We’ve got another bleak future in store.  This time, civilization has been ravaged by germ warfare.  Only the youth and the elderly are vaccinated and survive.  The elderly have been surviving quite nicely, living well into their 100s.  But there is nothing like a young body to truly live.  Now where to rent a body?  There are hundreds of youth struggling to survive on their own since all the parents died.  Callie is desperate to earn money so she can provide for her sickly little brother.  She hears of an illegal procedure that involves a chip implanted in her brain.  An elderly person is hooked up to a computer and their thoughts and brain waves take over the young body for a day or a week or however long the rental contract is for.  Quite dangerous, but the money is so good.  Something goes horribly wrong when Callie become conscious during her rental.  Her renter plans to use Callie’s body to commit murder.  Callie is a spot-on believable character making mistakes, but doing her best to figure everything out.  This is an interesting premise and extremely well written.  The story moves along at a brisk pace with plenty of twists and an ending that is riddled with surprises.  This should be a huge hit with everyone clamoring for the sequel.

My favorite quote from a 2012 book so far: “The truly self-absorbed recorded their entire day and played it in straight airscreen or in holo mode.  The really crazy kids never shut them off.”   Hmmm, perhaps the future is here.

NetGalley Review   Publication date: 3.13.12