Review: Rebel (Reboot, #2)

Author: Amy Tintera
Series: Reboot, #2
Published: May 13th 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover, 352 pgs
Source: Publisher for review
Buy: The Book Depository

The sequel to the action-packed Reboot is a can't-miss thrill ride, perfect for fans of James Patterson, Veronica Roth, and Marie Lu.

After coming back from death as Reboots and being trained by HARC as soldiers, Wren and Callum have finally escaped north, where they hope to find a life of freedom. But when they arrive at the Reboot Reservation, it isn't what they expected. Under the rule of a bloodthirsty leader, Micah, the Reboots are about to wage an all-out war on the humans. Although Wren's instincts are telling her to set off into the wilderness on their own and leave the battle far behind, Callum is unwilling to let his human family be murdered. When Micah commits the ultimate betrayal, the choice is made for them. But Micah has also made a fatal mistake . . . he's underestimated Wren and Callum.

The explosive finale to the Reboot duology is full of riveting action and steamy love scenes as Wren and Callum become rebels against their own kind.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: long live Amy Tintera! If you enjoyed her debut last year, you are going to love the sequel. Rebel is absolutely thrilling: the rapid pacing and impressive character development are just two of the things that make Tintera’s sophomore novel an absolute success.

Rebel is unputdownable from start to finish: strong plot, moral dilemmas and the wonderfully mature romance all perfectly entwined to create a breathlessly exciting read. While Reboot was excellent in so many ways that are difficult to repeat, Rebel has its advantages too: it happens, for one, in an already established, strongly built world, which allows for excellent character growth and gives us time to examine the moral and psychological repercussions of Wren’s life before Callum. At the same time, Tintera neatly takes Callum off his throne of non-violent sainthood and gives him time to open his eyes and adjust his idealistic nature and his actual circumstances.

There was never any reason to doubt Wren and Callum’s feelings for each other (though Wren’s feelings in general were questionable for a time), but it was clear from the start that theirs was not a relationship of equals. In the attempt to hold on to his humanity, Callum was always perfectly happy to keep his hands and conscience clean and leave all the decisions and the necessary violence to Wren. This lack of balance wasn’t as obvious in Reboot, when Callum’s aforementioned humanity was essential for waking Wren up. In Rebel, however, their different ways of thinking and Callum’s readiness to step aside and allow Wren to handle things become a serious problem.

However, fear not: this rift between them isn’t unnecessarily dramatic or unrealistic. Quite the contrary, Tintera allows them to find their balance slowly, in a way that becomes relevant not only to their relationship, but to the overall plot as well. While they were running for their lives, there simply wasn’t time to note all the disparities between them, but in Rebel, they slowly work their way around them.

That’s not to say that Rebel is a slow book. It is, perhaps, even more tense than Reboot and there’s plenty of action to keep everyone happy. No middle book syndrome for Amy Tintera; I doubt she knows the meaning of those words.
There’s really not much to say except brava, Ms. Tintera. My hat’s off to you.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.