Virals by Kathy Reichs (Virals #1)

Tory Brennan lives with her father and her best friends on an island off the coast of South Carolina. The island is used for research by a nearby university, and Tory's father is one of the many scientists hired to study the local wildlife. Tory is used to the high security and never thinks twice about the secrets and danger the sealed labs might be keeping in. However, while looking for answers in a search for a missing person that becomes a hunt for a killer, Tory and her companions are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus. The fours' DNA becomes to warp and change, granting them superhuman powers. While their newfound skills might help them solve the case, they have no idea how to use their powers, and some people are out to get them. Not everyone wants the mystery solved.

Tory is a spunky, fierce heroine. She's a born leader, taking charge of her slightly more cautious friends and strikes me as a brave, confident girl. Nothing stops her from getting what she wants, even the consequences of possibly getting caught for a felony. She's strictly non-"girly", shunning pretty, but impractical, clothes and refusing to attend a debutante ball, horrified by the prospect of wearing a frilly dress. Nothing is too impossible for Tory, who doesn't take no for an answer. If people refuse to help her, she'll find a way around them. She reminds me of Maximum Ride a little bit with her attitude and bravado. However, she has less of Max's snappy humor in exchange for being more mature.

Tory's friends provided no small amount of comedic relief throughout the story. She surrounds herself with guys, and while the three of them are much more cautious than their leader, they also would follow her anywhere. Ben is the calmest and most closed-off boy, steady and reliable. Hi is the voice of reason, but he's also the first person to get anxious in a bad situation. When the group is digging for a dead body, he's the boy who is nervously wondering aloud if it's such a good idea. Shelton, last but not least, is up for whatever Tory comes up with. I can see the bond the group has, and I can easily buy into them having a genuine friendship through their constant quips and their unwillingness to leave anybody behind.

The setting of Virals is the perfect place for a sci-fi adventure! High security labs with groundbreaking technology and shady deals is already the ideal setting for a mystery and secrets, but when you add that to a jungle island with diverse wildlife such as monkeys and wolves that both the reader and the characters can explore, I knew I was looking forwards to plenty of high-speed chases and fight scenes! The science-y island is a far cry from the elegant world of the friends' school, full of old money and spoiled, rich students who look down on the average four.

This was a recommendation, and I'm glad I picked it up. Virals gave me an overdose of action-packed chases and the thrill of a good, complex mystery. I could have never guessed who was behind the killing, let alone how the book was going to turn out! There were plenty of breakneck plot twists, and in the end, all I want is the sequel. The characters also felt very real. There isn't anything major wrong with the book, but if anything, I would like to learn more about Tory's family. She mentions that her mother was killed in an accident, but she never specifies. I'd like to learn more. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a sci-fi adventure or a good murder mystery with a science fiction twist. 4.5/5 stars.

#animals #disease #scifi #crimeandmystery #seriesstartandstandalones