Hello everyone! I am incredibly excited about today’s reviews…yep plural. As a part of the blog tour for This Cruel Design, host by the Fantastic Flying Book club, I am reviewing not only this new release but the first novel as well. So, this post might be longer than my typical one. Be sure to check out all of the other blog stops on this tour here. Be sure to read all the way to the end, there is a surprise there for you…if you just scrolled all the way to the bottom without reading to see…shame on you.
This Mortal Coil
This Mortal Coil (This Mortal Coil #1) 
Author: Emily Suvada
Published: November 7th, 2017
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Book Length: 425 Pages
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Buy the book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository (Use my referral ID: TheBibliophagist), Kobo
**Disclaimer: I received this novel for free in exchange for an honest review.
Catarina Agatta is a hacker. She can cripple mainframes and crash through firewalls, but that’s not what makes her special. In Cat’s world, people are implanted with technology to recode their DNA, allowing them to change their bodies in any way they want. And Cat happens to be a gene-hacking genius.
That’s no surprise, since Cat’s father is Dr. Lachlan Agatta, a legendary geneticist who may be the last hope for defeating a plague that has brought humanity to the brink of extinction. But during the outbreak, Lachlan was kidnapped by a shadowy organization called Cartaxus, leaving Cat to survive the last two years on her own.
When a Cartaxus soldier, Cole, arrives with news that her father has been killed, Cat’s instincts tell her it’s just another Cartaxus lie. But Cole also brings a message: before Lachlan died, he managed to create a vaccine, and Cole needs Cat’s help to release it and save the human race.
Now Cat must decide who she can trust: The soldier with secrets of his own? The father who made her promise to hide from Cartaxus at all costs? In a world where nature itself can be rewritten, how much can she even trust herself?
I love this cover so much! It is a cloud of an exploding body…what is not to love. Simple but so stunning. Ok, I know I sound weird now but I love the gross side of things, and bodies exploding…that is pretty gross but so cool. I also really enjoyed that the “i” in Coil on the cover is a double helix…yay Biology! Before I start listing things I did or did not enjoy, let me share my content warnings…
This book is not for those with weak stomachs. It contains graphic descriptions of injuries, bodies exploding and others inhaling the mist and cannibalism. Overall…don’t read this if you are not ok with gore.
Things I didn’t like:
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- That it ended…
- I never wanted this to end, I became so invested! I guess this is not really a negative
- Love Triangle Trope
- I am not a huge fan of love triangles. This one seemed a little forced as well. I mean…I just did not understand Dax. Cole…oh I get Cole, but Dax never really grew on me. It seemed as if the romance was pushed more than it needed to be. Thankfully, it did not overshadow the action…there is no way that it could in this novel.
- That it ended…
Things I liked:
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- The Science
- Emily Suvada created a virus, Hydra (any relation to Hydra from Captain America…haha ok I am done now), that makes people explode…how much cooler could you be?! It was such an original idea. I think what made me super giddy while reading was the accuracy of her terminology use. As a graduate with a biology degree, my favorite class was microbiology, I had a huge smile on my face the entire time. I may not be as computer savvy as characters in this book, but I could understand everything that occurred. But seriously…panels where you can download anything…even apps to change your hair color! Ugh so cool!
- Characters
- Ugh…I love Cole! He is so sweet but he seems to be hiding something here. I love the protective nature, even if it is programmed into him.
- Cat…wow, talk about a strong female character. She survived the outbreak, almost completely alone. She stands strong when her entire world is turned upside down, even when she is not sure who she is anymore…she always keeps fighting.
- Dax, I never was super fond of him. I am unsure why I did not really connect with him.
- Romance
- I really like that the romance here is kept light. No need to worry about young readers reading this novel because there are no graphic intimacy scenes here.
- Writing style
- I was instantly in love. Emily paints a beautifully vivid image with the way she articulates her story. She forces me to see events as they unfold, not read them. I am not a reader to her but a character in her novel, along for the ride.
- Plot
- This is a story that will not bore you…not a bit. I absolutely love that it kept me guessing. Each time I thought I figured out the story…boom…Emily threw another plot twist at me, keeping me on the edge of my seat.
- The Science
Quotes
- “At least, it would be normal if I hadn’t woken with a sense that some deep, lost part of myself had finally found its way home. It would be normal if I didn’t wake up wrapped in Cole’s scent, pulling him close, breathing his name.”
- “There’s no such thing as right anymore – that ended when the plague hit. Sometimes we need to do awful things to stop worse things from happening. You’re still thinking in terms of right and wrong, but this is war, and the rules have changed.”
- “When you pick up an apple with a rotten spot, do you eat the spoiled flesh? No, you cut it out. Humanity has a spot“
- “Nature designed this plague as a double-edged sword: it either takes your life, or it takes your humanity.”
Final Thoughts
I think this is by far my favorite read of 2018! The world building was amazing, creating a virus that is as brutal as it is here….it is so amazing. The science really made me super giddy. I even bought the editions with sprayed edges from Waterstone in the UK…I live in the US but the double helix was calling my name! The action was by far the strongest part of this novel, I enjoyed the characters but the action really kept my attention. Filled with action, coding, science, romance, two-sided agencies, great characters…this is everything you could want from a wonderful Sci-Fi novel.
This Cruel Design
This Cruel Design (This Mortal Coil #2)
Author: Emily Suvada
Published: October 30th, 2018
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Book Length: 400 Pages
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Buy the book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository (Use my referral ID: TheBibliophagist), Kobo
**Disclaimer: I received this novel for free in exchange for my honest review.**
Cat thought the Hydra epidemic was over, but when new cases pop up, Cat must team up with an enemy to fix the vaccine before the virus spirals out of control in this thrilling sequel to This Mortal Coil, which New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman says “redefine’s ‘unputdownable.’”
The nightmare of the outbreak is finally over, but Cat’s fight has only just begun.
Exhausted, wounded, and reeling from revelations that have shaken her to her core, Cat is at a breaking point. Camped in the woods with Cole and Leoben, she’s working day and night, desperate to find a way to stop Lachlan’s plan to reprogram humanity. But she’s failing—Cat can’t even control her newly regrown panel, and try as she might to ignore them, she keeps seeing glitching visions from her past everywhere she turns.
When news arrives that the Hydra virus might not be as dead as they’d thought, the group is pushed into an uneasy alliance with Cartaxus to hunt down Lachlan and fix the vaccine. Their search takes them to Entropia, a city of genehackers hidden deep in the desert that could also hold the answers about Cat’s past that she’s been searching for.
But when confronted with lies and betrayals, Cat is forced to question everything she knows and everyone she trusts. And while Lachlan is always two steps ahead, the biggest threat to Cat may be the secrets buried in her own mind.
Yet again, this cover draws my eye. The blue was a great choice. Take note that the cloud is not more mist like rather than an explosion…that is important. We also see that the double helix is still there…yay for science.
Things I didn’t like:
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- Cliff Hanger…
- Ugh, now I have to wait for the third book. I need more now!
- Cliff Hanger…
Things I liked:
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- Plot
- Oh my goodness! I did not think there could be any more twists but I was proven wrong. Where does she even come up with some of these? As with the first novel, the reader jumps back and forth trying to determine who the true antagonist is. It keeps you on your toes, guessing what will come next. I think I made a crazy amount of notes while reading this on my kindle that was simply… “What the What?” “OMG” “What the heck…did not see that coming!”
- Characters
- We see more character development here and I am so happy about that. Cole and Cat continue building their relationship but this time there are even more tensions. With struggling to determine who you really are, an epidemic virus, not knowing who to trust, how can a relationship possibly be easy…
- Mato…I was not sure what to think of him in the beginning. I did not trust him for some reason.
- Lee…awww I am so happy that he has a romantic interest and psst…it is not a girl. Yay for representation even during this crazy epidemic.
- Pace
- As with the first book, the amount of action here is insane! I couldn’t get enough…always kept on my toes.
- Science…again…
- Do I really need to gush again about how much I love this? I will say that I was super happy to see that you can download a birth control app on your panel…how cool is that?! These novels really show how convenient yet dangerous such advanced technology can be.
- Plot
Quotes
- “I survived the outbreak with six measly apps, but now I have thousands: reflex enhancers, built-in painkillers, even eyebrow management” (I laughed so hard at this one. I know so many women who would love that last app. Personally, I am at a loss when it comes to that…Tomboy who grew up in the country)
- “Maybe because he’s your ex and because the last time you two saw each other, he shot you, and you bit his ear off.” (Talk about a poor end to a relationship)
- “You can’t confuse protectiveness with love.”
- “There are those who cannot look at this universe, with all its living creatures and humanity itself, without believing that it has been intelligently designed. As a scientist, I can’t rule out the chance that they’re right-in fact, that question is what drives me.”
Final Thoughts
Many things that were left unanswered in the first book were concluded here. I was so happy to have this to jump into right away because of talk about a cliffhanger in the first novel!! I cannot gush any more about how amazing the science and technology are. Add to it a strong female is an amazing coder!! Bring on the strong, smart women. I want to say so much about this, but I refuse to give away spoilers.
Ugh…just go buy it and read it already so we can talk about it!! Emily also has some amazingly interactive things on her website, so be sure to check those out. I am going to learn the pigeon poem so that I can talk to her that way! She truly is an amazing author and I am now her biggest fan…no you can’t fight me for it because I said so. This truly is now my favorite series! I cannot wait to read the next installment. Be sure to read the free short story These Precious Scars as well.
About the Author
Emily Suvada was born and raised in Australia, where she went on to study mathematics and astrophysics. She previously worked as a data scientist, and still spends hours writing algorithms to perform tasks which would only take minutes to complete on her own. When not writing, she can be found hiking, cycling, and conducting chemistry experiments in her kitchen. She currently lives in Portland, OR, with her husband.
Giveaway
If you have read this far…you are in for a surprise! Emily is giving away 2 copies of This Cruel Design. This giveaway ends October 31st.
Would you read this series? If you have…let’s chat about how amazing it is! Do you enjoy Science Fiction novels? What type of apps would you download onto your panel? Would you change your appearance? Do you think you could survive this outbreak? Would you fight or bunker down?
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Excellent post! I really like your new layout for reviews. The old way was good but this new layout makes it extremely easy for me to pick out the parts that are good and bad so that I can determine if it is a book i would like to read.
Thanks so much! I love yhe simplicity of it. It is easier to read through.
I already have This Mortal Coil and planning to binge read it with This Cruel Design. And I love how you review both.☺️ Can’t wait to read it too.
Thanks!! It’s so good, i hope you like it as much as i did!
Thank you! I’ll be posting a review once I’m finish reading it.☺️
Great! I’ll be sure to read it?
I’ve never heard of this one before, but it sounds like I will love it. I added it to my TBR list and I’m looking forward to it! Thanks for reviewing this for us. ?
Oh i love it so much. I could talk all day about how much i love it.
Thanks so much for reading and i hope you enjoy it!