Book Review: Origin by Jessica Khoury.

 Origin by Jessica Khoury.
Book Summary: Pia has grown up in a secret laboratory hidden deep in the Amazon rain forest. She was raised by a team of scientists who have created her to be the start of a new immortal race. But on the night of her seventeenth birthday, Pia discovers a hole in the electric fence that surrounds her sterile home--and sneaks outside the compound for the first time in her life.

Free in the jungle, Pia meets Eio, a boy from a nearby village. Together, they embark on a race against time to discover the truth about Pia's origin--a truth with deadly consequences that will change their lives forever.

Origin is a beautifully told, shocking new way to look at an age-old desire: to live forever, no matter the cost.

Liana's Summary: Pia is 'perfect'. Immortal. She can't die. She's forever young. She's determined to reach her one goal- to become one of the scientists of Little Cam- to be let in on the secret of creating more immortals like her. And one day, just one day- she'll be surrounded by immortals. The whole world will be full of immortals that can't die. That is her dream. But when she meets Eio in the forest, she's not so sure anymore of what she actually wants.

Rate(1-10): 10!

Oh my goodness. This book was so ridiculously good. I mean, I thought it would be good already because of the gorgeous cover. I first heard/saw this book on my Goodreads sidebar when I was browsing. Thank you, Goodreads! The ad totally caught my attention. I've been wanting to read this for such a long while. I was about to save it for way later but then my friend read it and said it was good so it got me motivated. And the book ended up being better than the cover! Which is totally mind-blowing. This is now one of my favorites. omg.

Anyways, my city's library had this book giveaway thing, and of course I went- had a book haul of 17. And this book was one of them. I was literally screaming in my head when I saw it.

Enough of that--

So, the main character, Pia, seems really conceited at first. Mainly because she's immortal and she's 'perfect'. She has perfect memory, really good reflexes, etc, etc. And she can't even die. It got really annoying how she thought she was all that. Afterwards, though, I found out that she's insecure. Just a bit. Because all the scientists in Little Cambridge want her to pass all the tests. She's wondering if she's able to do it. Sometimes it's like she's conceited without meaning to be. Also, her attitude is kind of alkjfaljklajfdklaj (I can't even put it in words) that she adds fuel to the already-huge fire. Which just makes things worse. But what I like about her is that she's stubborn. And curious. Don't forget the curious. (Curiosity killed the cat, but immortals can't be killed.) If she wasn't curious at all I would be dying of boredom. All the scientists in Little Cam are hiding something from her, which is really rude because she deserves to know her origin. Gosh. They were being so secretive it got on my nerves. All their secrets caused her to be a frog in a well. Which is a fable, talking about the ignorance the frog had in its well, thinking that the well was the center of the universe, etc, not believing that there was an outside world at all. Well, Pia was sort of like that.

"OMG, LITTLE CAMBRIDGE CAN'T BE THAT SMALL!"

Her ignorance was disconcerting and it was bothering me a bit. But then it's not really her fault. So I can't blame her. I can just blame all the scientists.

Pia is a really great protagonist, though. She stayed strong throughout the book and refused to fall. Also she's a really good example of a character that wants something at first, so sure of what they want, and then later, deciding that they don't want it so bad after all.

Anyways, there's this specific character. Harriet Fields. Aka Dr. Fields. Aka Dr. Klutz. Aka Aunt Harriet (A lot of aunts are named Harriet. Guess that has a nice ring to it.). Or just Harriet in the end. When she's first introduced to the story, you don't know whether to trust her, to hate her, or something. She's totally unpredictable. But then, oh-ho. Later in the story. She just tells her readers what to think! (No assumptions guys. Can be good or bad.)

The author does a really good job of foreshadowing that the reader could guess what was about to happen. Which is really cool. At first I thought that something was going to happen to the pet because something always happens to poor little fictional animals. But thank goodness nothing happened. I wanted to cry in relief.
Oh, and Eio. Ermahgerd. He is so amazing. He's so beguiling I can't even breathe. Okay, I love his hotness. (Abs, jawline, eyes. omg.) I love his attitude. But most of all, I love how he never gave up.

So I'm going to make a Delirium reference. If you guys haven't read Delirium by Lauren Oliver, feel free to skip the next paragraph. Includes a minor spoiler. (Or major, depending on how much spoilers mean to you.)

So. Alex from Delirium. Eio reminds me of him in physical appearance. Tan skin, beautiful eyes, etc, etc. But then their attitude. So I know Alex may not be the only guy that does this, but how Eio was different reminded me of Alex greatly. So. When Alex told Lena that he was an Invalid, all she did was "EW ALEX GUHHH AWEYYY." and he didn't chase after her, didn't try to do anything. It frustrated so much out of me. But Eio. Wow. Pia was so mean to him "I don't want you; I don't need you, go away," and he still chased after her, saying "WAIT, PIA! YOU CAN'T GO INTO THESE WOODS ALONE. I'M SO SORRY." And it is so awesome and romantic and everything. No, I do not think he's a creeper. Although it's kind of creepy how every time Pia snuck into the forest he knew where she was and found her immediately. 

Basically, I just love Eio so freaking much. (Hunk.) Wow. His persistence is the best part of him, though. Because of that, he made the romance perfect. Absolutely PERFECT.

This book reminds me of Catherine Knuttson's Shadows Cast by Stars. Because of the Dystopian world and the native tribes and everything. It's like, old fashioned but still dystopian. Pretty cool, right?!

Anyways, readers, before you dive into this book, there's something you all should know- see the cover? That flower in her left hand? (Or right, depending on if she's turned the other way around. Our left, anyways.) The purple one? Well, it's called elysia. It's a huge huge huge huge huge huge huge huge huge huge huge huge huge huge huge part in this story. REALLY HUGE. That's all I'll say before I arouse some spoilers.

The author is such an amazing writer. Suspenseful chapter-endings are the best. It just makes the reader want to go on, make them feel thankful that they still have pages to turn to continue the story. She's also a soccer coach. Wow. This is such an amazing debut novel.

Anyways, quotes! I didn't get this much quotes in a while!
Note: Since I got an ARC version of this book, the quotes might not be exactly alike with the published version's.

"No books,"



"Immortals. But all I see is one scrawny girl with an attitude bigger than her bra size--"

Ou snap.

"I'll stay young forever."



"You don't need to worry about anything but your studies,"

JUST LIKE MY MOTHER.

"You think I'm ugly?"
"Of course," he says,..



"I'm perfect."


"You are in  fact very beautiful. More beautiful than any girl I know."


"I know what electrified is."

I'm annoyed at how ignorant she thinks he is.

"I knew we should never have taken down the cameras in her room."


"Once, in high school, I had three boyfriends at the same time."


"You...don't know what a boyfriend is?"


"I want, I want..."

TO BE LOVED BY YOU~~

"You could belong with me."


"Eio's eyes slowly wander to my mouth, and he leans down..."


"Eio and I break apart..."



"It destroyed us both, Eio. Do you dare risk that?"


"..her hand is on his knee..."

Wow. Worst mom ever. I never liked her mom. Her mom is like a huge part in the antagonist group.

"Traitor."


"I'm sorry, Pia."

DON'T SAY YOU'RE SORRY BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT! JFDKLJ:FSLDJFSD

"WHERE IS MY SON?" Uncle Antonio bellows, leveling the two AK-47s he's holding at the lot of us. "Get away from him, you bastards!"



"I never asked to be,..."


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Lots of physical reactions. (Explains why I couldn't breathe)
The ending of this book is so perfect. PERFECT. fdajkldajfljdaljf <3 <3
Anyways, that's it! What did you think of this review? (: