Code Word for Chaos

by E.C. Farrell

Cal (14) and Sephrim (16), are rejects on the run. Tailor-made in The Lab as genetically perfect, their “undesirable” traits leave them without the families they hoped for. Together, they escape a life sentence to the horrid workhouses. Their lab-created survival skills allow them to avoid capture but also attract unwanted attention from rival gangs eager to provide “protection”—for a price.

Then one such group captures Cal and implants her with mind-control technology. A code word is all it takes to make her their mindless murder puppet. If Sephrim can’t overcome crippling anxiety to rescue Cal, he risks dooming not only her, but all rejected Designer Kids to the same horrific fate.

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 26, 2023

About the author

E.C. Farrell never met a book she didn’t like. (Just kidding! Though she’s not going to bad-mouth the ones she couldn’t finish, she is still mad about the end of Hunger Games Trilogy - RIP Prim) She likes her characters sassy and her endings surprising. Fluent in sarcasm, she has also studied Krav Maga and could out-burpee you any day of the week. When she's not writing, she often teaches creative writing classes for a local non-profit organization Write Create.

Reviews

[LooseBoots · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone listen.
You must read this book. It will be the best thing you EVER do.
Seriously, I was hooked from page one and the book would not let me go till the very end.
Such brilliant writing Ms Farrell.
I don’t do spoilers but it was such an enjoyable read. Some books take ages to get into but this one…..I was part of the story from page one. Ok, obviously you won’t know all that’s going on but it didn’t feel like a problem to me.
Some reviewers are more wordy than myself but I know what I like , and I LOVED this.

[Jill Gauger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non stop action, intriguing storyline and amazing characters. A futuristic look at having a child made to order and the fallout when a child is rejected.
I loved this book and recommend it to everyone.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

OKAY 4.5 for sure

STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND READ THIS. Definitely a possible future of Earth but the implications that come with it people do not want to think about and wow this storyline! Had me hooked into the characters and entire plot from the first few pages!
Thank you so much Ms. Farrell for this amazing ARC story all thoughts/opinions above are my own!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Code Word for Chaos is a YA dystopia by EC Farrell where kids can be “designed” down to the DNA and traits level. They can be custom made or ordered from a catalogue, but what happens to the overstock? What happens to the kids with “undesirable” traits that no one wants?

Sephrim and Cal have escaped and are living on the streets, working for unsavory characters to get by…until Cal is taken to be used in a dastardly plot and programmed with mind control technology. Sephrim, with the help of Darby, a teen thief, and Matt, a hacker, must stay out of the way of the adults hunting them and rescue Cal before her code word activates her.

After having read the early version of this book, I’m so excited to read its final form! If you like dystopia stories or sci-fi found-family tales, check this one out!

[Joey Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up because the blurb sounded like an interesting book and I was hooked from the first page. Cal, and Sephrim were engaging characters that pulled you into the story and made you want to know more about them. I adored them both, as well as the side characters we met along the way. The story was perfectly crafted leading you into a sci-fi/dystopian feel of the world, and just how easy it would be for that power to corrupt. This was a book that I ended up reading in one sitting and adored from start to finish. Highly, highly recommended!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC from the author for an honest review.

Once I started reading, I was hooked! Code Word for Chaos was a thrill; from the interesting characters, the plot throughout, and settings explored in the chapters. As each storyline unfolded, I was left more and more at the edge of my seat! The writing was exemplary as well, scenes unfolding so vividly it was as though I was alongside Cal and Sephrim. There is also neurodivergent representation, which I found done nicely. I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for their next read!

[Sharon Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a fast-paced story with characters you’ll root for all set in a world where genetically modified babies are why norm, then stop what you’re doing.

Farrell’s writing is smooth and gripping and the world building is perfection. This is a book you won’t be able to put down so plan on having a book hangover the next day.

Highly recommend for YA lovers of sci fi.

[Beth Weaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a must read. E.C Farrell takes us into the future. A future of children that are made to order in science labs. In a perfectly dark way, you find out what happens when those ‘perfect’ children are rejected. This story had me completely hooked. By the end, I was completely attached to the characters. Especially, Cal.

[Marianne Antonichuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to read this book and it was amazing only took me a day to read I couldn’t put it down as it was so good this is definitely a must read book the storyline e had me wanting to read more to find out what happens I felt bad for the kids as well what they were going through but it was like they all stuck together can’t wait for more

[Amanda Sagen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, E.C has created something that draws you in, shocks the system and delivers the wow-factor while also maintaining a storyline that could, in fact, become a reality (the way science is evolving, I can imagine this actually happening in the not too distant future! - someone help humanity! )

Anyway, the book?! Fantastic! Dystopian is a bit hit and miss for me as a rule, but this one is definitely a hit! Sephrim and Cal are the designer kids of the future, (the ones who got away. Can they manage to stay away though? ). Humanity can literally design their children, right down to whether they will have freckles or if they will be sports inclined rather than arty. But, sometimes things don't go to plan, sometimes potential parents change their minds, so the science experiments have to go somewhere. The labs to be tested on? Workhouses?
Seph and Cal escaped that question and now, with the help of a misfit group, they want to help more rejects, more leftovers.

Fast paced, this story is on permanent don't stop for a red light, go! Emotions run almost on fever pitch throughout, right until the conclusion. If you love a *think-outside-the-box* story, then this is for you! Seriously, don't skip over this one! Grab it and read it today! E.C takes you on an epic ride into the future! 😁

[Gabriela Hammersmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very good, I couldn’t put it down as soon as I read the first page. Then my brain took off and did it’s thing and I was reading and watching a movie at the same time.

I liked how some of the characters have their own chapter and you got to read their side.

Sometimes it was predictable but that didn’t stop me from wanting to know what was going to happen next.

Thank you to the author and goodreads giveaways for a chance to win this book. It was so good.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book to read because I was in the mood for a good dystopian read. I have to say I was completely amazed by the book. I have read some of the author's other works in the past, but this book was truly one in a million. An engaging read gripping you in from page one, this is one book I just could not put down, and would definitely recommend to anyone who likes the dystopian genre, and especially if they also like science fiction. I really enjoyed reading this!!

[Joanne Slazyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the world created in this book. So vivid with and enchanting cast of characters, each with a unique voice and story. I was hooked from the very beginning and had a tough time putting the book down. I will definitely be devouring this author's other books. Her writing style is polished and super engaging.

[Thomas Lott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is called a YA, but older adults can find plenty to like. Sympathetic characters, excellent plotting, and great writing. It is definitely a page turner. Read it and tell your friends! Set in the not-too-distant future, Cal and Sephrim are runaway designer kids, deemed not as perfect as they were supposed to be. You won’t have any trouble rooting for them.