Eden (Eden, #1)

May 29, 2012 Sheri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, reviewed

Eve doesn't remember the time before the Fall. She showed up in Eden with the clothes on her back and has lived there since. The people of Eden were her family, yet she somehow always knew she was different from them. Eve was tougher than most and unemotional but couldn't quite figure out what it was that made her different…and then West showed up.

I liked the author's writing style and the development of the characters. Eve was pretty easy to like.
She did some stupid things when it came to Wes...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Christina (Ensconced in YA) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley

I originally read Eden when I was starting off as a reviewer. I rated it as 5 stars at the time, as it was definitely one of the stronger books I had read during that time period. Reading The Bane from Netgalley, it is a similar story but a different experience. Still enjoyable, but perhaps some of the surprise element is gone now that I've already read Eden.

What I liked: The protagonist, Eve, is incredible--strong, determined, and although part robot, achingly human (which she discovers through...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Reynje rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book-kindle, read-2012, sci-fi, welcome-to-the-apocalypse, young-adult

2.5 stars

From Variety.com: ‘a dystopian thriller described as a cross between "The Hunger Games" and "The Terminator."’

O RLY?

I expect a little hyperbole in these blurbs, so I did read that with a grain of salt. However, I do feel that this book was a case of a good idea that was ultimately let down by its execution. While the opening piqued (more on this word later) my interest, I found it steadily waned as the plot progressed.

I’ll be intentionally vague in this review in the interests of keepi...more

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Feb 01, 2012 K rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romantic, ya, melodramatic

Romance/Action-Adventure with the emphasis on romance. Can you say, "love triangle"? I'm not a fan of pure romance but thankfully there was a large portion of non-love-triangle plot which made the story bearable.

Good things first: The world Taylor created was well drawn and the story moved along nicely. It was engaging and intriguing and I never felt bored even though the characters rambled along for most of the book before I had any clue as to where the story was going. That didn't bother me t...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Rebecca ♥ Ash, Jem, Warner ♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Julie Kagawa's The Immortal Rules

Shelves: sci-fi, young-adult, cover-lust, post-apocalyptic, romance, ebook, reviewed, favourites, adventure

This was great! It reminded me a lot of The Immortal Rules. I didnt like The Immortal Rules as much as most people. It was still good, but I prefer Eden. There was a band of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world. The main girl, Eve, is different from the rest of the survivors. They travel to a safe haven for humans, which was called Eden in The Immortal Rules. Although in this Eden is the name of their group, not their destination. And there is even a young guy in the group, West, who reminds me...more This was great! It reminded me a lot of The Immortal Rules. I didnt like The Immortal Rules as much as most people. It was still good, but I prefer Eden. There was a band of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world. The main girl, Eve, is different from the rest of the survivors. They travel to a safe haven for humans, which was called Eden in The Immortal Rules. Although in this Eden is the name of their group, not their destination. And there is even a young guy in the group, West, who reminds me a lot of Zeke.

The main difference, besides this being about cyborgs instead of zombies and vampires, is that this has a love-triangle. An equilateral love-triangle. I have never seen such an equally matched love-triangle before. There were absolutely no hints to who Eve was going to choose for the whole book until I was 92% done. She never even leaned to one or the other. She was split 50/50 for the whole book up to 92%! After she had a particularly tender moment with Avian, I wondered if she was finally leaning towards one of them. But the next thing it says is, "That night I dreamed of West." And I was like, "OMG! This is hopeless!" It was ridiculous but enthralling!

I preferred one of the guys but I wasnt convinced he was necessarily best for her. So even though she didnt pick him her reasoning was good and I wasnt upset. I was actually pleased that this took a different route from most YA romances. It was extremely romantic either way, and after reading all her ridiculous helplessness in everything guy related for most of the book, I was so happy when she finally made a choice that I cried. I dont mean to sound negative when I call her ridiculous. I have never seen a love-triangle that was drawn out like this before, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. I was absolutely captivated! I couldn't put it down! I had to find out what would happen next. Who she would pick. It made the pay-off all the more exciting. And it even managed to make me happy even though she didnt pick the guy I liked better, because its about Eve, not me. But I don't get why some people were making a big deal out of the age difference between Eve and Avian. I didn't think it was that bad. Eve was 18, West was 19, and Avian was 25.

Anyways, no need to talk about the love-triangle for the whole review. I also really loved learning about the robots or cyborgs, and the infection, and Eve's history. It was all very interesting. And Eve was amazing. A seriously kick-ass heroine! I love that scene right after Eve had her epiphany. She found out that the guys went on a dangerous mission without her and she runs after them doing robot head shots. That would be an awesome scene to see on screen! And a movie is planned, which is very exciting.

Keary Taylor made this fake poster herself. I had seen it on her blog before I started the book and I pictured Gillian Zinser as Eve the whole book, and Wentworth Miller as Avian. Matt Lanter isnt really how I pictured West but he is not a bad choice. Since it is Keary Taylor's choice I have no right to complain. :P This will be an amazing movie! I cant wait!

I am pretty sure this is stand alone. There is no sign of any more books being planned. The story was mostly tied up. There were a few things we could have had more information on. Namely the fate of a particular character, and what the future of the world will hold. But over-all the ending tied up all the more immediate issues and I cant help but be excited for Eve's future, even though I dont get to see it.(less)

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Jan 27, 2013 Amber Skye rated it 4 of 5 stars

Picking up Eden was a little unexpected for me. I was in the middle of reading another book, but when I stumbled across this one and randomly began to read the first page, I was sucked in and forced to finish the entire novel. Everything about the book entranced me- the cover, the premise, and the characters.

I am thrilled to say that I have found yet another original, captivating dysptopian story. The world as we know it has ceased to exist, leaving only a handful of survivors struggling to main...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My full review can be found at A Secret Book Affair

This title for me completely took me by surprise. I was excited to read The Bane from the very beginning because I was ready for a change of pace, and a cybernetic, post-apocalyptic, dystopian world was exactly what I was looking for, but I was not prepared to be so completely wrapped up in Eve's story. The story is told from Eve's perspective, a young teenage girl with no memory of her past before what the story calls 'the Revolution' where the...more My full review can be found at A Secret Book Affair

This title for me completely took me by surprise. I was excited to read The Bane from the very beginning because I was ready for a change of pace, and a cybernetic, post-apocalyptic, dystopian world was exactly what I was looking for, but I was not prepared to be so completely wrapped up in Eve's story. The story is told from Eve's perspective, a young teenage girl with no memory of her past before what the story calls 'the Revolution' where the scientifically altered DNA and cybernetic combination changes the world and humanity forever. She knows shes different in someway to everyone else, but doesn't know why. She's faster, stronger, heals more quickly, and doesn't feel pain or emotions the way everyone else in Eden, their small community of survivors, does.

This title doesn't take long to capture your attention, with the very first paragraph throwing you directly in the path of understanding how severe the conditions of living are. It's also immediately apparent how harsh life can be with a 'no exception' policy of a death sentence if infected as a result to the groups only option for survival. Throughout reading the The Bane there is a building conflict within Eve herself. Although the story line has many parts based on this romantic conflict, I wouldn't classify this title as a romance. One the one hand there is Avian who found Eve before the story begins, and has been a constant in her life, one that always makes her feel safe and calm. It's not that long into the story when we meet West, who on the other hand makes her feel alive, and brings about conflicted emotions in her she has never felt before. As I said before, I don't believe the romantic elements require this book to be titled a romance novel, but rather I think the importance of these scenes is to show the development of human feelings in Eve.

I know in the synopsis it describes The Bane as "The Terminator meets The Walking Dead" and for the most part I would agree. The fact that TorBane's technological developments result in a science experiment gone wrong that turns on the world definitely relates to the back story of The Terminator. And you can see the struggles to be a survivor in a post-apocalyptic world are the same as those in The Walking Dead only instead of defending your life from zombies it's cybernetic infected (previously human) Bane that's only purpose is to spread the infection.

I applaud Keary Taylor for such a well written title, it's labeled as a YA book, but reads as a very mature YA book. Not only is the story line a strong one, but the writing itself reads as though much thought went into what each segment would mean not only to the characters but the reader as well. It's obvious that there was no room for useless information in this title, as every aspect reflected at some level of importance in the total outcome. The only disappointment I had was the ending seemed somehow finite, while I hear this is to be the first of a hopefully great series. It is possible that maybe when it was first released it was intended as a single novel, but since the rewrite it's more set for a series. I'm not 100% on this possibility but it makes sense to me.

Either way I highly recommend this title, it was definitely a roller coaster of intense emotions, constant action, and a never ending fight to survive. If you enjoyed reading Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games or Julie Kagawa's Blood of Eden series, or watching the current hot show The Walking Dead rest assured you will enjoy this title.(less)

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Jun 21, 2011 Hmr28 rated it 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED this book. Although (without spoilers), I would have preferred if Eve had ended up with the other possibility! I thought it was very well written, delved into some difficult topics, (lifeboat scenarios-all over the place), sacrifice, morality, ethics, etc. I can't believe that a traditional publisher did not snap this up, but boy am I glad I was able to get it for the bargain price of .99. It was so good that I immediately bought all of her other books, although they are not dystopians....more

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Mar 08, 2013 Janita rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Personally I wasn't in love with this book, but I can understand why other people would love it. It was an enjoyable read, with good amounts of action, featuring a strong lead lady struggling over two hot guys (*ahem* love triangle).

Eve doesn't remember her past, and she discovers over the course of the book that she's different than the rest of the people in her small community, Eden. She struggles with her emotions (or lack of), but for me she was extremely frustrating. She clearly portrayed a...more Personally I wasn't in love with this book, but I can understand why other people would love it. It was an enjoyable read, with good amounts of action, featuring a strong lead lady struggling over two hot guys (*ahem* love triangle).

Eve doesn't remember her past, and she discovers over the course of the book that she's different than the rest of the people in her small community, Eden. She struggles with her emotions (or lack of), but for me she was extremely frustrating. She clearly portrayed a lot of emotions over the course of the book, but the author made is seem like the only one that mattered was her attraction to Avian and West.

The characters seemed awesome, but I couldn't visualize them in my head because the author described them in only small details. Avian shaves his head because he's the medic in their community. West has broad shoulders I think? But I don't remember any details from Eve, until they are revealed at near the end where she gets a picture of a relative and sees the similarities. I couldn't get a grasp of the Bane either. They lacked description, so I didn't really perceive them as a specific threat. They were this group of people turned by cybernetics, but the extent and detail of that infection was never really fleshed out (pardon the pun).

I was conflicted about the plot as well. It was pretty vague. At first it was survive. Then it was about Eve figuring her feelings for Avian and West. Then it was about trying to destroy all the Bane. There was no clear story arc in place that made it seem like something big is about to happen. There's no speeding up or amping the tension. It's just a series of events.

Lastly, I hate most love triangles. This one in particular drove me insane. One guy, Avian, she's been around for years. They've been friends. All of a sudden West shows up, starts kissing Eve, and then *BAM* she starts feeling a range of emotions towards West and Avian, who's extremely jealous. Both guys constantly emphasize that Eve has to make a choice, that she can't have both of them (duh). They're constantly pressuring her and confusing her. It's all very convoluted and unecessary. If there had been a clear story line, there would be no time or place for such an extensive love triangle to take place. Because there is a weaker plot, the love triangle is what keeps things moving. At that end of the synopsis where is says, "Eve will make a choice that will change the future of mankind," which is where the conflict within the character and the story was supposed to take place, didn't happen.

While there were other things I didn't like that much about this book, overall it was entertaining. I read it quickly and was invested in finishing it. In the end, its redeeming feature was Eve's badassery, but I couldn't stand the love triangle and the weak story line. I wouldn't read the next one unless it had raving reviews. I understand a lot of other people highly enjoyed this book, so don't let this review totally get you down. For me the love triangle and the story didn't work, but it could for someone else.(less)

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Feb 28, 2013 CD Keith rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-kiss, love-triangle, netgalley, romance, science-fiction, suspence, young-love, dystopia

This book made me crave my movie and television time. I found myself wrapped up in the story and suspense from the beginning. Picture "I am Legend meets Resident Evil" Eve remembers nothing before she arrived at Eden 5 years earlier. She is aware that she is different from everyone else in the colony but as long as she keeps them safe nothing else matters. Only 2 percent of the world's population survive the Evolution. The survivors banned together in the countryside, away from cities and electr...more This book made me crave my movie and television time. I found myself wrapped up in the story and suspense from the beginning. Picture "I am Legend meets Resident Evil" Eve remembers nothing before she arrived at Eden 5 years earlier. She is aware that she is different from everyone else in the colony but as long as she keeps them safe nothing else matters. Only 2 percent of the world's population survive the Evolution. The survivors banned together in the countryside, away from cities and electricity where the Bane flocked. TorBane was a technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic molecules. It had the ability to generate new limbs and organs, improve and save millions of lives. Within 3 months it morphed into something stinger and deadly. The technology was dubbed as "the infection" and could be spread by just touch. The cybernetics saturated every part of your body once you were infected making a soulless, human-looking machine, The Bane. Their goal: infect all.
At only 18 Eve as known nothing but surviving this world. The only emotion she feels is the need to keep the colony safe. That is until West shows up. She feels something is wrong with her and it is distracting her from her job. It takes her a while to realize it is her feelings for West and the one who has always been there for her, Avian. This love triangle is forcing Eve to open her eyes to what being human is all about, love.
The love story and romance fit right into this story. The decisions begin made and the fight for survival are all made worth it by the emotions of all the characters. I never lost faith or respect for Eve because you find yourself cheering her on as she learns how to handle her emotions. I have to admit I had no idea which guy to cheer for because I found myself as confused as Eve did. Both guys obviously love her and would die for her so how do you pick? We have to wait to the very end for her choice. It takes the unknown knowledge of which is infected for Eve to realize which she cannot live without. Even with the decision made I still want more. There are a few cliffhangers letting us know that more is coming. I can't wait! I'm unable to give specifics without giving spoilers so you will have to read it yourself.

Thank you to Keary Taylor and NetGalley for allowing me to read.(less)

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Mar 04, 2013 Becky {Somewhere Between The Pages} rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-or-review-copy, 4-stars, dystopia-and-or-post-apocalyptic, review, young-adult

*A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

When I first started reading this novel, I was worried it would be another for the growing pile of books I couldn't finish. The pacing seemed a little off, and the very quick introduction of insta-love and a love triangle had me almost screaming. The book righted itself after a while, but by that point, I was extremely frustrated and wasn't sure if I would get it finished. However, the story eventually sank its claws into me...more *A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

When I first started reading this novel, I was worried it would be another for the growing pile of books I couldn't finish. The pacing seemed a little off, and the very quick introduction of insta-love and a love triangle had me almost screaming. The book righted itself after a while, but by that point, I was extremely frustrated and wasn't sure if I would get it finished. However, the story eventually sank its claws into me and I was hooked until the very end. Taylor's writing seemed a little amateur at times, and I couldn't tell whether that was simply due to me receiving an uncorrected proof, or if it was simply her style. Ignoring the spelling and grammar mistakes, there was still something that seemed fundamentally wrong to me. Nevertheless, the story more than made up for the writing, and I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

For those of you who don't know, The Bane was previously published under the title of Eden - a standalone novel released a couple of years ago. However, due to reader demand, the book has been revamped and republished as The Bane. Having never gotten around to reading Eden, I couldn't tell you how much - if anything - has been changed. I would assume that the book has either been cut short, or the ending changed completely, as The Bane is now the first novel in a trilogy.

Though it took me a while to get past Eve's lack of emotion, the explanation came, and I warmed up to her considerably. She was strong, brave, and even though she couldn't make her mind up when it came to the men her life, she was actually a very well-rounded character. I can't wait to see where Taylor takes her story in the second book now that she has finally realised who she can't live without. Between the guys - Avian and West - I have to admit that I preferred West for the majority of the book. Avian was mellow and sweet, and while that's all well and good, I need fire. West was passionate and wasn't afraid of going after what he wanted. There were moments when I wanted nothing more than to strangle him, but they were few and far between. However, I will admit that by the end of the book, Avian had grown on me, and I came to realise that he, too, had fire. He was just quieter about it. The rest of the characters were also intriguing, and I hope we find out more about them in the next book - especially those we met towards the end.

The story itself was very similar to practically every other post-apocalyptic novel I've read, and yet the whole journey to freedom thing never grows old. It's always fun to see what kind of unique spin an author will put on these kinds of books, and the Bane were definitely a fantastic way to break free from the mold. If you loved Enclave by Ann Aguirre, you'll most certainly enjoy this novel. The ending was simultaneously heartbreaking and wonderful, and I definitely recommend checking this book out.

For more reviews, check out my blog at Somewhere Between The Pages.(less)

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Mar 02, 2013 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2013, r2r-complete

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Keary Taylor Books and Netgalley.)
Eve lives in a post-apocalyptic society, in which humans are infected by cybernetics technology and turned into robots. These infected people are known as ‘The Bane’, and their main purpose seems to be to infect as many humans as possible until there are none left.

Eve lives in a small society called Eden, hidden in the countryside outside of a large city. There are only...more (Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Keary Taylor Books and Netgalley.)
Eve lives in a post-apocalyptic society, in which humans are infected by cybernetics technology and turned into robots. These infected people are known as ‘The Bane’, and their main purpose seems to be to infect as many humans as possible until there are none left.

Eve lives in a small society called Eden, hidden in the countryside outside of a large city. There are only 34 of them, and they survive by growing their own food and hunting game in the forest.

With a new arrival to Eden, Eve begins to learn things about herself that she never knew before, and although she has no memories of life before Eden, she has no idea that she is not 100% human herself.
What exactly is Eve though? What does this newcomer to Eden (West) know about her past? And what is Eve and Eden’s future?

This was a great YA dystopian, with an interesting sci-fi twist.

Eve was a great main character. She was strong and fought for those she cared about with great passion. She kinda reminded me of Katniss from ‘The Hunger Games’ a bit, and I loved how she was so dedicated to helping the other inhabitants of Eden. She really did go above and beyond to help those she cared about, even when she believed that she didn’t know how to care.

There was a touch of romance in this story, and we also got a love triangle, with Eve developing very new feelings for both West – the newcomer, and Avian – Eden’s doctor. I liked both of the boys, although I have to say that Avian was my favourite. I liked how this wasn’t your average love triangle because Eve had been programmed not to have feelings, and it made it interesting to see how Eve not only had to choose between the two boys, but also had to learn what love was, and how loving someone felt.
Although I am not the biggest fan of love triangles, I didn’t mind it in this book, and I personally could see why Eve had a hard time choosing between West and Avian! There were some really touching moments with both boys, and I liked this romance element to the plot, even though it was not the main storyline, and thought that it fitted in with the other themes well.

I liked the storyline in this book, and there was plenty of excitement and anticipation, as the threat from ‘The Bane’ got closer and closer, and the residents of Eden were forced to make drastic changes and plans about the best way to try to stay alive. I liked the background information we got on the cybernetics that had caused the end of the world as we know it, and how plausible it seemed, and I also liked how Eve’s differences were relevant to people’s understanding of how ‘The Bane’ worked.
There was quite a lot of action towards the end of this book, and things weren’t easy for the humans battling against ‘The Bane’. I liked how there was no simple answer to the problems with ‘The Bane’, and that it was a real battle to try to make a change.
I did have one small niggle with a small detail towards the end, but it’s difficult to explain it without giving away spoilers, lets just say that I was a little concerned at how far-reaching the human’s solution to the Bane problem would really be, and that I wasn’t sure that Eve’s final little adventure right at the end was very safe!

I liked the ending of this book. I thought that the story had a proper ending, even though this is part of a trilogy, and I liked that most of the storylines were tied up at the end of this instalment. I am however very interested to see what happens next in this series! I like how although some of the problems were solved, the overall problem was not totally eliminated, leaving plenty of room for further exploration of this exciting dystopian world!
Overall; an interesting and well thought out YA dystopian.
8 out of 10.
(less)

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Apr 16, 2013 Leanna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, e-books, ya, lovestory, tense-and-thrilling, a-distant-future

This was an exciting, fast-paced, post-apocalyptic, cyber-human, bio-engineering-gone wrong book! I really enjoyed it.

The Bane were a scary, fairly believable enemy: the result of bio-engineers giving humans a substance called TorBane, which was supposed to assist them in healing wounds/illnesses, but which instead created cyber-people whose only purpose was to create more of themselves.

The storyline was great, and with the exception of the love triangle (in a group of only 34 people, we're real...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Jen Minkman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Great book! I read 'Eden' last year and was overjoyed to find out that the Eden universe would be expanded and the book would be the first in a trilogy. Since it was recommended to read the re-worked first installment (renamed 'The Bane'), I requested an ARC from NetGalley and started reading right away. The author did a very good job thinning out the 'love-triangle-overkill' that kind of stifled the action in the original book. It was more tightly knit this way, and the story read like a fast t...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Kathleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: post-apocalyptic, fantasy

Really loved this story. Yes, the love triangle got a little annoying. Didn't Eve have bigger problems to worry about? But regardless it had really well developed characters and a really creepy world that will probably give me nightmares. That is not a bad thing.

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Dec 08, 2011 YA Reads Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kiona

First, let me draw your attention to the incredibly beautiful cover. It was impossible for this cover not to catch my eye. As a self-published author, the cover design was left up to Keary Taylor and she truly did an amazing job with an image that leaps off the shelves. And now, onto the review. Eve doesn’t remember anything before the Fall. As far as she knows, her life began when she was thirteen, found by Avian, Sarah, and Tye. The three of them are the only family Eve knows and together they...more First, let me draw your attention to the incredibly beautiful cover. It was impossible for this cover not to catch my eye. As a self-published author, the cover design was left up to Keary Taylor and she truly did an amazing job with an image that leaps off the shelves. And now, onto the review. Eve doesn’t remember anything before the Fall. As far as she knows, her life began when she was thirteen, found by Avian, Sarah, and Tye. The three of them are the only family Eve knows and together they live in a safe haven for perhaps the only humans left alive, Eden. That is, until West, Victoria, and Brady show up.

Now eighteen, Eve recognizes that she’s different from the other inhabitants of Eden. She’s fast, strong, rarely tires, and feels kind of disconnected — emotionally. She doesn’t think she knows what love is, even when it comes to simply loving her best friends and “family.” Yet as she spends more time with West, she finds he awakens certain emotions in her. But for someone who has only ever known life in Eden, how can she learn to trust an outsider? Especially since Avian is suddenly vying for her affection; Avian, whose very presence calms Eve and who understands her better than anyone else. Neither West nor Avian want to push Eve, but it’s clear she has a decision to make.

At first, Eden reminded me of Stephanie Meyer’s The Host, but with non-stop action and a more likable protagonist. Eve is a strong, independent, and utterly selfless heroine. She is so busy taking care of everyone else that she neglects her own feelings. When her inner conflict regarding West and Avian begins, she thinks avoiding the situation will make it go away. She piles on more and more work, leaving barely enough time to even sleep. But it’s impossible for her to ignore the two men. She’s drawn to each one for completely different reasons. This is why the love triangle in Eden appealed to me so much. Eve’s conflicting emotions are completely warranted as she shares common interests with both of her suitors. There is no obviously apparent or “right” choice. It truly seems like she could be happy with either guy and I was right there with her, confused as to who she should pick. Keary Taylor does a great job of opening up Eve’s mind to the reader, allowing us to slip effortlessly into her thoughts. She’s not only a protagonist you can respect, but also one you can identify with.

While the love triangle dominates a majority of the book, the plot is in no way slighted or overlooked. Eden is four hundred pages of glorious characterization, world-building, suspense, breathtaking twists, and heart-pounding action. The post-apocalyptic United States is described in visceral, frighteningly believable detail. The science and mechanical details behind the Fall and the Fallen are innovative and so intriguing. It’s impossible to put the book down because you just want to know more and more — how, why, when? Taylor doles out the answers to these questions, but sparingly, building up the suspense until the very last page.

Personally, I loved the ending to Eden. First of all, I was satisfied with Eve’s choice. Second, even though Eden is meant as a standalone novel, I appreciated the open-ended conclusion. It does leave some questions unanswered and Taylor could easily write a sequel with this incredible world she’s created, but since she’s not planning on it, the openness of the ending leaves room for your imagination, for you to continue the story for yourself. Some books don’t do this well, but I think Eden pulls it off.

At times, I feel like Eve’s inner dialogue unnecessarily rehashes the same thoughts over and over. But since these new feelings are so overwhelming and all-consuming, I can see where she’s coming from. The characters’ dialogue also seems oddly formal and forced, sometimes. It can be hard to get through those occasional formal bouts, as they’re distracting in how noticeable they are, but once they pass, it’s easy to fall back into the story. Still, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves insane world-building, intricate love stories, and the idea of technology growing too powerful. Eden does an excellent job of dealing with themes of what it means to human, where we draw the lines of morality and ethics, selflessness vs selfishness, and acceptance. If you’re looking for a completely new world to jump into, try Eden.(less)

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May 08, 2013 Catarina Alexandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: awesome, awesome-covers, blondie-s, post-apocaliptic, relationship-issues, smart-ass-coments, strong-female-leads, strong-second-characters, strong-story, hot-male-leads

REVIEW ON: http://storiepieces.blogspot.pt/2013/...

I love Zombies, I Really do!But Cybernetics creatures are now as high as the zombies in my liking status! This book was fantastic. A new, more polished kind Of the Walking Dead meets The Terminator meets the Best love triangle you can find! It's Romantic, explosive and full of non-stopping action!

Since the world has been run over by machines The world's human survivors must stick together in order to make it trough.
Eve was a girl that came to...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Dianne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: drama, netgalley, new-adult, post-apocalyptic, paranormal-romance, own, ya-paranormal-romance

The Bane is NOT just another ‘end of the world as we know it-confused love triangle-struggle to survive’ book! Keary Taylor has added her own brand of style to this tale! Eve can’t remember life before she wandered into the colony of Eden, a group of survivors on the run from the evil created in the name of science. Technology has fused human DNA with cybernetic matter, enabling the human body to regenerate limbs, have superhuman abilities. But something went wrong, the machine took over, the so...more The Bane is NOT just another ‘end of the world as we know it-confused love triangle-struggle to survive’ book! Keary Taylor has added her own brand of style to this tale! Eve can’t remember life before she wandered into the colony of Eden, a group of survivors on the run from the evil created in the name of science. Technology has fused human DNA with cybernetic matter, enabling the human body to regenerate limbs, have superhuman abilities. But something went wrong, the machine took over, the soul vanished, and the Bane were born, able to infect the world, leaving only two percent of the human population on the run in a fight for survival. There is something about Eve that is different, even her emotions seemed dulled, she is a powerful warrior and hunter, able to best those twice her size, and she seems immune to the Bane. She struggles with newly awakening emotions, not understanding them or believing they are real. As Eden struggles to survive, Eve finds she is drawn to the quiet and gentle ex-soldier, Avian, who keeps her at a distance, but why? When West, a newcomer to the group seems attracted to Eve, she feels there is something he is not telling her. He has secrets, dark secrets about her past, the past she cannot remember, and he is not sharing all of it. Does he have another agenda? Can he be trusted? Eve’s confused heart says she wants what he offers, excitement, a sizzle in her veins, but Avian’s quiet strength also appeals to her. Is he too safe for her? As Eve’s heart is drawn in two directions, the humans are being picked off one by one. She knows she MUST save her friends, it is her mission, her self-imposed duty to the only family she has ever known. But what if they find out the truth about her past? Will they turn on her? Will they ever trust her again? Does it matter, so long as she saves them from the monsters?

Imagine being a teen full of emotional turmoil and no past to learn from? Keary Taylor did a marvelous job of making Eve’s pain our pain. Her confusion becomes so realistic when the world is falling down around her. The world building was so descriptive, the scenes so well done that I could feel the heat of the sun, branches scratching me and the fear the survivors felt! The action is often so intense that even the quiet times are uneasy. This is a fantastic paranormal-post apocalyptic read that made me think, "What if this really happened, would there be time for love?"

A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Keary Taylor Books in exchange for my honest review. Publication Date March 5, 2013

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Apr 28, 2013 Oana D. H. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Imagine living in a world where humans beings are replaced by machines.A world where every day you have to fight for your life.
Well,if you can't imagine that then you have to read this book.I don't say this just because of what i wrote above.It is because of how incredible the book was.How strong the characters were.And finally because it gives you the chance to appreciate the way the world is now.

I liked the story.Honestly,i can't imagine living in a world like that one.It was hard and painf...more Imagine living in a world where humans beings are replaced by machines.A world where every day you have to fight for your life.
Well,if you can't imagine that then you have to read this book.I don't say this just because of what i wrote above.It is because of how incredible the book was.How strong the characters were.And finally because it gives you the chance to appreciate the way the world is now.

I liked the story.Honestly,i can't imagine living in a world like that one.It was hard and painful,but the hard moments were not the only ones.My point is that evey book has bad moments and good moments.This one wasn't an exception and it couldn't have been.

Survival.Lies.Fight.Truth.Love.Trust.

My favorite character was Eve.At first i didn't understand how she was so strong and better at hunting and defending the group.It was strange because she was better than any other person,but the fact that she couldn't remember how everything started or anything else besides her name made me wonder what could have happen to her in the past,before everything happened.But when i finally read about her past i was left speechless.

It was fun reading about how Eve tried to understand a few things,but what was hard was when she was struggling to understand her feelings for Avian and West.

One took care for her and treated her like she was part of his family.The other one had too many secrets and brought to life the bad part of her.For Eve was hard to choose,but in the end she understood without which one she couldn't breathe.

Between Avian and West from the beginning i was on Avian's side.Why?Well,West had too many secrets.He lied from the beginning and acted like everything was ok.But it wasn't.Meanwhile,Avian helped Eve and showed her that even if she didn't remember anything from the past he was there for her.He was her new family.I'm pretty sure i'm not honest here because there are too many things that happened after West appeared,but what can i say i'm not his biggest fan.

The Bane was about survival.About the need to fight and hope that one day everything will be ok.
Between trying to understand how everything started and reading about Eve's struggle i kept thinking about how can one mistake can ruin everything.A book about how the scientists tried to do something good and they failed.

I'm not complaining about anything because i loved how everything happened in Eden.How everyone was doing something and how they helped each other.I loved Keary's idea of writing about human beings who were capable of doing everything to survive.That's what really matters.To help each other and fight for life.

I'm addicted to dystopian books .I'm pretty sure that until the next book in The Eden Trilogy will be published i will reread The Bane.Why?Because this book is one of my favorites and that's not going to change.(less)

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Feb 24, 2013 Amanda Masters rated it 5 of 5 stars

Amazing book! I really enjoyed the character of Eve and her struggle. It was defiantly an usual zombie Apocalyptic story one I have never read before or anything like before. I defiantly can't imagine what we would do if faced with a world like this but I would hope we would rise to the challenge like the people of Eden do for they are an inspiration for the human race.

Eden is a place of sanctuary a place where the few survivors of the zombiebot Apocalypse have found to hide and try to keep the...more

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Dec 25, 2012 Three rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is certainly the first time I've seen this particular idea targeted specifically to this market, so I give the author credit for trying to inject something new. Unfortunately, I just don't think there's enough different here to be particularly interesting. I kept being reminded of the movie Vexille as I read, and the comparison was not favorable to Eden.

Of course, the movie also benefits from not catering to the YA genre, which seems to think a love triangle is an essential ingredient in e...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Tracey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012

Eve knew the stories of the Fall, of a time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name. She's seen the aftermath of the technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter, able to grow new organs and limbs, how it evolved out of control. The machine took over and the soul vanished. A world quickly losing its humanity isn't just a story to her though. At eighteen, this world is Eve's reality.

In their Fallen world, love feels like a selfish luxury, b...more

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Jul 07, 2012 L.j. Duett rated it 5 of 5 stars

See that folks? Yes, thats five stars!
Why? Well just sit down people and let me begin to list the reasons:

1. There is some major awesome going on with this cover. It's beautiful in a bad gritty sort of way. It's not the girl next door or the old school covers directed at the older youth. It gets down to business with a swift hard Chuck Norris kick to the eyes. The cover also represents the book's plot with that metalic in the eye and the roughed up decrilit script. It is quite frankly pure awes...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Abby rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of post apocalypse and love triangles

Shelves: girls-that-kick-ass, own-it, love-triangle, young-adult

I got this book on kindle a while ago because I think it was one of the free/super discounted books. Anyway I did not love nor hate this book. Actually, I loved AND hated it. I've found that a pros and cons list is the best way to organize my thoughts.
Pros
1. The setting. I was hooked in the beginning about the post apocalyptic world where 98% of the population are infected into being mutant robot zombies, determined to make the rest of the population mutant robot zombies.

2. The Protagonist. Eve...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Pavarti Tyler rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: scifi

Disclaimer:I downloaded Eden when it was free on KDP Select because the cover is awesomesauce. I don't know this author and have never spoken to her.

Review:Eden is YA at it's finest. It has everything you ever wanted out of a Zombie book, except the zombies are like 175,000 times cooler. It has everything you want from a dystopia/post-apocalyptic story except there's actual LOGIC to the story. It has everything you want out of a female main character except Eve is actually strong and weak and am...more Disclaimer: I downloaded Eden when it was free on KDP Select because the cover is awesomesauce. I don't know this author and have never spoken to her.

Review: Eden is YA at it's finest. It has everything you ever wanted out of a Zombie book, except the zombies are like 175,000 times cooler. It has everything you want from a dystopia/post-apocalyptic story except there's actual LOGIC to the story. It has everything you want out of a female main character except Eve is actually strong and weak and amazing and confused and real. Can you tell I loved this book.

As many of you know, I don't, on principle, read YA. I haven't read this author before because she has an angel series out, and call me a snob, but dude, angels? really? insert eyeroll here So for me to come out and publicly say not only is this YA book ker-pow-tacular, I might actually consider her other books because of how great the writing is.

For once in a review, I don't want to talk about the plot too much. Really, I enjoyed it so much I don't want to ruin it for you, I just want you to buy in and fall in love like I did. There are a few issues I had with the book, but none of them stopped me from reading this book in 2 days and in eBook format - which I despise. I even read it on my phone in the dr's waiting room. I just couldn't get enough. The science is plausible, terrifying and spectacularly well done. Taylor has created a whole new kind of zombie/cyborg/monster that resonates deeply in the minds of modern culture.

My main complaint is the over use of the love triangle crutch to push the plot forward. There was plenty of great story without making this the focus. However, I understand it and it is YA so it's expected. Also, Taylor had some lovely twists and surprises in there for the reader with the male characters and I think she handled it extremely well. I'm just so over the whole Team Edward! thing, but that's me, not an issue with the story. There were a few times when the writing could have used an editor. There were some tense issues, a few distracting cliches and on one page I counted the phrase "said through clenched teeth" three times. On one page. Wow. They need to chill out! TMJ is not a joking matter. All in all though, spectacular work, highly recommended.(less)

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Jun 06, 2012 Genesis Blue rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: post-apocalyptic, ya

Definitely an interesting read. It's almost a zombie story, only the zombies aren't dead, they've been taken over by cybernetics. Eden is a little piece of safety where a handful of survivors eke a living out of the ground, moving frequently. Eve is a young woman with no memory of her past, who is extraordinarily strong and useful. Without much emotion, she helps the villagers and ensures that the scouting teams are always home safe . . . but when she finds a strange trio in the forest, her enti...more

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May 23, 2012 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-100-book-challenge, mundie-moms-reviews, 2012-release

Eden brings plenty of action, romance, and uncertainty that dystopian and post-apocalyptic stories have in them, to the YA book scene. Keary not only created a story that relied heavily on these elements, she created a vivid world that was incredibly easy for me picture. I was fascinated by Eden, and the fact that the world as me know it now no longer exists. Technology rules and the few humans left are now on the run. It's here, in Eden where Eve's story starts. Being among some of the last few...more Eden brings plenty of action, romance, and uncertainty that dystopian and post-apocalyptic stories have in them, to the YA book scene. Keary not only created a story that relied heavily on these elements, she created a vivid world that was incredibly easy for me picture. I was fascinated by Eden, and the fact that the world as me know it now no longer exists. Technology rules and the few humans left are now on the run. It's here, in Eden where Eve's story starts. Being among some of the last few hold outs of humans, Eden has become both a refuge for those survivors. I do not envy the characters of this book, and all they have to deal with, but I enjoyed getting to read about them.

Eve is a character I didn't really connect with until towards the end of the book. Which was surprising to me, because I admired how resilient, motivated and tough she is. She will do whatever it takes to support and save those who live in her colony, which has become her family. She has some great butt kicking moments. This girl isn't afraid to get dirty or take a few hits, but she can definitely dish it out to anyone who tries to come after those she loves and cares deeply amount. Any girl who takes a stand and does whatever she can to protect those she loves gets high praise in my book.

This story's world building fascinated me, and I liked how descriptive Keary gets with her setting. It was so easy for me to envision it in my mind as I'm reading about. The colony of Eden was interesting to me. I liked how despite the various age differences, they all work together much like a family would. Each character has a different role and they all take turns hunting, caring for each other, growing food, etc. They world they live in is far from easy. They're constantly on the run and the look out for the Fallen. I enjoyed getting to know some of the characters that reside in Eden.

Aside from Eve, we get to meet Avian and West, the two main love interests. Though I liked West from the moment he enters the scene, Avian won me over. I should back up and say I liked that both guys would do anything for Eve, including risking their lives for her, but the history she had with Avian and the way they acted around each other made it so much easy for me to adore him. I loved their stolen moments together. I enjoy a well written love triangle, but I just didn't get into this one. I felt that Eve's feelings for both guys was believable, and I liked that she worked out her feelings for both guys. I even liked how she finally made her choice, but I personally didn't like how long it took her to make it. I started to lose interest in it, and then wham, something happens (keeping it spoiler free) and she made her choice, and the way she comes to that conclusion made total sense to me. I really wish I could talk about this part of the book, but I can't do so without mentioning spoilers.

I love the surprising twists Keary threw with the last part of Eden. I was not expecting them at all. Eden is a fast paced read with a good plot line, and lots of sizzling romance, and plenty of action. If you've a fan of dystopians and post apocalyptic reads, I'd recommend adding this to your lists! I think Eden is a book YA fans are really going to enjoy.
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Mar 21, 2012 Ruthie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've been dying to read Eden ever since a friend of mine first introduced me to Keary Taylor's blog. I waited though, because I wanted to be able to buy her book for myself, not just get this one from the library. Once I snagged a copy for my kindle, I was super excited to dive in!

Eden is a dystopian novel set in a future where an attempt to make life better for everyone went terribly wrong. Doctors created a way to introduce nano technology into humans to do things like grow new limbs or organ...more I've been dying to read Eden ever since a friend of mine first introduced me to Keary Taylor's blog. I waited though, because I wanted to be able to buy her book for myself, not just get this one from the library. Once I snagged a copy for my kindle, I was super excited to dive in!

Eden is a dystopian novel set in a future where an attempt to make life better for everyone went terribly wrong. Doctors created a way to introduce nano technology into humans to do things like grow new limbs or organs that have been destroyed or compromised, but the technology evolved, and pretty soon it wasn't stopping at just regrowing a missing limb, it was taking over the humans entirely.

Civilization has been destroyed as a result of these cybernetics, and Eden is a small group of people living in the wilderness just trying to survive. The community is run by one older man, their "doctor" (who hadn't fully completed schooling), and a teenage girl. The first two made sense from the get go, and it doesn't take long for the reader to find out why this teenager, Eve, is so important to the camp. She is an incredibly hunter, a valuable skill to wilderness survival, and she also has keen instincts when it comes to protecting the people of Eden.

Eve's only problem other than trying to survive is that she can't remember anything prior to joining the others when she was 13. She has a few nightmares that almost seem like memories, but they are too strange to be believed, so naturally she doesn't. That is until a boy joins the colony that says he knew her before The Fall, and Eve begins to discover a past that's even stranger than her dreams.

I loved this book! Eve is not a typical teenager in any way, and watching her emotional journey was really interesting. The book was fast paced and kept me turning pages as the mystery slowly unfolded, and as the people of Eden struggled to survive.

I'm giving this book 4 stars and highly recommend it! The only thing holding me back from giving it 5 stars is that there was one part of the book that seemed a little implausible from a practicality stand point, but it doesn't distract from the overall story. I'm looking forward to reading more of this excellent author's books! (less)

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Feb 18, 2012 Aaron Lewis rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 100-books-in-2012

Taylor took the popular post-apocalyptic theme and gave it a good spin. It had a bit of a zombie apocalypse vibe... only instead of a zombie virus raising the dead it was nanobots turning people into cyborgs. The bright side of the lack of actual zombies was that the cyborgs weren't so "grr, arg, lets ineffectually eat people." Even though they were a tad slow on the uptake, the cyborgs could actually think and do things other than walk around biting people. They had an understandable directive:...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Clackamas rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, apocalyptic-fiction-dystopias, pre-teen-and-teen

I read this as a free Nook book. I did not expect much because often the free Nook books are not great. I was pleasantly surprised. Eden presented an interesting world. By the end we get to find out what caused it. I was rooting for the main character, and the fact that I cared speaks highly of the writing. I would like to see other stories set in this world with different bands of survivors who don't have the benefits that the main character gave this group.

The not-so-great things about this b...more

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Eden vs. The Bane	1	14	Mar 08, 2013 05:16am
ugh....	1	6	Feb 18, 2013 08:44am
Book Boyfriends: Eden	2	16	Sep 29, 2012 07:59am
Shut Up & Read: Eden by Keary Taylor - May	41	62	May 28, 2012 05:59pm

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