Review + Giveaway: Mila 2.0

Title: Mila 2.0 (goodreads/Amazon)
Author: Debra Driza
Expected publication: March 12th 2013 by Katherine Tegen Books
Source: ARC courtesy of the publisher for an honest review

"Mila 2.0 is the first book in an electrifying sci-fi thriller series about a teenage girl who discovers that she is an experiment in artificial intelligence.

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past —that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

Mila 2.0 is Debra Driza’s bold debut and the first book in a Bourne Identity–style trilogy that combines heart-pounding action with a riveting exploration of what it really means to be human. Fans of I Am Number Four will love Mila for who she is and what she longs to be—and a cliffhanger ending will leave them breathlessly awaiting the sequel."

First line: "Beyond the eastern border of Greenwood Rach, orange poured across the sky, edging the clouds like flames."

Thoughts: MILA 2.0 is an adrenaline pumping suspense that will have your heart racing from the beginning till the very end. With more twists and turns than a roller-coaster, this book will have you guessing (and possibly holding your breath) over and over again. Are you right or are you wrong? That surely is the question of the hour!

From the very start, the book has you wondering what kind of world (and "person") Mila is. You, as the reader, want to pretend she's human but from the summary and cover, you know better. On the other hand, poor Mila (bless her heart) does not. She thinks she's just your stereotypical teenage girl, worrying about school, crushing on boys and living the ho-hum life in suburbia. Well, as you know, the ball has to eventually drop. In this case, though, the ball is about the size of an asteroid because now her and her mother are on the run. This is when she finds out that she's not a human but an android and the woman she calls mom is not really her mother. Imagine finding out that you're not like everyone else. Heck, imagine finding out that you're not even a human being! Those memories, that life she thought she had, are all lies, programmed inside of her to create this image of her so called life. What she thought she knew is far from what she truly is. Freakish, right?

The book is broken down into four parts. I really enjoyed this because I felt like I was reading a mini series rather than a drawn out book. Each part, however, ends in cliffhanger after cliffhanger, so really, you can't help but to keep going. Sadly, I did have an issue with the pacing. At times, it just fell a bit flat. This didn't last long (Thank goodness) because right when I was ready to put the book down, something crazy would happen and we'd be back to the good stuff.

Mila. What can I really say about Mila herself? To be honest, in the first half of the book, I didn't really like her. I was expecting this strong, badass heroine that would punch douche-bags in the face. Instead, she came off as a bit weak. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because hey, maybe she was programmed to be like that. Heck, her life is in shambles so you can't really blame the girl for whining, right? Maybe it was all a setup because in the second half of the book, she begins to redeem herself. That strong, independent girl I was expecting to see begins to rise from the ashes, so to speak, and that's when I begin to admire her.

Let's talk about the romance for a bit or rather lack thereof. In the beginning, I thought things had the possibility of becoming swoony. You're introduced to Hunter, Mila's crush and possibly more, and things seem to be moving along nicely. I kept waiting for something more to happen but then, after part 2, he just disappears. I thought he'd might randomly show up because hey, weird things happen sometimes, but the only presence he has is in Mila's memories. You do meet a character named Lucas and even though nothing really happens between them, the possibility is there. Basically, the romance can be summed up in one word: Possibilities. Only the second book will tell, and I (for one) am looking forward to it.

Overall, I really enjoyed MILA 2.0 and recommend it to all sci-fi and contemporary fans out there. It's not too sci-fi to ward contemporary fans off and not too contemporary to ward off sci-fi fans. Basically, it's the perfect blend of both. I do recommend checking out Debra's Goodreads Page for a soundtrack to the book. It's kind of perfect and will definitely gives the story that extra kick.


Rating:

Giveaway!!!


As part of the Pitch Dark Days blog tour (and thanks to Harper Teen), I am giving away one SIGNED finished copy of MILA 2.0. All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is only open to US participants and ends March 11. The winner will be announced the next day (Release day!).

Be sure to check out the rest of the tour, and don't forget about the Twitter chat on February 26th at 8:30 EST. All of your favorite Pitch Dark Days authors will be there. These fabulous authors are also on tour so be sure to catch them at one of their stops!

Blog Tour:
Feb 8 Fragments @ Emily's Reading Room
Feb 12 Requiem @ YA Sisterhood
Feb 14 Spellcaster @ Two Chicks on Books
Feb 19 Mind Games @ IB Book Blogging

Guest Posts/Interviews Blog Tour:
Feb 26 Fragments @ Emily's Reading Room
Feb 28 Requiem @ YA Sisterhood
Mar 5 Spellcaster @ Two Chicks on Books
Mar 6 Mila 2.0 @ Addicted 2 Novels
Mar 7 Mind Games @ IB Book Blogging

Tour Stops:
Mar 6 Provo Library, Provo, UT
Mar 7 University Books, Seattle, WA
Mar 8 Barnes & Noble, Clackamas, OR
Mar 9 Tualatin Library, Tualatin, OR
Mar 9 Eugene Library, Eugene, OR

a Rafflecopter giveaway