I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A young woman fighting for survival learns the fabled world of the Chipped isn’t as glamorous as they once thought in author Taya DeVere’s “Unchipped: Kaarina”, the first in the Unchipped sci-fi series.

The Synopsis 

A civilization reliant on AR. Unchipped refugees forced outside its walls. Can a lone underdog save humanity from itself?

In the two years since the Great Affliction, the Happiness-Program has transformed a civilization on the brink of extinction into an organized, beautiful, and happy society. However, for the Unchipped–those whose chips can’t connect to the system–living a comfortable life remains out of reach.

Kaarina, one of the Unchipped, would give anything to live inside the walls of the city again. Haunted by her mother’s suicide and alone except for Bill, another Unchipped thousands of miles away whose thoughts are inexplicably linked to hers, Kaarina fights for survival, defending her beloved animals from the other savage Unchipped. But when her horse’s illness drives her into the city to find medicine, she becomes acquainted with a Chipped man who makes her question everything.

Now a new fix to the system promises her the chance to finally be normal… just as she begins to learn life in the perfectly augmented reality may not be all that she imagined.

***If you love Brave New World, you’re going to love the Unchipped series!

***Get early access to Unchipped short stories, plus the Unchipped prequel, The Meeting, by signing up for my newsletter! 

The Review

A brilliant story, the author has created a fantastic blend of science-fiction storytelling with a post-apocalyptic vibe. The first novella in this series takes readers into the heart of this series’ mythology, where Kaarina discovers the world of the Chipped is vastly different than what she and her fellow Unchipped believe. 

The character development and growth is equally on par with the myth building the author does with the mythology of this universe. From the mysterious Doctor Solomon who seems to be in charge of the entire program to the seemingly savage nature of the other Unchipped, this was a fascinating deep-dive into a whole new sci-fi universe like no other. 

The Verdict

Examining a distant future where a bid to save the lives of humanity comes at the cost of freedom, author Taya Devere’s “Unchipped: Kaarina” is a one-of-a-kind introduction into a highly addictive new sci-fi series. Full of action, suspense and dystopian themes, this is a book readers won’t be able to put down. Be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Taya is a Finnish-American author, writing contemporary fiction and dystopian sci-fi. After living, working, and traveling in America for seven years, she now lives in Finland with her partner-in-everything Chris, their dog Seamus, three bunny-boys (Ronin, Baby, and Loki), and her horse of a lifetime, Arabella.

Taya’s restless feet have taken her all over Finland, the United Kingdom, and North America. Her new dystopian series “Unchipped” is inspired by the real-life characters she’s met on her travels. Cultural differences, social issues, and behavioral psychology have always fascinated Taya. “Unchipped” tells the story of the world in 2085, when technology has replaced people’s need to truly connect with one another. The series describes what it feels like to be an outsider and takes an in-depth look at the unlikely friendships between perfectly imperfect people across the globe. 

Justice. Kindness. The fact that all beings on this planet are equally important. Taya’s world revolves around these values every day, and they play a substantial role in her storytelling as well.

Taya’s writing is inspired by authors such as Margaret Atwood, Peter Heller, Hugh Howey, and C.M. Martens.

Teija’s author site: https://www.tayadevere.com

Her Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Taya-DeVere/e/B07KRJPMTV

The Unchipped series page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CHKB96S

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