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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
Oh my god. This book!
At first I wasn’t too sure about reading this, I’m not a fan of sci fi/dystopian books but I did a sort of buddy read with one of my closest friends and I’m so glad I did.
I loved this book so much, the characters, the world, the twists and turns. I just feel like there was something missing, I don’t know what though, so that’s why I gave it 4 stars.
Can’t wait for book 2
At first I wasn’t too sure about reading this, I’m not a fan of sci fi/dystopian books but I did a sort of buddy read with one of my closest friends and I’m so glad I did.
I loved this book so much, the characters, the world, the twists and turns. I just feel like there was something missing, I don’t know what though, so that’s why I gave it 4 stars.
Can’t wait for book 2
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is kind of a complicated one for me because I wanted to drop this book at chapter three. The fact is, this book just wasn't my thing, and I just wasn't really that interested. The only reason I listened to the whole thing is because I didn't want to waste an audio credit, lol. It did get a bit better near the end at least.
This Mortal Coil takes place in a sci-fi dystopian world where people are embedded with technology where they can change their DNA. Catarina is a skilled DNA gene-hacker and her father is the last hope to create a vaccine to cure a plague that has broken out. When he gets kidnapped by a shady organization, Cat has to survive on her own for 2 years until a solider from that very organization comes to tell her that her father has died. Cat doesn't believe Cole until he gives her a message: her father has successfully created a vaccine and Cat is the only one who can release it now. The clock is ticking down and Cat has to decide who to trust to save humanity.
This book is pretty gross and I was (creepily) into that. This plague was horrifying: apparently infected people would just explode and everyone around them starts to crave their flesh and has to eat it to be immune from it?? Nice. But for something that was the main point of the book, I felt like after a while we didn't really get to see it, and the entire aspect of genes and DNA and that technology (and finding a cure from that) ended up more talked about instead.
I didn't enjoy this world-building at all. While the genetically-enhanced technology was interesting, it was so much telling everything instead of ever actually showing it. I don't think I liked the mix either; I think I would just rather have either a high sci-fi tech story or a zombie virus outbreak story. It was a pretty unique mix, but I'm not a fan.
Here is the part that really dragged the rest of the story down for me: that goddamn romance, and that lackluster love triangle. The love triangle was not needed at all and it didn't add anything to the story besides to annoy me. Seriously, at one point both boys were interchangeable and I forgot which was which. The romance between Cole and Cat was bad too. When they meet, Cat doesn't trust him for about 5 seconds and then suddenly they are best friends going on an adventure together. He is literally programmed to protect her but he just ends up controlling her most of the time. I get the romance in the end but it was cheap and the easy way out to explain their connection. It still didn't take away the insta-love, and their entire lack of chemistry. This book was very heavily romance focused too.
While I saw a certain twist coming at the end, I still liked that part and where that was going. But then it got canceled out by a ridiculous villain monologuing and literally asking Cat to join them. This book could have been set up as a standalone too instead of dragging out for a sequel that I'm most likely not reading.
Slight shade (sorry, I have a lot of feelings) but this book just wasn't for me and my taste.
This Mortal Coil takes place in a sci-fi dystopian world where people are embedded with technology where they can change their DNA. Catarina is a skilled DNA gene-hacker and her father is the last hope to create a vaccine to cure a plague that has broken out. When he gets kidnapped by a shady organization, Cat has to survive on her own for 2 years until a solider from that very organization comes to tell her that her father has died. Cat doesn't believe Cole until he gives her a message: her father has successfully created a vaccine and Cat is the only one who can release it now. The clock is ticking down and Cat has to decide who to trust to save humanity.
This book is pretty gross and I was (creepily) into that. This plague was horrifying: apparently infected people would just explode and everyone around them starts to crave their flesh and has to eat it to be immune from it?? Nice. But for something that was the main point of the book, I felt like after a while we didn't really get to see it, and the entire aspect of genes and DNA and that technology (and finding a cure from that) ended up more talked about instead.
I didn't enjoy this world-building at all. While the genetically-enhanced technology was interesting, it was so much telling everything instead of ever actually showing it. I don't think I liked the mix either; I think I would just rather have either a high sci-fi tech story or a zombie virus outbreak story. It was a pretty unique mix, but I'm not a fan.
Here is the part that really dragged the rest of the story down for me: that goddamn romance, and that lackluster love triangle. The love triangle was not needed at all and it didn't add anything to the story besides to annoy me. Seriously, at one point both boys were interchangeable and I forgot which was which. The romance between Cole and Cat was bad too. When they meet, Cat doesn't trust him for about 5 seconds and then suddenly they are best friends going on an adventure together. He is literally programmed to protect her but he just ends up controlling her most of the time. I get the romance in the end but it was cheap and the easy way out to explain their connection. It still didn't take away the insta-love, and their entire lack of chemistry. This book was very heavily romance focused too.
While I saw a certain twist coming at the end, I still liked that part and where that was going. But then it got canceled out by a ridiculous villain monologuing and literally asking Cat to join them. This book could have been set up as a standalone too instead of dragging out for a sequel that I'm most likely not reading.
Slight shade (sorry, I have a lot of feelings) but this book just wasn't for me and my taste.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I think I could have loved a different story set in this world of biohacking and -- so timely in 2020 -- a global pandemic shutdown. Unfortunately, this one puts too much attention on the bland YA love triangle over other concerns, and the narrative telegraphs its major twists so early and so heavily that it becomes an exercise in frustration waiting for the characters to finally catch up. I also just want more of the plague itself, which gets a lot of exposition about its gruesome effects of cannibalistic rage followed by spontaneous human combustion, but hardly any actual depiction. (I don't need constant zombie-ish action, but a greater tension from the theoretically-pervasive danger of outbreak would have worked wonders for the overall plot.) Given all that, I don't know that I'm interested enough to read any further into the trilogy.
[Content warning for some authorial racial insensitivity that's hard to discuss without spoilers.]
Find me on Patreon | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter
[Content warning for some authorial racial insensitivity that's hard to discuss without spoilers.]
Find me on Patreon | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter
This story follows Caterina, the daughter of the worlds famous geneticist. When Cole shows up, revealing the death of her dad, she realizes that he holds the cure for the Hydra virus inside of him. She is the only one with the knowledge to figure out the cure and save whats left of humanity. But her journey isn't an easy one, as a secret organization--Cartaxus--is holding all technology and wants the cure just as bad. With secrets that will turn her life upside down, new friendships, and quick a plot twist, Caterina's life just got way more complicated.
When I first went into this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. It didn't sound like something I usually read, and seemed a bit to science fiction for my current liking, but something drew me to it. Maybe the cover or the use of DNA and how different that sounded. I started out unsure but quickly became enthralled in this story, in the characters and the twists!
My Thoughts:
Plot:
The idea that DNA has such a twist on the lives of people really caught me. I think it's cool and different how they can change their DNA with the use of technology. I do wish this was described a tad better. Going in, I thought this meant they could physically change themselves but maybe that's just on me. I would have liked some of these technological aspects to have been described a little better for people who aren't into it, hacking and coding.
I think the whole dystopia atmosphere added to the story itself. I would have liked some more back story information put in. Obviously a flu type virus killed a lot of people, but some more info on the beginning of that would have been nice.
There were a few parts in the plot that weren't explained well or handled good in my opinion. I felt lost at a few parts and often confused. I don't know coding, hacking and technology that well so sometimes I felt lost and needed a better explanation. To get a better understanding of the Hydra virus and why it affects them in such a way would have been great, too.
Overall for the plot, it was good. It had it's high points and low points. I think towards the middle is where it really picked up for me, as it felt less like a cliche dystopian/science fiction. The twists toward the end hit one after another and I actually went "WHAT" at one point because I was caught completely off guard.
The group Cartaxus was weird for me. It wasn't given a great development in the plot I think. I wanted to know more about them, if they're really bad or are good (although thanks to books, everyone is gray). I just wanted to know more about them and why they did what they did. It was pretty lackluster to me and a weak plot point.
Characters
Cat is a genius hacker which is awesome. I think that's something seldom seen in YA fiction (or at least in the books I read!). She's got this smart cookie, kickass feel to her without being completely impenetrable like other heroines in dystopia type worlds. Cat is realistic in the sense that she grows as the story continues, coming into herself and learning things. I felt for her when things started coming to light and I think she handled it pretty well.
Cole is sent to Cat with the intent on protecting her and helping get the vaccine for the Hydra virus. He was sent by her dad, Dr. Lachlan Agatta. I wasn't too sure how to feel about this character in the start. I thought he was just there to help until the real love interest, Dax, showed up again. Cole kind of came off as stand-offish and I couldn't tell if he was friend or foe, especially bringing the news of her dads death. As the story went on, I found myself liking him more but I didn't have that connection I usually do with the heroes of the story. I would have liked a bit more emotion played into his parts and dialogue.
Dax is barely in this book and I didn't like him in the beginning or near the end.
Lachlan, Cat's dad, is something of an enigma I think. He first comes off as a regular father, just a highly sought after geneticist. The more we get to know him through Cat's inner thoughts, memories, and what's revealed shows a pretty messed up guy, even with the intention of saving humanity. He's a very gray character, and in my opinion a nice villain to the story. I can see somewhat of why he did what he did but I'd love more of an explanation.
So this was a pretty good read. it was a little slow in the beginning but keep with it because it's a pretty great story and I loved the last half of the book the most. The characters I enjoyed but I'd love some more to come in and see how they fit into her world. The plot could have been better executed but I felt like it held its own for what the story is about. I definitely recommend this to people who love sci/fi and dystopian type stories. It's not heavy on romance--there's barely any at all which I found nice for once. It came about slowly and wasn't rushed or instant.
When I first went into this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. It didn't sound like something I usually read, and seemed a bit to science fiction for my current liking, but something drew me to it. Maybe the cover or the use of DNA and how different that sounded. I started out unsure but quickly became enthralled in this story, in the characters and the twists!
My Thoughts:
Plot:
The idea that DNA has such a twist on the lives of people really caught me. I think it's cool and different how they can change their DNA with the use of technology. I do wish this was described a tad better. Going in, I thought this meant they could physically change themselves but maybe that's just on me. I would have liked some of these technological aspects to have been described a little better for people who aren't into it, hacking and coding.
I think the whole dystopia atmosphere added to the story itself. I would have liked some more back story information put in. Obviously a flu type virus killed a lot of people, but some more info on the beginning of that would have been nice.
There were a few parts in the plot that weren't explained well or handled good in my opinion. I felt lost at a few parts and often confused. I don't know coding, hacking and technology that well so sometimes I felt lost and needed a better explanation. To get a better understanding of the Hydra virus and why it affects them in such a way would have been great, too.
Overall for the plot, it was good. It had it's high points and low points. I think towards the middle is where it really picked up for me, as it felt less like a cliche dystopian/science fiction. The twists toward the end hit one after another and I actually went "WHAT" at one point because I was caught completely off guard.
The group Cartaxus was weird for me. It wasn't given a great development in the plot I think. I wanted to know more about them, if they're really bad or are good (although thanks to books, everyone is gray). I just wanted to know more about them and why they did what they did. It was pretty lackluster to me and a weak plot point.
Characters
Cat is a genius hacker which is awesome. I think that's something seldom seen in YA fiction (or at least in the books I read!). She's got this smart cookie, kickass feel to her without being completely impenetrable like other heroines in dystopia type worlds. Cat is realistic in the sense that she grows as the story continues, coming into herself and learning things. I felt for her when things started coming to light and I think she handled it pretty well.
Cole is sent to Cat with the intent on protecting her and helping get the vaccine for the Hydra virus. He was sent by her dad, Dr. Lachlan Agatta. I wasn't too sure how to feel about this character in the start. I thought he was just there to help until the real love interest, Dax, showed up again. Cole kind of came off as stand-offish and I couldn't tell if he was friend or foe, especially bringing the news of her dads death. As the story went on, I found myself liking him more but I didn't have that connection I usually do with the heroes of the story. I would have liked a bit more emotion played into his parts and dialogue.
Dax is barely in this book and I didn't like him in the beginning or near the end.
Lachlan, Cat's dad, is something of an enigma I think. He first comes off as a regular father, just a highly sought after geneticist. The more we get to know him through Cat's inner thoughts, memories, and what's revealed shows a pretty messed up guy, even with the intention of saving humanity. He's a very gray character, and in my opinion a nice villain to the story. I can see somewhat of why he did what he did but I'd love more of an explanation.
So this was a pretty good read. it was a little slow in the beginning but keep with it because it's a pretty great story and I loved the last half of the book the most. The characters I enjoyed but I'd love some more to come in and see how they fit into her world. The plot could have been better executed but I felt like it held its own for what the story is about. I definitely recommend this to people who love sci/fi and dystopian type stories. It's not heavy on romance--there's barely any at all which I found nice for once. It came about slowly and wasn't rushed or instant.
I’ve just finished reading This Mortal Coil, and honestly I’m a little conflicted about this one. I found the premise really interesting, and loved the concept of this lead character struggling day to day to survive in a futuristic world where disease has taken over and people have tech installed in their bodies. This was a recommended read for me, and I was keen to get started. It really felt like a book with so much potential, and I was immediately intrigued by the concept of the virus itself. The circumstances surrounding it were extremely original and I quickly became immersed in Catarina’s world after just a few short chapters.
The story held my attention completely throughout the first half of the book, but after a while I did feel that the plot was a bit slow at some points in the second half.
I enjoyed how action-packed the story was, but it did feel slightly too heavy on romance in my opinion, and I didn’t find the ‘chemistry’ between Catarina and Cole very believable. I can’t help but think the whole story could’ve worked better without the romance element at all. In my opinion, it just didn’t feel like a particularly exciting or nuanced romantic relationship that I could get actually behind.
However, the story certainly took place in a very cool and unique world, and I did love the plot twist towards the final chapters of the book, which helped to reel me back in fast, until I had finished every page from start to finish.
Overall, I felt This Mortal Coil was a book with an excellent concept, but was in some ways ruined by a messy execution and pointless romance. I have rated it three stars overall though, because of the elements that I really enjoyed. I don’t want to be too critical, because in truth I think I have been a little biased, as I have read better works within the sci-fi fantasy genre already in the last few months. If you enjoy some clunky romance in your books you’ll probably like this a lot. I’d recommend this one to fans of the Divergent series, and the Netflix show, Orphan Black, mainly because there is A LOT of technical talk about genes and geneticists, and those bits got a bit dull. Sadly, I think much of the science went over my head after a while.
The second book in the series comes out in October, and despite some mixed feelings on this one, I think I’ll probably give it a go.
The story held my attention completely throughout the first half of the book, but after a while I did feel that the plot was a bit slow at some points in the second half.
I enjoyed how action-packed the story was, but it did feel slightly too heavy on romance in my opinion, and I didn’t find the ‘chemistry’ between Catarina and Cole very believable. I can’t help but think the whole story could’ve worked better without the romance element at all. In my opinion, it just didn’t feel like a particularly exciting or nuanced romantic relationship that I could get actually behind.
However, the story certainly took place in a very cool and unique world, and I did love the plot twist towards the final chapters of the book, which helped to reel me back in fast, until I had finished every page from start to finish.
Overall, I felt This Mortal Coil was a book with an excellent concept, but was in some ways ruined by a messy execution and pointless romance. I have rated it three stars overall though, because of the elements that I really enjoyed. I don’t want to be too critical, because in truth I think I have been a little biased, as I have read better works within the sci-fi fantasy genre already in the last few months. If you enjoy some clunky romance in your books you’ll probably like this a lot. I’d recommend this one to fans of the Divergent series, and the Netflix show, Orphan Black, mainly because there is A LOT of technical talk about genes and geneticists, and those bits got a bit dull. Sadly, I think much of the science went over my head after a while.
The second book in the series comes out in October, and despite some mixed feelings on this one, I think I’ll probably give it a go.
This book was so interesting and I loved the concept. I always love futuristic/ apocalyptic books so naturally I couldn’t put this book down. The whole DNA and coding concept was so unique and I’ve never read anything like it.
I liked how strong Catarina is as a main character and enjoyed reading from her perspective:
The plot twist at the end was amazing and I didn’t see it coming.
Why haven't I read this book before now?!?
I kept looking at this and reading the synopsis because it sounded so good. It was different from what I had read before so I was intimidated.
Now that I've read it though, WOW!!! One of my best reads of 2018 definitely in my top 5. This book was amazing.
It was edge of my seat entertaining, there was complete mind blown moments. I loved every second of this book. I cant wait for the sequel to come out now!
If you haven't read this book, then I must say you have to!
I kept looking at this and reading the synopsis because it sounded so good. It was different from what I had read before so I was intimidated.
Now that I've read it though, WOW!!! One of my best reads of 2018 definitely in my top 5. This book was amazing.
It was edge of my seat entertaining, there was complete mind blown moments. I loved every second of this book. I cant wait for the sequel to come out now!
If you haven't read this book, then I must say you have to!
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes