Cipher by Aileen Erin

Item: Cipher
Rating: 4
Author: Sparkles

December 29, 2014 Sparkles Book Review 0 ★★★★

Cipher by Aileen Erin
Series: The Shadow Ravens #1
Published by Ink Monster LLC on October 14th 2014
Genres: Science Fiction, Suspense
Pages: 195
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In the not-too-distant future, the color of your helix tattoo shows exactly how your DNA was modified—green for super-smart scientists, black for pumped-up warriors, white for the immortal Seligo—but Cipher’s red helix is a death sentence. It’s a sign of unstable DNA, which is probably the reason she can manipulate electricity. When she was eight years old, Cipher made the mistake of showing her uncle the tattoo. In return, he killed her parents and tried to kidnap her. She’s been on the run ever since, and twelve long years later, Cipher is tired of hiding. Survival isn’t enough anymore. She wants her life back.Hacking into the Citadel mainframe is a huge risk, but it pays off when she finds a database on red helixes. Before she can copy it, she loses control of her power, charring her last processor, and the only person in the Arizona Voids that can get her back online is her oldest friend, Knightly. She hasn’t seen him in person since she started running, and Knightly 2.0 is fully upgraded with a six-pack and knee-melting smile.For a girl like Cipher, trust doesn’t come easily, but Knightly makes her yearn for a life she knows she can’t have, especially when every secret she reveals endangers them both.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

I don’t usually read a lot of YA, but this book kept me hooked the whole time. I felt it could have had a little more romance but the story itself was very engaging.

Lately, I’ve been reading a couple of books that are the first in a new series. I’ve found that while the storyline and foundation for the next book are remarkable, they take too much from the actual story/romance of the main characters.

Cipher is a red helix who has been on the run since she was 8. She, like any other unstable red helix, is chased to be studied or terminated. In her case, the person most interested in her capture (and the one responsible for her parents’ deaths) happens to be her own uncle. Unbeknownst to her, her childhood friend, Hunter, has been looking for her for the last 12 years.

Hunter, now known as Knight, has dedicated his life to find Emma, the little girl next door who saved his life and risked hers in the process. He doesn’t realize that she has been practically under his nose most of the time. When they finally find each other, they’ll have to face copious amounts of trouble to finally get their HEA…if they are still alive after everything.

This was a really good read. It depicts how easily human beings forget what it actually means to be a person and lose themselves to power and greed. How sometimes even though it seems fruitless you still have to stand up and fight, even if the outcome is not looking so good for you.

As I said before, I wish they could have had a bit more time to be together, but in the end, all the action made up for the lack of romance. Ok, no, nothing makes up for the lack of romance, but it still was really good.

My main complaint about this series is that I have to wait a whole freakin’ year for the next installment. Dear author, that is just mean. I’m eagerly anticipating the next couple and hope to see a little more of Cipher and Knight as the story unfolds.

This is a highly recommended read for those moms who want to share a good book with their daughters: it’s easy to read, fast-paced and keeps the romance to a minimum without being totally about the action.