![BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY – ISAN (International Sensory Assassin Network #1) by Mary Ting BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY – ISAN (International Sensory Assassin Network #1) by Mary Ting](http://starcrossedbookblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/isan-mary-ting-207x310.jpg)
by Mary Ting
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads
Synopsis:
THE WORLD HAS CHANGED.
SCIENTISTS WARNED IT WOULD HAPPEN.
Meteors devastated the Earth. World Governments developed plans to help surviving citizens. The United States disbanded and salvageable land was divided into four quadrants—North, South, East, and West—governed by The Remnant Council.
Struggling to survive, seventeen-year-old Ava ends up in juvenile detention, until she is selected for a new life—with a catch. She must be injected with an experimental serum. The results will be life changing. The serum will make her better. To receive the serum, Ava agrees to join a program controlled by ISAN, the International Sensory Assassin Network.
While on a training mission, she is abducted by a rebel group led by Rhett and told that not only does she have a history with him, but her entire past is a lie perpetuated by ISAN to ensure her compliance. Unsure of who to trust, Ava must decide if her strangely familiar and handsome captor is her enemy or her savior—and time is running out.
Review:
ISAN was an explosion of action and emotion and I loved every single moment of it! From that very first page, this book had me in it’s grip. I was addicted to the story and the characters, which made it impossible for me to put this book down. So if you’re a fan of dystopian, kick ass girls and a sprinkling of romance then you have to check out this book! Or even if you liked the Bourne movies (one of my favorite movies!), then you’ll probably enjoy this story as much as I did. ISAN is definitely going on my favorites list and I can’t recommend it enough!
My destiny had been set. They owned me. They would use me. I had no choice.
Right from the start we got brought into Ava’s world. As the story progressed, so did our understanding of everything. It all unfolded beautifully, but be patient because there were things even Ava didn’t understand. And we got to learn right along with her. Ava had found herself in juvenile detention when she was given a chance to join ISAN. ISAN was a secret organization that trained girls without much of a future, let alone any family, into killers. ISAN also used experimental drug on them to enhance their abilities. The girls constantly found themselves training with either simulations or tests. And their training was intense, page turning, and made me forget to breathe. I was completely consumed with what they were doing. But Ava started to question if ISAN was the better option. She was their killing machine and there was no way out.
I’m not giving up. This isn’t over. His words echoed in my mind.
Sniper haunted me while awake and in my dreams. My gut told me something wasn’t right. And the what ifs nagged at me. I shoved Sniper out of my mind.
I loved Ava with my whole heart and soul! She could be so selfless and I loved how smart she was. And I was impressed that she was able to see the bigger picture during their training and missions. She was born to be a leader. So Ava quickly earned my respect and her plight easily made me connect to her. But Ava was special since she could see a map in her head, no matter where they were. And as I started to have a firm grasp on the world Ava lived in, things started to happen. Strange messages from someone named Sniper started to appear on her TAB and a comment from a higher up made her pause. He acted as though she had done something in the past, yet Ava had no recollection of it. I felt as lost and confused as Ava during those moments, but I loved every single minute of it!
None of my planning mattered. When the door slid open, Rhett stood as if he knew I would be there. His eyes roamed intensely over my body, causing me to blush, and then landed on my hand with the syringe.
Crap.
Wearing an irresistibly sexy smirk, he planted his hands on either side of the doorway, muscles flexing, blocking me.
“Going somewhere?”
While out on a mission, Ava got abducted by Rhett. Rhett claimed he had a past with Ava, yet she had no clue what he was talking about. And while Ava questioned what she felt towards Rhett, I loved what little bit I knew about him. Rhett was protective and intense, but he continuously made me laugh and smile. And at the same time, my heart hurt so horribly for him. Rhett was tortured since Ava didn’t remember him. I even found myself with tears in my eyes during a few of those moments. But I kept holding out hope that Ava’s heart would find her way back to Rhett.
Without thinking, I reached for his hand and stood next to him under the night sky, under the stars and the moon. The universe joined us in a mesmerizing moment of awe. Nothing mattered. I drifted to another place and time where Rhett and I were a real couple, and I was not an assassin, but a simple girl.
So while Ava had created friendships back at ISAN, she also found herself trying to figure out how she fit in with Rhett and his crew. Well, if she even did. Ozzie was one of Rhett’s friends and he made me laugh so much. He was definitely one of my favorites! Ozzie added so much light, humor and the friendship he tried to establish with Ava warmed me to the tip of my toes. He was such an adorable guy! But back at ISAN she had Brooke and Tamara who were her friends. I have a huge guess about Brooke, but time will tell!! And while Ava and I adored both Brooke and Tamara, things happened with Rhett that made her second guess everything.
“….I’ll tell you this, no one in this world loves you as much as I do.” – Rhett to Ava
There is SO much more that I want to say and it’s going to kill me! But ISAN was the hugest surprise ever. I hoped that I would like this book, but I had no clue that I would fall head over heels in love with this story! So if you love action packed stories, strong friendships, being in the dark at times, kick ass girls, a boy with a tortured heart and a little bit of romance mixed in then definitely pick up this book. I am so excited to see what will happens next. It ended at a perfect spot, but my heart is begging for that next book to be released asap!!
PS I don’t care how hot Mitch was, I never liked him. Ha!
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by Xpresso Book Tours. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
Reading Order:
Amazon (click on covers) & iBooks (click on titles)
![]() ISAN (International Sensory Assassin Network #1) Review: Jen |
![]() HELIX (International Sensory Assassin Network #2) Review: Jen |
![]() GENES (International Sensory Assassin Network #3) Review: Jen |
![]() CODE (International Sensory Assassin Network #3) Review: Jen |
![]() AVA (International Sensory Assassin Network #4) Review: Jen |
About Mary Ting:
International Bestselling Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.
I just finished this book and my review will go up later this week. I did enjoy it too. great review.
I’m so happy to hear that!
I’ve yet to read Mary Ting, even though I’ve been seeing her around for years. Looks like I need to change that!![My Profile](http://starcrossedbookblog.com/wp-content/plugins/commentluv/images/littleheartplus.png)
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction recently posted…March/April Wrap-Up Round-Up Giveaway
This is a book I think a lot of people will love. It played out so well and I could easily see it being made into a movie! 🙂
This definitely sounds like my type of book. Phenomenal review Jen!
Yesssss! I need to have friends that I know who have read this book….I NEED to talk to someone lol!!
This sounds so well written and really action packed, too! Great review!![My Profile](http://starcrossedbookblog.com/wp-content/plugins/commentluv/images/littleheartplus.png)
Giselle recently posted…Pressure of Perfection: On Diverse Authors and Readers
Oh it definitely was! Thank you so much, Giselle!
Oh good!! I’ve been anxiously awaiting your review of this one! Can’t wait to read it.
I can’t wait to read your review of it!!!!! YAY!!!!!!
I never heard of this series but It sounds pretty amazing. I’m adding it to my TBR! Thanks for the wonderful review! 🙂![My Profile](http://starcrossedbookblog.com/wp-content/plugins/commentluv/images/littleheartplus.png)
Raven recently posted…Over Raging Tides (Lady Pirates #1) By Jennifer Ellison [Review]
I loved this book soooooooo much so I’m so excited to hear you added it to your TBR! 🙂
Look at that, the MC has almost got my name 🙂 this looks kickass! Oh yeah, it does look like The Bourne Trilogy at first glance, when you mention it. Sounds interesting 🙂 too bad that giveaway is over 😀![My Profile](http://starcrossedbookblog.com/wp-content/plugins/commentluv/images/littleheartplus.png)
Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks recently posted…[MG] Girl Power, Good Vibes and Generally a Wonderful Story
Close! 😉 It definitely had vibes of The Bourne Trilogy and that had me grinning from ear to ear! I love those movies soooooooo much!