Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan    
Release Date - January 28, 2014
Publisher Website - Harper Collins
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader
Pages - 384 pages
My Rating - 3/5
**received in exchange for an honest review from the publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann.

Could your DNA brand you a killer? Uninvited asks this very question. It is a thought provoking, relevant social commentary that sadly loses some of it's potential in favour of a love story that controls the plot, rather than have it woven into it.

The message in this novel is probably my favourite part of the story. The way society can overreact. The way that stereotypes, prejudices, and fear created by the media can lead to a perfect storm. This is all too easily imagined because we've seen this on smaller scales already. The world Sophie Jordan created is chilling, and terrifying. I just wish it had been used to it's full potential. The idea, and it's execution have a lot of promise. There is a lot that engaged me, but it didn't quite come together the way I hoped.

The other interesting focus is the reaction of those branded as killers. We see how some of them want to prove their diagnosis wrong, and yet others want to show society just how right they are. It's almost a self fulfilling prophecy in that society has said they are violent, so they feel they must act that way. It's a basic question of being defined, and if you'll let it happen, or if you'll listen to yourself. Define yourself. There is also the bone chilling realization that some of the branded are truly dangerous. It creates a tension that is so apparent in the first half of the book. The tension that this society creates is one of the strongest points of the entire novel, and yet it winds down as you get closer to the end of the book.

The romance takes over the focus of the story almost immediately. Davy is put into situations that are deliberately there to set up the romance, instead of furthering the plot. She needs to be rescued, and Sean conveniently is able to save her. It made the romance feel rushed, predictable, and undeveloped. They have chemistry but the 'why' is never really explained. It's not clear why Davy likes Sean, or vice versa. I would have taken less romance in exchange for a more developed story.

The intense build up and pacing dies down as the end nears. I expected an intense finish to the novel based on what had come before, and felt that the later half of the novel was not as strong as the first. I have questions that I want answers to, and that will ultimately be what makes me pick up the second novel.

A novel that holds a lot of promise, but didn't quite deliver on it as much as I wanted to. If your looking for a book that focuses on the romance, this will be sure to please. I wanted a little more from it, and as a result ended up feeling a little lukewarm overall.