I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Chameleon by Cidney Swanson Narrator: Sarah Mollo-Christensen
Series: Ripple #2
Published by Williams Press on November 6th 2014
Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
Genres: Dystopian, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Young Adult
Pages: 303
Format: Audiobook
Source: Provided for review through Audiobook Blast/Boom
Goodreads
Sixteen-year-old Samantha Ruiz has a lot on her mind. The crush who kissed her but changed his mind. The BFF who thinks Sam is in an abusive relationship. The geneticist who wanted Sam dead but now wants her ALIVE. And of course, Sam’s still dealing with a tendency to disappear into thin air.
When Sam learns of her nemesis Helmann’s Nazi-like plan to establish a Thousand-Year Reign, she’s determined to fight him. Along with Will and Mickie, Sam flees to France to meet Sir Walter—their best hope for stopping Helmann’s brave new world.
But Sam isn’t any safer in France. Someone is following her. Someone invisible. Sam will have to figure out how to hide from an enemy she can’t even see.
Julie’s Review:
I started reading Chameleon shortly after finishing the first book, Ripple. I loved the Ripple audio, but at the time had the trilogy ebooks and decided to try reading an ebook again. My schedule just wasn’t working out, with only reading a chapter or two on weekends, so I was happy to get the audio of this sequel to blast through on my commute. I forgot how amazing this narrator is. I loved her accents and I really think that adds so much to the enjoyment of the story.
The sequel was quite good, a solid 3.5 stars, so I would say it did well for being a “middle book” (though it appears there are many other books in this series that are outside the original trilogy). I liked how this takes place mostly in France, so we get a fun travel experience through the eyes of our characters. I liked Sir Walter – a great character, maybe even a grandfather-figure to Will and Mickie. We got to learn a few more of the secrets of the “chameleon” gene and finding out what Hellman and Helga were really plotting.
What bothered me though is why are these long-term chameleons/ripplers dragging their feet to act and standing by as their people get killed off? Even Sir Walter explained that he was just biding his time and didn’t really feel like he was ready to do anything, yet in the meantime, his bloodline was being wiped away. Why does it have to take Sam and Will being in danger to finally get things moving?
In these first two books it is mostly Helga and her henchmen who are after Sam, so I’m wondering if we’ll finally see Hellman come out of hiding in the next book. This one didn’t end on a cliffhanger, exactly, but it was an open-ending nonetheless.
As for the romance factor, I just wanted to hit Will over the head a few times. Silly teenage misunderstandings are a trope that I see too much in books. But I’m glad Sam grew some ovaries and did something about it. Now I’m looking forward to finding out what happens with them.
Maybe I’ll be able to find time to read the third ebook. Or maybe I’ll wait for the next audio 🙂
I think you should wait for audio, Julie. That ways you’ll have the pleasure of listening to a favorite narrator – which might make up for any issues in the story. 😉 I’m glad you enjoyed this installment for the most part. I would be bothered by wondering why these ripplers are behaving as they are as well as the teenage misunderstandings though. Here’s to hoping the audio for book 3 releases in the near future. 🙂
I hate those teenage tropes sometimes, too. Glad to hear the heroine got her act together!