Altered by Jennifer Rush

Altered by Jennifer Rush
Altered #1
Release Date: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Little Brown and co.
Source: Borrowed
Goodreads Stars: 5
Rating: Essential
Buy the Book: Amazon UK

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away - Goodreads

Well, this was unexpected! I went into Altered not really knowing what it was about. In fact, I'm pretty sure I had heard it was about angels before picking it up. I had no idea what to expect, and I definitely did not know I would love this book as much as I did! Altered is thrilling, suspenseful, and action packed. I had no idea what to expect next!


The majority of the book is set when the characters, Anna and the boys from the lab: Sam, Cas, Trev and Nick, are on the run together. It's basically a roadtrip book but with higher stakes, more action and more guns!

I could not put this book down. I started reading in the early evening, and ended up finishing the next morning. Jennifer Rush has a talent for keeping you engaged. You know how much I love a good mystery, right? And how much I hate predictability? Well, in Altered I had absolutely no clue what was going on until all the clues had been laid out for me. As the group are on the run, they stop at various places where they find clues that Sam has set for himself. Since his memory had been wiped before being taken to the lab in the first place, he had to set what was essentially a treasure hunt for himself, and it was just so clever! I adored it. It felt like I was on a giant treasure hunt right along with them. Anyway, I'll stop fangirling about the mystery aspect of the novel now, although it's extremely difficult for me to do so.

As well as being talented when it comes to engaging the reader, Jennifer Rush also writes great action scenes. I should hope so too, since this book is ALL action. From the moment you're introduced to the characters, you're thrown into an intense thrill ride. I loved it.

I also adored all of the characters, which doesn't happen very often for me. Anna was a great main character, and I really enjoyed reading the story from her point of view. She was badass, and she was willing - after a while - to get shit done. The only complaint I have about her is that she's a little clingy in the beginning, however she is a teenage girl so clingy-ness is to be expected. And it's not even a bad kind of clingy, to be honest.

Sam is, obviously, the love interest. He is basically a more successful Derek Hale: broody, the 'alpha' of the group, and totally forking lethal. I wouldn't want to mess with him. He's also super intelligent because oh my god, can you imagine having to lead a group of people while trying to find clues that you'd set for yourself, that had all been totally wiped from your mind? Sam. Is. Awesome.

Sam and Anna's romance was leaden with UST (unresolved sexual tension), and it was a joy to read about. I kind of squealed over them a couple of times. Okay, a few times.

The other guys - Nick, Cas, and Trev - were all just as great. Anna had an awesome relationship with Trev, who was her best friend, and Cas, who was the joker of the group. Nick... not so much, but I loved him anyway. He hated Anna, and honestly I don't blame him. If I had been locked in a cell and Anna had been the one prancing around outside, I would have despised her too. My favourite out of the three of them is definitely Cas, because he's just so funny! And he has dimples. I love dimples.

The guys were so awesome and (mostly) so protective of Anna, and it was THE BEST. I fangirled whenever they looked after her, and when she looked after them in turn.

Overall, this is a novel that you NEED to read. I cannot recommend it enough. I'm surprised it hasn't received more hype, because it is amazing. Definitely one of the best books I've read in a while, along with Pivot Point and the Lux series. I'll be recommending this to everyone on Twitter, so prepare yourselves!