DNF at 25%. It's been over four years since I received this ARC. I gave it a go and have decided it is not for me. It interested me then and no longer does now.

I promise to read this some day.
I just needed to clear up my shelf in NetGalley.
Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles.
I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

This was a middle-of-the-road read for me. While I liked a lot of aspects, there were some things I disliked, and overall, I just didn't feel strongly enough about the book to really warrant adding an in-depth review to the blog.

This book, unlike the last book, was something that was right up my alley, and something I knew I was going to love from the moment I started it. In a time where humans haven't lived outside a computer for many, many generations, their world is claustrophobic and dangerous. Outside of their settlements live drones that shoot to kill on site, and although they can grow their own food, they can barely grow enough for everyone, especially now when the supplies have stopped being delivered.

Sol is different, however. Though she has epilepsy, she doesn't let that stop her from changing the world that they know, and trying to save everyone she know, and more. She's not afraid of going out into the Interspace, and her unique dreaming ability lets her know where and when the drones are going to be around, and where the supplies should be. But this comes with a cost to her health, both physical and mental.

Though she lives in a time where people aren't able to chose their mates due to the very little genetic differences between everyone in their settlement, everything changes when she meets Echo one day while out on a supply run. Though he's not like anyone she's ever met, and she's a little scared to trust him at first, he proves himself to be an amazing and very strong companion. The two will do whatever they need to do to change the world as they know it.

This book was exciting and interesting, and it was everything I wanted it to be and more. Though I wanted there to be a sequel, I think that it ended at such a place where I'm happy if there isn't ever one. The characters and the story were both really easy to imagine and get sucked into, and though this doesn't happen very often, I don't have any questions or complaints or even thoughts leftover that I'm wondering about. In my eyes, this was a perfect book to get me out of my reading slump, and I think it's something that I'd love to read again and again, that's just how much I loved it.

If you love stories about young adults who want to change the world, no matter how different it is from out own, then you're going to love this, and I hope you love it as much as I do. Definitely check it out if you get the chance, and it'll make a beautiful addition to your collection! I'd love to check out other books by the author because of this one.

There’s nothing special about this story per say. And yet it feels special. It’s really all about one girl and a man fighting for the impossible. And aren’t we all fighting for the best and maybe the impossible everyday?

Representation
Some amazing representation here. Our lead gal has epilepsy and struggle in her dystopian world. From drones, AI, not-safe areas; this is already a world fraught with danger. Add onto that the possibility of have a seizure at any moment and you definitely have the recipe for: over bearing parents, drive to prove yourself, and fighting just to contribute to daily life.
"I refuse to be useless because you feel better when I do nothing."
Our MC is a strong gal who pushes over and above in every instance. And her epilepsy just might be the reason she has 'access' to certain keys...

Love on the Run
We spent the majority of Failsafe running through unsafe zones with our MC and an android-like man. During their travels they enter a colony, encounter droids, get shot at (a lot), hide, and talk. Through this Anela Deen gives us the beginnings of a love story. It's subtle, and feels realistic. It's not insta-love, it's not 'you saved me so now I must love you' syndrome, or anything that feels false. One of the best things about this story is the budding interest and caring that our two MC's start to have for one another. As someone who usually hates all love stories inserted into sci-fi novels; I gotta say this one really surprised me, in a good way. Our MC really finds herself alongside her android companion.
"I had no control over the actions of others. Why had I chosen to reject myself?"

Overall
The writing in Failsafe is really good. Don't be fooled by the Indie publisher here; this is a solid story. The mystery of how the world works and what is really happening at any given time is done very well and drives our story forward. We have good plot and motivation at all times.
While it's not a five-star 'outstanding book' for me; it was excellent and I'd absolutely recommend it to those that enjoy a fast-paced, action sci-fi story. It's also short, at only 200 pages, yet jam-packed with insightful comments from our MC, relationship building, tragedy, and lots of action. You can't go wrong with this story given the small investment it takes to complete. I'll be in the look-out for more of Deen's work in the future; as I think there is real talent here and in a larger, more complex story it could really shine.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

Really interesting premise, great characters but not the best book I've ever read but I will DEFINITELY be reading the sequel went it is released

I unfortunately did not get around to reading this book before it was archived, I will however keep an eye out for it in store.

A slow burn plot and engaging characters make this a must read YA for those who love apocalyptic books.
It would benefit from a little more world building, but the characters did keep me engaged where other books would have me giving up.

An interesting YA sci-fi with engaging characters - I really enjoyed Sol and Echo. I would have liked a bit more world building and a bit more resolution at the end with the settlements.

*thank you to Netgalley and Anela Deen for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

2 stars.

I struggled with this. I loved the description of the story, but it just didnt hold my attention quite so well. It wasnt badly written, I just think it was a bit too slow and lacking a little. But in saying that, the story was OK.

I wanted to like this book but quickly found myself bored while reading it. It never really caught my attention.

The premise/summary sounded interesting but this book just didn't do it for me. Characters were semi interesting.

I really wanted to like this book. I DNF’d at 30% in. It wasn’t for me. The plot looked amazing and it had promise, it just wasn’t delivered in a way that intrigued me as a reader.

Do I Recommend this book? Yes!

Notes and Opinions: I love books with sarcastic main characters and Sol is very sarcastic. She very different from Echo,who is so adorable! He's adorably awkward and sweet. And their relationship? Omg. It's so genuinely pure. I just wanted to push them together and make them kiss. It was killing me the whole time. I loved the plot. I mean, come on, who doesn't like books like The Terminator movies (just a lot less violent)? The only thing that I never really understood was why Sol was able to dream the network. Honestly, I would love to read more about them and their world!

This story summary sounds dangerously derivative: a rebellious teenage girl sets out to topple the monstrous Skynet overlord her society has lived under for generations, and finds love along the way.

Happily, the reading experience doesn't feel like that at all. This book was good!

Sol has a voice that feels real: just the right amount of sarcasm to be interesting and distinct and seem like an actual person, without crossing over into being annoying and off-putting. Echo is a fairly standard Castiel-type good-hearted guy with powers who acts like a robot and has no idea how to be human. But like... am I a sucker for this? Maybe so.

The plot, to be fair, is a little quick and wobbly. It's never truly explained why Sol is able to dream the network, and receive the messages transmitted by the creepy scientists. It never really makes sense why, after wiping out nearly all of humanity, the Interspace chose to cover the entire world in what is essentially an Earth-sized computer chassis. Why does the Interspace need to trap humanity inside a giant computer box, so they're essentially living like little tiny cockroaches crawling over the enormous wires and computer chips? Wouldn't that be useless and counterproductive for everyone involved? The final confrontation with the Interspace herself is also just kind of: what?

Do I care about these things, though? Not really. I mean it would be nice to have all this make a little more sense, but the main thrust of the story is carried by Sol and Echo's relationship. I don't even like romance, and would vote to cut it out from nine out of ten books -- especially YA dystopias, which are constantly shoving needlessly melodramatic, bloated, emotionally vacant attempts at romance subplots down readers' throats.

Sol and Echo, though, I can get behind. There is no love triangle, there is no cheap miscommunication gag; they just genuinely come to understand and like each other. They talk about things. And yes, okay, I find the <i>*cocks head* I do not understand your human ways, please clarify</i> thing very endearing. I was engrossed the whole time reading about their journey through the Network, and the creepy scientists were so viscerally repulsive and terrifying that it pretty much makes up for the somewhat less-than-climactic confrontation with the Interspace.

A new dystopian novel.

Using a tried and true trope, Anela Deen spins a wildly original adventure.

An advanced predictive AI coded and loaded with all of the worlds electronic data becomes sentient. Generations after apocalyptic events decimate the human population, the "Interface" holds the remnants of humanity within it's walls with a mutual non-destruction accord.

There are only 40,000 people left in all the world. Prisoners, they are kept separated and secluded in 12 small groups. Provisions to sustain life are delivered at intervals by the Interface's drones. When those deliveries become fewer and less predictable, their meager existence is in dire danger.

On a daring mission to obtain supplies, Sol's life is in danger from drones programmed to kill any human found outside the settlements. It's only thanks to Echo, a stranger she's never met or heard of, that she's able to escape with her life.

Echo insists he is not a machine. However, he is much more than human. He is Failsafe, stronger, faster, quick healing and having weapons no one has ever seen before. Echo raises suspicion in the settlement, especially once he admits he is on a mission to the central processing unit of the controlling AI to shut it down.

Sol has a special ability to see the schematics of the network. A map to navigate and a schedule of policing bots to avoid. Between her ability and Echo's special strength and weapons, they may have a chance to complete the journey. She is anxious to prove that she can still contribute as a member of her society even though she's recently been diagnosed with epilepsy. She's also not entirely surrendered to the fact she must mate with DNA compatible, matched partner. A violent and possesive man that has hurt her in the past.

Initially Sol agrees to accompany Echo a short way and provide him with navigation instructions for the remainder of his journey. But as they get to know each other and circumstances cause them to fight for their lives time and again, Sol ultimately decides to accompany him the entire way.

On their journey, Echo learns how to be more human and Sol learns the true depth of her strength and determination. The two bond in a very special way. This romance part of the story was sweet. It was cute in places, although maybe a little childish.

The story was packed with all the elements of the trope. We get the evolving Echo learning about emotions and feelings. We get an arch enemy, Override, in the form of an evil and invinsible robot. We get the AI becoming more and more determined to stop them using the killer drones. We get Sanctuary, a place safe from both drones and Override, but populated with sketchy scientists. Finally, we get the AI itself in a twisty turny conclusion that, of course, provides our love birds with an HFN.

I enjoyed reading this dystopian adventure. I had questions and concerns at times but all of my questions were answered by the end of the book. The only thing I didn't quite understand is when and how the huge physical network that housed the AI's hardware and the settlements was built and how it was currently powered. How the remaining humans came to be living inside that network. There was a tiny part at the end when a life was granted that didn't make sense to me. But other than those two niggles, I definitely enjoyed the story.

I thought it was so smart of the author to build a world made up of computer hardware and software where humans inhabited small settlements within it. The implied metaphors were perfect! The "Failsafe", "Override","Fragmentation". Also, the hardware like the "heat sink" and "cooling fan" and many others encountered in the journey. Geeky me was thinking this was the coolest thing ever. ;-)

So let's start off with the good and then venture into the not-so-good. If you've read my reviews, you know that the characters make or break a book for me. Luckily, the characters in this book were really well-written and relatable. Sol is a great main character, fitting right into the YA dystopian genre. She was clever, determined, and strong, overcoming personal obstacles that impeded her vision of the future.

Echo was a unique character. I really liked his growing personality as he grasped more of his humanity. His responses to and conversations with Sol were a highlight of the book for me.

So here is where I realize how much my rating relied on these characters and their chemistry because other aspects of the book left me a bit confused.

The setting. Ugh. I get that it was new and different, but it was really difficult to imagine. They're walking around in a mega-computer type world? Climbing cables and jumping across circuit boards? Meh.

The plot was sort of just...not there. It's a short book so not a lot of time is spent on Sol's background and upbringing. For the most part, we follow Sol and Echo on their journey to break free from the Interspace. The Override was a strange, rather childish villain, and the Sanctuary was a dramatic turn, but there was nothing that really stuck out in the story, pressing me to read on.

Overall, I give Failsafe a rating of 3.5/5 stars with a mega detraction for setting and minor detractions for lack of plot and character background.

After a war between the Interspace AI and humans, the Armistice allowed human settlements inside the Interspace, but they’re forbidden from leaving their small part of the network. When the food deliveries abruptly stop, however, Sol (short for Soleil) feels she has no choice but to go searching for the missing shipments. She has an eidetic memory and has been having strange dreams where she can see the network’s schematics, so she’s able to anticipate where the Interspace’s enforces, the drones, will be. When a run goes bad, she’s saved by a strange man with technology she’s never seen before who immediately asks her for directions to the Interspace’s control center. He’s suspicious that Sol seemed to have knowledge of the drones’ routes, and, well, Echo – as the stranger calls himself – is just plain suspicious in general. Sol, caged by her parents’ worries about her epilepsy and what they see as her needless risktaking, makes a bargain with Echo to get him closer to the control center. But as she finds out more about the Interspace and Echo, will her choices lead her back to the world she’s always known or forward to an uncertain future?

“The truth was they had trouble accepting my condition. It wasn’t about my safety, it was about their fear. Fear took away the Custodian position I’d been training years for. I wouldn’t let it ruin our chances at survival. I was more than my illness. Why didn’t they see that? Why weren’t they…proud of me for what I’ve accomplished?
Why don’t you see me? I wanted to ask, but I never did.”


I haven’t read a YA dystopian book in a while, so this was a delightful treat. I especially liked that the human settlements are actually inside the Interspace – a giant computer – so the areas they have to traverse are filled with circuit towers and other computer innards. I loved how character-focused it was, as well. The majority of it is a road trip sort of story with Sol and Echo trying to find the Interspace’s control center, so they both have a lot of time to get to know each other and bond. Since Echo isn’t initially very talkative, it also gives Sol a lot of time to ruminate over her epilepsy and how it’s changed how she’s viewed in the settlement, especially by her parents, and how she’s changed in reaction. One of my favorite parts about YA is watching characters struggle to figure out who they are, and while I think Echo has the most obvious growth, Sol grows a lot as well. There’s also a slow burn romance between the two, which was adorably sweet.

“Not a machine. He’d said that a few times. I hadn’t known him long but he didn’t seem the type to repeat himself. The differentiation mattered deeply to him then. With regret, I thought of how many times I’d called him a robot. His impassive manner made it seem like nothing bothered him, but maybe that was wrong. He was different in ways I didn’t fully understand, but different didn’t mean less. It was just another way to be. You’d think after all I’d been through in the last year I’d have the concept down.”


As for cons, the pacing was a bit uneven, and there’s a plot element towards the end (involving the source of Sol’s dreams) that was ridiculously deus ex machina. Basically, there’s a lab full of clones of the original scientists who created the Interspace who save them from the big bad guy after they’re pretty much all the way dead. The scientists also have a magical teleportation thingamajig that can send Echo and Sol directly to the Interspace’s control center. It just seemed to be a way to wrap up some unanswered questions quickly before the end of the book.

Overall, though, I very much enjoyed this book, and I’ve already found something else in Ms. Deen’s backlist to read!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Soliel, Sol, for short has true dreams which allow her to know when it is safe to leave her district. Echo needs help navigating through the districts. After he saves her life and learns of her ability he asks her to travel with him. Unsure if Echo is a human or a robot, she is leary to help him. She agrees to give him some assistance, and the adventure begins. I do not want to give too much away. The story between Sol and Echo becomes involved and the meaning of Echo's journey is integral to the plot of the story. This is a great Sci-Fi YA book that I read in less than two days. A solid 4 Star rating!

Actual rating: 3.5

"I am the Failsafe."

#RollCredits

The Writing and Worldbuilding

The writing style was really hard to get used to at first, I gotta admit. It is first person and very much stream of consciousness, which was difficult to adjust to. For instance, the word "craptastic" is used. And besides that, the first chapter was extremely rushed. I thought there'd be an introduction to Sol's life and family, but no, that was all done in exposition, with the first chapter consisting of things I thought would happen in the third or fourth chapter. Besides that, there were so many typos. It was really hard to ignore them, being a grammar nazi and all. Also, sometimes, scenes were just completely skipped, like Deen wanted them in the plot but didn't want to bother writing them. It was very jarring sometimes. Also, it was never explained how Sol got into the other settlements when she did supply runs; like, wouldn't they have thought she was just a Wraith and never let her in?

"He was different in ways I didn't fully understand, but different didn't mean less. It was just another way to be. You'd think after all I'd been through in the last year I'd have the concept down."

Once I got used to it all and the story really picked up, I found myself totally loving it!!! Echo was so wonderful and his and Sol's banter was just so cute! I loved the themes as well, and I thought they were well executed for the most part. Choice and humanity were two of the biggest themes. I loved the world too. The atmosphere was great and very tangible. And despite the rushed plot at the beginning, the love story was thankfully slow-burn, and I really loved it. It warmed my cold dead heart I'd thought incapable of love.

I'd rate the writing 2 stars, but the plot and characters 4 stars.

"Inaction was as much a choice as one made by conviction."

Also, the heck is a "heat cylinder"??

The Characters

First, I gotta say, what the heck is the deal with these "unique" YA names?? They're driving me crazy! Centhea, Margrit, Devid, and don't get me started on Mykel. It's just Michael! Spell it like a normal person, for goodness sake! The world ended, but they still had language and knew how to spell! *reins in frustration* Okay, let's begin.

"I have no need of constellations with you as my guiding star."

Soleil: She was pretty annoying at first but once I got used to her, I really liked her. She is pretty introspective (being mostly alone in a dark, grey cyberscape definitely encourages that) but sometimes wasn't asking questions I thought obvious to ask (like where her schematic dreams come from, for instance). Also, her painting was thrust upon my suddenly as if I already knew, which with the rushed first chapter, really made me feel like I'd missed some vital prologue chapters. I liked how she had epilepsy.

"You are my guiding star...I go who where you lead."

Echo: MY HEART! I'm dead. I love this adorable android man so much, you don't understand. He really saved this book and made me even keep reading past chapter 2, because he had so much potential and really delivered on it. I loved his caring personality and found his dialogue so adorably stilted and awkward.

"You are a separate entity," he said softly, "independent of me in every respect, yet I have come to see you as an integral part of myself. Vital to my core functions. I will not leave you. I cannot."


The Override: He was pretty creepy.

Conclusion

Survival was indeed a human being's primary directive but we had our own overrides. The heart was one of them.

I really liked this book. I've already gushed about to my family and now I'm gushing about it to you. It's great. Go read it.