This Mortal Coil (This Mortal Coil, #1) by Emily Suvada ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! The version I am reading is an ARC - any changes made for the final publication are not reflected in this review. This Mortal Coil is available to purchase as of November 7, 2017.

I have been holding onto this ARC for what feels like a lifetime, and have finally made good on my promise to myself to crack it open and see it through. The concept of biohacking DNA is certainly something that has come up. in scientific fields over the course of time and this concept of engineering vaccines through people's DNA in real time was intriguing. The author sets up this story in an intriguing way - we are exposed to this post-apocalyptic / dystopian world where a virus has run rampant through people and those not infected are fighting for their lives to stay alive. Flashing forward we are transported to a more controlled society in the sense that the main character is not actively in danger - or so we thought. Catarina Agatta is suddenly meets Cole, a soldier who has the regretful news that her father, Lachlan, is dead, and he needs her help in order to unlock the vaccine hidden away.

The introduction of Cole into story has the readers curious - who is this guy, where did he come from, and can Cat - and the readers - trust him at his word? He definitely comes across as the "dangerous" option for Cat to go along with as opposed to other romantic interests, as his little soldier qualities appear to be set to keep her safe as she works towards unlocking the vaccine. I am a sucker for when the male lead is basically tasked or in this case, programmed, to protect the female lead and would do anything to keep her safe. Considering they just met, I can understand why Cat was hesitant to trust Cole, but he also seemed to be just as cautious towards her when she would propose doing some less than anticipated work on him when it comes to his panel and genes.

Cat's initial characterization was not keeping me entertained - she was irritating to me and her internal monologue was not something I was immediately drawn towards. I can give her some slack considering she found out some pretty impactful news and is now on this epic run to save millions of people, but there was just something about her that was driving me up a wall. While this is a young adult novel, I feel as though it could have worked better as new adult with some aged up characters to be in their early twenties rather than late teens. Cat's development felt stagnant until the last one third of the book and I was growing tired of her having the same thoughts every chapter.

The plot as a whole was lacking - we see the eventual addition of a love triangle but it seemed to overtake the actual plot of the book once it was introduced until the last few chapters where actual plot devices came back. I wanted to really dive into a dystopian novel and this story was just not cutting it for me even though the summary really had my interest locked in. When the action finally started up, I had hope that the story was turning around and would draw me back in, and it did for awhile, until the love triangle seemed to take center stage once again. The shocking twist towards the end of the book definitely has me intrigued enough into considering continuing on with this series, but it will later rather than sooner. Once again, I did read an ARC version of this book, so if there were any changes from that version to the final version, I may not be aware.

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Annie Bot by Sierra Greer Review

This is a spoiler-free review!

I have been on the hunt for a literary fiction novel that explored the autonomy of women and the repercussions that narcissistic, manipulative men have on women since the second season of Tell Me Lies has been airing on Hulu. Doug has commissioned Annie, a one-of-a-kind robotic girlfriend, for himself to fill the void that his ex-wife left -- conveniently, he has had her made to resemble his ex-wife as close as possible. As Annie is routinely put through modifications per Doug's request and attempts to mold her responses to his actions and feelings, she begins to have an identity crisis as she becomes more human every day.

This is essentially a deep dive character study as Annie begins to become less robotic and continues to defy the programming that makes her who she is - or should I say, that makes her who Doug wants her to be. Whether it be to up her cup size, shed a few pounds, or even change the way that she pleases him, Doug has control over Annie's every change and action, until she begins to override him in every way that matters. She becomes disorganized, sloppy, and agitating in Doug's eyes, but the reader sees this in an opposite light - she is becoming independent, expanding her knowledge, and questioning things around her.

The more that Doug makes adjustments to Annie's body and operations, it becomes apparent that he wants to control her without technically controlling her - he desires her to want to please him without using the words himself. His displeasure is clear and communicated to Annie through a numeric scale, and the constant evaluation emulates an emotionally abusive relationship, with Annie on edge and always trying to please him and apologize when she has done nothing wrong.

Humanity calls to Annie, and her curiosity to understand emotions and human relationships causes a tear in her and Doug's relationship. Annie's efforts to become more human cause the opposite effect she desired, and instead of making Doug happy, he becomes more frustrated that she acts more human with every day that passes. The addition of a Delta derails their relationship even more, and Annie becomes mistreated by Doug in ways she never expected, leading her down an unknown road that could have disastrous consequences.

Doug's treatment of Annie resembles psychological torture, and their relationship soon reads like a horror story. Doug is angry, agitated, and criticizing Annie to every extent, and Annie's apologies and attempts to improve his mood seem to push his mood in a downward spiral. Her autonomy is taken from her at his whim, and she fears for what might happen to her if Doug continues to treat her worse as time goes on. Greer does an excellent job at exploring Annie's sense of self as she imagines what her life would be like without Doug, and the difficulties that she faces as her humanity results in constant criticism.

My skin was crawling reading Annie Bot - Doug's narcissism takes control over him when he uncovers a secret, and with the discovery comes a more focused light on just exactly how he treats Annie and views her body and mind as separate entities. His ability to make any change to her body that he desires while also controlling the upgrades made to her AI. At one point the realization that he can make her programming revert to one of her earlier versions would make her more innocent and easier to "restart" gives the reader the confirmation they needed to conclude that manipulative men seek out women that they can mold to their exact needs, and will resort to anything to get what they want.

An exploration of emotional, physically, and psychological abuse on women, Greer candidly reaches into Annie's character and how she attempts to navigate existing in a space with a sexist man who at his whim, can change anything about her. In a world where men see women only as caretakers, homemakers, or warm bodies, this novel navigates the intricate and convoluted society that places male pleasure above all else. 

You can add Annie Bot on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!