Review - Revived

by Cat Patrick
publisher: Little, Brown BFYR
format: hardcover
pages: 336
source: from the publisher for review
score: 3.5 out of 5

From Goodreads:

As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.

A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency's true goals, she realizes she's at the center of something much larger — and more sinister — than she ever imagined.

Right away you know that Revived is going to be quite interesting.  The first chapter opens with Daisy in the midst of dying.  This isn't the end of Daisy, however.  We soon find out that Daisy is different than the majority of kids: she can be brought back from the dead and be a living, breathing girl all over again.  Since she can't exactly show back up around town when so many saw her die, she and her guardians make another move that will wind up changing Daisy's life in many ways.  What ensues is a story full of mystery, intrigue, espionage, love, and heartbreak.  

Daisy has been on the move for so long that she has become a bit of a loner.  I felt for her as it struck me as a lonely existence.  In spite of this, however, she seems amazingly well-adjusted and has a great voice as a character.  Her dialog is so engaging that the pages fly by quite easily.  Her burgeoning friendship with vivacious Audrey and her budding romance with Audrey's brother, Matt, round out the most frequently seen characters.  I enjoyed all 3 of them, though I felt that Daisy shared her secrets with Matt too soon, making her perhaps a bit too naive.  Over all, though, it's a nice cast of characters that make for a smooth read.

The aspect of the book that I was the least sold on was the background.  It is lacking in further information on the who, how, what, and why involved in the making of Revive.  While you're reading it doesn't register so much, but once you put the book down there are so many questions left without answers.  Also, the threat didn't really strike me as especially urgent.  I think it's partly due to the delivery and partly the lack of information on the culprit once they are apprehended.  Knowing a motive would have been great, too.  

In spite of its flaws, Revived proved to be a fun read for a rainy Saturday afternoon.  With great character interactions and its premise, Revived is worth checking out.  I'm glad that I finally had the time to read it.  I will warn you, however, that if you are prone to becoming very emotional you will need tissues on hand.  A particular part of the book hit me pretty hard due to a past event in my life, so it's something to keep in mind.  If you're looking for a book that's a little bit sci-fi, a little bit romance, you may want to give Revived a chance.

  

Buy Revived at the Following Locations:

Amazon /  IndieBound  /  B&N  /  The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This finished copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher.  No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.