Review--Terminated by Rachel Caine

In New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine’s latest Revivalist novel, Bryn Davis’s problems quickly turn from dead to worse…

Already addicted to the pharmaceutical drug that keeps her body from decomposing, Bryn has to stop a secretive group of rich and powerful investors from eliminating the existing Returné addicts altogether. To ensure their plan to launch a new, military-grade strain of nanotech, the investors’ undead assassin—who just happens to be the ex-wife of Bryn’s lover Patrick—is on the hunt for anyone that stands in their way.

And while Bryn’s allies aren’t about to go down without a fight, the secret she’s been keeping threatens to put those closest to her in even more danger. Poised to become a monster that her own side—and her own lover—will have to trap and kill, Bryn needs to find the cure to have any hope of preserving the lives of her friends, and her own dwindling humanity…

Stunned. Utterly stunned. That's my initial reaction to finishing Rachel Caine's Terminated. I'm kind of left reeling, wondering if this is the final novel in the series, making it a trilogy. I don't remember hearing one way or another the length of this series, but this one definitely leaves me wondering if I read the end!

Brynn's basically had a tough time these past few weeks...months? The actual length of time for the duration of these past 3 books is escaping me, so not sure how long it's been for her, but it's been tough to say the least! She died and was brought back with the drug, Returne. Becoming a sort of modern day zombie, and then after being tortured by her boyfriend, Patrick's ex-wife Jane, she's been changed into a sort of super zombie with different types of nanonites that take residence in her body. Giving her extra strength and faster healing abilities.

Now Brynn and her crew are on a mission and that is to stop Jane once and for all. It ends up boiling down to needing to find a particular cure that could stop Jane by making her mortal once again. But it's tough trying to locate said cure when Jane and her military cronies are constantly chasing after them. Plus, it seems like Jane is always one step ahead. Nowhere is safe.

Brynn is struggling to adapt to her, yet again, new self. She craves meat, the raw bloody kind most commonly found in humans...that being their flesh. She finds she's able to get by with just about any other good source of protein, such as very rare meats and things like beef jerky, lots of beef jerky. Riley is in the same boat as she is, so she at least knows she's not alone in this tremulous time.

It was quite the exciting read, although I have to say that after reading a nice richly paranormal infused Urban Fantasy read, coming to this one that lacked strong paranormal elements was a sort of major withdrawal for me. Granted, Brynn is still zombie-esque, but she's not the rotting flesh, eat brains kind of girl. And no other paranormals exist in this world...that we know of.

It was definitely a kind of fast paced read at some points since Brynn and her friends seem to constantly be on the run, getting into dangerous situations, but it did have its slower moments. Little excursions that kind of dragged a bit before the new information was learned or something really dicey happened. And at one point, I felt like a new unknown enemy was on the rise, but it never really came up again, so it has me wondering if my theory was totally unfounded. But still, it was a very engaging read.

Brynn and Patrick still had very little time for romance and had to steal moments when they could. I felt bad for them. Plus their situation is pretty surreal. Brynn's a living zombie...never to age, never to have children. Her life is set and as long as there is meat for her to eat, that's what her life will be like forever. So it was kind of sad in a sense, feeling like this couple might just not be meant to be.

I have to say that the ending was pretty explosive! Not in a literal sense either, since all the explosions happened during the course of the running for their lives and all that jazz! I was totally blown away by what happened and then a shocking end result! Which is what has me reeling and wondering if this is the end of the series. Was The Revivalist Novels meant to be a trilogy? Well, guess I'll have to find out!

Rachel Caine is an amazing author! Her Weather Wardens series was yet again, one of my first adult novels when I took a break from YA. I've stuck with her ever since, although I still have yet to read her YA series. Although I can still remember when I met her a few years back...before Weather Wardens ended, she was telling me about her yet unnamed Morganville Vampires! So I really ought to get on that!


Overall Rating 4/5 stars