Altered by Jennifer Rush

Summary: When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

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Expected publication date: 02/01/13

Altered is an engaging sci-fi debut with action, mystery, and romance.

Anna and her dad monitor and administrate treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys outside of their confinement they -along with Anna- make an escape and find themselves on the run...

There was plenty of action in Altered. The plot twists were brilliant and unpredictable, but my favourite aspect of the book was the mystery. I enjoyed tagging along with Anna and the guys as the mystery began unfolding and they discovered new clues, it was like watching a really good episode of CSI. The whole concept of Altered is original and interesting. There was an underlying debate between science vs human nature. Do the boys really care about Anna or are they just programmed to fell protective over her? And just how far is too far?

Anna is a brilliant protagonist. Even when on the run from the life she's always known she doesn't whine. She knows how to take care of herself and when push comes to shove she doesn't sit around and wait for something to happen she acts.

Each boy had a distinctive voice and were lovable in their own right. Sam, the love interest and my favourite out of the guys is the broody leader. Cas is hilarious, when things get tense he lightens the mood and brings a smile to your face. Nick, is the one you'll probably end up having a love/hate relationship with, for most of the book he's hostile towards Anna, but then you learn a bit about his past and begin to warm to him. Finally, Trev is smart, sweet and caring. He's the guy you can share all your secrets with and will lend you a shoulder to cry on.

The romance between Anna and Sam was slowly drawn out through sexual tension and I was rooting for them through out the book. They are definitely on my list of favourite fictional couples!

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