Adaptation by Melinda Lo

The trip to Arizona was carefully planned for David and Reese - they were there to win the debate championship and then return home in victory.  In reality, what they got was a lose in the semifinals and one of the worst days in aviation history when planes started falling from the skies all over America, Canada and Mexico.  At first it seems like a bad dream, but as the planes keep falling and the country begins to panic it turns into a deadly nightmare, one that ends with Reese and David in a mysterious hospital complex after their car crashes off the road.

When they finally return home the world is very different, in just one month their world has changed to include evening curfews, dead birds being carted away by the bag full, and men in black everywhere they turn.  These are just the obvious differences, there are even more less obvious differences that have Reese wondering what really happened to her and David.  She has noticed mysterious scars, and she seems to be healing with superhuman quickness, and then there are the weird episodes she has that sometimes end with wicked headaches.  Something is going on, and unless she can figure out what is happening, her life may never be the same again.

Adaptation is a wonderful blend of action, adventure, science fiction, drama, and just a smidge of romance - a novel just crying out to be adapted into a a blockbuster movie or TV series.  There are some interesting twists and turns in the story, and they might have been less expected if the author raves on the back of the book hadn't mentioned conspiracy theories and looking skyward.  The story is fast paced and tightly written, moving you along quickly as Reese and David discover things about themselves and what is happening to them - in places conveniently jumping time so you don't have to wade through boring bits.

This is a read for more mature teens because there is some girl-on-girl action and open discussion about sexuality that may make some younger readers uncomfortable (because there are relationships, not because they are same sex relationships) - there are also some adult-ish themes of violence and control that may make it difficult for younger teens to get into.  This was a great read, and because the relationship angle was not too in your face, this is one for the guys as well as the girls.  To reveal too much about the story and why I enjoyed it has the potential to ruin the plot twists and the little snippets it is so satisfying to discover, however, if you like a really good read, and you like conspiracy theories then this may just be the perfect novel for you to read.

If you like this book then try:

• Ash by Melinda Lo
• Beta by Rachel Cohn
• Origin by Jessica Khoury
• When we wake by Karen Healey
• What's left of me by Kat Zhang
• Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
• The hunt by Andrew Fukuda
• Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas
• The Industry by Rose Foster
• I hunt killers by Barry Lyga
• Revived by Cat Patrick

Reviewed by Brilla