Review: Those fascinating Xenofreaks
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 21, 2012
I asked for and received an advanced reader's copy of this book for reviewing purposes.Having read (and loved) the first Xenofreak Nation book (XBestia), which introduces the story, I was anxious to get my hands on book two. It does not disappoint!The author takes us right into the action from the end of Book One. Scott and Bryn find themselves the targets of diabolical attacks from a jealous rival--Padme, and these aren't physical attacks. They're far worse. She has found a way to lock into the nanoneurons that were imbedded in Scott and Bryn's brains when they were given their xeno alterations. In this way, she has the power to attack them through their own minds.To protect Bryn, who receives the worst of it, the Xenofreak Intelligence Agency sends her deep underground, where, hopefully, the signals can't reach. That's the plan, anyway. Scott is not allowed to go with her--the Agency sends another man as her guardian: Jason Alton.From this point the reader is taken on a rollercoaster ride of mind-control, attempted murder, intrigue, and desperate struggles to achieve power, along with the enduring romance between Bryn and Scott. Jason adds his own brand of sexy, and there are other new characters to flesh out the tale. As a germophobe myself, I identified quickly with Mia Padilla, who has oddly enough specialized in the field of contagious diseases.Mia plays a huge part in the story, because non-xeno's are also being attacked--with a virulent strain of typhoid.Bryn, Scott, Jason, and Mia are caught up in a war between Scott's old gang, the XBestias, and their powerful rivals, the Mad Eyes, commanded by Maddy, a dramatic, dynamic figure, to say the least.As these threads all built to an explosive climax, I simply could not stop reading.One of the aspects I particularly admire about this series is the skillful, intelligent and realistic way they're written. The xeno alterations adopted by young adults (and others) are easy to visualize and believe in. Woven through that detail are the politics of the future, the spread of a deadly virus, and gang rivalries.This is an outstanding sequel.