Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

Anna cherished her mother’s journal and memorized most of it including the recipe for pumpkin cookies. Anna and her father called an old farmhouse their home; beneath the house was a lab and a prison, where four young men were held captive for as long as Anna could remember. Trev, Nick, Chase, and Sam were treated like lab rats. They were given special vitamins; their blood was routinely tested and they were subjected to other tests. Anna was seventeen years old and led a very sheltered life. The boys looked to be around eighteen when she first saw them years ago but they never seemed to age. Anna’s father was the head of the project and Anna worked as his assistant. The project was for the Branch which appears to be some type of government agency. Anna slipped down to the lab often during the night and spent time talking with Sam and often playing chess with him. The four young men were her only friends. More than once she considered letting them go. Trev was easy to talk to, Chase made her laugh, Nick frightened her, and she felt drawn to Sam. None of the boys could remember anything about their life before their captivity. When Connor and Riley from the Branch came to take the young men away, Sam, Trev, Chase, and Nick quickly rebelled, managing to escape and taking Anna with them. The five were on the run.

“Altered” is a fast-paced, action-packed Thriller. From the first chapter I was captivated. Casey Holloway’s voice was the perfect choice for the narrator, especially since the tale is told from Anna’s point of view. Each of the young men has an enhanced ability although we do not see much of it in this volume of the series. Jennifer Rush is a genius. It is hard to believe this is her first book. She deftly allows the suspense to build. She has created characters who have great dimension and yet some room to grow. This book has questions just begging to be answered. I can hardly wait for the second book in this series.