Published by: HarperTeen, April 28th 2015
Genre: YA, Science Fiction
Pages: 368
Format: Ebook
Source: HarperTeen, via Edelweiss
Romantic and action-packed, The Replaced is the gripping second installment in the Taking trilogy.
Kyra hasn't been the same since she returned from her mysterious five-year disappearance. Now, on the run from the NSA, Kyra is forced to hide out with others who, like her, have been Returned. Yet she is determined to find Tyler, the boy she loves who was also abducted—all because of her. When her group intercepts a message that Tyler might still be alive but is in the hands of a shadowy government organization that experiments on the Returned, Kyra knows it's a risk to go after him. What if it's a trap? And worse, what if the returned Tyler isn't the same boy she lost?
Perfect for fans of The Fifth Wave and the Body Finder series, The Replaced is both chilling and explosive, with creepy, otherworldly elements and twisty, psychological thrills that will have you questioning what exactly it means to be human.
I was pleasantly surprised by The Taking, this book's predecessor. It had a lovely romance, plenty of action, alien abductions, and the CIA. Pretty much all I ask for in a book. The Replaced sort of let it down.
There were some things I loved about this book. I love how the title ties into the book and how I didn't see that twist coming, how we got to see more camps, how the CIA stepped up their game with creepy labs and grudges.
But I just couldn't get over the fact that this book forced a love triangle when it wasn't needed. Kyra and Tyler were set up in book one. They were cute and endearing and a rare healthy relationship. But then this book happened, and with Tyler's (two week!!!) absence, this guy Simon thinks Kyra's fair game. She kisses him one time because the CIA are watching them and they need to blend, and because of that he pursues her. Persistently. She backs away from him, pulls her hand out of his, tries to put distance between him, and he closes it, takes her hand back, dominates her personal space and I really can't stand it. Sure, it's just little things, but the little things speak of aggression and ignoring Kyra's consent and comfort, and they're warning signs that prelude domestic abuse. I am very, very sensitive to this stuff; if I get a single sense that anything is non-consensual I'm straight outta there. If a girl says no, moves away, makes it clear she doesn't want you close to her, fucking listen. I wanted to rip her away from him at every opportunity. Not because I ship Kyra with Tyler (which I do) but because, were I in Kyra's shoes, I would feel threatened, backed into a corner, unsafe.
While the action was great and the world of the Taking expanded brilliantly, the forced love interest in a hostile guy just dragged this book down.
Characters ★★★☆☆
Setting/world building ★★★☆☆
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