Book Review: Tarnished (Perfected #2) by Kate Jarvik Birch

Summary: Freedom comes at a cost...

Ella was genetically engineered to be the perfect pet—graceful, demure...and kept. In a daring move, she escaped her captivity and took refuge in Canada. But while she can think and act as she pleases, the life of a liberated pet is just as confining as the Congressman’s gilded cage. Her escape triggered a backlash, and now no one's safe, least
of all the other pets. But she's trapped, unable to get back
to Penn—the boy she loves—or help the girls who need her.

Back in the United States, pets are turning up dead. With help from a very unexpected source, Ella slips deep into the dangerous black market, posing as a tarnished pet available to buy or sell. If she's lucky, she'll be able to rescue Penn and expose the truth about the breeding program. If she fails, Ella will pay not only with her life, but the lives
of everyone she's tried to save...

Release Date: December 2015
Age Group: YA, Dystopian
Source: Review Copy from Publisher
Reviewed By: Nat

Review:
For most series, book two sets you up for the big 💥BOOM💥 in the conclusion book and that makes for a strong LOVE-HATE relationship for me. I want more of the story but know what's going to happen... the story is going to literally pause and leave me on a cliff dangling by two fingers! But it's cool, a little torment and anticipation is what makes the conclusion so sweet (unless it's Divergent, in which you regret EVER having started the series #Rothed).

The cover of Tarnished had a Hunger Games vibe to it and was just beautiful but I don't think anything will ever beat the caged dress from Perfected. For a second book, I liked it. I actually felt like the characters were more fleshed out and began to be more relatable. I mean, I was initially just shocked in Perfected with the entire concept of a pet and am happy to report I couldn't relate. 

I am happy to report that the love story has developed a bit more and moved from instalove to more of a Peeta & Katniss situation in Catching Fire (still just a bit off). Ella is actually having life experiences and moving from a pet to an actual human being BUT her emotions are still pretty stunted.

There are several new characters introduced and Missy by far is the fire. Dang she is a fighter. I think a novella about what happened to Missy between Perfected and Tarnished is a must! There is so much unsaid and I really want to know her full story.

The good news is today is the release day of the final book in the series, Unraveled! I have waited a year for the conclusion and I'm ready to kick some butt and blow stuff up! 💣 #rebellion