Review: Freak of Nature by Julia Crane

Title: Freak of Nature
Series: IFICS 1
Author: Julia Crane
Publisher:  Valknut Press

Amazon | Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble | GoodReads

I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Synopsis:
Donate Body to Science. Check.
When seventeen-year-old Kaitlyn checked the box, she never suspected she’d have her life–and her body–stolen from her. She awakens one day in a secret laboratory to discover that her body is now half-robot and is forced to hide her own secret: that she still has human emotions and a human mind. If the scientists who made her find out, they’ll erase what remains of who she was.

Kaitlyn finds an unlikely ally in Lucas, a handsome, brilliant scientist who can’t get over the guilt he feels knowing she was once a vibrant, beautiful young woman. He never expected a science project to affect him the way she does. As he tries to help her rediscover her past, he finds himself falling for the brave girl struggling to find her place and acceptance between the human and computer worlds.

What I thought:

First, can I just say how much I LOVE the cover? I do, it's so pretty, and clean, and I'm a huge fan of teal! Okay, fan girl moment over, down to business.

The first chapter is really what made me continue reading the book, it's incredibly enthralling and capturing. After I've read half the book it was still just a three stars book, then a strong three, and ended with a four stars rating. I'll see where the total ends up at the end of the review. If I've decided by then.

Crane pictures an absolutely terrifying future, that might actually happen, and to some degree has. Kaitlyn has had half her brain replaced with mechanics, she has no human heart and she has multiple computer chips that overrides most of her human senses. Today's evolving progress with prosthetics and artificial intelligence might give us super-humans just as Kaitlyn someday. Horrible thought, not because she's a bad guy in any way, but because she can be used as one.

Anyhow, the story Crane tells is a bit slow paced at times and most of the book seems to be a build up for the very end and the second book. The amazingly written twist remedies a whole lot of that and I really want to read the second book whenever it get published.

As to the characters, it takes a while to get to know Kaitlyn, which is well justified with the setting, but what we do get to know is very likable. When she do free herself and spring in to action, oh boy, I loved the girl. To bad it's at the very end of the book.

Lucas feels as a god and genuine guy, though a little bit shallow as a character. Good thing Quess is completely adorable and adds a little bit of humanity and humor to the slow bits!

If some of the bits and chapters in the middle part had been edited out I would have loved this book and it would have been an easy four or five star read, but as it is, I'm still not completely sure. I think I love it more for the fact that is creates for an awesome second book, not because it was one. So let's say this: Freak of Nature get's a three star rating but I am really looking forward to the second book and I have extremely high expectations on it. Sound fair enough?

My rating:

About the author:
Julia crane is the author of the Coexist: Keegan’s Chronicles. She has a bachelors degree in criminal justice. Julia has believed in magical creatures since the day her grandmother first told her an Irish tale. Growing up her mother greatly encouraged reading and using your imagination. Although she’s spent most of her life on the US east coast, she currently lives in Dubai with her husband and three children.

Learn more through her website!