing with various factions populating each section. The technology and biotech tied into the plot in an essential way while being easy to understand, not a slog of homework. Even if it wasn’t super gritty as Sci-Fi is expected to be nowadays, but aspects of the world like the credit score and danger areas added to the suspense of the book.
The plot itself had plenty of twists and surprises, with nothing staying the same for too long. There’s a perfect balance between slower paced scenes at home or at University, to the faster paced action scenes, keeping me hooked. There’s also an overlying mystery that starts at chapter one and as the story continues, more is revealed, and even as all came to light near the end of the book, it opened up to a grander mystery for future books in the series.
One minor nitpick was the transitions were a bit sudden at points, but it didn’t derail my reading experience much, and I realize some readers prefer the type of transitions which are more gradual, but it fit the pacing well.
After that ending, I’m totally looking forward to the rest of the Hybrid series! Totally recommended for those that want a change of pace to their Sci-Fi!
*I received an ARC from the publisher, Enclave. All opinions are my own.*
Our main protagonist, Urban, is a Natural (no super human enhancements) in a city full of Enhanced humans, from those adept to water, the sky, strength, among others. However, in order to retain her family’s elite status and to keep her dream as an artist alive (a job not fit for Naturals), she has to fake being Enhanced. She also wants to have a high sosh (basically a social credit score) so she can stay in society’s good graces. The pressure to balance all of that is getting to her, and I love her thoughts of not belonging as she struggles to live in a society where she’s at a massive disadvantage. They’re deep and visceral and I easily connected to her as she had to fight her way through everything with determination and figure out what she wants. I do appreciate that Urban already had a boyfriend in Everett when the story starts, which is not usual in YA. I love how the relationship is fleshed out with rocky moments in their dating life instead of the typical instalove.
The other characters were fleshed out well, especially Urban’s roommates and her family. Lilian, her adoptive sister was my favorite, always helping Urban out when she can. The family themselves were dynamic and brought plenty of conflict with Urban, trying to protect her. Though they got super interesting after some game changing plot twists at the end, for instance, .
The setting of New Beijing was immersive; futuristic and full of technology in the city, with most of the citizens having some superhuman enhancement to get through this world. I can almost see the bright lights and tall buildings as I read through, and the city felt like a new version of Beijing with various factions populating each section. The technology and biotech tied into the plot in an essential way while being easy to understand, not a slog of homework. Even if it wasn’t super gritty as Sci-Fi is expected to be nowadays, but aspects of the world like the credit score and danger areas added to the suspense of the book.
The plot itself had plenty of twists and surprises, with nothing staying the same for too long. There’s a perfect balance between slower paced scenes at home or at University, to the faster paced action scenes, keeping me hooked. There’s also an overlying mystery that starts at chapter one and as the story continues, more is revealed, and even as all came to light near the end of the book, it opened up to a grander mystery for future books in the series.
One minor nitpick was the transitions were a bit sudden at points, but it didn’t derail my reading experience much, and I realize some readers prefer the type of transitions which are more gradual, but it fit the pacing well.
After that ending, I’m totally looking forward to the rest of the Hybrid series! Totally recommended for those that want a change of pace to their Sci-Fi!
*I received an ARC from the publisher, Enclave. All opinions are my own.*
March 7, 2024
Story Enjoyment Rating: 7/10 Christian Faith Rating: -1/3 (mostly clean. No Christian faith content. The main character does Jiu Jitsu)
Enhanced is a near-future, sci-fi, new adult book. It follows Urban, who lives in a world where the rich have genetically enhanced their children to have super abilities. Urban is a “natural” adopted into an enhanced family and trying to pretend to be enhanced. She attends university, where her life becomes even more difficult to fake.
I had mixed reactions to this book. I enjoyed the story, the characters and the world building. It was creative and had some mysteries, suspense and romance.
However, the book was categorised on Amazon as Christian fiction. There was no Christian faith content in the book. The main character practices Jiu Jitsu, which I would associate more with other religions like Buddhism. It was mostly clean — no sex or swearing on the page. There was some violence.
Enhanced is a near-future, sci-fi, new adult book. It follows Urban, who lives in a world where the rich have genetically enhanced their children to have super abilities. Urban is a “natural” adopted into an enhanced family and trying to pretend to be enhanced. She attends university, where her life becomes even more difficult to fake.
I had mixed reactions to this book. I enjoyed the story, the characters and the world building. It was creative and had some mysteries, suspense and romance.
However, the book was categorised on Amazon as Christian fiction. There was no Christian faith content in the book. The main character practices Jiu Jitsu, which I would associate more with other religions like Buddhism. It was mostly clean — no sex or swearing on the page. There was some violence.
February 25, 2023
Fast paced, engaging, and imaginative! Kade creates a world that is unique and intriguing. I enjoyed following Urban along on her journey of self discovery, adventure, and danger. This was an easy read that kept me wanting more. In a world where people are either born natural or enhanced, Urban is trying her best to blend in and not let anyone find out she is a natural. There were a few twists and turns that left me surprised! Kade wonderfully incorporates Chinese culture into this story along with futuristic elements. This made the setting immersive and unique for me to read. With a storyline of genetic modification, DNA, and fantastic power people who are fans of The Hunger Games, Skyward, or other science and dystopian fiction will love this story. What a fantastic debut!
*I was given a early copy of this book by the publisher. All my opinions are my own.
*I was given a early copy of this book by the publisher. All my opinions are my own.
April 20, 2024
Things that were fun:
-Asian setting
-Family values
-BIG SISTER LITTLE SISTER RELATIONSHIP
-Interesting premise
Things that weren't my cup of tea:
-The pacing: it was a lot slower and less happened than I expected
-I didn't really relate to/empathize with the MC until the end of the book
-I didn't understand the character arc and her changes of opinion didn't make sense to me
-Asian setting
-Family values
-BIG SISTER LITTLE SISTER RELATIONSHIP
-Interesting premise
Things that weren't my cup of tea:
-The pacing: it was a lot slower and less happened than I expected
-I didn't really relate to/empathize with the MC until the end of the book
-I didn't understand the character arc and her changes of opinion didn't make sense to me
October 3, 2025
I've had this book on my TBR for the longest time, and after meeting Candace at a writer conference, I finally got a copy of the book!
I enjoy sci-fi, and this book was a great addition to the genre! After hearing her talk about the book, I was instantly intrigued, and the story between the pages did not disappoint. There was a light romance, heavy sci-fi, and high stakes. I can't wait to dive into the next book!
I enjoy sci-fi, and this book was a great addition to the genre! After hearing her talk about the book, I was instantly intrigued, and the story between the pages did not disappoint. There was a light romance, heavy sci-fi, and high stakes. I can't wait to dive into the next book!
July 1, 2025
I am trying to decide if I should just not rate sci-fi books as a general rule. I think I might have really enjoyed this in a different setting.🤔
February 2, 2023
I want to thank Candace Kade for sending me an ARC. I had a great time with this fast paced dystopian.
One of my favourite things was the Asian influence. It’s a unique setting that really set this apart.
I also really enjoyed the characters. I came to really know them throughout the story and I loved reading about them!
Plot wise, it took me a bit to feel invested, but by the end I just wanted more! I’m really looking forward to Kade’s next release. I think she has a promising writing career ahead of her.
One of my favourite things was the Asian influence. It’s a unique setting that really set this apart.
I also really enjoyed the characters. I came to really know them throughout the story and I loved reading about them!
Plot wise, it took me a bit to feel invested, but by the end I just wanted more! I’m really looking forward to Kade’s next release. I think she has a promising writing career ahead of her.
October 14, 2024
I haven't done this in a while, but this book is getting two distinct ratings:
Quality rating - 4 stars
Personal enjoyment rating - 2 stars
In terms of the book's quality, I wish it had been heavier on showing rather than telling. The pacing also felt a little odd to me; it was fast-paced, yet I felt like I should have been nearing the end long before the book actually reached its conclusion. I don't know if the plot points were strangely placed, if it felt like there were too many of them, or if it was just another "me" issue.
I did really like the tone of the worldbuilding; it was the appropriate blend of super cool yet also terrifying to think about actually being possible that I love in this type of sci-fi. There were a lot of abbreviations that I didn't even try to keep straight in my head, which did make some things harder to follow, but overall the worldbuilding was strong and had a great atmosphere.
In terms of my own personal taste, though, I just... didn't really like this book. Mostly, I think, because I didn't like Urban. She felt too young and immature for her age, to me, and I wanted her to just have a stinking conversation with Everest (and for him to just have a stinking conversation with her). She matures a little bit by the end, so I may have an easier time with her in Hybrid, but I spent so much of this book just wishing she would be a little more of a grown-up since she was supposed to be stepping out on her own as an adult.
Reading this book reinforced that I'm outgrowing my enjoyment of the YA category, and that's a personal "issue," not a weakness of the book. This book fits perfectly into its category and I'm sure it appeals to its target audience; I'm just no longer part of that audience.
Quality rating - 4 stars
Personal enjoyment rating - 2 stars
In terms of the book's quality, I wish it had been heavier on showing rather than telling. The pacing also felt a little odd to me; it was fast-paced, yet I felt like I should have been nearing the end long before the book actually reached its conclusion. I don't know if the plot points were strangely placed, if it felt like there were too many of them, or if it was just another "me" issue.
I did really like the tone of the worldbuilding; it was the appropriate blend of super cool yet also terrifying to think about actually being possible that I love in this type of sci-fi. There were a lot of abbreviations that I didn't even try to keep straight in my head, which did make some things harder to follow, but overall the worldbuilding was strong and had a great atmosphere.
In terms of my own personal taste, though, I just... didn't really like this book. Mostly, I think, because I didn't like Urban. She felt too young and immature for her age, to me, and I wanted her to just have a stinking conversation with Everest (and for him to just have a stinking conversation with her). She matures a little bit by the end, so I may have an easier time with her in Hybrid, but I spent so much of this book just wishing she would be a little more of a grown-up since she was supposed to be stepping out on her own as an adult.
Reading this book reinforced that I'm outgrowing my enjoyment of the YA category, and that's a personal "issue," not a weakness of the book. This book fits perfectly into its category and I'm sure it appeals to its target audience; I'm just no longer part of that audience.
July 25, 2024
Ahhh that was so good! I need to the next book NOW.
This is one of the tightest most fast paced books I’ve read in a long time — and it had just enough new elements to keep me engaged without confusing me.
I’m impressed how fleshed out the world felt for being so different and not relying on info dumping.
I like Urban, she feels cool, but not unrealistically tough. And Lillian is the coolest— and I’m also really curious to see if there’s more going on with her than I know yet.
And I love Everest! (Ok also Orion, so idk what I’m going to do.)
This is one of the tightest most fast paced books I’ve read in a long time — and it had just enough new elements to keep me engaged without confusing me.
I’m impressed how fleshed out the world felt for being so different and not relying on info dumping.
I like Urban, she feels cool, but not unrealistically tough. And Lillian is the coolest— and I’m also really curious to see if there’s more going on with her than I know yet.
And I love Everest! (Ok also Orion, so idk what I’m going to do.)
November 25, 2024
I really, really enjoyed this book. The twists and turns, high-tension action scenes, food descriptions, believable futuristic worldbuilding, societal complexity, realistic setbacks, dimensional and well-rounded characters, and simple awesomeness…this is a great read.
October 30, 2022
With a background in Asia, Candace brings new and futuristic life to a Chinese-esque setting centered around a strong girl, high-tech, social class and status, and family. Rich in detail and super fast-paced (cliffhangers around every corner!), you will not regret picking up this book!
Thank you to ENCLAVE for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to ENCLAVE for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review
February 21, 2024
This book was an action packed science fiction that had me hooked right from the beginning. In a futuristic Earth where your DNA can be altered or “enhanced”, people’s worth is measured by their DNA enhancements and the social status that brings them. There are enhancements that are from approved gene pools such as the Aquas, Supers, Flyers, Inventors, Artisans, Camos, Inceptors, and Givers. Anyone who has enhancements outside of these gene pools are illegal. Those without enhancements are called naturals, and have a much harder time fitting in with society. This story is set in the futuristic Asian Federation, and the author beautifully describes the culture, food and city that resembles modern day China.
Lee Urban, the main character, is adopted into an Enhanced high society family in the Asian Federation and is also a natural. While trying to keep her DNA a secret, she continues to try to fit in with society to go to Peking University to become the artist she dreams of being. While at school, Urban becomes involved with the Artificial Intelligence Game (think gladiator games meets an escape room) and without enhancements she might not make it through the games, or keep her DNA a secret.
I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to book two in the series.
Lee Urban, the main character, is adopted into an Enhanced high society family in the Asian Federation and is also a natural. While trying to keep her DNA a secret, she continues to try to fit in with society to go to Peking University to become the artist she dreams of being. While at school, Urban becomes involved with the Artificial Intelligence Game (think gladiator games meets an escape room) and without enhancements she might not make it through the games, or keep her DNA a secret.
I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to book two in the series.
July 6, 2023
A rich, futuristic world filled with a cast of vibrant characters that organically drives the plot forward at a speed that would rival that of a MagLev.
Lee Urban is a heroine that you will fall in love with from the first paragraph, and by the closing sentence, she will feel like an old friend. Her struggles and motives feel all too real, and I never found a moment where I wasn't holding my breath in hopes of her success.
Enhanced by Candace Kade is more than a book to read...it is a story to experience. If you enjoy reading clean science fiction with dystopian undertones, or even just Christian fiction in general, this is without a doubt a story to put at the top of your TBR list.
I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Lee Urban is a heroine that you will fall in love with from the first paragraph, and by the closing sentence, she will feel like an old friend. Her struggles and motives feel all too real, and I never found a moment where I wasn't holding my breath in hopes of her success.
Enhanced by Candace Kade is more than a book to read...it is a story to experience. If you enjoy reading clean science fiction with dystopian undertones, or even just Christian fiction in general, this is without a doubt a story to put at the top of your TBR list.
I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2023
A fascinating and rich world that asks the question: what if your destiny was determined by your enhancements but you didn’t have any?
I love Kade’s world building and rich presentation of her second culture in Asia. The details are beautiful and enrich the story so much.
I also love the way that she depicts Urban - not as perfect but as someone learning and growing!
This is the perfect scifi read for those who like Warcross, Calculated, and other near-future type books. And if you don’t typically read scifi I still think you’ll love this story.
My rating: 5*
Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
I love Kade’s world building and rich presentation of her second culture in Asia. The details are beautiful and enrich the story so much.
I also love the way that she depicts Urban - not as perfect but as someone learning and growing!
This is the perfect scifi read for those who like Warcross, Calculated, and other near-future type books. And if you don’t typically read scifi I still think you’ll love this story.
My rating: 5*
Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
December 18, 2023
I can’t say enough about this book! I always enjoy the worldbuilding aspect in novels but Enhanced blew it out of the water! The technology ended up being one of my favorites with its glowing details. And if you’re looking for a book with some strong plot twists, then this is a book I will always recommend! The clues the main character gathered led up to some epic twists at the end. I cannot wait for the second book!
June 24, 2025
That was ten times cooler than I expected. For some reason, the cover was giving more middle-grade vibes for me than freshman in university, so once I got started, I was INVESTED. Honestly, I feel that college is not commonly brought into fiction I read—usually it’s about high school students or adults who are well-beyond college. This was awesome, especially since I’m a college student myself.
First off, we’ve got an excellent cast of characters. Urban is a strong heroine, and I love the strong sister relationship she has with Lillian and the way Lillian is always looking out for her. Everest, Ash, and Orion come alongside her at various intervals, and her dormmates—goodness, they scare me. I don’t know what to believe about a single one of them.
There is no faith content in this book, but it’s very clean. The plot went a very different route from what I might have expected, and another unique element—there’s some really cool tech and bio-enhancements in this book, but they’re regarded as good things rather than bad things. Mind you, the way they’re distributed isn’t fair and needs work, but I feel that usually books with that sort of tech tends to condemn it, so that was different.
If you enjoy science fiction with heavy technology and a riveting storyline, you should definitely read Enhanced. I need Hybrid!!
I read this book of my own free will, courtesy of my local library, and all the above thoughts are entirely my own. 😊
First off, we’ve got an excellent cast of characters. Urban is a strong heroine, and I love the strong sister relationship she has with Lillian and the way Lillian is always looking out for her. Everest, Ash, and Orion come alongside her at various intervals, and her dormmates—goodness, they scare me. I don’t know what to believe about a single one of them.
There is no faith content in this book, but it’s very clean. The plot went a very different route from what I might have expected, and another unique element—there’s some really cool tech and bio-enhancements in this book, but they’re regarded as good things rather than bad things. Mind you, the way they’re distributed isn’t fair and needs work, but I feel that usually books with that sort of tech tends to condemn it, so that was different.
If you enjoy science fiction with heavy technology and a riveting storyline, you should definitely read Enhanced. I need Hybrid!!
I read this book of my own free will, courtesy of my local library, and all the above thoughts are entirely my own. 😊
March 14, 2023
Enhanced is one of my new favorite books! Candace Kade mastered the dystopian storyline.
This book was action-packed and full of amazing moments. I was hooked from Page 1. As I read on, I loved getting to know Lee and her story. This book hasn’t even been released yet, and I am already dying for book 2. Trust me when I say that you want to read this book.
It took a minute to wrap my head around all the important details of the story, but I loved getting to learn about each of the characters in this book. The unique talents and abilities seen are amazing, and although they seemed confusing at first, I was quickly able to grab hold of the meanings and read on with enthusiasm.
I haven’t always been a fan of the dystopian genre, but this book has definitely opened up my interest, and I will definitely be diving deeper into the genre. Candace Kade is an amazing author, and she has done an incredible job on this story. I cannot wait for more of her books.
This book was action-packed and full of amazing moments. I was hooked from Page 1. As I read on, I loved getting to know Lee and her story. This book hasn’t even been released yet, and I am already dying for book 2. Trust me when I say that you want to read this book.
It took a minute to wrap my head around all the important details of the story, but I loved getting to learn about each of the characters in this book. The unique talents and abilities seen are amazing, and although they seemed confusing at first, I was quickly able to grab hold of the meanings and read on with enthusiasm.
I haven’t always been a fan of the dystopian genre, but this book has definitely opened up my interest, and I will definitely be diving deeper into the genre. Candace Kade is an amazing author, and she has done an incredible job on this story. I cannot wait for more of her books.
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February 4, 2024Interesting story with Christian themes at work. While the story started a bit slow for me, I loved how it built up to several impactful truths. Urban explores the pursuit of worldly goals at the risk of losing herself to achieve the approval of others. She has several difficult lessons to learn about her value and about the inherent gifts that matter most. Her struggle throughout the book culminates in a thought-provoking revelation about God’s purpose for each beautifully and wonderfully made creation.
If you’re looking for a dystopian novel that explores the path of finding true self worth, you’ll find an excellent read in Enhanced. While the story is not explicitly Christian, believers will recognize the Biblical truths at work within the story. The building suspense about Urban’s origins and the truth about what’s happening in her world add plenty of high-stakes thrills! I’m looking forward to continuing the series with Hybrid!
If you’re looking for a dystopian novel that explores the path of finding true self worth, you’ll find an excellent read in Enhanced. While the story is not explicitly Christian, believers will recognize the Biblical truths at work within the story. The building suspense about Urban’s origins and the truth about what’s happening in her world add plenty of high-stakes thrills! I’m looking forward to continuing the series with Hybrid!
January 20, 2025
This book was such a page turner and one of my favorite reads this year. I was immediately drawn into the unique world and Urban’s deep internal conflict. She felt so real and I could resonate so easily with her and all the other characters as well. I could feel their emotions alongside them and just wanted to wrap them all up in a blanket and hug them! If only…
I loved the style and pace of book so much. The unique world building elements kept me enthralled and needing more. Fast paced action scenes that hooked me immediately wouldn’t allow me to set the book down. And unexpected plot twists had me reading late into the night.
All in all I absolutely adored this book and didn’t want it to end! One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Five stars from me, 100%!
Click below to read more!
https://www.theinkandquillsociety.com...
Reviewed by Adalyn E. Skains
I loved the style and pace of book so much. The unique world building elements kept me enthralled and needing more. Fast paced action scenes that hooked me immediately wouldn’t allow me to set the book down. And unexpected plot twists had me reading late into the night.
All in all I absolutely adored this book and didn’t want it to end! One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Five stars from me, 100%!
Click below to read more!
https://www.theinkandquillsociety.com...
Reviewed by Adalyn E. Skains
February 27, 2023
A fast-paced read with brilliant worldbuiling, memorable characters, and excellent prose, Enhanced is a story that you don’t want to miss.
Author Candace Kade used her unique upbringing in China to craft one of the most unique and memorable story worlds that I’ve read in a long time. Enhanced is set in the futuristic New Beijing following the Genetic Revolution, and the fusion of sci-fi elements with Chinese culture felt very fresh and original. Combined with a story that kept me on the edge of my seat and an intriguing and diverse cast, this book easily earned my 5 star rating.
Plot
The story centers around Urban, a non-genetically modified human living among a sea of high society classists who all sport genetic enhancements. Forced to hide her her lack of abilities, she’s determined to attend university to increase her social rank, despite cryptic and ominous warnings.
While the first half has some slower sections, the story overall is full of twists and turns. I raced through Enhanced in under 3 days, which is nearly unheard of for me. Everything about this novel felt fresh and original, so rather than reading through familiar sci-fi tropes, I felt like I got something truly unique while reading Enhanced.
Characters
Urban is overall a highly sympathetic character. While I’ve never been forced to hide my genetic makeup in a game of life-or-death, her struggles and fears still felt relatable. The ordinary struggles of being a university attendee also gave her story a very down to earth feel.
I also loved the supporting cast. They’re all quirky and fun in their own ways, without being overdone. I’m really looking forward to seeing how some of them get developed in later books, especially Ash and Coral.
Worldbuilding
Okay, I’m not normally someone who reads for the setting, but Enhanced’s is just so good. The author really thought through what the society should look like, and I loved how the advanced technology and genetics really influenced the world.
As a third culture kid (someone who grows up in a culture different from their parents’ culture), I also really appreciated how Candace’s love and respect for Chinese culture shone through in the story. While it’s great when authors research other cultures to write about them, Candace’s firsthand knowledge of Chinese culture made this story much more dynamic than would have otherwise been the case.
Themes
Tied into the pulse-pounding plot were a couple of fantastic themes. Urban’s journey of reckoning with her status as a Natural (non-enhanced human) was filled with thematic moments. There are also various smaller truths woven throughout the narrative, which was fantastic.
Note: I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
Author Candace Kade used her unique upbringing in China to craft one of the most unique and memorable story worlds that I’ve read in a long time. Enhanced is set in the futuristic New Beijing following the Genetic Revolution, and the fusion of sci-fi elements with Chinese culture felt very fresh and original. Combined with a story that kept me on the edge of my seat and an intriguing and diverse cast, this book easily earned my 5 star rating.
Plot
The story centers around Urban, a non-genetically modified human living among a sea of high society classists who all sport genetic enhancements. Forced to hide her her lack of abilities, she’s determined to attend university to increase her social rank, despite cryptic and ominous warnings.
While the first half has some slower sections, the story overall is full of twists and turns. I raced through Enhanced in under 3 days, which is nearly unheard of for me. Everything about this novel felt fresh and original, so rather than reading through familiar sci-fi tropes, I felt like I got something truly unique while reading Enhanced.
Characters
Urban is overall a highly sympathetic character. While I’ve never been forced to hide my genetic makeup in a game of life-or-death, her struggles and fears still felt relatable. The ordinary struggles of being a university attendee also gave her story a very down to earth feel.
I also loved the supporting cast. They’re all quirky and fun in their own ways, without being overdone. I’m really looking forward to seeing how some of them get developed in later books, especially Ash and Coral.
Worldbuilding
Okay, I’m not normally someone who reads for the setting, but Enhanced’s is just so good. The author really thought through what the society should look like, and I loved how the advanced technology and genetics really influenced the world.
As a third culture kid (someone who grows up in a culture different from their parents’ culture), I also really appreciated how Candace’s love and respect for Chinese culture shone through in the story. While it’s great when authors research other cultures to write about them, Candace’s firsthand knowledge of Chinese culture made this story much more dynamic than would have otherwise been the case.
Themes
Tied into the pulse-pounding plot were a couple of fantastic themes. Urban’s journey of reckoning with her status as a Natural (non-enhanced human) was filled with thematic moments. There are also various smaller truths woven throughout the narrative, which was fantastic.
Note: I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
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