Reclaiming Shilo Snow (Mary Weber) – Review

~ About the Book ~

Known as a brilliant mind that could hack humanity’s darkest secrets, seventeen-year-old Sofi Snow is the most wanted teenager alive. She found her way to the icy, technologically brilliant planet of Delon to find Shilo, the brother everyone but Sofi believes is dead.
But as she and Ambassador Miguel partner to find her brother and warn those on Earth of Delon’s dark designs on humanity, Sofi’s memories threaten to overtake her, distorting everything she holds true. She knows the Delonese kept her in a dark, deceptive place . . . and destroyed a portion of her life. Now, the more they discover of Sofi’s past, the more Sofi feels herself unraveling—as each new revelation has her questioning the very existence of reality.
In this harrowing sequel to The Evaporation of Sofi Snow, Sofi and Miguel must trust each other and discover the secrets locked inside Sofi’s mind as the line between what’s real and what they imagine begins to slip away . . . threatening to take humanity with it.
Genre:  YA Science Fiction
Series:  Sequel to The Evaporation of Sofi Snow
Release date:  6 March 2018
Pages:  352
Publisher:  Thomas Nelson

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~ Excerpt ~

The Delonese soldiers stepped into the corridor, and one tilted his head to stare straight into the thin shadow at her. She froze. From her peripheral, she saw his gaze pierce the air, as if he cold see her but wasn’t sure if she was real. He leaned forward and sniffed the air like a badger. He knew she was here. He could sense it.
What are Miguel and I doing—why aren’t we running?
Miguel pressed her hand harder as Sofi’s spine rippled like a live feed, every nerve reacting with the need to drag him away from the seven-foot-tall frames blocking the wide doorway. The eerily beautiful and nearly identical beings that aside from the unusual height and large eyes resembled Earth’s humans in every way. And right now those unblinking eyes were scanning the space, just like they had that day on the farm.
There’s no one here, she murmured internally, imagining her words like a shield, as if she could block their thoughts with her own.
“Don’t make eye contact,” her earcom said.
Like being trapped in the barn again.
The guard took a step toward her, his eyes narrowing, and immediately she could swear the air pressure thickened. Those tall bodies and thin fingers coming for them.
Cripe. I can’t do this—can’t breathe.
She needed to gasp, to pull in long draughts. She started to hedge back, chest shaking as she began choking and her vision dimming—
Miguel silently pulled her into himself from behind, and suddenly his heart was there, beat, beat, beating against her lungs, breathing with her, breathing for her. “I won’t let them take you,” she heard him mutter under his breath.
“Focus. You’re not finished yet,” her earcom said.
She inhaled. Then slowed her breathing.
And blocked out the searching eyes of the aliens.
Tap into what makes your mind work clearer: Technology. Music.
Where’s the beat, Sof?
Reaching out mentally, Sofi tuned in to that continued thud vibrating against her shoulders, like the bass line of a song, in the form of the playboy ambassador she’d spent the last year and a half loathing. Miguel’s heart. Beating life against her frozen one.

Taken from “Reclaiming Shilo Snow” by Mary Weber
Copyright © 2018 by Mary Weber.
Used by permission of http://www.thomasnelson.com/.

~ Review ~

I love Mary Weber’s writing, but I’ll admit I was hesitant to pick up this book’s predecessor, The Evaporation of Sofi Snow, simply because of the setting; it’s hard to think of a topic that interests me less than gaming. But pick it up I did, and I’m glad—doubly so, now that I’ve read this book, which I thought was even better than the first. If, like me, you’re not into gaming, don’t let that put you off, because the heart of this duology is something that is common to us all: relationship—our craving for genuine relationship (Sofi’s relationship with her mother as much as her relationship with Miguel), and in a more general sense, our relationship with this world we live in and those we share it with.
As you would expect, things become even more harrowing for Sofi in this novel, with the full agenda of the Delonese finally revealed and her perception of reality becoming blurred by her memories and a new awareness of coding abilities she’s only just beginning to understand. Don’t be surprised if you get thrown for a loop once or twice, because the characters certainly do! Unlike the first book in the duology, in this book we also get to see things from the point of view of Inola, Sofi and Shilo’s mother, who must come to terms with the mistakes she has made as both a parent and a CEO, however well intentioned they may have been in the beginning.
The best part is, as strong as the themes of compassion and forgiveness are, they never overpower the plot. In fact, the two work together synergistically and culminate in a rather stirring speech by Miguel toward the end that leaves the reader in no doubt of the vision for a better and more compassionate world the author hopes to inspire in her readers. Likewise, the strength of the romantic thread lies in its subtlety and the emphasis on genuine relationship rather than a purely physical attraction.
Great reading for teens and adults like!
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

~ Previous Books in the Series ~

 Read my review.

~ About the Author ~

Mary Weber is the award-winning HarperCollins author of the bestselling young adult Storm Siren Trilogy, and The Evaporation of Sofi Snow series. An avid school and conference speaker, Mary’s passion is helping others find their voice amid a world that often feels too loud. When she’s not plotting adventures involving tough girls who frequently take over the world, Mary sings 80’s hairband songs to her three muggle children, and ogles her husband who looks strikingly like Wolverine. They live in California which is perfect for stalking L.A. bands and the ocean.

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