I AM NOT OKAY!!!! 😭😭😭 This book... Ugh! What did it just do to me?? I need Liberated NOW! I need answers!! Finishing this book had be switching back and forth from gasping out loud to crying. It was an emotional ride to be sure. 😭😍🥰

I stand by my thoughts on CALCULATED and my opinion that it could have been amazing as a stand alone in a world where we do not get many stand- alones in this genre. That being said, this is a fantastic book and conclusion (I think?) to the series. The pacing is fast and the plot draws you in from the start and holds you in a vice grip till the very end.
Personally, I could have done without a love triangle so this won't be a five star for me but that is definitely a more personal opinion.

Love this book! Read the other ones in this trilogy and I can’t recommend this book enough. If you like adventure and intrigue- this is a must read!

The only thing I hated about Activated was the fact that it ended, but Liberated is on the horizon and I am here for it! Another fantastic story from Nova McBee!

This book is giving me emotional distress (in a good way)!

Please be aware there are spoilers in my review.

After the end and epilogue of Simulated, I really can't wait to read Activated! But if you know me I tend to stall reading my favorite series because I don't want it to end, hence why I didn't start reading it until now.

And man oh man! I was jumpy and almost scream late at night reading this. I love how atmospheric it was! Finland, specifically Lapland is on my top travel list for a long time and the fact that the book is set in that place was giving fuzzy feeling!

As for the action, this wasn't high-octane as the previous one considering it had a big mafia organization involved, but still had that adrenaline-pumping kind of situation. I was just wondering why there was no mafia using guns. They could've shot Jo when she ran away from them (the leg or something if they want her alive) but they didn't. And also when things were about to go down when both sides of the mafia face each other, they brawled instead of gun blazing. Idk if they really did that irl, or am I just watching/reading too many mafias to expect a gun-fighting scene?

I was really frustrated by how much time for Jo to finally figured her feelings out for both Kai and Noble. I felt like I wanna shake her lol! I was screaming in agony when Kai said particular words to Jo, my heart hurts, like hurts hurts! But I also felt a little bit glad since Nova didn't make Kai and Jo's relationship back to what it used to easily. Based on the epilogue, she made Jo 'fight' to get Kai's back. All I'm concerned about is whether will it be too late. And I'm having a headache while writing this because I'm thinking, from all the hint hint will there be another love triangle in the fourth book, because for the love of numbers I can't deal with it again haha!

Ah just excellent! I knew I was going to love it, I mean the first two books were incredible, but this one was even BETTER! How is that possible?

I love the elements of danger and yet the way in which the author handles it so that it feels Young Adult without talking "down" to the reader--especially when it comes to the math elements. I'm not great with math, but I love this series and how its handled.

I also l-o-v-e-d what happened with regards to the romantic elements of this...which I won't spoil BUT I will say...press through. It's worth it in the end :D

Cannot wait until the last book in the series comes out! If you enjoy YA thrillers you need this book in your life!

My rating: 5*

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Thanks to the publisher for a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

How have I never heard of this book or series before?? I was given this to read and review, a bit skeptical as it's #3 in the series and I haven't read the others. HOWEVER -- After reading this, I am so glad I gave it a chance. This book is unlike any other sci-fi book I've ever read. So amazing and fast paced, kept me speed reading and turning the pages! Loved the main character and the crazy skills she had. I also loved the turmoil going on between the good and bad guys. The messy bit was the main characters guy interests, she had two, but it worked itself out by the ending. I enjoyed this completely! This is something I'd expect to watch on TV as a series or a badass movie. Loved how the author's writing gets you fully into the world the author creates. I like that it was fast paced and such an interesting read. Even though I haven't read the 2 books that came before this one, I felt as if this book could be a stand alone. I will absolutely read the others in the series now.

I received this book by NetGalley and the publishers to read and review. The statements above are my true opinion after fully reading this book.

“Activated” by Nova McBee: A Thriller of Light, Mystery, and A Love Triangle (5/5 Stars)

[SPOILERS FOR BOTH Calculated AND Simulated AHEAD!]

Josephine Rivers survived the Pratt, survived Madame, with the help of Kai in China. She survived Tunisia and saved him with Noble. Torn between two boys, one who shares her genius and the other who has always believed in her, Josephine broke up with Kai, desperate to figure out where her heart was leading her as her math ability continued to expand. Now, with blackouts happening all over the world, Jo must go to Finland to find the math prodigy she fell in love with while battling with her feelings for the kind, brave boy she also loves. Who will she choose? She doesn’t know, and right now, there are more important things, like saving the world. With the help of PSS, her family, and more, Jo must use her gift to save everyone in this Mission: Impossible type thriller.

Okay, I ADORE this book! Nova McBee weaves in everything you need to keep you on the edge of your seat: suspense, mystery, epic cliffhanger chapters, and more! I felt everything that Jo felt; I felt torn between Noble and Kai! Which one would she choose? Which one did I want her to choose? I flip-flopped and wrestled with that as Jo did, and Nova put me through all the emotions with her masterful storytelling: joy, excitement, grief, sorrow, pain, wonder, shock, and more!

The character development and the humanity of the characters, from Jo to Jo’s family to the PSS team and more, made the story that much better! And the suspense!! This book was incredible, and, in my opinion, it is the best book in the Calculated series!

If you’re a fan of last-minute challenges, suspense, well-written love triangles, and great storytelling, I highly recommend you pick up this book (and the rest of the series)! 5/5 Stars for sure!

Favorite Quote:

“Light is a dangerous thing to follow. Before you know it, it will drive you to the darkest corners of the Earth.”

Jo finally got the gift she lost before, but it seems like the gift comes with something new. It feels foreign to Jo that's why she needs to find Noble, to enlighten some things for her.
Then, Rafael-Jo's old friend goes missing and send a message to Jo to help him but she realize it will not be as easy as that. With the help of her prodigies team and her new gift, she'll find the answers and also save her old friend.

I was surprised to find out this series is not a trilogy and Jo's journey is not over yet. To be honest, I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters and I'm glad I still have another book to look forward to.

It took me a while to get hooked into the story, perhaps the reason is because I forgot some of the characters here since it's been a while since I read Simulated... Fortunately, as I read further memories started to come back and I could follow the plot easier.

I really like Jo's character development as she struggle to works things out in her life. Trying to find out which is the right path to go with the help of the people around her.
I love seeing her work together with her prodigies team, I wish I could know more about them.

I like the family relationship, especially between Jo and her father. Her father is an expert on relationship tips and I love his talk about the Continental Divide.
That talk finally got Jo to realize who is the right one for her, after being confused in the previous book!

There's quite a lot of heart breaking moments here after what happen in the previous book, Simulated. I really hope they end up together in the next book!
It's time we have another sweet cute moments from both of them instead of this hurt and painful interaction...

Overall, this book is a really good addition to the series! It was action-packed but also filled with heartfelt and heartbreaking moments.
There are still a lot of things left unresolved and new threats also being introduced near the ending! I'm really looking forward to read the next book and I hope it'll come sooner!!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Nova McBee and Wise Wolf Books for granting me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest opinion!

While Jo is trying to break Noble's star code and decide if she is over Kai, unexplained blackouts/power surges are causing problems all over the world, and satellites to malfuction. Rafael goes missing and it coincides with her new mission to the Arctic Region of Finland. They must discover what is happening to the new Super Satellite before total chaos ensues. Will she find Noble, and will he help?

Gripping from the get-go, the narrative is as addictive as ever. Like always, the descriptions of Jo's ability are cool and now that it has evolved, even more so. The wonderfully depicted action has a whole new level now, as does the intrigue. I am always in awe as to how the author lays the stones to the path of her fast-paced clever plot. How the details immerse you into the events unfolding, into Jo's mindset. How personal and full of life lessons this action movie of a book is.

Inventive figurative speech like "I rip the night off like a Band-Aid" colors this book's uniqueness. It is also highly quotable with its nuggets of wisdom.

I think the dream/memories are OK and put a point across but then they seem to take away from the story and get too long. Like they exist just to interrupt the anticipation and suspense.

Something you will certainly take away from reading this is that the world is worth saving, things can actually change. There are good people out there, and we need to be more optimistic. Duty and honor are not dead.

Thrilling, unpredictable and full of heartstopping surprises. There are new threats and blasts from the past, not to mention betrayals, all peppering the enthralling writing of the author, in this series you've come to love since book one. Kudos to McBee for another amazing story that had me pumping my fist in the air or screaming at the book in parts. I need the next installment NOW!!

Activated is yet another standout novel from author Nova McBee.

I went into this third installment with HIGH hopes since both Calculated and Simulated were in my top ten books of last year. This novel met and surpassed them all. It was absolutely amazing, both as a sequel and individual story, and everything I was hoping for.

While so many aspects (plot, pacing, and worldbuilding) were strong in Activated, the standout was character development for me. I particularly appreciated how authentically the characters of Jo, Kai, and Noble were developed. The progression of their journeys and relationships felt truthful to who they were as people, and never became a vehicle for the plot. McBee’s ability to craft compelling and complicated characters in an action-packed, can’t-put-it-down story is truly a rare and remarkable talent.

Throughout this series, I have been impressed by McBee’s storytelling, particularly in her ability to raise emotional and physical stakes in each installment. Each book stands alone in terms of stellar plotting, while also building a series arc - another rare feat of storytelling.

And I can’t say much for fear or spoiling the outstanding ending, but I can say this: I am dying to hear there are more installments planned in this series!

Where do I start.. I literally could not out this book down. My kids and I have been reading this as our family read a loud and they're ere bagging me to just finish the book tonight. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. It is mission impossible meets, hunger games, meets the godfather. So good we laughed almost cried and definitely each of us has yelled out loud at the fictional characters who don't feel fictional at all. Gish everyone needs to read this series.

I’m such a fan of this series featuring MC math prodigy Jo Rivers. It’s rare, but each book is just as good as or even better than its predecessor.

It’s difficult to review the third novel in a series without spoilers, but I’ll give it a shot. Be warned – vagueness ahead. Again Jo finds herself and her team in the midst of a dangerous mission with millions of lives at stake. Noble, who shares her numbers gift, is missing, Kai is undercover, and Rafael sends a guarded message requesting her help. She’s also muddling through some issues in her personal life and wonders if she’s made a horrible mistake.

As with the previous books, expect action-filled scenes, heart-pounding danger, a little romance, and a plot that reads like an intricately plotted chess game. Although YA, this series would easily appeal to adults. I thought Activated would wrap up the story but was thrilled to learn another book is coming – and I sure wouldn’t mind getting it sooner rather than later!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Where to begin?

It amazes me how each book gets better than the last. Nova is so very talented and gifted. Her stories captivate me from beginning to end—a steady rise.

Activated explores so many themes—love, loss, past mistakes, crossroad decisions, etc. Our beloved Jo is yet again on another adventure through PSS, and yes, it’s dangerous with very high stakes. A tactfully written love triangle comes to fruition with Kai and Noble. The Dads of this book are absolutely golden, and quite frankly, my favorite character developments of the series. I laughed, I cried, I groaned, I wanted to throw my Kindle, but in the end…I smiled. Because this is a very satisfying story.

If you haven’t read this series, you really REALLY need to. Especially before the movies come out!

Thanks so much to Nova McBee and her team at Wise Wolf Books for the eARC of Activated. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

What to say about Activated without giving anything away….

30 minutes after I finished it I was ready to read it again!

Activated has the same strong characters as the previous books plus excellent storytelling that keeps me guessing about what (or who) is coming next.

The author has such an incredible way of pulling me into the storyline that I found myself frustrated as Jo struggled with the new components of her gift. Then again as Jo had multiple realizations through the story, I felt all her deep emotions as if I were the one with these experiences.

Well done, Nova McBee!!!! And Thank you for the adventure!

Activated by Nova McBee was a great addition to what has become one of my favorite prodigy/spy series of all time. I thoroughly enjoyed the nonstop action, geeky humor, and found family vibes. There were a ton of twists and turns in the plot, and McBee’s ability to end each chapter on a cliffhanger had me grabbing the railing to keep from leaping off the cliff to find out what happened next.

As always, the world-building was phenomenal. I don't want to give too much away about the setting, but let's just say it got a bit colder. I love how McBee is able to transport the reader to these foreign countries. Why waste money on plane tickets when you can buy these books? Between the story's descriptive language and cultural representation, you might as well be there.

The setting's temperature wasn't the only thing to cool down. I've never liked triangles, and the tension between Kai, Jo, and Noble felt a little forced. Without going into spoilers, one of the guys was rewritten to make the other seem like the better option. I agree with the person Jo chose, but I wish her decision hadn't taken so long and come at the cost of the other guy's pre-established morals and values.

This brings me to my next point. I love this series and all of its characters, but Jo can be a tough person to root for. One character in particular was justifiably angry with her actions at the end of book two. I would have loved to see them sit down and work out their conflict, but that never happened. I'm hopeful book four will resolve that loose end.

The plot itself was wonderfully twisted and complicated. I enjoyed learning more about Jo's gift and seeing her interactions with the PSS team. The developing romance between Jo's dad and Ms. T was also really enjoyable to read. I love second-chance romances, and I can't wait to see where book four takes them!

Readers that enjoy Genius by Leopoldo Gout and Warcross by Marie Lu won't want to miss this thrilling high-tech spy adventure by Nova McBee. 4.5/5 stars, and definitely a book I recommend!

I received an electronic copy of this book via Netgalley and the publisher; opinions are my own.

So, I've evidently been reading too many trilogies lately, because I had it in my head that Activated was the last book in the Calculated series. It isn't. 😅 I realized that when Nova was introducing new twists and turns up until the very end of the book.

But getting onto the book itself.

Activated feels more like Simulated than Calculated, in that it--like Simulated--has a high-tech spy vibe to it that Calculated doesn't. Like I said in my review of Simulated, it's a different feel from Calculated, but it isn't bad.

Minor quibble while I'm talking about spies--Harrison's reference to Mission Impossible felt a little goofy to me since Mission Impossible is used as one of the comp titles for the series. It seemed awkward to reference it in the book.

I'm not going to say too much about the plot since new layers and elements are introduced frequently. No spoilers! But it was well done.

I really liked getting to see more of Jo's relationship with her dad. I love family relationships in books. It was also super fun to get to see some characters from Calculated make a reappearance, and I think we might get to see them again in the future.

I would have liked to get to know the PSS team more/see Jo spend more time with them. Like in Simulated, Jo's PSS teammates tend to do their work from away while Jo is "in the field." The teammates aren't flat characters--you can tell that Nova developed each of them and made them unique--but I would have liked to connect with them a little more.

semi <spoiler>

Nova resolves the love triangle in Activated, which I was kind of thankful for. Love triangles just aren't my thing.

But, I did think it was a little strange for Nova to create a love triangle in one book, just to end it in the next book. Though, the love triangle did make up a lot of Jo's internal struggles, affect the plot, and do some theme stuff.

Also, I'm glad that Nova made the relationship choice that she did. It makes more sense in my opinion.

<spoiler/>

Like the other books in the series, Activated takes us around the world to Finland. I also appreciated how Nova utilized the setting and made it an obstacle in the plot.

Overall, Activated is another solid addition to the Calculated series, and I'm excited to see and read what Nova writes next.

Cautions: two kisses; moderate/heavy romance; two characters sleep together for warmth (non-sexual); non-graphic moderate violence

I started and finished this book in less than forty-eight hours—impossible to slow down and make it last! Gosh. I feel like a lengthy review can’t do this book justice, so I want to sum it up with a few words:

Powerful. Genius. Touching. Unexpected. Wow.

All the stars for this book—so, so good!!

(Can I just say…the endingggg 🥲😭)