Uninvited by Sophie JordanSeries: Uninvited #1
Published by: HarperTeen on January 28, 2014
Genre: Dystopian, Science Fiction
Pages: 384
Buy on Amazon • Book Details
Rating: ★★★★½
The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.
When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.
Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.
The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann.
Uninvited was AMAAAZING!! The best part about this book was that it was full of emotion and feels, from beginning to end. It totally owned me.
People are tested for HTS and those that are found to have the gene are basically shunned. The government pretends they still have rights by allowing them to go to school and live in the same neighborhoods as people who don’t have the gene—but in reality, they are far from treated equally. Sure they can attend school, but they can’t interact with non-HTS students. They are locked up in a CAGE all day and given assignments by teachers they never meet. Complete isolation.
And as the book goes on, Sophie Jordan really shows us how people with HTS are set up to fail. They’re pushed, bullied, discriminated against, until they build up enough hatred and resentment to want to go out there and destroy, a desire they never had to begin with. It was a sad, and yet fascinating idea, and you can draw many parallels to real life (like racism—the physical separation and “us vs. them” mentality). It broke my heart to watch Davy’s life be ripped away and to see her friends turn on her so easily. SO MANY FEELS!!
One great thing about Uninvited is that it really makes you think, and I love that in a book! Are people just born to be murderers? Or are they made into murderers? That was constantly going through my mind as I read the book.
In a few ways, Uninvited reminded me of The Program by Suzanne Young. They’re both interesting stories with tons of emotion, and a cool plot, even if not a super fast-paced one. Like The Program, the story in Uninvited is fairly simple, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Despite its simplicity, it kept me interested and engaged. It was a super quick read!
On top of that, we have a delicious, slow-moving romance. I loved how I was 100% on Davy’s page in terms of love interests. At the beginning, I loved Davy’s boyfriend. LOVED HIM! He was so sweet and I wanted to hug them both. Then when he kind of turned on her, I hated him, just like Davy did. I wanted to bitch slap him so hard. Then over the rest of the story, I slowly started falling for Sean, just like Davy. We were completely synced, and I loved it! I hate it when a character falls for a guy a lot faster/slower than I do, because it just messes with my connection to the book (this so was not the case in Uninvited!).
I think my one complaint is that we don’t get a lot of history behind HTS. We don’t really learn where it came from, when it was discovered, or what it even really is. I would have liked a bit more information to better establish a background/history. Plus, I was just curious! But this wasn’t a big enough issue to really turn me off the book or get frustrated.
Overall, I highly recommend Uninvited! It was a fabulous read, and just what I needed to yank me out of a sea of mediocre books. It’s fun, interesting, original, swoony, and will have your brain in overdrive trying to figure out if nature or nurture wins out.
The Verdict
About Sophie Jordan
Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she’s also the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Avon historical romances. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she’s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes and Diet cherry Coke preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-TV shows. Sophie also writes paranormal romances under the name Sharie Kohler.
Giveaway
Enter to win one of five signed copies of Uninvited, plus swag! This giveaway is open to US residents only.
Follow the Tour
Follow the rest of the tour throughout the next two weeks! 😀
Week 1
- 1/27/2014- Nose Graze- Review
- 1/28/2014- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads– Interview
- 1/29/2014- YA Bibliophile– Review
- 1/30/2014- Fiktshun– Guest Post
- 1/231/2014- Supernatural Snark– Interview
Week 2
- 2/3/2014- K-Books– Review
- 2/4/2014- Addicted Readers– Interview
- 2/5/2014- Paranormal book club– Review
- 2/6/2014- Mostly YA Book Obsessed– Review
- 2/7/2014- A Book and a Latte– Guest Post
The Verdict
So happy to see you finally find an amazing read. It feels like forever since you read something you actually enjoyed. And this is one of my most anticipated reads so woohoo. The concept is so damn interesting and I love how this book made you think.
This book sounds like an amazing book to read, going to order it right away!
Thanks for reviewing!
Carlijn
I wasn’t sure about reading this one, but consider me convinced. This sounds awesome. Thanks for the review!
I am glad you liked this one but I didn’t enjoy it as much as you did, though I am curious enough to find out what happened. I am like you in the fact that I don’t think there was enough background info.
Yeah! I’m so glad you liked this! I’m a huge fan of medical thrillers (especially if they involve genetics), so this sounds right up my alley! And to see you enjoyed it so much makes me that more excited to get a copy ASAP! I’m so glad that the character development and the romance worked for you! And I agree…it does kind of sound like The Program; which I loved! Thanks for sharing Ashley, and, as always, fantastic review! xD
YAY! We were so on the same page on this one 🙂
“They’re pushed, bullied, discriminated against, until they build up enough hatred and resentment to want to go out there and destroy, a desire they never had to begin with. It was a sad, and yet fascinating idea”
YES. That was a driving point of this book for me, and something that really made me think! I did love the romance between Sean and Davy, it was one of the few that worked for me because it took forever to develop (which is weird because I’ve seen two people today complain about it being too fast…), but I didn’t care about the dude in the beginning. I have trouble connecting to relationships that are already established 🙁 But I wanted to slap him, too! I hated Davy’s old friends for the way they acted.
I’m so glad you liked this one! I agree, it was so thought-provoking and I really loved the concept of it. The romance was so adorable too because it didn’t move too fast and they were so protective for each other and were actually perfect matches for each other. Fantastic review, Ashley! <33
I have heard a couple of times being compared to The Program. Which I loved! can’t wait to read this one. Love a good book full of every emotion from start to finish and a book that makes me think. great review.
this book sounds fantastic! I’m dying to read it as the reviews have been very favorable 🙂 Thanks for sharing and congrats to Sophie on the new release!
I can totally see how it was like The Program, now that you mention it. I adored The Program as you know and Uninvited was also a really enjoyable read. My one complaint was the same as yours. I wanted more history of the HTS gene. Having that information would have totally put it into the 5 star category for me.
The slow moving romance was one of my favorite bits. I love romances that start off slowly and heat up as the book goes along.
Awesome review Ashley.
I’m so excited for Uninvited! I can’t wait to read it.
YES YES YES on everything you said!!! Loved this book so freaking much. I felt so bad and was constantly on edge, wanting to protect Davy! Gosh… So happy you loved it as much as I did ))
This is such a cool concept and the cover is very clever too. I’d love to read it. Please enter my name for the chance to win a copy of Uninvited.
I LOVED Uninvited! It definitely made me think, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the world thinks! 🙂
I LOVED the Program so this is definitely a book I need to check out.
Such a great concept. I am really looking forward to this book. I just know its going to be a favorite of mine. The cover is really beautiful too. Thank you Sophie for writing it.
Hi Sophie! -waves-
I LOVE the cover of Uninvited; that DNA hair concept is so unique and creative! :D<3
This sounds so scary and yet it looks like it could be our future. I’d like to read it and see how Sophie works it out. Thank you so much.
Oh! I remember reading a manga similar to this involving Blade Children! Blade Children are all predicted to becoming murderers when they grow up, which is similar to Uninvited I believe. I’m sure I’ll love this series just as much as your other one. 🙂
I can’t wait to read this.. the trailer for it was insane!
Thanks for the giveaway. This seems like such an amazing book.
Thank you for the amazing giveaway. I’ve heard a lot of wonderful things about this book. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy. I have my fingers crossed.
I loved Sophie Jordans Firelight series and I was hoping that Uninvited would be just as good! It’s so good to know that it is! The way you described it with all the feels and the slow romance I know I’ll love it just as much or even more than the Firelight books!
I’ve already added Uninvited to my to-read list, but I probably won’t get to it anytime soon. I just finished Allegiant, and it seriously sucked the life out of me. I need to take a break from sci-fi/dystopian and binge on contemporaries for a little while.
Does anyone else ever get that feeling where they just need to stop reading a certain genre for a while?
I know what you mean. That happens to me too!
I’ve heard a lot of mixed reviews for this one. Some people were saying that they liked it a lot, some were “eh” with it. I’m so glad you liked it! <33 Great review, Ashley.
I’ve got to admit, as soon as I read the first blurb on this book, I knew I had to read it so straight on my wishlist it went.
What a brilliant mind you have, to come up with such a unique and interesting concept. It is rare today to read something completely different from anything you have read before. I haven’t read Uninvited yet, but I can tell you I have never read anything like it. And I am super excited to read it already! Thank you so much for the giveaway, Nose Graze!
This book looks very inviting 😉 lols but really it does seem interesting. Love the cover!
I love that the whole nature vs. nurture debate comes up strongly with this novel, as well it should. 😀 I’ve been waiting for this book for a while, and I’m extremely excited about the release! Especially with some footage I’ve seen regarding physical differences in the brains of killers versus non-killers, which makes this scenario at least somewhat plausible.
I cannot wait to read this one! Plus, I love that Ashley confirms that it’s going to make me think because I LOVE that in a book! That’s always my favorite when you put down a book and a week later you are still thinking about it! Cannot wait!!!
This is one of my must read books. I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
Great post. Have a great week! =)
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Opinionated Cupcakes
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I wish I had this book in my hands. 🙁
This book sounds so good! I don’t read a lot of dystopia, I’m more into contemporary, but I really really want to read this one. 😀
I’ve heard so much about Uninvited and can’t wait to read it!
Wonderful review Ashley and I agree this was fantastic. I was so impressed when I discovered she also wrote Foreplay and NA contemp and is successful as a historical romance novelist as well. Not everyone can cross genres so smoothly and so well. I am anxious to see how this ends.
I have heard such awesome things about this book! I can’t wait to read it!!!
This sounds amazing! I’ve heard nothing but great things about it so far. Thanks for hosting the giveaway.
I’ve been thinking of adding Uninvited to my to-read list and your review really helped me to decide that I need to read this book!
This book looks so good that I have put it already on my to read list. I love the storyline and thank you for your review.
I LOVED this book- But got it through edelwiess so don’t have a pretty physical to put on my shelf and re read! * Crosses fingers *