{Review} Insignia - S. J. Kincaid

Insignia by S. J. Kincaid
Series: Insignia #1
Release Date: 07/10/2012
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom's drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.
Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone's been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he's offered the incredible--a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom's instincts for combat will be put to the test and if he passes, he'll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War III. Finally, he'll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom's always wanted--friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters--but what will it cost him?
Gripping and provocative, S. J. Kincaid's futuristic thrill ride of a debut crackles with memorable characters, tremendous wit, and a vision of the future that asks startling, timely questions about the melding of humanity and technology.

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Oh my goodness, just WOW... Insignia was AMAZING. This one is absolutely one of my favorites now.

Insignia by S. J. Kincaid is definitely NOT a normal YA book. It doesn't have much romance in it but don't worry.. the action will keep you busy. What I really liked about this is that this book has a male protagonist. It's not that I have a preference but we don't usually have male protagonists in YA, do we?

Tom Raine has had a hard life, going from casino to casino, trying to survive. Then his gaming instincts get him noticed by the government who wishes to employ him in the military.

God, I just love everything about this book. I really like life at the Spire. Damn, these kids always find something to do every single day. I also loved Tom's way of thinking which made him more of a unique character. I can just tell Tom's a hardcore gamer. He's always thinking about strategy and tactics and always being one step ahead of everyone.

This one doesn't have much romance in it <-- which a lot of you probably cares about. I, as a reader, doesn't necessarily need romantic aspects to enjoy a book. So if you're a die-hard romance fan, you might not like this book as much. This book is definitely emphasizing on action and adventure. So yeah, just a heads-up.

Overall, Insignia is AMAZING.. LIKE WOW.. I HAVE NO WORDS, MAN. I CANNOT wait until Vortex comes out.. Gahhh... They expect me to wait until July.. T__T

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