{Review} Cipher (The Shadow Ravens #1) by Aileen Erin

Cipher (The Shadow Ravens Book 1) - Aileen Erin

Cipher was a good read and I really enjoyed it!
The synopsis is spot on and I can’t say anymore so straight onto my thoughts about the book…..
The book is named for the main female character who uses the name as an online persona and to stop people from knowing her true identity. She is a computer hacker and gamer extraordinaire but she also has a secret and that is that she has a Red Helix, those with the mark are classed as having unstable DNA and usually it means a death sentence, so Cipher has spent most her life running from the Seligo – the governing body of their world and who are immortal – and most of all her uncle who is Seligo. She was very easy to connect with and I loved her hacking skills, it’s strange that she would focus her energies on computers and such because her power – manipulating electricity - is unstable and it often fries her hardware which is how Knight is brought back into her life. Speaking of Knight, I loved his character and he straddled the boundaries of hotness and geekiness – making him a very good match for Cipher. I loved their shared background and how this had spurred him on to find her for 12yrs! He became all about finding her & protecting her, even going so far as to make a huge sacrifice for her and I admired that in him, it gave his character another depth. I loved them together too, they have this great, easy, fluid nature to their relationship and could be the basis for a lasting relationship of the heart, I know I was routing for them all of the way through.
I thought the storyline was fresh and different. I like the idea behind the world the author created with the different helixes denoting different abilities or classes. There is always someone in power who would abuse that position and Cipher’s Uncle is that in this story, he is determined to find her regardless of cost or casualties, which begs the question….why? Also, when you have a hierarchy like this, there are always underdogs and that always means the little people will rise up and expose those in power for what they are and what they’re doing because they powers that be do have an enemy and they’re about to come out of the woodwork for Cipher. The story was filled with action be it from exploding lights & hard drives to run & chase scenarios and even helicopter ambushes, it had great pacing and even time for a little romance (which was hot!) . This book is definitely an introduction to the world and I was very interested, it was easy to read, not overly complicated and a series that I could see myself getting right into, so I will definitely be on the lookout for book two.

Source: http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/review-cipher-shadow-ravens-1-by-aileen.html