Clones, dark secrets, shocking truths, acts of revenge, and a budding romance - The Similars has it all.  After reading the first three words in the description, I knew this novel was for me.

The first half of this book teased me with hints of dark truths, mysteries, and hidden agendas - I couldn't put it down.  Emma's situation is heartbreaking at times, and she has a lot on her plate, but her drive and determination to get to the root of everything is admirable.  The girl gets things done.  Along with the boarding school goings on is a political angle.  What are clones' rights?  Should they be treated as human beings and afforded the same privileges?  Are they a threat?  Things to ponder.

The second half seems to veer off the rails just a tad.  The first half is well-planned and creates a believable world - but the second didn't seem as carefully thought out, and plot developments come from every direction, many of them predictable.  I'm not a fan of love triangles, and by no means is romance the central focus of this story, but there's a hint of the most unique triangle I've come across.  I'll have to wait for the next book to see if it pans out.  

Overall, this is an intriguing book that held my attention from the first page, and I fully intend on continuing with the series.  If you're a fan of layers upon layers of secrets, sci-fi, thrillers, and mystery, add The Similars to your TBR.

So at the beginning I felt very intrigued in this book. From the get go we are immersed in Emma's grief. And it feels raw and tangible. Then the clones are introduced. And this is where my interest soared. But unfortunately it went downhill from there. While I know this will be a series, and I may like the second one better, on a whole I was lacking some character development. I wanted to know more about the clones, more about the relationships between them and their genetic source.

So what's the deal?

There was a distinct sense of conspiracy going on before page one which I immediately loved. The Similars almost mashes this decade long boarding school drama, meets cloning, meets politics, meets love story. And I think that's where it ultimately lost me. I was striving to get a hand hold in the story, the world, the tension. But it kept flitting between all these different hats. And at the end of the night it was just me, in my apartment, and a room full of colorful, but not memorable hats.

I really enjoyed this! The intrigue made me want to keep reading and the characters were likeable enough, although there are a few times when I felt like Emma was prone to making questionable decisions. I fully intend on reading the sequel and can’t wait to find out what happens next!

Imagine going back to school after your best friend just committed suicide only to find a guy there that looks exactly like him. That is what happen to Emma on her first day back at the Darkwood Academy, were the clone kids have been accepted as students for their last two years of high school. And then you get sucked into this wonderful book and all its twists and turns and suspense, I really don't want to go much into it but there are surprises around several corners. This book is really good and will have you up past your bedtime reading it is that good, it will suck you in and not let you go until you are done and can breathe again.


Will appear on blog Jan 1st

It’s a new school year at the prestigious Darkwood Academy. An elite boarding school in Vermont, Darkwood educates students from the country’s best and brightest families. However, this year’s return to school is tainted by some unexpected developments. All the school’s abuzz because six new students are joking the ranks - six students who are exact copies of Darkwood students. Yes, six clones are enrolling at Darkwood.

Emma Chance is not getting caught up in all of the clone drama because she is mourning the loss of her best friend, Oliver. Oliver died over the summer, and he and Emma were not on good terms at the time of his death. Imagine Emma’s shock when one of the six clones turns out to be Oliver’s exact DNA copy. Her best friend is back alive ... except he is really not Oliver. His name is Levi, and his presence at Darkwood is tortuous to Emma.

As can be imagined, the clones, dubbed The Similars, are not a welcome addition to Darkwood by many. Already a media sensation, The Similars are all anyone can talk about. Who are they exactly? What do they want? And why are they here? As the secrets of The Similars are revealed, Darkwood Academy, its students, and Emma especially, find their world turned upside down.

The Similars, a first novel in a series by the same name, by debut author Rebecca Hanover is a tightly woven mystery story with a pinch of sci-fi and a dash of romance thrown in. Atmospheric and slightly creepy, The Similars combines an evocative setting with an ominous plot. In all, the elements work together to create an engaging mystery for YA readers.

Laid out at an intensifying pace, The Similars slowly builds in suspense as clues are revealed about the clones and their true purpose at Darkwood. For detail-oriented readers, the signs and signals are there for solving the case of The Similars, but for those who don’t feel like reading that closely, this is still a fun, plot-driven read.

As an adult reader, I would like to give The Similars 3 stars, just because I found myself bored and disengaged at times with the plot and characters; however, I think that the intended audience will appreciate the mystery at the heart of the novel. Besides, the book is well-written with the right mix of dialogue and description, making this a 4 star read for young adults.

Thank you to NetGalley & Sourcebooks Fire for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

The concept for The Similars sounded super compelling as I have recently become a bigger fan of sci-fi. The topic of clones and all the controversy surrounding them seemed like it would make for a great read.
Sadly, the book was not very interesting. I found that I couldn't read it in one sitting and I often hit what felt like dry patches throughout the book.

In the beginning, I had a lot of hope for the story. Honestly, the first couple of chapters were done well. The story kept me captivated and engaged.

I knew that Emmaline (the MC) would come face-to-face with the clone of her dead best friend within the first couple of pages. I was excited to see her reactions to him and their interactions throughout the book. And let me tell you, I love how much of a spitfire she is! Especially as told through the first person perspective.

I also felt as if Hanover had some excellent world building. Cloning and the technology that is introduced in the first couple of chapters felt real. In some sci-fi books, the technology doesn't seem real. The tech always seems like too far a stretch for imagination. But in The Similars, I found myself nodding along, completely fine with the concepts brought up. I think that this might have been because it was introduced as a lab accident and that it was a shock to the whole world, not just to the reader.
This surprise creation of clones was able to add mystery and depth to the story. One, it sets up the second half of the story, where more is learned about the clones. Two, it was interesting to see the clone and their original interacting and how their personalities differed. And three, I like reading about the morality of cloning and how it affects the world.

*I know that this is entirely off track, but I lived for the class discussions about cloning. The students debated if the clones deserve US citizenship, if there need to be more laws, if it is even ethical to clone someone, if it is a violation of the person that got cloned. Some thought-provoking questions were proposed, and I loved the discussion surrounding them.

One of the more intriguing parts about the book was the mystery. I was pleasantly surprised by the mystery and danger that the book had. Yet, this mystery and uncertainty weren't necessarily super suspenseful or nerve-racking. I loved the sneaking around at night and all of the shadiness of the school. The Tens's motives were so questionable, and I was all there for it!

However, as the book continued, it became more and more unoriginal and harder to believe. The technology gets more difficult to believe and to follow along with. There is a scene in the very end where a new piece of technology is introduced. The tech is quickly added, and I wasn't able to fully understand its capabilities. At the end as well, another plot twist is added, and that's when my hope for the book somewhat died. And it wasn't even an original plot twist! I saw it coming from half a book away. What makes me so disappointed is that in the beginning, the book looked so promising! I had so much hope for it!

I also had a problem with the story path that the book took in the second half of the book. In the first half, the book focused on the clones in the school and the general school life, now with the clones. While I liked it, it was at times, a bit dull. But in the second half, I feel like I was trying to follow three different plot lines at a time. I believe that Hanover was attempting to have these three plot lines give more interest and suspense to the reader. And they did end up converging into each other in the end, but it was not done cleanly. The three plots were confusing, and while I can see how they will help the future books, it was very distracting in the first book.

In this ending scene, a lot happened. Quite honestly, I think it was too much information thrown at the reader at one time. This is where the three plot lines came together which caused chaos. The timing was fast-paced, and there were surprises after surprises. Looking back at the ending and the book, it seems like all three were needed to get to the end. However, I think another reason could have been procured in place of the reason for travel.

In conclusion, The Similars wasn't a bad book. The beginning was outstanding if a bit slow, and unfortunately, the ending was not as good. For the most part, the cloning technology and the other technologies were easy to understand. I was able to believe that something like that could exist and it didn't take me out of the story. I loved the clones and the ethics discussion surrounding them. In the end, though, the storyline broke into three different parts, later joining together. The ending was confusing and so many parts, and information was thrown at me. It was hard to understand, and the new technology that was introduced was hard to see as possible. I don't know if I would highly recommend this book, but I do think that for a good majority, the book is written well.

I was extremely excited for this book! It was hyped at BookCon along with a few others, including Girls of Paper and Fire (which I love). The problem is... while the premise seems super unique, as soon as I started reading I had this sinking "Oh, god, is this going to be a ridiculously stereotypical YA?" feeling. The feeling didn't go away the longer I read; in fact, it only got worse, with stereotypical plot points and character traits. This book had SO MUCH potential, but it just fell flat for me.

I was really enjoying this book until I got ¾ of the way in. Then the story got a little bit too unbelievable. The story is an interesting one, there are a group of clones who go to attend the same school as the teens that their DNA came from. I liked the characters, felt like there was plenty of intrigue and enjoyed trying to figure out the mystery. But then. Then the characters began to act in ways that I just didn’t find to be believable for the characters that the author had created. Once that happened, I just couldn’t let myself escape into the story. The story also got a little more out there towards the end. Overall, I liked the writing and the characters, the setting was well done and the clone aspect was interesting so I’m still giving it three stars despite my feelings about the ending.

The premise of this story sounded unique and I was eager to get my hands on it. And for the first half or so of the book I was thoroughly enjoying it. With the sci-fi, mystery mix and a dash of romance, this seemed the beginning of a good YA series. But then things began to turn and I found myself rolling my eyes as The Similars fell into familiar YA traps: predictable twists and teens who can outsmart adults. I really struggled with the last 10-15% of the book. I think teens will enjoy this but I feel adults will share my sentiments more.

This book! Wow! The Similars had me hooked from the very first page. It was a gripping, thrilling, and entertaining read from beginning to end. I love to read YA novels of this type, and this book certainly did not disappoint!

Imagine going to school, or anywhere for the matter, and seeing exact look-alikes of people that you know… imagine ever further if you had a look-alike of yourself? Such an intriguing concept for sure! Would you be able to tell the original person apart from the exact look-alike?

I enjoyed reading about Emmaline’s experiences with the 6 similars that attended her school and the whole idea surrounding why there were 6 similars to begin with. What was their purpose in the world? Would they have the opportunity to be welcomed in society like every other human being, or would they be shunned from society for being “clones” and treated as such?

I felt bad for Emmaline, especially after the tragic loss of her best friend Oliver and then coming face to face with his exact look-alike similar named Levi. It was like seeing Oliver all over again, except it wasn’t. Not really. Levi might look like Oliver, but he wouldn’t have Oliver’s memories, personality traits, mannerisms, etc that made Oliver…well, Oliver.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it!

I really enjoyed this book, once I started it I couldn't put it down. I couldn't imagine suddenly having a clone, I thought it was a good premise and I am looking forward to reading the next book. I was able to predict some things but not everything so that was a plus! I also think it could be a great way to start conversations in school on morals, ethics, and biology.

I was really excited to read this book because the premise sounded really unique and interesting. I haven't read many books about clones, and this one didn't disappoint. Thank you to NetGally and Sourcebooks for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Similars takes place in a world in which cloning has been perfected and people have begun to clone human beings. Although this is becoming a normal practice, cloning is still very controversial, some people questioning if clones should be consider "human". We follow Emma, who goes back to Darkwood Academy for her junior year to find that there are six new student at her school. These new students are Similars, clones of students that already attend the school. Unfortunately for Emma, one of the clones is of her best friend, who happened to have committed suicide that summer. Emma now has deal with seeing the face of her dead friend, while beginning to unravel the mystery surrounding the Similars.

As I said before, the plot sounded very intriguing when I first read the synopsis, and it didn't disappoint. The plot was full of mystery, intrigue, and a lot of twists and turns. I really enjoyed the mystery that Emma was working to solve, and the end reveal left me shook. I also really enjoyed the futuristic setting, and all the new technology that was incorporated throughout the story. I found the pace at the beginning of the novel, when we were learning about the characters, and world, to be great. It had action, while still making sure the reader knew what was happening. At the end, I found that the plot started to feel rushed. There was a lot that happened, and a lot of it wasn't of explaination, like at the beginning.

I enjoyed learning about the characters, especially the Similars and what made them similar and different from their genetic counterparts. I still wished we got a bit more the the Simlars' personilities though. I felt we got a lot about them at the very beginning, but they weren't developed much further in most cases. Emma was an interesting main character, and it was cool to see how she navigated her way through the year considering all the stuff that was thrown at her. She really grew as a character. I didn't totally buy the romance in the story and I felt that it was underdeveloped, but maybe that will change in the next books.

Overall, if you you are looking for a quick, fast paced, sci fi read, than The Similars may be the book for you.

I wanted a break from Psychological thrillers and I heard good things from other readers on Goodreads, that I was thrilled to be accepted for an ARC of this book.
Emmaline Chance returns to the prestigious Darkwood Academy boarding school. Where in the previous summer, her best friend Oliver committed suicide. She still hasn’t got over his death. She returns to find six human clones join her year. Not only, do the look like doubles of some of her friends but, one of them Levi is spitting image of her dead friend Oliver. The pair have an instant dislike for each other, but, also a connection. She eventually gets closer to Levi and discovers about what he is like and what the other clones are all about.
I don’t read many dystopian novels, But I enjoyed this very much. I couldn’t put it down. I thought the story was an original and I like the mix of science fiction and teenage high school drama. I only problem I had with it, was that it was going on in a leisurely pace and then the last few chapters it was rushed a sounded a bit silly. But this is worth a read and will look forward to the next book to find out how the story develops. I would also like to see how the world came about, having the clones (similars). What started it all.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for a copy of this book.

Clones!  Interesting for sure.  I wanted to like this book more than it grabbed me.  I think maybe a had high hopes for this book, it let me down just a bit.  I did enjoy some aspect of this book. I enjoyed the plot twists, they were fun to keep up with while reading.  The characters were exciting to get to know. I think the book just lost me in the end.  *This book was given to me for free at my request from NetGalley and I provided this voluntary review.*

The Similars is a unique, debut novel with a promising future. While this novel didn’t knock my socks off, I do believe that the next book will be much better. The premise of this series is very unique and fun which I think a lot of readers will enjoy.
This book follows our narrator, Emma Chase, as she returns to her reputable boarding school, Darkwood Academy, for her junior year of high school. However, this school year is different for two reasons. One, Emma’s best friend, Oliver, died over the summer and she is still reeling from this loss. Two, the Similars will be attending Darkwood this year. The Similars are six clones of students from Darkwood.
The thing about the Similars is that they were created secretly without the permission of the families of the original children. None of the families realized their children had been cloned until a few months ago. But, it isn’t until the first day of school that Emma, along with the rest of the student body, learns the identities of the six clones. Emma is shocked to see just how identical the Similars appearance is to their “originals”, but she never expected to see Oliver’s face on one of the Similars.
Emma detests Levi, Oliver’s clone, on the spot. Yet somehow, she gets swept up with the Similars. She finds herself defending them in class. Then, before she knows it, she is delving deep into the secrets of the Similars--and spending more time with Levi.

My Complaints:

From the way this book is written, I believe it’s written for a younger YA audience which is part of why I think it wasn’t perfect for me. It’s chock-full of tropes such as a love triangle and the mysterious, dangerous love interest *yawn*. All of these tropes caused the book to feel predictable. I saw that ending coming from a mile away.
The next issue I had with this book was the romance. It needs to be developed quite a bit. I found it very hard to believe these two characters cared about each other; it felt forced. I also wasn’t a fan of the execution of the action scenes in this book. There were only a few action scenes and they were brushed over fairly quickly. It felt as if they ended just as they began.
Lastly, the plot twists could have been written better in order to achieve maximum impact. This story is full of twists and turns yet I never felt surprised. Emma’s reactions to the various revelations throughout the book fell flat which in turn made them fall flat for me also.

Overall:

I did enjoy this book. I just expected more from it based off of the synopsis. That being said, I will read the sequel when it comes out. I still have high hopes for this series because it has a lot of potential. *fingers crossed*

I was so excited to read this book. The description seemed like a Stepford Wives but with kids! It was and it wasn't. The focus was with Emmeline Chance who was returning to school after her best friends suicide. The book started out so good. I mean I was invested in these characters, the story, everything.
Then it all fell apart.
like literally fell apart. I don't know what happened in the 2nd half but it fell flat. It felt rushed, and not properly thought out. I wanted to like this book, hell I wanted to love it (and I did the first half). THank you Netgalley for an ARC in return for my honest review.

I enjoyed this more than I thought that I would. The story kept me engaged (although I figured out a couple of the plot twists way ahead of time). I felt that it spluttered a bit towards the end and got a bit muddy, but I will definitely be looking forward to the sequel.

I received an advanced copy of this book a few months ago and started reading it, but then put it off because it was categorized as young adult / science fiction which isn't my favorite genre. I was unexpectedly surprised that it also had a significant amount of action and mystery-thriller twists and I really enjoyed it. It was definitely young adult science fiction since the premise of this story is about 6 clones joining the prestigious high school Darkwood, but there are also a lot of secrets being kept and someone is not telling the students the whole story about these clones.

The main character, Emma, is dealing with her own demons, but she wants to find out everything she can about these clones and what the adults are keeping from them. I liked Emma and the relationships she developed, although she was definitely getting in over her head trying to figure everything out. For a debut novel, this was really well done and I enjoyed reading it.

I really liked the premise for The Similars, and while I enjoyed it for the most part, I found my attention wandering a little towards the end. I had suspicions for some of the reveals, but I still liked how it was done! Good writing and a really interesting debut!

Yet another YA novel where the characters are somehow 'special' due to scientific misbehavior. A prep school, a mystery, shadowy scientists. It's all been done before. While the novel was interesting enough for me to finish it, it unfortunately doesn't have anything new to say that hasn't already been said by other titles that went before it. Teens will enjoy it because they will see themselves in the relationships between the characters.