Review Detail

I've heard amazing things about UNINVITED and knew I just HAD to read this novel. Let me tell you all: This book delivers!

What worked: Jordan opens by showing readers Davy's 'privileged' world. She's a music prodigy, rich, attends an exclusive private high school, and is dating the hottest guy on campus. But all this shatters with the results of a DNA test that shows she carries the killer gene HTS. Within a day everyone turns against her, including her BFF Tori and even her family. Jordan does a very efficient way of showing us how easily a privileged life can be erased. Chilling because this could very well be our own future with recent technological advances and how some use genetic testing to determine many factors.

Davy at first seems like an airhead rich girl but her true character rises when she becomes part of the horror of being labeled a future killer. It's Scarlet Letter meets the future.

Also I loved how we see the reactions of those around Davy and witness first hand the prejudice and fear that is directed toward her and others with the H tat. The high school 'cage' where HST positive teens are held is horrific. Little by little we see Davy's humanity stripped with each injustice that is directed her way. It would have been so easy to leave the story here. No, instead we do see a light of hope in 'bad' boy Sean who is the picture of the stereotypical 'killer'. He's in foster care, poor, and at first glance filled with contempt toward everyone including Davy. But we see how the cliche saying, 'don't judge a book by it's cover' is in this case very true. I loved the glimmer of hope that is subtly woven through this story. There is lots of violence but mostly the psychological terror is what stays with the reader.

Chilling and haunting, this story had me reflecting on recent shootings gripping our nation. I actually was able to go to a prison during one of my social work grad classes and witnessed first hand some so-called sociopaths and was able to read their background stories. Specialists were able to trace to the reasons that could have caused these prisoners to do horrific things but still it boiled down to bad choices. I shudder thinking if there was in fact a genetic test that could determine a person's predisposition toward killing. I can't even imagine what would happen if there was a chance of a mistake. Also what about free will? This book will have you questioning such things and more.

I can't wait to see what happens next for Davy. A must read.