Deviation (The Sophisticates #1) by Christine Manzari

🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:

Being a Sophisticate of the Program seems like it’d be a pretty sweet deal: a little genetic alteration and anyone can be smarter, faster, and stronger. It’s a dream come true. All you have to give up is your freedom.

Cleo is a Sophisticate and she has a bright future in the Program. But she has a secret. When she gets upset, bad things happen. Explosive things. Things she can’t control.

When her secret is discovered, she’s sent to the Academy to train in the military branch of the Program. She’s destined to be a human weapon in the war that’s been going on since Wormwood occurred nearly 30 years ago. She soon learns that although her ability is unique, there are others like her — other Sophisticates with lethal skills and odd code names like Archerfish and Mimic Octopus.

Immersed in a dangerous game of supernatural powers and dubious motives, Cleo doesn’t know who to trust. Ozzy, the annoyingly attractive cadet who has perfect aim in weapons class and deviant lips behind closed doors, begs her not to use her powers. He’s the golden boy of the Program, but can she trust him? Or will she find herself a target, caught in his crosshairs?

^{I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review}

I really liked the idea that the author had for this book. Terrorism has gotten out of control and millions of people are dead. This forces "the good guys" to change their tactics in order to win the war which involves changing humans into genetically altered weapons to be wielded to eradicate terrorists. The book is from the point of view of Cleo who is a sophisticate who has special abilities and after said ability is discovered is sent off to train at military academy. The book mainly focuses on her having to adjust to life at the military academy and how she doesn't quite fit in there. She is more of an intellectual than a fighter. I wished that the author would have done more with this book. There were so many directions that she could have taken it in but I think that she had trouble deciding which made the book seem like it lacked direction. I don't understand where she is going with it to be honest. The end of the book surprised me because there was no foreshadowing at all pertaining to what was revealed. I thought that the book would be taken in a completely different direction. I wished that the book didn't focus so much on Cleo acclimating to her new school. I would have liked to have seen more action between the sophisticates and terrorists or for Cleo to find out something more about her parents. Anything else. I enjoyed the book but I feel like this story had so much more potential that went to waste.