MILA 2.0

Did I like it, love it, or think it was just okay? I loved it!!

The characters: I really felt for Mila, and I connected with her because her emotions were so real and vivid. Driza wrote her with passion and where what she is feeling and thinking really jumped off the page. I think that her struggle

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when she found out that she was an Android was so compelling, and very realistic. I can't imagine finding out something like that when my whole time I thought that I was a human. She feels, thinks, and has friends, sure there are some hazy memories, but everything seems so real.
It draws up an interesting question for me of what makes defines real. I never failed to connect with her, and she was always fighting for the person that she loves, so what really makes her different from me? What's inside? Metal vs not? It is just weird if you really think about it.
I liked Lucas, he was well written and though I can't say a lot about him without being a spoiler. But how he questioned things and then became loyal to what he believes in really inspired me.
As for her friend, Kaylee... Well, I can't believe the changes in her. I really don't understand how she was so friendly and including, and then NOT. I hope that there is some explanation in the next book.
I loved Mila's relationship with her mom, and how it changed several times with the circumstances. I think it reflects a real mother/daughter relationship because they aren't usually always good or bad, but fluctuating. But I think that how they learned to talk to one another and really learned that they could trust each other was beautiful. I couldn't believe what happened to them, and I wish there were things that couldn't be fixed, that I want desperately to be fixed.

The romance: I just wasn't feeling it. Friendship yes, the possibility that more could be there, sure... But hopefully the next book will pick a guy and really develop that, because I think I will have a hard time if they are both developed and fleshed out and then one of them won't be with her.

The cover: I like the colors, and the parts of her face. It catches my eye, and I think that it is a good fit for the story.

The pacing: It kept me wanting to keep flipping pages, there was always something going on, lots of action, and lots of feelings, as well as character growth and development. I didn't know HOW they were going to fix things at every turn.

The world/setting: I felt like it was authentic--the high school experience as well as when she ends up in the lab.

The ending: Oh my goodness, it was definitely a twist! I can't believe what happened! I am very eager to read the next one.

Bottom Line: Great start to a series that I can't wait to keep reading.

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Mila has just been uprooted from her childhood home in Philadelphia and is coping with the recent death of her father, but feeling melancholy under those circumstances is completely human and just means she’s a typical teenage girl. Except she’s not. Until she falls off the back of a pickup

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truck and leaks some kind of machine fluid instead of bleeding, Mila has no idea that the gaps in her memory and the overprotective tendencies of her mother are clues to her real nature. Which is android--and when she finds out she is just as horrified as she thinks everyone else will be, but she doesn’t have much time to adjust to the idea because within days she and her “mother” are on the lam. Mila was designed to be a military weapon with abilities that have only recently been switched on, and now that her cover is blown the military wants her back in spite of her imperfections which include feeling emotions.

Mila 2.0 has a heart racingly fast pace, but it’s the heart touchingly real character of Mila herself and the way she evolves and grows in strength and self knowledge that kept me glued to the page. This is the first of three parts, and I can’t wait for the next installation.

There is a prequel short story and some sample chapter that are available for free on Amazon. I’d start with the book chapters first because the prequel, like many others, is more interesting if you are already well into the story.

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Mila and her mom have moved from Philly to a ranch in the small town of Clearwater Minnesota. They are still recovering from the death of Mila's dad in a fire. Unfortunately, Mila has been been left with little memory of what happened, and of her life before the fire. Her mom seems distant, and all

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she has left of her dad is an old flannel shirt, which she wears almost all the time. Her best friend is Kaylee, who has taken her under her wing over the last few weeks since she moved to Clearwater. Kaylee is loud and outspoken, and very energetic. A few of the other girls have accepted Mila and become friends with her, but it is only because of Kaylee. When a hot new boy moves to town, things begin to change. Hunter is definitely not the typical Clearwater boy that is dressed Carthartt's and work boots. In fact, he is quite the hottie. Though unspoken, it is clear Kaylee has called dibs on Hunter, but Hunter only has eyes for Mila, which causes a bit of a rift between the two friends. This crescendos when Kaylee and Mila give Hunter a ride after school. As a result of Kaylee's wreckless driving, Mila is thrown from the vehicle and suffers an injury to her arm. That is when Mila's life as she knows it drastically changes.

Instead of blood coming from her arm, there is a whitish fluid and metal there, which freaks Mila, Kaylee, and Hunter out, though Hunter handles it very well. They get Mila back home, and when her mom see's her, she is forced to tell Mila the truth....the truth about herself, who she is, and what she is. You see, Mila isn't entirely human. MILA is a "Mobile Intel Lifelike Android, an artificial intelligence experiment that has been conducted by the military, designed to be a weapon in the body of a 16-year old girl...an endoskeleton wtih human skin and hair, etc, with technology that blends the human side to the android side, simulating human function." Mila is able to can learn and make decisions, feel pain, sensations, and most importantly, emotions. When Mila's mom, Nicole, saw that she was actually becoming more human than android, she feared for her and what the military would do to her, so she stole her and escaped. Mila fully feels and believes she is human, so this totally rocks her world, and not in a good way. She can't understand how she can have these feelings, especially what she feels for Hunter, and not be human. Not only is the military hunting her, so is another covert group that wants to sell her to the highest bidder. She barely has time to comprehend all this when the enemies that they have been trying to avoid catch up with them, forcing Mila and her Mom to go on the run.

From this point in the story on there is nonstop action, nail biting danger, and intense edge of your see drama that continues from page to page, with never a dull moment. The synopsis compares it to the Bourne Identity Trilogy, which is a very accurate portrayal, especially as Mila learns more about what she is actually capable of doing - she is totally badass, just like a female Jason Bourne, with a science fiction twist. I was actually very surprised by how much I liked Mila's character and how human she really seemed. We didn't get to see too much of Hunter, but there was the hint of a future budding romance between them, and the stage has been set to see more of that in the next installment. I am really looking forward to see where Debra Driza takes that aspect of the story from here. Nicole, one of the scientist who created Mila and who Mila also considers her mother was a very likable character also. Then there was the really insane General Holland, the other scientist that helped create Mila, and who is also her biggest threat. Lucas was another character that I liked a lot and proved to be quite an ally to Mila. I hope to see more of him in the next installment also. Overall, I really enjoyed Mila 2.0. If you love action, science fiction, drama, with the bonus of a hint of romance mixed it, then you should definitely check Mila 2.0 out.

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Mila is adjusting as well as can be expected after a fire killed her father, leaving her and her mother alone. The two of them have moved to a small midwestern town to start over. Mila has made a few friends and is doing the best she can to fit in. But when Hunter, a hot new guy moves to town, all

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of the girls, including Mila’s new best friend Kaylee, are all over him. When Hunter shows that he is only interested in Mila, Kaylee gets all kinds of jealous. When Mila is involved in a freak accident that should have killed her, but she walks away relatively unscathed, she realizes that who she thought she was isn’t who she really is. Mila is an android, and all of her memories were implanted in her. But if that’s true, why can she feel emotions? Why can she cry, laugh and get angry?

When rumors start to fly around school about Mila’s accident and how she managed to walk away unscathed, the only person who doesn’t seem bothered by it is Hunter. But when their home is broken into by armed men, Mila and her mother must flee. Whoever created Mila wants her back. She was never meant to be let out of the laboratory, and if she doesn’t escape, she may be destroyed.

This was a good, action-packed read, but none of the characters really stood out to me aside from Mila. I liked the complexity of everything she had to deal with and the answers she sought to uncover: Who created her? Why? Why can she feel emotion? Why did the woman she thought was her mother take her? Why is she hiding her?

Aside from Lucas, an MIT student who works in the lab where Mila was created, no one else really stood out to me. Kelsey and the mean girls at the school were the typical, bitchy queen-bee’s, Mila’s “mom” was caring yet distant and I thought Hunter was rather boring. Even Holland, the man who created Mila and is now out to capture her, felt a little too predictable.

Despite the fact that the characters were very average, the book was well-written. There’s plenty of action as was to be expected and a few nice twists. The book is over 400 pages long, but it didn’t feel long, which is a good sign. The first part of the book was where I had the biggest problem. It felt like just another cliché high school “new girl versus the bitchy girls as they fight over the new boy” book, which was so not what I was expecting. It finally picked up after Mila left town.

This leads to something else that I just couldn’t buy into. The first part of the book is all about Mila starting fresh in a new town and eventually discovering who/what she really is. During that time she meets and falls madly in love with Hunter. I think they go out maybe three times (if that), and then after she is on the run, all she can do is lament about the future she could have had with him, and how Hunter meant the world to her.

I understand that the author was trying to show that Mila could actually feel emotion and that she could actually have an emotional relationship with people, so there was obviously something special about her. I also got that maybe Mila would really need to feel that she was normal, and having these feelings for a boy would show that, but still — a deep, undying love after three dates? That seems a little extreme — even for an android.

Despite a clunky beginning, and a questionable romance, I really enjoyed the book. I like lots of action and mystery and this had plenty. I’m not surprised that it was optioned for a television show. I can totally see this as a series, and I would totally be hooked on it. I would recommend this one to fans of light sci-fi who like their books with a lot of action. If you can get past the few minor flaws, I think you’ll really enjoy it.

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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A great science fiction read about a girl android holding on to her humanity.

Opening Sentence: Beyond the eastern border of Greenwood Ranch, orange poured across the sky, edging the clouds like flames.

The Review:

It’s always nice to read a story

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with elements that you haven’t seen before or seen in a while. Debra Driza’s Mila 2.0 was refreshing. In a world of paranormal beings, dystopian societies, and life altering realistic scenarios, Mila 2.0 is about a regular girl, who isn’t so regular. I was captivated by the synopsis. A girl android? It brought me back to the days of reading Isaac Asimov.

Driza’s Mila 2.0 has a contemporary feel to it with science fiction tendencies. Mila survived a tragic fire, where her father did not. She lives with her strict and overprotective mother. Her routine is predictable and safe, deemed and controlled by her mom. After the death of her dad, Mila has become anti-social, quiet, and closed off. The only person she calls a friend is Kaylee, a semi-popular girl that brings Mila out of the borders of loneliness. Mila was a character easy to relate to, android or not. I liked the ease and simplicity of her voice. It was fresh, while being feminine and youthful. She was strong, but rebellious, like all young teens are.

In the first half of the book, Mila is as human as humans can get. She has teenage emotions, the highs and lows, and she definitely thinks in that over analyzing way that teenagers do. In the latter part of the book, Mila changes. Without telling you too much, Mila goes through a transformation that is expected as a result of the events that happen. What is surprising about it all is how Driza keeps her humanity. There is a fine balance between human and android, one that Driza talks about, and it was enjoyable to see that defined.

Mila 2.0 is set in an alternate universe of present day. While the background and location is familiar, it brings an ease to the reading experience. With the information that is given in regards to android technologies, the setting doesn’t overshadow the details. I think the main focus is the intricacies that Driza brought into Mila’s anatomy. I was able to see each android element, and it was like watching a movie. I can get very visual when it comes to science fiction elements, and I’m really glad Driza described Mila in the way she did.

I loved the intro to Mila 2.0 as well as to Mila herself. I knew about the basic premise, but was pleasantly surprised at how Driza wrote the plot. The delivery of the situation, along with the precipice, was brilliant. The story had a slow but steady progression, filling in with details when needed. There is a turning point in the book, where the pace quickens, and it matches with the events that take place. What once was slow enough to gather information, is now quick to keep up with the action.

Mila 2.0 had a contemporary feel while bringing in science fiction elements. I enjoyed every moment of it, and I think you will also.

Notable Scene:

No, the only pain I was allowed was choking the nonexistent life from my fake heart.

Sweeping the shards onto the floor, I stormed over to the bed and slid between the sheets. Threw the pillow over my head in an effort to block out the world.

But I couldn’t block out the memories, false or not. Couldn’t block out the internal paid I shouldn’t even be able to feel.

Couldn’t keep those annoying phony tears that felt so, so real from flowing.

FTC Advisory: Katherine Tegan Books/Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Mila 2.0. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

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Mila can't remember who she was. After moving, with her mother, to small town Clearwater, Minnesota after her father was killed in a fire she's struggling to come to terms with the past -- and remember it.

She can't remember if she used to like chocolate ice cream or pink finger nail polish. What

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she used to like wearing -- anything that made her her. All the little things.

It's even more surprising when she learns the reason for all of those gaps: Mila isn't a real teenage girl. Created in a lab, programmed to act like a teenager, she's also incredibly dangerous. And incredibly valuable in the right hands.

Now, with the threat of 'termination' looming after her escape from that lab and someone after her for the advanced technology she possesses -- even if she isn't aware of how to use it -- Mila's on the run. Trying to stay alive, at least as alive as she's ever been, and discovering more disconcerting things about herself at every turn.

Debra Driza's debut, Mila 2.0, was sold as 'Bourne-style' and though I can see that, a bit, I am hoping for more of it in the second book. With Mila, the initial setup where we meet Mila and the other characters, get a little introduction to how Mila's life is, is good. It's nice to see that her life is relatively normal, albeit affected by the death of her father and the gaps in her memory. We also see the little quirks, too.

When things really start to kick in with the plot -- the scifi aspect coming into play and Mila's origin being explained -- I did wish for something . . . more. Or less, strangely. There was not quite enough unknown or quite enough known, either. At the same time I was wondering what exactly was so special about Mila and what she was able to do that someone was after her (the not enough known side), I also wanted there to be a bit more mystery on the side of what had happened in taking her from the lab (not enough unknown).

The balance between giving enough to pull me in, but keeping enough hidden to keep me interested -- and the story tense -- wasn't quite met here.

The last (about) thirty percent of the story was the best for me. The characters involved there are some of the best in the book -- and I do hope some of them make an appearance in Book 2. They have great interactions with Mila. Two in particular provide quite a great contrast, one seeming to see only her as android and the other seeming to see her human aspects.

The combination of the tension really amping up, the great character interaction and the promises it seems to hold for Book 2 (as well as some hopes I have), made this my favorite section.

Now that both readers and Mila know more about her, where she came from and what she can do, I'm anxious to see where Book 2 takes her!

(egalley received via Edelweiss from Harper for review)

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3.5 Stars

I'm not going to lie to you: my deep desire for MILA 2.0 was entirely superficial. I mean, can you blame me? Look at that cover! It's the cover that The Adoration of Jenna Fox was trying to be. As soon as I saw this cover, MILA 2.0 went to the top of my WANT WITH THE FIRE OF A THOUSAND

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SUNS pile. Still, I'd been burned before by books from this pile and was naturally hesitant. Well, lucky me, because MILA 2.0 turned out to be a fast-paced thrill ride.

MILA 2.0 is about a girl who discovers she's a robot. That premise pretty much can't fail to make me excited. I really like the way Mila's abilities are handled in here. Sure, there are things where I wasn't entirely sure about whether they would be possible, but it wasn't hard to suspend disbelief. Driza's not trying to heavy science fiction on her readers, so she gives you just enough information, without ever feeling the need to over-burden you with technical terms or infodumps. Obviously, this might be a disappointment for hardcore science fiction readers, but it was perfect for a person like me, who has a rather tenuous grasp on science.

Driza does a great job with her action scenes. They're clear and concise, easily distinguishing between commands issued from other people, from Mila's programming, or from Mila's own mind. Some of the robotic features could have been confusing, depending on formatting and handling in the text, but they're really well-integrated, and not used so often as to be annoying. The real focus of the plot is on the action, which is great. I love when a book knows what kind of a book it is and runs with it.

Mila makes such a great character and is one of the best robot/manufactured main characters I've read. Most authors feel the need to make the character read as robotic, giving them stilted ways of speaking and limited vocabularies. Driza did not fall into this trap. Mila acts like a completely normal person, which is precisely the point. Since Mila is nigh indistinguishable emotionally from a person, it highlights the question of whether she has humanity. What makes a human human? I'm not going to pretend this is an original theme or even treatment thereof, but it's well done, and way less preachy than most. Also, Mila is hardcore. She does some things in here that really took me by surprise. Let's just say she's willing to get her hands dirty.

The main weakness in MILA 2.0 lies in the more realistic side of the story. The opening where Mila thinks she's just a regular student moves a bit slowly. Though I did find her dramas with her friend Kaylee very believable and unfortunate, I would have liked to see that element pulled out as something she learned from. On top of that, there's a new boy in school (of course), who is immediately drawn to Mila (surprise!). They bond way too quickly. While I do understand her obsession with whom throughout the book, since he's the only real, positive link to her human self, his side of things does not make sense to me.

Though I'm not completely sold on what, admittedly little, romance there is in this first book, I'm looking forward to the developments in the next...I hope. There's a possible love triangle brewing, and I really hope so, because I'm rooting for Lucas, whether that's happening or not. I would love to see a romantic hero with a limp because of his club foot. All kinds of people can be hot! Also, he probably wouldn't feel the need to protect her, since he knows himself and his limitations so well.

MILA 2.0 is out today, so, if you enjoy fast-paced books with a lot of action and science fiction-y goodness, go out and find a copy! Now I just have to wait a full year to find out what happens next. C'est la vie.

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Really disliked the main character. Couldn't get past her whining enough to give it more than a 2. Full review to come.

The first thing I want to stress in this review is that I really did enjoy Mila 2.0 but this is still mostly going to be negative. Mila 2.0 is like junk-food for the brain - all action and not a lot of thought.

The biggest issue I had with this book was the writing. It was very, very bland. I felt

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like there was too much description and not a lot of substance. The book was almost 500 pages, but could have easily been edited down to 400. Maybe even less. From the very beginning I found myself skimming over large chunks of text, only reading the first sentences of the paragraphs, and jumping ahead to dialog. While the action was always kicked up, I was usually bored and that is 100% due to the writing. Because of the dull writing the anticipation and anxiety that is usually found in a thriller was lost.

The blurb of Mila 2.0 did a huge injustice to the book. The story would have been one thousand times more interesting if the reader didn't already know that Mila was created in a lab. It made it incredibly frustrating to read since it takes a good while to get to the discovery of Mila's android origin. And because the rest of the novel was basically Mila and her mother on the run, it lost that magic that could have made it more edge-of-your-seat exciting.

I really liked the characterization of Mila. I thought she really handled the revelation that she was a robot really believably. She was upset and freaked out and scared and fascinated. She questioned what it means to be human - which is my all-time favorite theme when reading. But even if I liked her, and found her to be realistic, I just could not form any attachment to her. I felt very detached and distant from all the characters, honestly. I felt no love for her mother - no contempt either, I was just very indifferent.

The side characters left much to be desired. Mila's friends at school were the typical mean girls and dropped her like a bad habit as soon as the new boy arrived. And of course the new boy, Hunter, is broody and mysterious and oh-so-different from the boys of their small town. I hated the obsession that Mila formed over Hunter, even though they hadn't even kissed. She was on the run, literally running for her life from the government and who knows what else, and the only thing she can think of is to call Hunter to cancel their date. Really? Is that the most important thing you could be doing right now?

Overall, the overwhelming feeling I having coming out of Mila 2.0 is a fat, resounding meh. I will be checking out the sequel, if I can remember this one that far into the future. But honestly, I found that a decent concept was ruined by exceptionally boring writing and a lackluster execution.

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Mila is not a normal teenager., but she doesn't know that...yet. As Mila discovers more about herself, we get to see her struggle between her humanity and her android programming.

It's a good premise, but there was something about the book that I just didn't love...I'm not sure if it was the writing

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or what. It just didn't feel right. Sounds silly, but there you go. Basically, I have little interest in finding out more (I'll wait for the TV show...see below).

Some might say this has been done before though...my first thoughts were of a younger android version of Sydney Bristow...then I thought Nikita...then I thought a nicer version of Terminator minus the time travel...then Bionic Woman minus the ever being human part.

HOWEVER! I can DEFINITELY see this becoming a pretty cool TV show. It's very much a story of self-discovery and the action will make for some pretty cool tv-watching. I mean, Shonda Rhimes apparently has a hand in it and I dig her...so fingers crossed!

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This book was rather underwhelming... The romance in particular was undeveloped and less than believable, but those adjectives could be applied to any number of other elements of the book. Also, Highly Resistant Protagonists (by which I mean protagonists, particularly narrator-protagonists, who

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stubbornly remain in denial of their plot and spend a significant amount of page space whining and complaining and wishing their lives were normal) are, believe it or not, not terribly entertaining to read about (excepting those like Bilbo Baggins, who are Highly Resistant to Comedic Effect; Mila is not one of these).

The plot, when it finally happened, wasn't fast-paced enough to make up for its initial slowness, and much of it was far too predictable -- there really weren't any twists or Big Reveals, for all the suspense.

Also, a ridiculous amount of brand-name-dropping, especially in early chapters.

Giving it two stars, and feeling generous.

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At first I am going to have to be honest...I thought this book was a little weird, I really went back and forth between three stars and four...I think a 3.7 would fit

I had to get past the angst of Mila being a regular girl. Oh and for one thing.... If a supposedly best friend of mine told me to

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ride in the back of the truck just so she could be alone with a guy, I would have told her to go to .... or kiss my rear-end...or ok well never mind you get the point and the way the Kaylee treated her afterwards...oh geeze I think the girl deserved some neck ringing

Short complaint over

Now the first half and the second half of the book just didn't seem to go together. How did we get to one point to the other. It just seemed to be a bigger leap then justified. I am going to say that if you have been wanting to read the book, then do and be your own judge.

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I have so much love for Deb Driza's debut, Mila 2.0! Not only did I find it impossible to put down, I've found it impossible to forget.

The novel follows Mila, a girl who thinks she's normal, but finds out she's technically not even human... at least, not in the traditional sense. Mila is an

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android: she was created in a lab and looks human, but is, in fact, a robot. And she had absolutely no idea. The woman she calls mom isn't her mother, her past is not her past, and her future is completely unknown.

For me, one of the most compelling aspects of this book is the question of whether Mila is "human." Furthermore, what makes us human? Where is the line between human and technology that mimics human traits... and is there a line that shouldn't be crossed? What happens if it is crossed? All of these questions are, of course, complicated, and Driza doesn't answer that question for readers in Mila 2.0, but she creates an interesting situation in which to consider them. I'm curious to see how these questions (and the possible answers) will evolve in upcoming installments.

I also enjoyed how "human" Driza made Mila. I've read other android novels in which the characters were difficult to connect to, but I quickly formed a bond with Mila and often forgot she wasn't a normal teenage girl. I preferred this portrayal to the others I had read, plus it strengthened the complexity of the situation. If Mila had seemed more like a robot, I don't think the questions posed earlier would have had the same weight as I considered them.

Mila 2.0 is a strong debut from Driza and I cannot wait to see what the next Mila novel offers. Driza is an author I'll happily add to my must-buy list!

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Loved it! Driza intricately crafts this fascinating debut loaded with emotional depth and lots of kick butt action. What would you do if everything you've known about yourself gets flipped and you learn that you are nothing what you thought? Jaded? Well, Mila is angry after she discovers by

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accident that she is not human, her mother has lied to her and someone is after them. Now, on the run, she must come to terms with the details of how she was created. Mila struggles to hold onto some semblance of her shattered normalcy, and the hope she was not created to kill but that may be difficult if she intends to save her life.

Mila is an interestingly complex and intriguing character. It's refreshing to read about a non-human trying to hold on to the only humanity she knows rather than a human turning into something supernatural, which is usually the norm. Aside from her being a machine, she behaves as if she is human, her emotional levels are spot on for a shy teenage girl, who would rather blend in than stand out and the author did a great job portraying this through Mila. She's strong yet fragile and I think it's that balance that makes her story so fun to read. Now, on another note, her best friend....don't like her she is vapid, fickle and jealous of the attention that Mila receives from the new guy that she's determined to sink her claws into and thus leads to the beginning revelation of Mila's creation.

This is not really a romance but maybe in the next book there will be more. I liked the love interest but something is up, where did he come from, who is he and why right before things turn sour does he show up in Mila's life, though it could be nothing. Any how, I feel this was more about Mila's sense of identity, belonging and her relationship with her mother who takes great risks to secure her human life. The writing transitions is well throughout the story and the action sequences are fantastic. So, needless to say I'm hooked and can't wait for Mila 3.0 to be released.

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Mila lives with mother in a boring, tiny Minnesota town. She's used to bigger cities and larger populations, but due to her father's death, her mom felt they needed a change of scenery. Mila has gaps in her memory and doesn't remember when her father died or even if she was there when it happened.

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Needless to say, she is overwhelmed with dealing with her emotions, adapting to her new surroundings, dealing with her overbearing mother, and coping with the death of her father. A car accident that leaves Mila injured uncovers a shocking secret that her mother tried to keep from her: she's actually an android. Now, she and her mother have to run because the government and another mysterious organization are after them. While running from people who want to kidnap her, Mila has to come to grips with her newly discovered state of being and the relationship with her mother that was essentially built on lies.

There have been a few teen series with artificial intelligence as the focus and they seem to be quite similar to each other. I had a set of expectations going into Mila 2.0 because of this, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it didn't follow the typical formula I had become familiar with. The first part of the story establishes Mila as normal teenage girl in a very emotional situation. She keeps to herself and is very shy, but has her own circle of friends. Her social life is thrown into turmoil when Hunter, a mysterious and hot boy, comes to live in the small town. Her friends turn on her when Hunter shows her more interest and this leads to the car accident and revelation of her true nature. I hated her best friend Kaylee, who dropped Mila over a random boy she doesn't even know, but the portrayal is disturbingly accurate. Although I'm usually not a fan of cliche romances, I didn't mind this one. The actual romance is paper thin and based on instalove, but the reason it is there is necessary. It gives Mila something that is only hers, not manufactured by her mother or the people who made her, and it cements her humanity. It's a small portion of the book, but gives her an anchor and something to fight for when she feels despair.

The next portion of the book follows Mila and her mother on the run. Mila finds out what she is and has to process that information. She could have just allowed her anger and despair to consume her, but she pushes through. Not only does she have to rethink her entire self image, but she also has to figure out how to use all her android programming as uncomfortable as that makes her in order to survive. Their journey also makes her differentiate how much of her memories and personality are programmed and how much are hers. The rest of the story is emotional, exciting, heartstopping, and addicting. I love the third act the most because it gives insight into one of the groups out to get her and shows how her humanity and emotions make her a unique hybrid that has the best of both worlds.

Mila 2.0 is a wonderful debut novel. It isn't perfect, but the writing flows well and kept me reading for hours on end. I can't wait for the next book in the series and I would recommend this installment to fans of science fiction and artificial intelligence stories.

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(Many thanks to Edelweiss and Katherine Tegan Books for allowing early access to this title.)

There are things I liked and things I disliked about this book. My problem is that I'm not sure how to go about talking about them without giving too much away. I shall do my best.

First, I liked the

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relationship between Mila and her mom. It was one of those that could have gone the way of so many YA novels these days...you know, the dysfunctional family trope. GAG. I hate that. Can we PLEASE read about some functional families? I know they exist! I just know they do!

Anyway, this relationship was much more to my liking. Sure, Mila and her mom had their issues, but underneath it all, they loved each other and would do anything for each other. It just seemed so NORMAL to me. The book definitely earned points for that.
Second, I liked Mila herself. Even after she finds out that she's not human, she works hard to retain her humanity. She refuses to be what her creators (well, one of them) think she should be. She won't let them turn her into something she's not. I really admired that in her.

Finally, I really liked the second half of the book. The action picks up significantly and it was a roller coaster ride to the finish. So much happened and it was all edge-of-your-seat crazy.

I suppose that was to make up for the very lackluster first half of the book. I very nearly gave up because I was bored to death. The only reason I kept going was that this was a review book and I felt obligated to finish. I didn't *hate* it, but I didn't particularly want to waste my life on it either.

The first half was filled with things that, looking back, really didn't need to be there. Mila's relationships with her friends was there to show her humanity, so to speak, but it did nothing to further the plot. It's almost like it was tossed in as an afterthought - "Oh, we better show that she's affected by mean girls too." I wasn't impressed.

Also, Hunter. Um, okay, so he's such a big deal in the first half and then completely disappears except in random reminiscings? Weird. I preferred Lucas. At least he served a purpose other than hot high school boy who may or may not be a bad guy. (There was nothing to suggest that Hunter is a bad guy, just so you know. I'm just theorizing here.)

Then there's that cliffhanger ending. Don't get me wrong - I don't hate cliffhangers. In fact, I rather enjoy a well-done one. This one was not well done, at least not in my opinion. It was just there. It kind of reminds me of when you're watching a show and the power goes off right before the end and you never get to see what happens. I lose interest really quickly in cases like that. I'm not so sure that I'll be up for whatever comes next in this series, but we shall see. A killer cover and fabulous synopsis can do wonders to revive interest...

2.5 Eiffel Towers and a maybe on the series.

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As soon as I saw this cover, I wanted to read the book. Mila 2.0 was a good, action-packed read. Started off with some romance but then kind of died down toward the end. I really enjoyed listening to this and at times my heart went out to Mila and her situation. I'm looking forward to the next book

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in this series, I'm hoping for some better times for Mila. I would of gave it 5 stars but I felt it needed some more romance in there

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This book is marketed for the teenage crowd. I'm not a teenager. This may be why I had such a big problem with it. The premise sounds so interesting, but the execution is so weak.

I think my biggest problem with this book was the characterization of the secondary characters. The only person that

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seemed moderately real was Mila (the irony is not lost on me, I know). Everyone else was such a cliche. Mila's friends were the typical catty high school mean girls. Her best friend was "quirky" and super friendly until they started chasing the same boy. Then she showed her true colours by being a typical Plastic. There was absolutely zero loyalty.

The main love interest in this novel, old what's-his-name (Parker? Hunter? Ryder?) was a carbon copy of every brooding bad-boy loner that you've read in teen novels. He also appeared for about a minute before Mila moved on. The other main male character that has the potential to become a romance (Nathan? Lucas? Okay, now I'm just naming One Tree Hill characters) was a super smart scientist that was working for the bad guys, but only because he was blackmailed into doing it, and had a heart of gold. Yawn. Even Mila's mother was just so dull. Don't even get me started on the main antagonist.

I will admit the action scenes were written quite well and I'm sure this book has the potential to do quite well for the right market. However, if you're not a 15 year old girl, skip this book. Save your brain cells. This is where I stop reading the series.

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NOTE: This is an eARC I got from Netgalley.

This is a nicely done piece of work, that takes the reader on an adventure packed with lots of action, sci-fi elements and of course, teen romance. Taking this book in your hands, you better be prepared for a journey of self-discovery, which may or may not

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take you where you intended to go.

Mila 2.0 started off just as any other book. Girl moves to new town because of some family tragedy. She meets, of course, a boy, a gets attracted to him. But that's where the similarities end. Because Mila really isn't just your average 16 year old girl. No, she's actually an android (an intelligent humanoid robot), who didn't turn out as machine-like as the military had planned. That piece of new information pushed the story into an unstoppable streak of action that continued until the very last chapter.

What impressed me very much was that the author did a very good job incorporating the machine with the human inside one body and mind.

However, there was a huge weakness that I can't just bypass. Every other page (or at least one out of three pages) had to do with Mila's inner struggles of how she wasn't truly a human. Now, don't get me wrong, I get it. At least I think I do since I don't have the actual experience. The girl had all the human traits you and I have. Then all of a sudden she finds out that all of that just doesn't matter in the least. She eats - so what? She cries - so what? She loves - whatever! None of that matters. All the emotions and bodily functions in the world won't take the machine out of her.
Surely, if I found out the same thing was true about me, I'd probably react the same way - denial, hurt, disbelief, yada, yada...

But, there's just a certain limit for all that, which a reader's mind can take. The constant repetition of how sad and angry Mila was that she wasn't an actual human; the continuous denial of her functionalities... it just nagged at me so much! Every time Mila went on a streak of self-loathing, self-wallowing etc., it irritated me to death. Because of all those countless repetitive paragraphs, I wanted this book to just end somewhere and release me from the torture.

In relation to that, I also want to say that this story could've very well been squeezed into less than 400 pages. It was just too long for a debut, series start and a teen book. I was ready to put it down about half-way through.

I won't say more, because it's hard to keep this review spoiler-free as it is.

In conclusion, Mila 2.0 isn't a bad book. It's actually a good one, if you have the patience to pass through all the repetitions. Enjoy!

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Milia is a bit of a loner. She does not really have any friends. Her only friend is Kaylee.Things change between them when they both try to catch the attention of the new boy in town, Hunter. Kaylee offers to give Hunter a ride and makes Mila ride in the back of the truck bed. Kaylee goes really

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fast and Mila gets thrown out of the truck. This is when her whole life as she knew it changes. Mila learns that she is not a real girl. She was made in a laboratory. Now there are some men who want Mila. Mila and her mother go on the run.

I liked this book. Mila only got better as her character and the story developed. She got more intriguing with what she could do. Adults and teens will enjoy this book and trilogy. Where the book world is currently over run by vampires, werewolves, fairies, and zombies it is cool to see a series that is kind of furturistic. My only conplaint about this book is that I did feel it was too long for a first book. I understand that the author was trying to explain the conception and get me ffamiliar with the characters to come in the series but still a bit long. I might not be saying this if it was not for the fact that the action and story did not pick up until about almost 150 pages into the book. Also, I will have to see how it goes in the next book as I am not feeling the love connection between Mila and Hunter at this moment. Of course they did spend most of the book apart. MILA 2.0 is a book that your friends will be talking about. So don't be left behind and pick up a copy for yourself.

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I was so, so excited when I finally got the chance to read Mila 2.0. I had heard (actually, I read) a lot of high praise for the book and, let’s face it, the cover and title are pretty cool. All that aside, I was majorly disappointed by the words inside. Mila 2.0 was purely an “eh” book for

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me.

So, we start out the book with a major dose of school and home drama. Ah-hem. Where is all the action and Bourne Identity stuff I was promised? Finally, after a long wait, some interesting events happen. Sadly, for me, it was too little and too late.

I also have a lot problems with the supporting characters. For your sake, I can sum all of these little quips into one sentence: The secondary characters had no depth. And, for a book the size of three average books, that is a terrible crime. The evil guys are... evil. The cute guy is... cute. And the mean girl is... mean. How boringly generic. *cue sleepy face*

Fortunately, I did like Mila, our main character who happens to be not human. While I wasn’t emotionally invested in her story, her voice did seem authentic. I loved how the author handled her thoughts and inner turmoil. I know that if I just found out I was a robot, I would have lots and lots of inner turmoil!

Overall, Mila 2.0 was not for me. There were some good parts, but the bad overruled the good for me. Mainly, I was just kind of yawning through the novel, when I wish I could have been on the edge of my seat throughout the book!

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Interesting concept, lukewarm execution.
When I read the summary for the book I got really excited. Unfortunately within the first few pages I began questioning the plot and the main character, which leveled my interest. The book has alot of plot holes and the main character had that

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I'm-a-practical/smart-survior-in-any-case-except-when-it-comes-to-boys personality which pops up in a lot of YA fiction but couldn't be ignored in this one.

I think the author should have built up Mila's character, gave her a realistic set of everyday struggles and made her a character you feel connected to before moving the story forward. Without that connection it makes it hard to follow Mila's internal struggle with both herself and her place among others.

While I did eventually finish the book, I didn't enjoy it. I read a lot of books, and there are very few I don't like. This book had a lot of potential and while I won't be reading the next one I hope the author is able to tap into that potential.

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This was a welcome relief after going through several duds in the YA category. I really enjoyed it and found it refreshingly unique. It was my first android book (I haven't read Cinder yet), but the main character felt more human than some of the supporting characters. It had a lot of action, a

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little romance, and a very interesting plot. I really liked the main character and loved how hard she tried to keep a hold on her humanity. However, I didn't feel like I made a connection with any of the secondary characters, aside from her mom. I didn't like the insta-love at the beginning, and quite frankly I have no feelings for the guy except quite a bit of distrust. The best friend went from best friend to psycho in about a minute. I was also left with a lot of questions (Sarah?! - Why didn't her mom TELL her anything?!). I'm sure those will be answered in the next book/books, but I would have liked to have a little to go on. That all being said, I really liked it and am interested to see what happens in the next one.

Areas of concern: A handful of cuss words.
A lot of violence towards the main character and loved one. The main character is forced to use violence, but hates that she has to and tries to control herself to do the least amount of damage when it is necessary.

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Wonderful read! Suspenseful, thrilling, and intriguing! I was amazed at how attached I became to Mila...I was shocked when she found out about herself and felt very upset when she worried about losing her humanity. For a first novel in a series, it was well written and not too bumpy a ride getting

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to the meat of the story. Definitely would recommend this to hard-core sci-fi lover's.

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