Adaptation by Malinda Lo YP FIC LO (Sadly Nic Cage doesn't play twins that are writing the very book you are reading)

Something is wrongs with the birds. Great flocks of birds are diving into airplanes crashing dozens, killing thousands.  Reese thought it was just something on the news, weird, scary, but far away.  Then a bird flies through her windshield and when she and her (secret) crush David wake up they’re in a military hospital.  After a seemingly miraculous recovery she returns home and nothing is the same.  She feels eyes watching her everywhere.  Her search for the truth sends her headlong into a mysterious and beautiful stranger, Amber Grey.  As Reese struggles with feelings she’s never expected she falls deeper into a dangerous conspiracy with GLOBAL implications.  Feelings aren’t the only thing that’s changing in Reese, she’s changing…adapting, but to what and FOR what?

Malinda Lo has me hooked.  This start of a series has me NEEDING to know what happens next, which honestly surprised me.  The book starts well and then sort of seems to lose direction when Amber and Reese meet.  Since it is a fairly realistic (and well written) look at intense infatuation that actually sort of works for the overall narrative.  Reese is distracted form her main goals and the story follows that, but as much as I liked the romance elements I kept wanting to jump back into the conspiracy stuff. Fortunately, the book acquits itself nicely when it gets back on track.  The sense of tension and dread is well developed.  Lo makes the environmental catastrophe and widening conspiracy super chilling.  I love a good WHO CAN YOU TRUST!!!? book, and this one pays off in spades.  The characterization, dialogue, and scene building are all top notch too.  Reese is a great head strong protagonist with a likeable wit, Amber is an alluring enigma, and David is smart, funny, and relatable.  Also, mad props for Lo including a male Asian hero!  Sci-fi can always use more non-sidekick characters from diverse groups.  Last but not least the special powers that Reese and David start to develop and interesting and Lo does a great job of revealing them slowly and leaving you wanting more, which is what sequels are for!  Adaptation is a great contemporary sci-fi novel with some darned good writing and clever ideas.

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