Stacey O'Neale

This review was completed by Amanda Harbin, staff reviewer with the Fantasy Book Addict.Revealing Hamilton by debut author Sarah Carr is the first book in a series about a young woman facing the knowledge that her maniacal grandfather has altered her DNA. First I have to say that I had trouble putting this book down, the characters were well written and relatable. I definitely found myself wondering about what was happening in their world as I went about my day. The settings were well written and as a reader I felt like I was right there with Amelia.I had one challenge in reading the book and as I write this critique I am trying to think about how I would change it, and I’m not entirely sure that I have any suggestions. The storyline as it related to Amelia’s past and how she ended where she is today felt a bit convoluted. It was a little distracting because it took away from the believability of the story. There were a few occasions where I felt like I kind of had to force myself to believe in what had happened or what was happening. In the end all of the necessary loose ends were tied up, which helped a lot.I struggled with rating this book because I definitely enjoyed the read. In fact I got to a point where I didn’t want to finish the book and let go of the characters because I knew that it would feel like too long before I could get my hands on the next chapter of the Amelia’s story. On the other hand I feel like the story is only going to get stronger from here. Sarah Carr has a wonderful story-telling voice that draws a reader in and keeps them engaged and I think this is the start to a fascinating series.I would recommend this book for older YA audiences, the main character is twenty-three and her experiences reflect her age. This novel definitely has a YA voice but there is some language and references that would not be appropriate for younger YA audiences.