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    Uninvited
    Uninvited
    Uninvited
    Audiobook9 hours

    Uninvited

    Written by Sophie Jordan

    Narrated by Rebecca Gibel

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    From New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan, Uninvited is a chilling and suspenseful story about a girl whose DNA brands her a killer, perfect for fans of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and Shatter Me.

    Davy had everything—a terrific boyfriend, the homecoming crown, a bright future at Juilliard—but when her genetic tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome, she loses it all. Uninvited from her prestigious school, avoided by her friends and family, she is placed in a special class with other ""carriers"" who are treated like the murderers they someday might become.

    Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life and tells her that she alone controls her actions—not the code embedded into her DNA. But even if she can learn to trust him, can Davy trust herself?

    Don’t miss the continuation of Davy’s journey in Unleashed, the romantic, high-stakes conclusion!

     

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJan 28, 2014
    ISBN9780062299864
    Author

    Sophie Jordan

    Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country, where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she’s the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of more than fifty novels. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she’s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and streaming anything that has a happily ever after.

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    Reviews for Uninvited

    4/5

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    • 3/5
      I finished this book last night and I'm still not 100% sure of how I felt about it. I know that, for the most part, I was not all that impressed by it. It had an interesting premise, but I feel that it was not executed properly. It had a few likable characters, but there were more unlikable ones.First of all, you have Davy who is the greatest thing since sliced bread. She's perfect at everything, except she has a little trouble getting an A in a college level course. She's already been accepted Julliard because of her amazingness. She's got the greatest best friend in the world, who has jealousy issues when it comes to the other greatest person she has in her life: her boyfriend. Aside from music, he is her entire world. He is her biggest hobby. And what does her biggest hobby want to do? That's right. He wants "the sex" from her. Davy also has an amazing family, where she is the favorite child because she's super-special and not a free-thinking slacker like her brother. All of this changes when she becomes uninvited from her prestigious private school and picks up what is basically a probation officer because she's got Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (or HTS), which puts her at a greater risk to kill than most people. When this is discovered, she becomes a pariah. She is forced to go to (gasp) public school and is forced into a specific class for other HTS carriers.She learns quickly that anything bad that happens to her is automatically her fault because she's an HTS character. Get beaten up? It's your DNA. Get raped? Your DNA. If a vigilante kills you for having the HTS gene, then they are the hero and you're the monster. Sorry, that's just how it is. And, while this is horribly unfair and unjust and should never happen, the way that she whines about it makes her rather hard to feel any empathy toward, but somehow I managed to do so. Her perfection, arrogance, and lack of regard for how much of a hypocrite she is was grating.The science and math issues are the next problem. Okay, if a person has a gene that puts them at risk for a behavioral problem, then it generally does just that: puts them at risk. A person can have a genetic predisposition toward being mentally ill or have a personality disorder, but actually ending up with it will still depend on a lot of factors, including the environment that they grow up in and the one they are in around the time of their diagnosis. Stress can impact it. Trauma can impact it. You can definitely bet that torturing and branding (both apply to the imprinting process) can bring it on. And putting a person in a modern-day concentration camp? Yeah, that will bring it out. So the violent acts that HTS patients partake in after diagnosis can be explained by the oppressive measures used in the society that they are in.Before each chapter, there's a press release or transcript or chart of statistics related to HTS and their carriers. This would be cool except that, in the case of the ones that explain HTS or its prevalence, the science that is used and the statistics that are used are inconclusive. Based on what was presented, Wainwright's conclusions about HTS patients being a threat to humanity make the claims by Andrew Wakefield and Jenny McCarthy about MMR and Autism look like actual science. It's crack science. It compared numbers of homicides committed in general to ones committed by HTS carriers, just gives the HTS carries' rate amongst the overall homicide rate. It doesn't show how many HTS carriers actually commit crimes, how often it happens, what they consider to be an actual homicide, what the HTS carriers may have endured growing up, or how being dehumanized may have contributed to the later criminal behavior. It does not seem to be a study that could be reproduced or that was truly peer reviewed.There's another problem. Though it isn't addressed in the book, I had to assume that this was an alternate universe version of Earth. The setting was within the next 10 years. There is no way that a freshly published study published today could gain such a stronghold in society to the point that they are willing to force Holocaust-like conditions upon undesirable citizens in less than ten years time. And that's when the study would need to be published, right now. And it would have taken years to do the research, devise the study, propose it so that you can fund the study, perform the actual study, then come up with the conclusion, and finally find a publication that would accept it. Science isn't really a think about it and it's so kind of field. Even when breakthroughs are made, they are often dismissed by many within the field unless there is irrefutable proof to uphold the breakthrough. For example, the Wakefield thing that I brought up, which was falsified, was dismissed by most legitimate scientists because there had already been research that showed the safety and efficacy of immunizations. Likewise, there have been multitudes of studies into why people commit crimes and what goes on within the mind of a murderer. The only explanation I could think of to even justify this kind of world that she is suggesting is that it is an alternate universe where there is some level of already published research that would back up Wainwright's findings.It had one of my biggest literary pet peeves: gratuitous sexual assault or threats of sexual assault scenes. Not one or two. Nope, I counted at least six of them. This is a book for young adults, which generally means that it's meant for teenagers. I don't like when adult books go for pointless threats and acts of sexual assault. I really do not like it in young adult books. If it would have advanced the plot, then its inclusion would be okay, but none of the cases advanced the plot. Meanwhile, it also taught that sex was something to be avoided, that women are weak, and that women need protecting. The underlying misogyny and slut-shaming was problematic, but not as much as the punishment that Davy received as a result of turning down an instance of "you should be glad I am still willing to have sex with you even though you've got this condition" sex. (Yes, this is one of the threats of sexual assault as it is an attempt to coerce an unwilling victim into sex by emotional abusing her.)Aside from those issues, which were enough to make me feel quite antagonistic towards the book, I found the actual story to be on the boring side. It was not as developed as it should have been. I will probably read the sequel when it is published, but I will not be going in expecting anything good to come out of it.

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    • 3/5
      The premise of this book intrigued me. It focuses on the age old debate of nature versus nurture, specifically in regards to crime. Uninvited is a fast paced read, with something happening almost every time you turn the page, yet at the same time, I felt it was lacking. It is set in the near future in America, where the government can genetically test citizens to see if they have a recessive dream labeled HTS (homicidal tendency syndrome). If you are a carrier, you are labeled, cast out, and eventually detained. This is what happens to our MC, Davy.

      The parts detailing HTS, the carriers and the like were fascinating, but there were so many more things I wanted to know about them and even Davy herself. I feel like this gets pushed aside in order to focus on the romance between her and a fellow carrier, Sean, which really seems more like he is her protector while she is a weak little girl than an actual relationship. Sadly, I just didn't feel a connection with the characters; however, the originality of the plot (at least the parts pertaining to HTS) make me excited to see if book 2 will hold more answers.
    • 5/5
      I absolutely loved Uninvited. If it wasn’t for the fact that I had to work the next day I would have pulled an all-nighter.

      The world that Jordan creates is intense. I know I wouldn’t like to be judged based on a DNA test. But that’s what happens, and the people that have HTC are treated like they have the plague. Davy has a hard time getting situated with her new life, and the ugliness it can involve.

      I love Davy’s character. She’s smart, talented, and does not want to believe she’s capable of being a killer. She is so strong for having to deal with pretty much everything on her own. She also learns not to judge others, especially since she’s feeling the force of that.

      There were some scenes that had me cringing, and hoping for another outcome. All in all, this is a fast paced read. I can’t wait for the next book to come out. Too bad that’s a year away!
    • 2/5
      When is enough,enough? It seems like every writer these days uses rape, near rape, teacher abuse, or some combination of the former as some kind of plot device. I get that this is a story set in a 'dark' setting but after listening to the cage scene with the students threatening sexual and physical violence and the teacher as well- I got sick of fearing the next words from the reader was going to be a rape scene. Rebecca Gibel did an excellent job of reading, but between the constant threat of sexual assault and a main character that was starting to border on annoying with her constant 'those people' not me attitude I had to stop listening. So warning to those that prefer their YA without the threat of sexual assault looming every other minute- this is likely not for you. Chapter 7 and I'm 100% done-not for me.
    • 4/5
      A book of War, the Spanish Influenza, Family, Guilt, Jazz Music and Ghostly Apparitions. Ivy has the gift/curse of seeing ghosts: The presence of these Uninvited guests always heralds the death of someone else in her life. When Ivy recovers from the Spanish Flu in 1918, she sees the spirit of her Grandmother and learns shorty thereafter that her brother, Billy, was killed in the war. Then, to her horror, she learns that her father and brother have killed a German shop owner in town in retaliation. Unable to bear living in the same house with them, she packs her bags and heads into town. There, she learns that the pandemic has wreaked havoc and the norms of society are breaking down. People are living in the moment, because there may be no tomorrow. The apparitions begin to appear more frequently and Ivy is not sure who she will lose next. I loved how Jazz played such an important part of this book and the ending absolutely made the book for me. I guessed some of it, but not all.
    • 3/5
      The blurb promises this is part gothic ghost-story, party psychological thriller... and I agree with that, but must say the ghostly stuff doesn't become clear or show up until very late in the story. I do give this a full star just for a surprise ending. It shocked me. I didn't see it coming.But until that point, it was a bit dull. It just follows this confused young woman as she goes about town, from her "boarding house" to her lover's to an ambulance she's coerced intro driving for two Red Cross girls.The main theme is hatred and prejudice toward Germans in America during WWI and the flu that took many lives.It's first person, past tense and I found this narrative suited the story, but to be honest, I'd have preferred a tale told from May's perspective. Widowed wife receiving amorous visits from her dead husband every night at 3 a.m.? There's potential there! And I think I feel this way because this was a very confused heroine--understandable, but made a confusing and dull read for me at times. I also wish some things about the ghosts were better explained. If you don't grow facial hair, I presume you don't go to the bathroom either and at some point in a week's time, you'll realize you're drinking all this booze and not peeing and that's sure to raise some red flags. So the intricacies weren't explained.
    • 4/5
      I got a copy of this book to review through NetGalley. Previous to reading this book I had read and really enjoyed Winters’ novel In the Shadow of Blackbirds. This was a well done adult historical fantasy with a twist.Twenty five year old Ivy Rowan (who has the ability to see ghosts) has been struck down by the flu for days. When she finally recovers she finds out her father (who has always had a drinking problem and been cruel) and her younger brother have killed a German in town. Ivy is horrified by their cruelness and decides that this is the final straw. She leaves home and journeys to town only to find that the town is in panic over the increasingly deadly Spanish Flu. Ivy seeks to build a life for herself in town; befriending the surviving brother of the German her father murdered and helping the stricken flu victims. However Ivy’s ability to see ghosts is causing her unease as she sees more and more of them roaming the streets. Now Ivy is fearing whatever dreadful revelation all these wandering spirits portent.As with In the Shadow of Blackbirds, this book takes place during the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918. However this time the book takes place in the Midwest instead of on the coast. I really enjoy reading about this time period; it’s an interesting time in history. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that the people of the United States could be so cruel and paranoid to each other.This book is mostly a mystery with some paranormal elements and a lot of history. I enjoyed it; it's an engaging story with an interesting twist. I found the twist to be fairly predictable but it was still well written and entertaining.Ivy is an excellent heroine and I really loved her as a character. She is a perfect blend of a conservative woman who has both an adventurous and a compassionate personality. Overall I really enjoyed this haunting historical fantasy. I loved reading about the time period and enjoyed the characters a lot. There is some haunting mystery in here as well as some romance. I would recommend to those who enjoy historical stories with ghosts in them. I will definitely be reading future books by Winters.
    • 4/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Action packed story filled with love, consequences, and adventure. From the first page, I was hooked and after that it was impossible to put down.Opening Sentence: I ALWAYS KNEW I WAS DIFFERENT.The Review: Davy Hamilton has the perfect life. At the age of three she was deemed a musical prodigy since she could play Chopin on the piano from just hearing it once. As she grew older she developed talents for a dozen different instruments and had a killer voice to go along with it. She only has a few months left of her senior year and once she graduates she will be attending Julliard. Her amazing boyfriend Kyle is going to NYU, so they will be able to stay together. She has her whole future planned, but then one bad test ruins everything.The government has found a way to test humans for a thing called HTS or the killing gene. If you possess this gene it means that at some point in your life you are going to kill another human being. After Davy is diagnosed as a HTS carrier everything falls apart. Her perfect boyfriend dumps her, her parents can’t be in the same room as her, all her friends stop talking to her, and there is no way Julliard is going to want her now. The only person that doesn’t look at her differently is fellow HTS carrier, Sean, but how can Davy trust someone that is bound to be a killer? She doesn’t feel any different but genetics never lie, so how can Davy even trust herself?Davy starts off as a really sweet girl, but she lives in a bubble. Growing up with rich parents and being the model child, she has never felt ostracized in anyway. She honestly had the perfect life and when everything is torn away she doesn’t know how to deal with it. She is naïve to think that people won’t treat her differently, but soon reality sets in and she realizes that everyone looks at her differently. She struggles but she also grows immensely throughout the story. I really like Davy, it was easy to sympathize with her. The more I got to know her the more I liked her.Sean is totally dreamy. He has a bad boy persona, and killer good looks. He grew up in the foster care system and has known that he carried the HTS gene since he was a kid. He doesn’t care what others think of him, and he is not someone you want to mess with. But he is actually a really good person, and he has a protective streak, especially when it comes to Davy. For the most part, Sean’s story remains a mystery, so I’m really looking forward to finding out more about him in the next book.This was a really addictive book, once I picked it up, it was almost impossible to put down. It is action packed and full of suspense, romance, and intrigue. The cast of characters are compelling and interesting. For the most part, you only really get to know Davy in this book, but I hope in the sequel we get more background on all the secondary characters. Because they are amazing and I would love to know more about them. The plot kept me guessing, but there were times that things felt a little too convenient. The pacing of the book was perfect, I never felt a lull in the story. The ending was satisfying, but it left me anxious for the next book. This really was a great read, and I would highly recommend it to fans of YA dystopian novels, it will not disappoint.Notable Scene:Mom looks at me finally. Her lips compress and flatten like it’s hard for her to even look at me. “You can’t go back to school.”“What? I don’t—”“Let me finish.” She takes a breath like she’s preparing to dive into deep waters. “You’ve been uninvited.”Her lip curls at this last bit. Everton Academy never expels students. They “uninvite.” As though the gentle euphemism could mask the reality of what being uninvited means.I slide a step back. My hip bumps into a table holding an assortment of framed family photos. One hits the floor with a loud crack. I don’t even move to pick it up.Shaking my head, I whisper, “Why?”It’s Dad who responds, his voice biting deep with the words that will change everything forever. “You have the kill gene.”FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of Uninvited. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review
    • 4/5
      Read for Fun (Library)Overall Rating: 4.00Story Rating: 4.25Character Rating: 3.75First Thought when Finished: Uninvited by Sophie Jordan really surprised me in a good way!Story Thoughts: To be honest, I wasn't sure for the first 1/3 if I was going to get into this story. The whole "scarlett letter" a group of people because they carry a gene seemed far fetched to me. However, as the story progressed and the world was built, I could see where that type of "mob" mentality really could cause that kind of "panic". I liked how Sophie immersed us enough into the world that we could see both sides of the coin even if we didn't buy the reasoning.Character Thoughts: Overall while I really felt for Davy, I didn't start liking her till almost the end of the book. I did like her brother. I did like Sean. I did like some of the other HTC carriers but she just never really "pulled" at my "love this character" strings. I am curious about where she goes from here though so I will be getting the second in the series.Final Thoughts: Overall an interesting look at what could happen if too much science and too much fear rule.
    • 3/5
      Not what I was expecting but I enjoyed it nonetheless. A creepy, gothic, Sixth Sense, WWI type of novel. There was a lot going on really. Ivy, along with all the other women in her family, have the ability to see ghosts. They appear right before a loved one dies and unfortunately for Ivy, she's been seeing a lot of them lately. After her father and brother brutally murder a German merchant for being a "hate mongering kraut," Ivy decides to flee the house and try living on her own. She sheds her cocoon and begins to fly into new, unchartered territory. She is a deeply empathetic person and finds herself helping drive the red cross ambulance across town to pick up influenza patients who seem to be multiplying very night. The historical aspect is intriguing and haunting and the added dimension of ghosts only add to the story and build up to the shocking conclusion. A great, quick read.
    • 3/5
      Intriguing story. Disappointing ending.
    • 3/5
      I can't give this book much of a review without spoilers, so I'll just say it is missing an element that her YA books possess. The story dragged a bit in the middle, and it wasn't as spooky as the synopsis leads you to believe, but there are a couple of surprises you won't expect.
    • 5/5
      This book really makes you think about what role genetics play in your life. Are you really going to always be what is in your genes or does your environment play a bigger role in deciding who you will become?
    • 4/5
      What would you do to protect the ones you love from brutal crimes, murder, massacre? What if they could do a test that would prove that persons with a certain gene structure WOULD become these criminals? and society could prevent all that violence? No more Columbines, No more VA Techs, No more Boston Marathons? Very enjoyable read.
    • 4/5
      Loved this book. I wasn't so sure about it but once I started reading I just couldn't put it down. The main character Davy has the perfect starting personality for what life has decided to throw her. Sean the love interest couldn't be more different from her but they seemed to really fit together from the beginning.The characters are fantastic the world is creepy and well developed and the circumstances behind the events that take place will blow your mind. The story really was magnificent and I am really looking forward to the events in book 2. *Warning* Keep your tissues handy.* This book was provided free of charge from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      I.LOVED.THIS.BOOK!

      The plot twist...wowza...YASSSSSS!!!
    • 4/5
      Davy has a good life with a boyfriend named Zac, friends and family that love her and plans to go to Julliard until she finds out she has the kill gene. Davy's family shows their concern in different ways from offering to help her escape to despair that she is a sociopath and will one day hurt someone. Davy's old friends betrayed her on a horrible level and I hope karma gives them everything they deserve. I did wonder whether there were so many violent carriers because they truly had this HTS gene or because it was learned behavior from being told constantly that they are animals and that's all they will ever be and being subjected to even more violent behavior once they become a carrier. (In the case of the weaker one's that is ) I loved Sean and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.
    • 4/5
      Took no time at all to finish this book. It was set during WW1 and involved a town in Illinois dealing with the loss of boys in war, the spanish influenza epidemic and the fear of anyone foreign, especially Germans.Ivy is a quiet, introverted 25 year old who keeps to herself until she finds out her dad and brother have killed a young German man in anger. After running away to town, she discovers a new world of jazz and friends and a German who she in drawn to beyond her control.This book was a fast read, but it was interesting and the twist on the end was well worth it.I received this book as part of the Librarything Early Reviewers.
    • 4/5
      Gifted seventeen year old Davina Hamilton is half-way through her senior year and looking forward to Julliard when she gets the news that she has tested positive for HTS (homicidal tendency syndrome - the killer gene). She is "uninvited" from her exclusive private school, loses her boyfriend as well as all her other friends. Things only get worse from there. The government, in its frenzy to stop future violent crimes, rounds up all those with the gene and forces them into detention camps - except for a select few that they think they can train for special purposes. As Y/A novels go, this is one of the best I've read. Steeped in themes of self-fulfilling prophecy, free will, and human nature, the story explores the struggle against the effect of labels...not in a preachy or clinical way, but just through a darn good story with lots of action and forward momentum. This is to be a 2-book series. This, the first, will be released January 28. 2014.
    • 4/5
      UNINVITED was the compelling readable, first person account of a girl who had it all and who lost it in the blink of an eye. Scientists have identified a gene in this near future science fiction story called the HTS (Homicidal Tendency Syndrome) gene better known as the kill gene. There is a strong correlation between those with this gene and convicted murders. When it is learned that Davy Hamilton has the gene, she is uninvited from her prestigious high school and uninvited from Julliard. She is a musical prodigy who plays a number of instruments, sings, and composes music. None of those matter though because she has this gene. Now Davy has a caseworker from the Wainwright Agency and is attending a public school where she is secluded from the other students in the bowels of the building and caged with other HTS carriers. There are six students in the group. Two of the boys are genuinely violent. The other girl is being abused by the "teacher" who is in charge of the group. The two other boys are Gil and Sean O'Rourke. Gil had a perfect ACT score, is talented at math and computers, and had been admitted to MIT until he was identified as a character. Unfortunately, he isn't physically imposing or a fighter. The other boy is Sean O'Rourke. He is physically imposing and attractive too. He is also a foster child who has committed some act of violence and has the neck tattoo that identifies him as an HTS carrier to anyone who looks at him. While he is reluctant to get involved with Davy, he is still protective of her. After a betrayal by her boyfriend and her ex-BFF, Davy is sporting the neck tattoo too. When the government decides to intern all the carriers in camps, Davy is offered the chance to attend a special training school. It looks like her best option for survival. Gil and Sean are selected too. At this training camp, they are learning to be obedient killers. After one particularly harrowing episode, Sean, Gil and Davy decide to try to escape even though there really isn't anywhere for them to go. What struck me most particularly about this story was that much of the evil was done by those who were not HTS carriers. Starting with the cowardly and easily led ex-boyfriend and the spiteful and jealous ex-BFF, Davy is surrounded by people who do evil things in the name of protecting society. The whole Wainwright Agency seems filled with that sort of people. The story did make me wonder what had happened to due process and the rights of minors. I wondered where the ACLU was. I wondered who had given a private agency so much power. I also wondered about the issue of predetermination. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you will do something. A large number of the HTS carriers that we met in the story had not committed any sort of crime. This was a very thought-provoking story. I am eager to read the sequels to find out what happens to Davy and her friends and what happens to the United States too.
    • 4/5
      If you are a fan of Branded, Divergent, The Darkest Minds, or any similar book then you will love Uninvited. After Davy finds out she is a carrier, her whole life is flipped upside down. I love how she transforms through the book from the sheltered rich girl to the girl who refuses to be anyone's target.

      The book isn't your normal YA dystopian novel which I appreciate. There isn't a love triangle (well, not really) which I know a lot of people will like. Sean is a hottie (I picture Liam Hemsworth) and a bad boy but good in all the right ways. Gil is probably my favorite character besides the two main. I love his loyalty like a little brother or loyal pup.

      I'm really looking forward to the sequel!

      UPDATE:
      After getting a night's sleep and thinking more about this book, I am changing my rating from 5/5 to 4/5 stars. The reason being is there are a lot of unanswered questions and gaps in the story that I found myself still being frustrated with after finishing. Ideally, these questions and situations will be explained in the sequeal. SPOILERS BELOW!!

      For example, does Sean know that Davy is the reason he made it to Mt. Haven? What did Sean do to get his tattoo? What did Sean say to Mr. Brockman that intimated him so badly, and why didn't he do the same for Coco? Why was Mitchell's letter destroyed when received at Mt. Haven? Why did Tori turn into such a B after she found out about Davy (at least Zac was still semi decent even though he was still a douche)? Why did Davy bring Sabine at the last second when they were already risking so much? Obviously Sean and Davy's relationship developed pretty quickly at the end, but why weren't there more details???

      Like I said, I really hope a lot of these things are explained in the second book (come on February!!!), but until then I am dropping my rating by a star because the more I thought about it, the more frustrated I became.


    • 5/5
      This story is a great start in a series that I’m excited to read!Plot: This plot is amazing! I can’t even begin to describe how beautifully and captivating it was. Just with the first chapter alone, the reader is hooked till the end. It builds up nicely with the hostility towards people with the kill gene. It just ahhhhhh! So amazing!!!Love/Friendship: Now in this area of the story be prepared to be riled up. I don’t think I have even known people to turn so quick. The ugliness of these people who were her so called friends. It is another part that is well written and really easy to understand.Ending: The ending of the book is fitting. Just perfect. It leaves the reader hanging on for another adventure. I can’t stop thinking about the ending and where it could go. The possibilities are endless!Stop whatever you are doing and go read this book. An efficiently well told story that any reader can enjoy, Uninvited is amazing! A sharp plot that keeps the reader in their seat, Ms. Jordan’s driven characters are well developed with much action. An energetic start that is tense and well structured, Uninvited is mind blowing!
    • 5/5
      I was at first a bit disappointed in the book, the balance of supernatural elements and historical fiction story telling seemed off balance to me. Yet, once things really got rolling, my eyes were opened to how the author was incorporating those creepy elements. Now I’m in awe.The supernatural in this work is very subtle, almost ethereal and mystical. With only occasional mentions as the book opens, understated clues and foreshadowing opens a window into an amazing world of ghosts and the supernatural that leaves the reader breathless. I loved how the supernatural ties into the historical side as well. Acting as a reflection for how people are dealing with all the trauma of the era (wartime, disease, sudden death), the reader finds themselves wanting to learn more and more.The historical side of this is as amazingly done as the ghosts. Portraying an American society on the brink, filled with despair, suffering, and violence, the author makes it come to life in both her characters and her setting. Seeing the lengths that tragedy will make a person go in both violence and benevolence are both explored to great effect. All the darkness and pain being surrounded by death and illness would cause make an appearance with such immediacy that I got a visceral reaction to it. I felt every tear and moan of pain.At first I didn’t like Ivy that much. I felt that she was a weak character to tell the story through, and I just couldn’t respect her much. Yet, as the story got rolling and I realized her circumstances, I liked her more and more. She’s a woman who is dealing with the trauma and tragedy surrounding her to the best of her ability, trying to help others and provide comfort where she can. I grew to like her sweet and caring side more and more as the story progressed.Daniel I liked from the start. A character visited by tragedy early on, he’s understandably angry and finds it hard to forgive. He takes restitution where he can and in so doing starts to find forgiveness and peace I liked seeing how his character changed and developed as the story progressed; by the end, his anger is outbalanced by clemency. His primary motivators are no longer those negative emotions but rather love and protectiveness.Again, I am surprised and impressed by this author. I enjoyed her other book, In the Shadow of Blackbirds, for its intriguing exploration of lesser known historical aspects and the supernatural. This one pleases on the same fronts. Delicate use of the supernatural elements and a riveting historical fiction story kept me spellbound. Ivy and Daniel grew on me the longer I read about them. To me, this is another example of how excellent an author Ms. Winters is. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a bit of supernatural to their historical fiction.
    • 4/5
      I wanted to read Uninvited because the synopsis appealed to me. I can't imagine isolating a gene like that and then all of the sudden being told that you have the killer gene. The ramifications as well as the fallout, friends and possibly family isolating you, jobs, school, and how you're viewed all changed in an instant intrigues me and I like the premise. I've also been wanting to read something by Sophie Jordan because I know her other series was popular but I just haven't had a chance to get caught up, so with a new series, I have a new chance. I connected with Davy, she is smart and good at music, something I admire in others but have no talent for myself. Her reactions to finding out she had the gene was emotional, and lived up to what I was expecting. I can't imagine myself in her shoes, but I imagine that I would react similarly. She is naive at times, but I love how her world view is forced to shift as she fights against being labeled. But she discovers others that she sympathizes, connects with, wonders why they are marked, or are they like her and feel they are there by mistake. She is a rich white female, so she doesn't fit the profile of a violent person, someone capable of murder, and that leaves her with less in common with others in the Cage, the other carriers at her new school. But as she gets to know some of them, they have more in common than she'd once thought, even if only their future has been jerked from them and they have limited options for college, jobs, and the rest of their lives. As for as romance, at the very beginning, I had to keep telling myself not to like Zac, the above mentioned boyfriend in the synopsis, because I knew that regardless of the chemistry they had, that he was going to be a douche. Sure enough, even though he wasn't as bad as her other friends, he still proved himself unworthy. The mystery of Sean was great. He was an enigma in the HTS world, people seemed to fear him, and I wanted to know why. Because each encounter he had with Davy was intense, but he showed kindness to her. There is some incredible tension between the two, and it was easy to start rooting for a romance between them instead of silly old Zac. He showed up at just the right time to help her and get her out of tough situations, or just to help her pick herself up off the floor when she's down. The pacing was great, as well as easing us into the changes in the world, while at the same time providing the details we need to know in a unique format. At the beginning of some chapters, there are short government fyi's or convos between senators and those leading the program in charge of those with HTS, or even between Zac and her friend Tori. It kept my attention at all times, whether its character development and change of Davy, mystery with Sean, building the relationship between Davy and her troublemaker but non-HTS carrier Mitchell, to other action that moved the plot along. Thinking back though, the world building didn't make sense in a few areas, especially New Haven. Their abilities and why they were chosen if they were just to be trained for fighting kinda puzzled me, but this may be revealed in the next book. That aside, that doesn't take away any of my enjoyment of the series, it is one that I didn't want to put down. The ending wrapped up the threads of this book pretty well, and I am excited to get into the next book of the series to see what happened after the exciting ending. Bottom Line: Action packed with a likable main character who gets tougher as she's trust into a whole new and intriguing to me world.
    • 3/5
      Cast of Breakfast Club sociopaths does minority report boot camp

      I thought that the main character was too self-absorbed with very little character growth. The plot was formulaic and predictable. What it has going for it is a great premise. The author also does a good job creating suspense in certain scenes. I wish the protagonist hadn't been rescued so many times and so conveniently by her love interest. The good news is that the premise isn't at all ruined by the first book. There is still ample opportunity to do some formula-killing, genre-smashing, and rule-breaking character growth and plotting in the sequels. This one was ok. I think teenagers will like this better in general than adults who like YA fiction. Genres are nearly dead anyway. I want to see this author break out and take some risks. I liked it well enough to give her other books a try but I won't recommend this one until I see what she does with the rest of the series.
    • 5/5
      Ivy is living in Illinois during a 1918 influenza outbreak. By day she ferries the sick in an ambulance and by night she carries on an affair with a young German man who is despised by the community for his ties to the war that took the lives of so many of the towns sons. Besides her awesome ambulance driving talent, Ivy also has the ability to see the dead and when she does it means that the veil between the living and the dead is breaking down. With so many people being felled by the flu it is no wonder that the list of "uninvited" is growing.This is my first Cat Winter's novel and I just loved it. The writing is so beautiful and it reads just like a fevered flu dream. You are never sure what is real and what is imagination. I loved the scenes between Ivy and her German beau Daniel. That twist at the end! To be honest I have seen it before more than once but it was perfect and I didn't see it coming. This book is another fitting choice for October. I will definitely be on the lookout for this author's other books.
    • 4/5
      The females of the Rowan family have a secret; they can see the ghosts of loved ones who have passed. These uninvited guests however, are carrying an omen of a death soon to come. Ivy Rowan is 25 and has not lived much of life outside of her family farm. The Great War and the Spanish Influenza have taken their toll on her and her family. Ivy awakes after suffering the flu to learn that her father and brother have taken out their revenge on the last German business owner in town and have brutally murdered Mr. Schendel of Liberty Brothers Furniture. Unable to live with her father and brother’s deed, Ivy strikes out on her own and decides to pay penitence to the other Schendel brother in any way she can. With Daniel Schendel, Ivy comes into her own, ignites her love of jazz and finds things that were missing in her life. However, when she begins to see her uninvited guests everywhere she turns, Ivy begins to fear life once again. This was a very surprising book that was ultimately about a woman figuring out how to live life to the fullest in the most unexpected of ways. At first the blend of the time period with the element of the paranormal really intrigued me. Although, when I was reading, it was Ivy’s character that kept me wrapped up in the pages. Ivy surprised me with many of her actions, constantly showing parts of herself that made me respect her more and more. From her ever growing confidence to her ability to drive a model-T and her relationship with Daniel, Ivy is a woman full of heart that I could easily relate to. The other part of the book that drew me in was the setting, during the Great War in a small town suffering with Influenza. Terror and panic rule the streets, many people forget that the German immigrants were ostracized and blamed during this time period, the fear and misunderstanding was apparent in the streets of Buchanan, Illinois that probably mirrored many other small towns at the time. The paranormal aspect of the book seemed like just a side note at first, but grows steadily with time and offers a surprising twist near the end. When the twist was first offered, I felt a little crushed for Ivy, but with Ivy’s true nature shining through she carries on and continues to make the best of it. Overall, an engaging and unexpected book with wonderful characters, and a great blend of historical fiction and paranormal. This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
    • 3/5
      Meh, another teen dystopian book. Pros: fast read, somewhat kept me interested, concept of the killer gene was interesting. Cons: same old, same old teen dystopian with a so-so female lead and a so-so love interest.Nothing too exciting, but okay.
    • 5/5
      ITS AMAAAAZZZINNGGGG
    • 3/5
      3.5 Stars
      Uninvited was an interesting concept, and not fully dystopian read, but more the verge beginning of a dystopian. I listened to the audiobook for the first 40% of the book, and was totally drawn in. I did feel that the twists and turns were a bit predictable, but can't really say that it took away from the book for me. The whole concept of the kill gene, and what scientists were trying to do, was thought-provoking.

      I wouldn't say that this book was as action-packed as the blurb describes, but it's interesting. I think the next book will offer a little more excitement. The romantic aspect of the book was a bit annoying in the beginning, but slowly eased into a steamy/swoony relationship. Also, I would have liked less of the beginning and more, more, more of the ending (in an effort to avoid spoiling, I will not say what specifically, but the second half of the book was more exciting and that's what I liked).

      Overall, it was a good read and I look forward to more from Sophie Jordan!