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The Emile Reed Chronicles #1
Program 13
Recommended for fans of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse!
Two identities. One Body.
17-year-old Emile Reed, may have died, but she isn't dead. Her body now belongs to Program Thirteen, where her every thought, every movement, is controlled. Until Emile begins to find her way back inside of Thirteen's core, where she manages to fend off Thirteen’s programming to reclaim the life that she lost. But Charles McVeigh, the owner of Vesta Corp, isn’t willing to let Thirteen go. And he will stop at nothing to reclaim control of Thirteen's programming. Because without her, McVeigh has nothing.
What makes you human?
Two identities. One Body.
17-year-old Emile Reed, may have died, but she isn't dead. Her body now belongs to Program Thirteen, where her every thought, every movement, is controlled. Until Emile begins to find her way back inside of Thirteen's core, where she manages to fend off Thirteen’s programming to reclaim the life that she lost. But Charles McVeigh, the owner of Vesta Corp, isn’t willing to let Thirteen go. And he will stop at nothing to reclaim control of Thirteen's programming. Because without her, McVeigh has nothing.
What makes you human?
316 pages, Paperback
First published June 11, 2011
12 people are currently reading
1814 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Sobon
57 books190 followersInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolesobon/
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I write books. A lot of them.
TikTok:
https://www.instagram.com/nicolesobon/
I write books. A lot of them.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 4, 2014
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Program 13 by Nicole Sobon
Book One of the Emily Reed Chronicles
Publication Date: August 15, 2012
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Bought from Amazon
***Old review; original review posted HERE on November 4, 2012***
Summary:
Two identities. One Body.
17-year-old Emile Reed, may have died, but she isn't dead. Her body now belongs to Program Thirteen, where her every thought, every movement, is controlled. Until Emile begins to find her way back inside of Thirteen's core, where she manages to fend off Thirteen’s programming to reclaim the life that she lost. But Charles McVeigh, the owner of Vesta Corp, isn’t willing to let Thirteen go. And he will stop at nothing to reclaim control of Thirteen's programming. Because without her, McVeigh has nothing.
What makes you human?
What I Liked:
You already know I love science fiction. Well, I loved the concept of this book. A robot made to look like a human is not something new to fiction, but it is not something that is extremely popular in Young Adult literature. Science fiction in general is not very popular in the Young Adult age level. I think Ms. Sobon took a risk with Program 13 being science fiction, but this risk was completely justified by the execution of this book. Ms. Sobon's writing style is excellent - with a consistent tone and voice of the main character. This book was written in first person (Emile's), which was interesting to read, because Emile is a human, but Program 13 is a machine.
I usually have a problem with first person point of view, but this book would be so different and probably not as understandable if it were written in third person. I liked the characters of this book. Emile was a strong protagonist, and has conflicts, about whether she should go back to Vesta Corps to save other people, whether she should run away from those she cares about, and so on. I did not connect with her as easily as I have with other heroines, but this was not a deterrent from finishing the book.
There was a little character development present with Emile, but not as much as I expected. The secondary characters, such as Colton and Hayden, did not have much character development. I liked Colton well enough. He was introduced rather abruptly, and I do not understand some decisions that he made, but he was a good secondary, static character. I am not sure if I liked Hayden. I hope to see more of his character (or some sort of resolution) in future books. Also, I truly felt as if the villains of the story were villains, but at the same time, I felt for them, because they believed they were creating machines for the betterment of society.
The world of this book felt real to me. While readers do not get to see much of the outside world (the setting is mostly either at the organization's headquarters or at the house), the overall feeling of the world was there. So, the world-building was pretty good, but I hope to see more settings in future books. The ending was quite the ending! It involved a very abrupt scene, with many things thrown at the reader too quickly, but it was a good ending, with ample room for a continuation of the series.
Overall, there was plenty of action and intricacies in the plot, but not too much to make a reader irritated. I was so happy to see virtually no romance in this book. It was also clean of bad language, which was nice. There are many other specific things that I loved and liked about this book!
What I Did Not Like:
There were several things about which I was confused when I finished this book, and several things I did not particularly like. I was very confused about Hayden and his presence in the book. I understand what and why he did what he did for Emile, but I question his motives. He was rarely in the story, and when he was there, he wanted to help her, but then he left. And left random (but helpful) notes. And left endless supplies. Somehow, I find that suspicious. I hope Ms. Sobon will expand upon Hayden's role in the story, or resolve his character's involvement.
Also, I mentioned that there was not much character development in this book. Emile is the protagonist of the story, so at the very least, I felt that at least she, of all characters, should go through significant changes from beginning to end. I found that was not the case. Emile was a strong character throughout, and has several moments of conflicted feelings, but overall, there is no major development. From the beginning she wanted to push away Program 13 and protect Colton, and at the end, those were still her goals. I am sure that she wanted to take down Vesta Corp, but this was not a primary goal it seemed.
Also, I found the character of Colton a little strange. I liked him well enough, as he was sweet and very emotional throughout the book. But it was odd how quickly Emile wanted to keep him with her, care for him, and protect him. It just did not seem right to me that Emile would want to get close (not romantically) to a person, after staying in seclusion after so long. I would think that she would be cautious and suspicious and hostile towards anyone that wanted to stay around her. I understand that a part of Program was to assimilate with humans, but at the same time, she was on the run, and logically, she should not trust anyone. Yet she trusted Colton immediately, and welcomed him with her. Because he wanted to kill himself does seem to me like an adequate reason to trust someone. This is probably a small detail that most people would have overlooked, but it bothered me as I was reading. Of course, I was glad that Colton stuck around.
Would I Recommend It:
Yes! This book was full of awesomeness! As big as that "did not like" section looks, trust me, this book is worth reading, if you like science fiction. Ms. Sobon has an interesting spin on human-like robots - something that is very plausible nowadays. This book is for anyone ages 13 and up, and I strongly believe this is not for everyone, as it is a science fiction book. But, give it a try!
Rating:
4 stars. There are little things that bothered me, but some of them could be remedied or explained later in the series. I was very happy with the execution of this, and therefore very angry that I had not read this book sooner, being that I have had it for a couple of months.
Program 13 by Nicole Sobon
Book One of the Emily Reed Chronicles
Publication Date: August 15, 2012
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Bought from Amazon
***Old review; original review posted HERE on November 4, 2012***
Summary:
Two identities. One Body.
17-year-old Emile Reed, may have died, but she isn't dead. Her body now belongs to Program Thirteen, where her every thought, every movement, is controlled. Until Emile begins to find her way back inside of Thirteen's core, where she manages to fend off Thirteen’s programming to reclaim the life that she lost. But Charles McVeigh, the owner of Vesta Corp, isn’t willing to let Thirteen go. And he will stop at nothing to reclaim control of Thirteen's programming. Because without her, McVeigh has nothing.
What makes you human?
What I Liked:
You already know I love science fiction. Well, I loved the concept of this book. A robot made to look like a human is not something new to fiction, but it is not something that is extremely popular in Young Adult literature. Science fiction in general is not very popular in the Young Adult age level. I think Ms. Sobon took a risk with Program 13 being science fiction, but this risk was completely justified by the execution of this book. Ms. Sobon's writing style is excellent - with a consistent tone and voice of the main character. This book was written in first person (Emile's), which was interesting to read, because Emile is a human, but Program 13 is a machine.
I usually have a problem with first person point of view, but this book would be so different and probably not as understandable if it were written in third person. I liked the characters of this book. Emile was a strong protagonist, and has conflicts, about whether she should go back to Vesta Corps to save other people, whether she should run away from those she cares about, and so on. I did not connect with her as easily as I have with other heroines, but this was not a deterrent from finishing the book.
There was a little character development present with Emile, but not as much as I expected. The secondary characters, such as Colton and Hayden, did not have much character development. I liked Colton well enough. He was introduced rather abruptly, and I do not understand some decisions that he made, but he was a good secondary, static character. I am not sure if I liked Hayden. I hope to see more of his character (or some sort of resolution) in future books. Also, I truly felt as if the villains of the story were villains, but at the same time, I felt for them, because they believed they were creating machines for the betterment of society.
The world of this book felt real to me. While readers do not get to see much of the outside world (the setting is mostly either at the organization's headquarters or at the house), the overall feeling of the world was there. So, the world-building was pretty good, but I hope to see more settings in future books. The ending was quite the ending! It involved a very abrupt scene, with many things thrown at the reader too quickly, but it was a good ending, with ample room for a continuation of the series.
Overall, there was plenty of action and intricacies in the plot, but not too much to make a reader irritated. I was so happy to see virtually no romance in this book. It was also clean of bad language, which was nice. There are many other specific things that I loved and liked about this book!
What I Did Not Like:
There were several things about which I was confused when I finished this book, and several things I did not particularly like. I was very confused about Hayden and his presence in the book. I understand what and why he did what he did for Emile, but I question his motives. He was rarely in the story, and when he was there, he wanted to help her, but then he left. And left random (but helpful) notes. And left endless supplies. Somehow, I find that suspicious. I hope Ms. Sobon will expand upon Hayden's role in the story, or resolve his character's involvement.
Also, I mentioned that there was not much character development in this book. Emile is the protagonist of the story, so at the very least, I felt that at least she, of all characters, should go through significant changes from beginning to end. I found that was not the case. Emile was a strong character throughout, and has several moments of conflicted feelings, but overall, there is no major development. From the beginning she wanted to push away Program 13 and protect Colton, and at the end, those were still her goals. I am sure that she wanted to take down Vesta Corp, but this was not a primary goal it seemed.
Also, I found the character of Colton a little strange. I liked him well enough, as he was sweet and very emotional throughout the book. But it was odd how quickly Emile wanted to keep him with her, care for him, and protect him. It just did not seem right to me that Emile would want to get close (not romantically) to a person, after staying in seclusion after so long. I would think that she would be cautious and suspicious and hostile towards anyone that wanted to stay around her. I understand that a part of Program was to assimilate with humans, but at the same time, she was on the run, and logically, she should not trust anyone. Yet she trusted Colton immediately, and welcomed him with her. Because he wanted to kill himself does seem to me like an adequate reason to trust someone. This is probably a small detail that most people would have overlooked, but it bothered me as I was reading. Of course, I was glad that Colton stuck around.
Would I Recommend It:
Yes! This book was full of awesomeness! As big as that "did not like" section looks, trust me, this book is worth reading, if you like science fiction. Ms. Sobon has an interesting spin on human-like robots - something that is very plausible nowadays. This book is for anyone ages 13 and up, and I strongly believe this is not for everyone, as it is a science fiction book. But, give it a try!
Rating:
4 stars. There are little things that bothered me, but some of them could be remedied or explained later in the series. I was very happy with the execution of this, and therefore very angry that I had not read this book sooner, being that I have had it for a couple of months.
September 28, 2011
I don't like being harsh in my reviews, but this was not a good book. The writing style really left something to be desired, and the story just felt very rough and unfinished. A good book/story needs the fine tuning that this was not given. The idea was/is a good one, but it just wasn't followed through very well.
September 12, 2011
23rd book read in 2011.
number 193 out of 227 on my all time book list.
Follow the link below to see my video review:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNhrHU...
number 193 out of 227 on my all time book list.
Follow the link below to see my video review:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNhrHU...
September 11, 2011
It was really hard for me to even finish this book it didn't flow well and was boring.
October 19, 2020
Emile Reed has a harrowing existence as she was turned into Program 13. As her brother Hayden desperately tries to free her from her nightmare, her creator was too determined to retrieve her. This story had me on the edge of my seat as Emile clinged to her former identity and tried to stay out of Vesta Corps reach with the help of her new ally as they fought off the danger constantly coming for them. Interesting and intriguing read
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 7, 2020
An excitingly original tale
“Program 13” is a tale of a girl, Emile, who was murdered so that her body could be used to create an android called Program 13 by a scientist of the Vesta Corp. This is a dark tale of power, malice, deception, deceit, lies, and abuse, with a twisted, shocking cliffhanger. What will the next installment hold?
I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily
“Program 13” is a tale of a girl, Emile, who was murdered so that her body could be used to create an android called Program 13 by a scientist of the Vesta Corp. This is a dark tale of power, malice, deception, deceit, lies, and abuse, with a twisted, shocking cliffhanger. What will the next installment hold?
I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily
read-e-books
October 17, 2020❤
August 14, 2025
Horrible dnf
August 15, 2013
Full review posted as part of the Program 13 blog tour at this link
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.
I read the prequel novella to this story - Program 12 - and really enjoyed it, so I was super excited at a chance to participate in the blog tour for Program 13! The book tells the story of Emile Reed, who has died and been brought back to life as a "Program". Charles McVeigh of Vesta Corp is determined to create the perfect race of human looking computers, and he has his eyes set on Emile, or Project Thirteen as she is now known.
The book jumped straight into the action which I loved! There's a quick prologue where we get to see how Emile was killed and became a Program. I really liked the world building at the beginning of the story and how the idea of Programs was explained. The opening of the story shows Emile living as Program Thirteen inside Vesta Corp and surrounded by scientists. I'd been craving more sci-fi before I started this book and so I enjoyed getting completely wrapped up in the way the Programs worked.
The pace kept up as the rest of the story starts to unravel and it quickly became clear there was a lot more going on. I was completely hooked because there were so many characters I was curious about and whose motives I wanted to delve into. There's Program Thirteen herself, who is clearly something special judging by the reactions she gets from scientists. Then there's her caretaker Hayden who seems determined to help her and the evil Charles McVeigh who made a fantastic villain.
As the book moves on it changes pace and becomes a real survival tale with Emile on the run. I definitely enjoyed that different feel to it, plus this is where we get to meet Colton who I found to be a fascinating character with a great back story. I loved the bonding between him and Emile, because they're both trying to escape their lives so they have that in common. It's far from your typical boy/girl interaction because they're far more concerned with staying alive than anything else, so I liked that it became a really strong friendship.
I liked the way Emile's previous life was teased through memories and flashbacks. It helped keep that tension up and also gave you a chance to get to know her slowly. I think books where the character has memory issues can really excel at the world building because you learn everything at the same time the character does, and that was certainly a technique that worked well in Program 13. It was particularly sad reading about her memories of her family and Tommy. I really felt for her as she tried to adjust to her new life.
There were parts of the book that felt very much like a thriller which I loved, because it was so refreshing and not something I see a lot of in YA. There were all these action packed shoot outs which were brutal and fast placed, plus I loved all the sneaky, underhand tactics and conspiracies used by Vesta Corp. When Emile and Colton are on the run I had that constant fear for them and the suspense was constantly ramped up.
I adored the writing in Program 13 and how all the bits of the story started to piece together. It's not overly long so it made for quite a quick, fast-paced read. I really enjoyed the world the book takes place in, and I definitely look forward to discovering more about it in future books. I think I'd like to know a bit more about Vesta Corp and what takes place there and learn more about some of the other programs. I feel like there's so much potential for the characters. I'll definitely be checking out the next book!
Find more books like this at TotalTeenFiction!
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.
I read the prequel novella to this story - Program 12 - and really enjoyed it, so I was super excited at a chance to participate in the blog tour for Program 13! The book tells the story of Emile Reed, who has died and been brought back to life as a "Program". Charles McVeigh of Vesta Corp is determined to create the perfect race of human looking computers, and he has his eyes set on Emile, or Project Thirteen as she is now known.
The book jumped straight into the action which I loved! There's a quick prologue where we get to see how Emile was killed and became a Program. I really liked the world building at the beginning of the story and how the idea of Programs was explained. The opening of the story shows Emile living as Program Thirteen inside Vesta Corp and surrounded by scientists. I'd been craving more sci-fi before I started this book and so I enjoyed getting completely wrapped up in the way the Programs worked.
The pace kept up as the rest of the story starts to unravel and it quickly became clear there was a lot more going on. I was completely hooked because there were so many characters I was curious about and whose motives I wanted to delve into. There's Program Thirteen herself, who is clearly something special judging by the reactions she gets from scientists. Then there's her caretaker Hayden who seems determined to help her and the evil Charles McVeigh who made a fantastic villain.
As the book moves on it changes pace and becomes a real survival tale with Emile on the run. I definitely enjoyed that different feel to it, plus this is where we get to meet Colton who I found to be a fascinating character with a great back story. I loved the bonding between him and Emile, because they're both trying to escape their lives so they have that in common. It's far from your typical boy/girl interaction because they're far more concerned with staying alive than anything else, so I liked that it became a really strong friendship.
I liked the way Emile's previous life was teased through memories and flashbacks. It helped keep that tension up and also gave you a chance to get to know her slowly. I think books where the character has memory issues can really excel at the world building because you learn everything at the same time the character does, and that was certainly a technique that worked well in Program 13. It was particularly sad reading about her memories of her family and Tommy. I really felt for her as she tried to adjust to her new life.
There were parts of the book that felt very much like a thriller which I loved, because it was so refreshing and not something I see a lot of in YA. There were all these action packed shoot outs which were brutal and fast placed, plus I loved all the sneaky, underhand tactics and conspiracies used by Vesta Corp. When Emile and Colton are on the run I had that constant fear for them and the suspense was constantly ramped up.
I adored the writing in Program 13 and how all the bits of the story started to piece together. It's not overly long so it made for quite a quick, fast-paced read. I really enjoyed the world the book takes place in, and I definitely look forward to discovering more about it in future books. I think I'd like to know a bit more about Vesta Corp and what takes place there and learn more about some of the other programs. I feel like there's so much potential for the characters. I'll definitely be checking out the next book!
Find more books like this at TotalTeenFiction!
September 20, 2012
This book starts out with a young girl leaving her boyfriends house late at night. Walking home, she gets hit by a car and no one is ever told what had happened to her other than her immediate family. This was because she was needed. Her family was convinced to give her body over to Vesta Corp in the name of science.
Then comes The evil scientist like man Charles McVeigh. McVeigh is a bitter man and along with his sidekick in crime Douglas Todd, they set out to extinguish the human race and replace them with human like programs. This is what they need the bodies for. They use the human body as a shell and insert a metal framing with a "core" and teach this program how to act and eventually feel as a human. They go around talking people into leaving there sick or dead family members with them thinking they will come back healthy or are helping in some way but little do they know they are never going to see their family members again. Well, not in the way they expect to that is.
Program 13 is what she is called. She was young. The youngest so far. She's taken to the programing wonderfully according to all the checkups she's been having. and McVeigh has taken a liking to this one. All programs go through different stages to eventually be deemed fit to enter the world as a "human". But Program 13 is different. She goes through her rigorous routine of hard drive inspections and pod modes but when she is suddenly taken out of level 1 and put into level 3 she doesn't understand why. Especially since shes a newer program. Only 3 months old. When she was taken from her caretaker from level 13 she has these strange feelings of sadness and loss she isn't supposed to be having at all. Level 3 is where the human feelings are typically downloaded into the programs and since she had just arrived there shouldn't have been feeling at all.
McVeigh and Todd realize just how different Program 13 is becoming after one of her scanning sessions. As they are coming back for her, Program 13 escapes from Vesta Corp with the help of her Caretakers Hayden and Tina. Program 13 or Emile, as she found out was her human name, is now out in the world and on the run from McVeigh and Vest Corp. Hayden escapes with her but fears for his families safety and parts ways with Emile but leaves her with money, a car, and directions to a place out in the woods where no one can find her.
As she was racing to get to the house and as far away from McVeigh and Vesta Corp as she possibly could, she almost runs into a boy. His name is Colton. Colton lost his parents in a car accident which His little sister was the only survivor of. She was taken to an orphanage to live so now Colton has no one. Agreeing to go with Emile they head off to the house. Colton doesn't know what he's gotten himself into. Emile is on the run from Vesta Corp and boy is he in for a surprise once he finds out what Emile really is and how she came to be.
Colton and Emile are in for the fight of their lives with Vesta Corp and McVeigh will do anything to anyone to get Program 13 back.
This book is non stop action and totally kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time i was reading it.
You will definitely love this book and will want to read Program 12 the short novella that goes along with it.
July 16, 2013
Emile knows she isn't alone in her body. In fact her other side Program 13 is on top at first. She was a real girl but died and sent to Vesta Corp for research and study. Now the two battle for control after Emile living part is set free. Besides the struggle to stay on top Emile also has to deal with Charles McVeigh hunting her down after she escaped. He has to much invested in her to let her be free. She is on the run and in danger to bad for them they programmed her to be strong.
Emile is a complex person but who wouldn't be with two people living inside them. You get to see glimpses of what Program 13 went through and you get to see just how Emile got to were she is. I like her as she is tough and is fighting for her life. She has to face many hard things and still fights to live. Colton is a boy Emile in a way saves. He was ready to give up on life when sh found him and gives him a reason as well to fight to live. He has had a tragic thing happen and fights to get through it. I love how these two work together. Charles McVeighn is just an evil person. You will for sure hate him by the end of the book.
This book is one you can really get into as you keep reading to see what will happen to the characters next, find out more about how Emile got this way, and to see if they will make it to safety. The evil one as I like to call Charles does everything he can to bring Emile in. It doesn't matte who stands in his way, he will stop at nothing. You get to see inside his evil mind at just how far he has planned for things to go. There is lots of action as Emile and Colton fight to survive and escape. One thing is for sure you don't know who to trust or what will happen next. It seems no one is safe in this book. The only thing I wanted more of was a little more of Emile past to get to know who she was better. It is still a great read and any dystopian fans will be pleased.
Emile is a complex person but who wouldn't be with two people living inside them. You get to see glimpses of what Program 13 went through and you get to see just how Emile got to were she is. I like her as she is tough and is fighting for her life. She has to face many hard things and still fights to live. Colton is a boy Emile in a way saves. He was ready to give up on life when sh found him and gives him a reason as well to fight to live. He has had a tragic thing happen and fights to get through it. I love how these two work together. Charles McVeighn is just an evil person. You will for sure hate him by the end of the book.
This book is one you can really get into as you keep reading to see what will happen to the characters next, find out more about how Emile got this way, and to see if they will make it to safety. The evil one as I like to call Charles does everything he can to bring Emile in. It doesn't matte who stands in his way, he will stop at nothing. You get to see inside his evil mind at just how far he has planned for things to go. There is lots of action as Emile and Colton fight to survive and escape. One thing is for sure you don't know who to trust or what will happen next. It seems no one is safe in this book. The only thing I wanted more of was a little more of Emile past to get to know who she was better. It is still a great read and any dystopian fans will be pleased.
July 18, 2013
I think what I liked most about Program 13 is that it is so different than the books that I have been reading lately. I've been so into new adult contemporary romances that sometimes I forget how much I love sci-fi and fantasy and paranormal books. Program 13 reminded me how cool sci-fi books could be!
Emile Reed was human, and is now cutting edge technology as a computer program. And no one really knows what these computer people are capable of or why they are really here. Emile has such a unique perspective, both as a computer and when she is herself as a girl. I loved seeing the world through her human eyes and watching the computer program within her battle with who she is. I also loved that the "black outs" that she experienced were written as ways to get back some of her memories and they also served to give us a peek into the company that makes the computer programs. And the people. I loved it as a way to get some answers and backstories.
The group that made program 13 creeps me out. You don't get a ton of answers about what is going on and why up front in the story, but so much is going on and the plot is so fast paced and action filled that I never had time to stop and be annoyed with my lack of answers. I was constantly intrigued with what was going to happen next. I got swept up in the fast pace of the book.
At first, I didn't know what to make of McVeigh. I mean, Emile does meet him under rather strange circumstances. But once I got to know him a little better, I really started to like him. When he walked in on Emile in her pod and was so great about the whole thing, I gave him the thumbs up.
If you like fast paced, action packed science fiction books, you will really enjoy program 13. There are so many close calls in this book and the plot, while not overly complex, does have a few twists and surprises up its' sleeves. I think this book will leave you excited to read the next book in the series, like I am.
3.5 stars
Emile Reed was human, and is now cutting edge technology as a computer program. And no one really knows what these computer people are capable of or why they are really here. Emile has such a unique perspective, both as a computer and when she is herself as a girl. I loved seeing the world through her human eyes and watching the computer program within her battle with who she is. I also loved that the "black outs" that she experienced were written as ways to get back some of her memories and they also served to give us a peek into the company that makes the computer programs. And the people. I loved it as a way to get some answers and backstories.
The group that made program 13 creeps me out. You don't get a ton of answers about what is going on and why up front in the story, but so much is going on and the plot is so fast paced and action filled that I never had time to stop and be annoyed with my lack of answers. I was constantly intrigued with what was going to happen next. I got swept up in the fast pace of the book.
At first, I didn't know what to make of McVeigh. I mean, Emile does meet him under rather strange circumstances. But once I got to know him a little better, I really started to like him. When he walked in on Emile in her pod and was so great about the whole thing, I gave him the thumbs up.
If you like fast paced, action packed science fiction books, you will really enjoy program 13. There are so many close calls in this book and the plot, while not overly complex, does have a few twists and surprises up its' sleeves. I think this book will leave you excited to read the next book in the series, like I am.
3.5 stars
July 19, 2013
3.5 Stars
'Program 13' is the first book in a young adult science fiction series that follows Emile Reed as she is killed and then turned into a Program - a robot that has the appearance of being human. Only Emile didn't truly die that night - and now she's fighting her way into the core of the Program so she can regain her freedom from Vesta Corp and it's tyrannical owner - Charles McVeigh. There is no way that McVeigh will let her go willingly - because Emile just happens to be very different from the other Programs and without her, there is nothing left for him.
This was an exciting and fast paced science fiction thriller that had me engaged from the beginning. Emile was a really fascinating main character. She starts out as a human teenager who is then killed. When we meet her again, she is now a Program - a robot that is created to appear human. Emile has a lot of strength, courage, and dedication to doing what she believes is right - it's quite evident in the way that she fights back against McVeigh and Vesta Corp in order to gain her freedom and expose what is really happening at the facility. The plot isn't really original, but the action along with the exciting twists and turns definitely sets it apart from other books in the same genre. I enjoyed reading about the dystopian-like world and the background of Vesta Corp. The author gave great detailed descriptions throughout the novel so I easily found myself immersed alongside Emile on her journey to freedom. The writing was well done, although at times I felt it was a bit forced - especially Emile's thinking and the dialogue - but other than those few instances, it was fast paced and I found myself rooting for Emile right away. Definitely an interesting start to what will undoubtedly be an intriguing series - recommended for fans of YA science fiction and dystopian novels.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
'Program 13' is the first book in a young adult science fiction series that follows Emile Reed as she is killed and then turned into a Program - a robot that has the appearance of being human. Only Emile didn't truly die that night - and now she's fighting her way into the core of the Program so she can regain her freedom from Vesta Corp and it's tyrannical owner - Charles McVeigh. There is no way that McVeigh will let her go willingly - because Emile just happens to be very different from the other Programs and without her, there is nothing left for him.
This was an exciting and fast paced science fiction thriller that had me engaged from the beginning. Emile was a really fascinating main character. She starts out as a human teenager who is then killed. When we meet her again, she is now a Program - a robot that is created to appear human. Emile has a lot of strength, courage, and dedication to doing what she believes is right - it's quite evident in the way that she fights back against McVeigh and Vesta Corp in order to gain her freedom and expose what is really happening at the facility. The plot isn't really original, but the action along with the exciting twists and turns definitely sets it apart from other books in the same genre. I enjoyed reading about the dystopian-like world and the background of Vesta Corp. The author gave great detailed descriptions throughout the novel so I easily found myself immersed alongside Emile on her journey to freedom. The writing was well done, although at times I felt it was a bit forced - especially Emile's thinking and the dialogue - but other than those few instances, it was fast paced and I found myself rooting for Emile right away. Definitely an interesting start to what will undoubtedly be an intriguing series - recommended for fans of YA science fiction and dystopian novels.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2015
Like I've said before, I'm not much of a Sci-Fi person, but I thought the premise was pretty cool, so I gave it a try. I love the cover and the colors go really well together. With self-published books it can be a hit or miss, but I really liked this one. You can tell that a lot of time and consideration was taken into putting it together.
As for as the story goes, I liked it, but I feel that I've read this storyline a few times. The character dies, but then becomes a robot. Her soul is still there inside the robot, but she isn't in control. There's a scientist who doesn't want her to take control and wants her killed. I've seen this plot before in a few books that I've read recently, so it wasn't anything new or inventive about it. I wish there had been something a little more to make it stand out, but in the end, I felt it was a little flat. The writing wasn't all there for me either. I found a few things that I would have liked a little more, but felt like some scenes were cut a little short.
I did like the characters Emile and Colton. I could see myself being friends with Emile and have a crush on Colton. The author did a really good job of making sure the characters weren't flat and had a back story. It did feel a little weird to see the two of them have feelings for one another because she was a robot, but the point of the book was that she had a human soul inside and that's what is important. McVeigh was the "bad guy" and I felt that she did a good job of making him someone you really didn't like.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, but felt that I've read it before. I will read the rest in the series to see what happens to Colton and Emile because the ending was the best part of the book. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good robot, Science Fiction book.
As for as the story goes, I liked it, but I feel that I've read this storyline a few times. The character dies, but then becomes a robot. Her soul is still there inside the robot, but she isn't in control. There's a scientist who doesn't want her to take control and wants her killed. I've seen this plot before in a few books that I've read recently, so it wasn't anything new or inventive about it. I wish there had been something a little more to make it stand out, but in the end, I felt it was a little flat. The writing wasn't all there for me either. I found a few things that I would have liked a little more, but felt like some scenes were cut a little short.
I did like the characters Emile and Colton. I could see myself being friends with Emile and have a crush on Colton. The author did a really good job of making sure the characters weren't flat and had a back story. It did feel a little weird to see the two of them have feelings for one another because she was a robot, but the point of the book was that she had a human soul inside and that's what is important. McVeigh was the "bad guy" and I felt that she did a good job of making him someone you really didn't like.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, but felt that I've read it before. I will read the rest in the series to see what happens to Colton and Emile because the ending was the best part of the book. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good robot, Science Fiction book.
February 19, 2014
I was drawn to this book when I read the summary. A book about robots an artificial intelligence...yea I'm in! I love science fiction. There was also a bit of a medical angle too with the whole making bodies into robots. I really enjoyed that part of the book. We get to know a little about Program 13 and Emile. They are kind of the same person and kind of not. It kind of reminded me of the book The Host with the two conflicting identities in one body. Emile has had kind of a tragic life. Considering she died. She starts to make an appearance on 13's personality while still in Vesta Corp due to Hayden's handy work. This poses a problem as Emile's body starts to act funny during her evaluations. This leads to some crazy stuff. She ends up escaping from Vesta Corp. She then tries to figure out how to live her life in the world now. Her life has now changed forever and she has to get used to it while on the run. I felt like sometimes the escaped things a little to easily but, it all worked. Will it all be worth it or will it lead to more complications?
Emile runs into a guy named Colton. She almost kills him actually haha. I really enjoyed Colton. He was not your typical male hero figure. Emile had to rescue him from himself. He had lost his family and was in a dark place. While trying to take care of herself she manages to rescue him. He cares a lot for this new stranger because he doesn't have anyone else. You get to see a little bit more about Emile's brother but, he's not there much. Mostly just by letters. I wish we got to see a little more of him. Perhaps we will in the next book!
Overall, this was a fun quick read. There was action and mystery all in one. The ending was a huge cliffhanger and I will have to see what happens next!
Emile runs into a guy named Colton. She almost kills him actually haha. I really enjoyed Colton. He was not your typical male hero figure. Emile had to rescue him from himself. He had lost his family and was in a dark place. While trying to take care of herself she manages to rescue him. He cares a lot for this new stranger because he doesn't have anyone else. You get to see a little bit more about Emile's brother but, he's not there much. Mostly just by letters. I wish we got to see a little more of him. Perhaps we will in the next book!
Overall, this was a fun quick read. There was action and mystery all in one. The ending was a huge cliffhanger and I will have to see what happens next!
January 15, 2014
Normally, sci-fi novels are my least favorite genre to read, but Program 13 was awesome. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I was entertained throughout. When reading this book, I thought of The Cold Awakening Series by Robin Wasserman. They have similar plots. I found Program 13 to be an easy and fun read. Also it was packed full of action. Nicole Sobon gave such great details in this story.
I loved to internal struggle that Emilie, the main charcater, continually has to fight against Program 13 to stay herself. I would probably go crazy in her position. I would hate to have to listen a little voice on my head try to escape and take over my mind. I hope in future books we learn more secrets and why Emile was targeted. I found her to be a very strong character who overcame so many obstacles and deals with the constantly. Colton was also fun to read about. But I have this weird feeli about him. Like he is hiding something. I though it was weird how him and Emile became such fast friends and that he accepted her secret, no questions asked. Hopefully we also learn more about him and that he has no ulterior motives. I want to know if there will be a romance between these two. This book has no romance what so ever lol.
This is definitely a book to add to your TBR pile. Even if sci- fi isn't your thing, give this book a shot. I did and I don't regret it one bit. I would recommend this book to everyone. I will be continuing this series for sure!
I loved to internal struggle that Emilie, the main charcater, continually has to fight against Program 13 to stay herself. I would probably go crazy in her position. I would hate to have to listen a little voice on my head try to escape and take over my mind. I hope in future books we learn more secrets and why Emile was targeted. I found her to be a very strong character who overcame so many obstacles and deals with the constantly. Colton was also fun to read about. But I have this weird feeli about him. Like he is hiding something. I though it was weird how him and Emile became such fast friends and that he accepted her secret, no questions asked. Hopefully we also learn more about him and that he has no ulterior motives. I want to know if there will be a romance between these two. This book has no romance what so ever lol.
This is definitely a book to add to your TBR pile. Even if sci- fi isn't your thing, give this book a shot. I did and I don't regret it one bit. I would recommend this book to everyone. I will be continuing this series for sure!
October 8, 2012
This was a very interesting and enjoyable read. I really liked the plot, although if I let myself think about it too much some of the details bother me. I like science fiction, and sometimes you just have to let yourself get lost in the story and forget about what may be possible. If you do that with this book it's a great read. If you are someone who picks at every detail and only accepts absolute possibilities then you may not enjoy this. I don't generally pick at every detail, but what bothers me with this story is that basically all that is left of the humans that have been made into robots is their skin (or at least from what I understand). It seems odd to kill humans only to replace all of the insides, I don't know if the skin is worth that effort. If that is all that remains then I don't know why the entire robot wouldn't just be made entirely artificially. Also, with nothing else living remaining, I don't know how the skin could remain without deteriorating. I don't really like to sit and pick at the details though, because it seems to ruin the story. So if you just let yourself go and get lost in the story, it really is a good book. I'm looking forward to the next book, I really want to know what happens next!
March 14, 2015
I wish I could rate this higher but I find myself unable to do so. I love the premise of the book. However, I found the story flow to be disappointing. It just moves so slowly and somehow the events that happen don't feel very believable. They spend too much time talking about staying away from McVeigh and how to fight him and then never do anything much about it. I know that we'll eventually get to them doing more later on in the series but this felt like it dragged on. Subsequently, it took me longer to read because I didn't have an intense reading drive to finish the book. I do want to find out what happens though so I will power through and give my best review/thoughts on this series.
The writing is a little dry. The story is slow and there's too much discussion about what will happen. There's behavior discrepancies amongst the characters; sometimes they are capable of doing a certain action and then other times they seemingly forget that. They're not very believable unfortunately and therefore hard to relate to.
If you like the premise of this series, I would encourage you to look up Freak of Nature by Julia Crane. It's got human cyborgs and much better flowing story.
The writing is a little dry. The story is slow and there's too much discussion about what will happen. There's behavior discrepancies amongst the characters; sometimes they are capable of doing a certain action and then other times they seemingly forget that. They're not very believable unfortunately and therefore hard to relate to.
If you like the premise of this series, I would encourage you to look up Freak of Nature by Julia Crane. It's got human cyborgs and much better flowing story.
March 6, 2016
This book seemed a little off balance from the start. Emile, a sixteen year old girl, is hit by car and killed. She is then turned into a “Program,” a species that continues to have the appearance of a human, but is internally a robot, so to speak. These programs are said to take over the human race at some point in time. Her brother frees her from Vesta Life and uploads her human memories so that she is able to “live” again.
On her journey to escape, she almost kills Colton in the same manner that caused her own demise. When Colton was first introduced, I believed him to be a young boy, maybe 12 or 13 years of age, only to find out that he was in fact the same age as the main character, Emile. Emile seemed much more mature than him and almost like a parental figure. Sometimes Colton would say things that were more mature but it seemed out of character and I had a very hard time seeing him as being the same age as Emile. I also never understood why Emile would let this boy live with her, after only just meeting. This story is very far-fetched in aspects that it shouldn’t be and I didn't really enjoy it very much, I'm sad to say.
On her journey to escape, she almost kills Colton in the same manner that caused her own demise. When Colton was first introduced, I believed him to be a young boy, maybe 12 or 13 years of age, only to find out that he was in fact the same age as the main character, Emile. Emile seemed much more mature than him and almost like a parental figure. Sometimes Colton would say things that were more mature but it seemed out of character and I had a very hard time seeing him as being the same age as Emile. I also never understood why Emile would let this boy live with her, after only just meeting. This story is very far-fetched in aspects that it shouldn’t be and I didn't really enjoy it very much, I'm sad to say.
March 29, 2013
Paperback (edit)
review If you do then give this book a try....I'm not a huge Sci-fi fan, but as they go this is not a bad one. Robots, artificial intelligence, I would love to have a robot to do all the things I hate. But if it started to think for itself I would get concerned and worried about it taking over my life. This is a fast moving book that will keep you reading. The beginning is a nightmare for any parent....not knowing what happened to your child....yet read on and see why they can't know what happened to Emile's body.
YA's that love Sci-fi will enjoy this book...if you are older or not into sci-fi then you maybe disappointed. Target audience will enjoy this. Love fasted paced reading and yet sometimes I missed something and had to go back...not everything was clear...some problems there, but over all not bad.
review If you do then give this book a try....I'm not a huge Sci-fi fan, but as they go this is not a bad one. Robots, artificial intelligence, I would love to have a robot to do all the things I hate. But if it started to think for itself I would get concerned and worried about it taking over my life. This is a fast moving book that will keep you reading. The beginning is a nightmare for any parent....not knowing what happened to your child....yet read on and see why they can't know what happened to Emile's body.
YA's that love Sci-fi will enjoy this book...if you are older or not into sci-fi then you maybe disappointed. Target audience will enjoy this. Love fasted paced reading and yet sometimes I missed something and had to go back...not everything was clear...some problems there, but over all not bad.
September 19, 2012
This was a Good Reads First Reads book giveaway.
I thought that this book is interesting. It is fast paced, with the right amount of action, drama, and suspense. The target market will NOT be bored. I can not wait till the next installment comes out. I would like to know how Emile(Program 13), Colton, and Hayden especially make out. Do they survive? Do they defeat McVeigh? Nice name choice for the bad guy, McVeigh. I feel that this book will be widely accepted and read.
I thought that this book is interesting. It is fast paced, with the right amount of action, drama, and suspense. The target market will NOT be bored. I can not wait till the next installment comes out. I would like to know how Emile(Program 13), Colton, and Hayden especially make out. Do they survive? Do they defeat McVeigh? Nice name choice for the bad guy, McVeigh. I feel that this book will be widely accepted and read.
September 6, 2011
Oh my gosh. When I finished this book, my mouth was wide open. I'm not going to say if I was happy or sad, but in some type of shock( especially the last few chapters).This book is about a teenage girl named Emile and one day, she died because of a car "accident". 3 months later she is a program in a company called Vista Life. Over all this book was amazing.
September 8, 2011
It was good but the book stalled for me at the end because I cannot go straight to the next book in the series. Great cliffhanger ending and it will hold me over for now.
September 30, 2011
This was amazing but the ending was such a huge cliff hanger. I really can't wait to read the next book.
June 12, 2013
3.5
Loved the premise, there was a bit of a lull in the middle where I was craving some action, but all in all, it was good.
Review to come during CBL book tour.
Loved the premise, there was a bit of a lull in the middle where I was craving some action, but all in all, it was good.
Review to come during CBL book tour.
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