ARC Review: Failsafe by Anela Deen

Title: Failsafe
Author: Anela Deen
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Source: 
Publisher: Fine Fables Press
Publication Date: May 20th 2018

Summary:

There is only one rule: Never leave the settlement. Nobody remembers when human civilization fell to the living computer known as the Interspace. Trapped within its massive expanse, what remains of humanity struggles to survive. There are no maps to the outer grids, and drones patrol the network. Escape is impossible. Except seventeen-year-old Sol can access the network's secrets in her dreams. The information comes at a physical cost, but with food and medical shortages threatening her community, it's a small price to pay for survival. The supply runs are also the best way to prove she can still contribute, especially after her recent epilepsy diagnosis took away the role she'd been training for. When a grave mistake alerts the drones to her trespassing, Sol finds herself running for her life. She never expects to encounter Echo, a stranger who may hold the key to humanity's freedom. Together, Sol and Echo will attempt to reach the central core of the Interspace and shut down the system. To survive the journey, they will need to evade drones, signal towers, and a dangerous enemy known only as the Override. Even with Sol's access to the network and Echo's incredible abilities, they may still fail. The Interspace is always watching, and if they're discovered, it will mean the final extermination of all mankind.

After finishing this book, all I can say is: I WANT MORE! Failsafe was different compared to other sci-fi novels I have read. The idea is so unique and different. I have a crazy fascination with A.I. and what would happen if it rebelled and became smarter then its human counter parts. Anela explored this in her novel as well as the message that love has no bounds.  

After learning she has epilepsy everything that Sol had hoped for her future is slowly collapsing. Where she was suppose to follow in her father's footsteps, the position is suddenly passed on to Mykel, the boy she been genetically matched with to produce healthy children to keep the human race going. Sol does what she can for her home colony though. She goes out of the compound and scavenges for supplies that the A.I. they live within no longer provides for them. On one of these runs Sol meets Echo, a boy who looks like no one she has ever seen before. There is one thing about this strange boy though: He isn't entirely human. Echo's primary objective is to destroy the Interspace and with the help of Sol, he might just succeed. 

There are so many laugh out loud moments in Failsafe. Yes, Echo is human but he has no social skills. He has spent years in silence searching for a way to destroy the Interspace. He never had a moment of human interaction until the moment he meets Sol. Echo learning humanity and what certain things are, the way humans react to certain things is funny. I think the best aspect of Sol teaching Echo about human behavior is her body language as she begins to develop feelings for the mysterious boy. Echo is notices the slightest changes in things, such as: Sol's accelerated heart rate when she is around him. He also doesn't understand all the new feelings he is beginning to experience. It was fun to see a human/robot develop such feelings for Sol and a better understanding for humanity. 

Typically, I am one for a slow burn romance where I am basically screaming for the two characters to kiss. This book takes place over a couple of week time span, so though it may seem that Sol's feelings for Echo or abrupt and happen pretty quick, they actually aren't. I enjoyed the moment that Sol acknowledges the fact she has a crush on Echo, and she does that typical girl things where she doesn't want to have feelings but she does and now she is confused. Sol was such an easily relatable character in this book. 

The only thing I wasn't sure about is that I am not sure if this book is a stand alone or not. I think there were a lot of things that could have been clarified more or and expanded upon, especially if this is a stand alone. I enjoyed Failsafe and would love to see more of Sol and Echo's journey in the new obstacles they are going to faced based on how the novel ended.