ULTRAVIOLET CATASTROPHE
By Jamie Grey
Young Adult Science Fiction
Good for readers 13+
She takes refuge at Quantum Technologies, a secret scientific community where her father works as a top-notch scientist, and begins her new life as girl genius at Quantum High. But the assignments at her new school make the Manhattan Project look like preschool - and Lexie barely survived freshman algebra.
Her first big assignment – creating an Einstein-Rosen bridge – is also her first chance to prove she can hold her own with the rest of QT's prodigies. But while working with the infuriatingly hot Asher Rosen, QT’s teen wonder, Lexie uncovers a mistake in their master equation. Instead of a wormhole, the machine they’re building would produce deadly ultraviolet rays that could destroy the world. Now Lexie and Asher have to use their combined brainpower to uncover the truth behind the device. Before everyone at Quantum Technologies is caught in the ultraviolet catastrophe.
MY REVIEW:
I went into this with a bit of trepidation. To be 100% transparent, I was worried the sciency stuff would leave me feeling like an idiot. I hated school. But I hated Science even more. So you can probably understand why I assumed a book with such a strong focus on science and genius teenagers would leave me feeling a bit nervous.
I was THRILLED as I began reading UVC that though there were definitely terms I knew nothing about (heck, I still have no idea if this stuff was real or made up *runs to Google*), my lack of sciency knowledge did absolutely NOTHING to hinder the story.
Because, in my opinion, ULTRAVIOLET CATASTROPHE isn't a story about science.
UVC is first and foremost a story about accepting yourself for who you are, and finding your role in the world around you. It is secondly a story about friendship and love (though I do wish there'd been a bit more of the love aspect).
As far as the characters go, I felt that Jamie Grey did a fabulous job forming her characters. She allowed me to easily relate to Lexie (though genius, I am not); I instantly swooned for Asher (hello intelligence, confidence AND looks!); and I even liked Zella . . . almost instantly to be honest, and well before we were supposed to--which makes this also a story of redemption (for both Zella and Lexie's father.)
Jamie's writing flowed well and was easy to read, which as I mentioned before was something I worried about with geniuses and science being such a main factor of the story. I never felt confused or left out, and I always wanted to know what would come next. Jamie created a perfectly awkward romance--well, two, if you count the side characters--perfectly fitting for 15/16 year olds who may be geniuses and have book smarts to spare, but when it comes to romance are just as awkward as I was at that age.
I'd recommend this book for ANYONE, but as far as age appropriateness goes, I'd say 13 and up. If you love a great story with an awesome, brilliant and believable heroine, a swoon-worthy fictional boyfriend, and a cast of side characters that add as much depth to the storyline as the MC's, ULTRAVIOLET CATASTROPHE is definitely for you.
And, hey, have you seen that cover!? PERFECTION.
ABOUT JAMIE GREY:
Jamie Grey spent most of her childhood writing stories about
princesses who saved the day and pretending to be a daring explorer. It wasn’t
until much later that she realized she should combine the two. Now, as a
tech-obsessed gamer geek, her novels mix amazing scientific developments,
future worlds, and the remarkable characters that live in them.
Jamie lives in Michigan with her significant other and their pets, who luckily tolerate her overspending on tea, books, and video games. You can learn more about her at www.jamiegreybooks.com, or follow her on twitter via @jamie_grey.
Jamie lives in Michigan with her significant other and their pets, who luckily tolerate her overspending on tea, books, and video games. You can learn more about her at www.jamiegreybooks.com, or follow her on twitter via @jamie_grey.
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