Seventeen-year-old Mireya is the youngest person on Earth in 2055. Well, one of them. She and her classmates on the military base where she lives are survivors of a global catastrophe that took out a quarter of the world’s population fifteen years earlier and rendered the remaining humans infertile.
Formerly banned research into cloning, genetic engineering, and artificial intelligence is green-lighted by a government desperate to prevent looming human extinction. In fact, it was experimental nanotechnology that saved the lives of Mireya and her friends.
She’s always been told this makes her special. She certainly doesn’t feel special. As hard as she tries, she can never seem to please her indifferent parents, and her periodic memory lapses threaten to sink her already-shameful class rank to dead last.
Mireya’s never left the base, never wanted to, and never questioned why she’s been content to stay there her whole life—until she runs into Heath. Actually, he bumped into her with his Gideon Corp delivery van. She’s not hurt, but she is baffled.
Why did the alluring young guy look at her like he knows her? And why did he seem shocked at her very average eye color?
When one-by-one her friends visit the physician and come back acting like strangers, Mireya decides to venture beyond the gates of the base to the nearby city of Atlanta to search for answers. And for Heath.
What she’ll find is the imposing walls surrounding Gideon Corp, the world’s largest corporation, hide many secrets about the cataclysmic global event and perhaps even Mireya herself.
DESIGNED is perfect for readers who loved Hunger Games, Divergent, Uglies, and the Selection series.
I've written 33 books (and counting!) Most of them are young adult fantasy, sci-fi, and paranormal romance. I'm honored to be an Amazon bestseller and a multi-award winning author. I'm a two-time RWA Golden Heart finalist and the author of the popular Hidden Saga, Crimson Accord series, and the new Designed series (book 2 just released!) I live in Rhode Island where I write in my car at the beach year round and sometimes crave the heat and humidity of Mississippi, where I grew up. I love hearing from my readers! Reach out and say hi anytime.
Holy smokes. While there was a familiarity to the pattern of Designed's plotline in comparison to Crimson Born (which is a fantasic paranormal YA series of hers that I'd totally recommend), the twists, surprises and constant reveals kept me thoroughly on the edge of my seat.
I wasn't sure what to expect... Every one of Amy Patrick's YA books have hooked me from the first line (leading me to wonder why on earth I haven't delved into her adult novels), and this new series was no exception.
There were so many emotions running through me while reading this because Reya, the main character, was made to be incredibly relatable despite her circumstances. We've all felt out of place in our families, circle of friends, what-have-you... and to open the story immediately with Reya's discontentment with her life made the reader immediately drawn in alongside her.
It's a quick read, with lots of surprises, and a delicious slow burn that her other series have all pulsed with... and I'd highly recommend diving in for this wild ride.
This would be a good book for the audience intended for; YA in the 11-15 year old range, IMHO. The plot is good and I like the general theme, particularly post-covid, its believable in our era that things could go this far with our society.
However, its also a bit cheesy, the characters are a bit superficial and there was not a whole lot of character setting and building, so I didn't REAAAALLLLY care what happened to the main character. The writing lacked a ton of depth, but, again, it is intended for kids, so I cut it some slack. Fast read, I finished it in a couple of weeks. May or may not read the whole series.
I have SO. MANY. QUESTIONS!!! There are so many twists and turns that made my heart ache and race within pages of each other. Amy Patrick books never disappoint so I'll be impatiently waiting for book 2!!
I've read all of her other two series, Hidden Saga and Crimson Accord, and loved all of them. This book starts a new series and I really think she is getting even better as an author. The character development and plot twists show her growth and I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
When I heard Amy Patrick was coming out with a new series, I was ecstatic. I've always loved her writing and this book definitely did not disappoint. I couldn't stop reading it and I cannot wait for the next one to come out!! I need to know what happens next!
I absolutely LOVED this book! It kept me on the edge of my seat with twists, turns and surprises. It kept me guessing and now wanting even more! I cannot wait for book two! 😍
designed is your typical “the world kinda ended” dystopian novel - but rather than the world fighting an active threat, we see the lasting ramifications and the attempt to deal with them. after a virus struck the population, leaving the elderly and children dead - and the middle aged unable to conceive, technology is now king of making life more advanced, and trying to fix the conception issue
SPOILERS mireya has lived on a military base her entire life, and slowly notices her friends “changes”. heath, a delivery man comments on the change of her eye color, propmting her to leave to explore the city and find him again. i quite enjoyed the world building of designed, the people in the city, even with all this technology, felt dejected and disattached - adding to the dispair of the subsequent end of the world. reya has a solid amount of character development from the start of the book to the end, with heaths (multiple) confessions adding to the emotional feel of her situation. also, daniel (heaths younger brother) adds the perfect balence of emotional reprive and hope for the future
with mireya’s memories wiped once again, i am intrigued to see where this story will pick up, and how the events of the first book will impact the second. for fans of divergent and the hunger games, this book perfectly fills the void of emotionally complex characters, world building, and dystopian storytelling we all know and love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I'm a super fan of Amy Patrick! I loved this ARC!!! I really loved the dynamic. The dystopian dynamic. It really reminded me of Delirium which I love love love that book too but ofcourse Designed is different! Heath.. his life. . It's complicated for him. Mireya is y9ur average girl but she's caught the attention of Heath and will always have it. So sweet and I love the love he has for Reya! It was steamy and PG. Sweet Daniel is a wild little kid. He is perfectly described (I have 3 boys) !! I really hope the next book is full if action, action, and more action. This one was full of action too but it was like the volcano that didn't explode and I just know it's getting ready to burst!!! Heath is a force to be reckoned with. I love it. The very very end .. the green pills!!! Yessssss GOOOO HEATH! I LOVED THIS BOOK. I can't say it enough. This story is totally it's own and has many different details that separates it in its own world. I don't want to live in the world. Kinda sad. Definitely a great imagination Amy has. Can't wait for book 2!!!! Xoxxxx
At first I wasn’t too sure about Reya, the protagonist of this new series starter, I thought she was very naive and young for her age, but then considering her sheltered upbringing and background it made sense and her character developed gradually as the story progressed. Heath seemed initially too good to be true, but turned out to be harbouring a lot of secrets, (some of which were predictable though) yet still managed to be a sweetheart. Heath’s little brother brought a charming, light hearted aspect to the narrative and the other characters were, as I have come to expect from the author, interesting and believable.
I enjoyed the twists and turns it took to find out what her relationship to Heath was, though the details of his identity were pretty obvious and it was a bit irritating how long it took for her to work that part out.
All in all a very good read with plenty of action, mystery and romance and I’m looking forward to see where the next book will take us.
I received this book as ARC copy free from the author and am leaving this review of my own volition.
Mireya lives in a military base with her parents, and she feels like the less remarkable person of her age, but soon she will make decisions that will change her world forever. You have enough of romance to please romance seekers and enough intrigue to keep you motivated to keep reading.
Most twist and turns in the story, I realized those before our main character, but that is not a bad thing, is just that I have read many dystopian stories before.
Without spoilers I can say this is a good young adult book, safe for all, the most that happens is kissing, the book is also written in the first person so it gets a bit personal, some people don’t enjoy that, but for me, it worked.
The ending gives closure and also keeps the door open for the next book and I cant really comment that to not spoil your experience.
Thank you NetGalley and Oxford South press for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.
I wasn’t sure whether to rate this 4 or 4.5 stars, but I REALLY enjoyed it.
I’ve been trying to get into reading again recently, but I’ve had to force myself to continue reading the few books I have read. However I had to force myself to stop reading this book to get enough sleep.
This is an entirely new take on dystopia and it doesn’t involve some kind of “games” or “competition” where contestants fight to the death (thankfully). The story takes place in the world we know today, but 30 years ahead, when the state of humanity is entirely different.
I really enjoyed the romance, although it was a little difficult to believe at times because we are right there with Mireya, learning about everything for the 1st time (although it’s not the first time it happened).
I’m excited to go straight into the next book, which I’ve never done before!
The perfect young adult dystopian thriller. Something along the lines of a Covid virus, this time it’s caused by a mosquito, wiped out young and old people. What’s left are those who live in the cities and run their every day lives, and those who live behind the walls of the army base. The children who live there think nothing of it as they go to school, the doctor and live with their families. But there are so many secrets. Mireya is determined to find out what’s going on. This is a book that’s truly for everybody, young teens on up, to appreciate the excitement and thrill as Mireya is determined to answer her questions. I was happy to receive a copy from the author through NetGalley, and have written my review honestly without bias.
I would 100% highly reccomend Designed. I really enjoyed it. As always I could not put it down. Amy did not fail like all the other series she has written. It did have a feel like the divergent series at first then it takes a path of its own. It ended to fast for my liking, I really got a feel for Heath and Mireya and was sad when it finished. A few twists and turns along the way. Hopefully we do not have to wait to long for the next book. As always Amy has done a fantastic job with the characters you really like or dislike them. Again the book finishes leaving you waiting to see what is about to happen. Can't wait for the next chapter....
Living in the not so distant future, Mireya lives pleasantly on a military base, of which she has never stepped outside its borders. A random encounter with a stranger makes her begin to question everything she believed. Heath ran into someone while making a delivery on the base. There are important things he needs to tell her, but can he convince her to trust him? Will Mireya's new friend help her figure out the truth? Or will the truth be too much for her to handle. This is a GREAT read with a little something for everyone.
This was so good!!! I really enjoyed the whole world building and character development. It keeps you guessing from the very beginning. It was an incredible take on the future, sickness, AI's, and the human condition. Does love come to everyone?? Is it nature versus nurture?? Or maybe it's just uniquely something yours. I also enjoyed this author's take on a future that's definitely still the same in some ways, but unique on its own and slightly different. Can't wait for next book!!
At first I thought this was just going to be the same ole same ole type of story. I also thought this was really targeted for teenagers, but it grabbed me and I found excuses to keep going back to read. Yes, at times, Reya got on my nerves but I just had to remember what it was like to be 17 again (long time ago) and I quickly found myself admiring her tenacity. I guessed one part of the story, but a twist completely took me by surprise. Looking forward to the next book in the series!
This book was amazing! From the very first chapter I was hooked, the storyline was so enthralling! I’ve been reading a lot of dystopian novels lately, but I can honestly say that this one has been my favorite this year.
Between the plot twists, the constant anticipation for what comes next, and the intensity of the plot, I literally could not put this down until I finished it!
The writing was edited well and the flow was very smooth. The only part that bothered me about the book was the enormous cliffhanger (and only because I was mad that I had to try and find the next in the series!)
Such an amazing start for a new series. I was so hooked on the book I couldn't put it down. I'm fascinated by the world building and the characters. I'm so fustrated at the end I can't believe this happened. I hope those green pills make her bring back her memories. I love heath and Reya together. So much love and sacrifice in this relationship. I can't wait for the next book 😍 thanks Amy for another great read.
There's no way around it, this is a boring book. I admit that i made it only to the 25% mark but that's all i could take. There's an attempt at World building by listing all the technology available but even that's boring. The characters are flat and the plot is thin. So why give it 2 stars? The author finished the book and it wasn't blatantly absurd. That's saying something.
The main character is average and her love interest is just okay. I read because I liked the mystery and intrigue, and I'm satisfied with the ending - especially since it left the door open for the second book. I also saw the love interest's reveal coming a mile away, way before the main character. The world building was good; probably the best part in my opinion. The writing seemed very basic but overall it was a nice, light read.
Easy,fast paced and enjoyable. I wouldn’t say it’s one of the best books I ever read but it was a nice read with likeable characters and a plot that kept me interested.
I rate 3.5 because it’s a “good”book. Not great Not amazing But a good solid book. I add it to my collection of basic good books to read over the weekend plus it’s a trilogy! So the story has potential to get better and they aren’t very long books either.
Wow ! Amy Patrick you done it again love this new book 💜 What a turn of event's that keep you readin, I didn't want to put it down. I literally said No ! Out loud when I reached the end of the book. I Can't wait to see what twists, turns and adventures are in the next book that comes out in January !!
Amy Patrick is back with another kickass story! Amy has created a thrilling sci-fi world filled with amazing characters and an impeccable world! I devoured this book so fast that I was able to finish it during my lunch hour! Everyone needs to check this book out cause I will not be the only one having to deal with that ending! 🤣🤣
This book just grabs your attention and doesn't let you stop until the last word! Characters are definitely your typical teens with their own inner turmoil brewing...issues with parents, loves, friends and authority all in a gripping plot about a possible future. Can't wait for the next book!
DNF-ed because the mystery of the concept was keeping me reading. Then when the mystery was revealed, it was so stupid that I had no motivation to read any more. The main character has moments of being interesting and then others of having zero personality. The main love interest is super boring. Writing and world-building is just ok.