MILA 2.0

Written by Debra Driza

Narrated by Tara Sands

Mila was living with her mother in a small Minnesota town when she discovered she was also living a lie.

She was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was never supposed to remember the past—that she was built in a computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much, and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology.

Evading her enemies won't help Mila escape the cruel reality of what she is and cope with everything she has had to leave behind. However, what she's becoming is beyond anyone's imagination, including her own, and that just might save her life.

A compulsively readable sci-fi thriller, Mila 2.0 is Debra Driza's bold debut and the first book in an action-filled, Bourne Identity–style trilogy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
• Release date: Mar 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9780062268273

Debra Driza

Debra Driza is the author of MILA 2.0 and MILA 2.0: Renegade. She is a member of the teen lit blogging group the Bookanistas and a former practicing physical therapist who discovered that tormenting her characters was infinitely more enjoyable. These days you can find her at home in California, wrangling one husband, two kids, and an assortment of Rhodesian ridgebacks. You can visit her online at www.debradriza.com.

Reviews for MILA 2.0

[vanyadrum · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

NOTE: This is an eARC I got from Netgalley.

This is a nicely done piece of work, that takes the reader on an adventure packed with lots of action, sci-fi elements and of course, teen romance. Taking this book in your hands, you better be prepared for a journey of self-discovery, which may or may not take you where you intended to go.

Mila 2.0 started off just as any other book. Girl moves to new town because of some family tragedy. She meets, of course, a boy, a gets attracted to him. But that's where the similarities end. Because Mila really isn't just your average 16 year old girl. No, she's actually an android (an intelligent humanoid robot), who didn't turn out as machine-like as the military had planned. That piece of new information pushed the story into an unstoppable streak of action that continued until the very last chapter.

What impressed me very much was that the author did a very good job incorporating the machine with the human inside one body and mind.

However, there was a huge weakness that I can't just bypass. Every other page (or at least one out of three pages) had to do with Mila's inner struggles of how she wasn't truly a human. Now, don't get me wrong, I get it. At least I think I do since I don't have the actual experience. The girl had all the human traits you and I have. Then all of a sudden she finds out that all of that just doesn't matter in the least. She eats - so what? She cries - so what? She loves - whatever! None of that matters. All the emotions and bodily functions in the world won't take the machine out of her.
Surely, if I found out the same thing was true about me, I'd probably react the same way - denial, hurt, disbelief, yada, yada...

But, there's just a certain limit for all that, which a reader's mind can take. The constant repetition of how sad and angry Mila was that she wasn't an actual human; the continuous denial of her functionalities... it just nagged at me so much! Every time Mila went on a streak of self-loathing, self-wallowing etc., it irritated me to death. Because of all those countless repetitive paragraphs, I wanted this book to just end somewhere and release me from the torture.

In relation to that, I also want to say that this story could've very well been squeezed into less than 400 pages. It was just too long for a debut, series start and a teen book. I was ready to put it down about half-way through.

I won't say more, because it's hard to keep this review spoiler-free as it is.

In conclusion, Mila 2.0 isn't a bad book. It's actually a good one, if you have the patience to pass through all the repetitions. Enjoy!

[thehidingspot · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have so much love for Deb Driza's debut, Mila 2.0! Not only did I find it impossible to put down, I've found it impossible to forget. The novel follows Mila, a girl who thinks she's normal, but finds out she's technically not even human... at least, not in the traditional sense. Mila is an android: she was created in a lab and looks human, but is, in fact, a robot. And she had absolutely no idea. The woman she calls mom isn't her mother, her past is not her past, and her future is completely unknown.For me, one of the most compelling aspects of this book is the question of whether Mila is "human." Furthermore, what makes us human? Where is the line between human and technology that mimics human traits... and is there a line that shouldn't be crossed? What happens if it is crossed? All of these questions are, of course, complicated, and Driza doesn't answer that question for readers in Mila 2.0, but she creates an interesting situation in which to consider them. I'm curious to see how these questions (and the possible answers) will evolve in upcoming installments.I also enjoyed how "human" Driza made Mila. I've read other android novels in which the characters were difficult to connect to, but I quickly formed a bond with Mila and often forgot she wasn't a normal teenage girl. I preferred this portrayal to the others I had read, plus it strengthened the complexity of the situation. If Mila had seemed more like a robot, I don't think the questions posed earlier would have had the same weight as I considered them.Mila 2.0 is a strong debut from Driza and I cannot wait to see what the next Mila novel offers. Driza is an author I'll happily add to my must-buy list!

[whatsmacksaid · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I vacillated between thinking Mila 2.0 was all right and absolutely hating it, so I'm going to land on 1.5 stars. Most of it I did not like (the hateful "friends," the overdependence on some boy Mila met two days ago, and her overdramatic emotional responses--does the author think all sixteen-year-old girls are like this?? Jesus, it was more stereotypical than anything I've seen on the CW), but there were some redeeming features.

First and foremost among those was Mila's relationship with her mother. ("Mother".) It was tender and more realistic than any of the other relationships (save for perhaps the depiction of Lucas' surprise at finding how human-like Mila is compared to Three). Mila's admiration and love for her mother, even when they were fighting, rang true, as did their reconciliation. The airport scene where they reaffirm that they're a team was a moving calm-before-the-storm.

All in all, however, "Mila 2.0" was a huge letdown. I had hoped for something that could encourage female YA readers to consider science fiction as a genre that they could turn to, but this "Mila 2.0" is science fiction only in that some of the characters are androids. Mila spent so much time and effort (well over a hundred pages!) fretting over how human she was when it was obvious that her machine-ness wasn't an issue that honestly held water.

So, "Mila 2.0" might masquerade as science fiction, but it's only lowbrow YA rubbish. Fans of science fiction will be disappointed and so will any romance fans.

[bduke_15 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a welcome relief after going through several duds in the YA category. I really enjoyed it and found it refreshingly unique. It was my first android book (I haven't read Cinder yet), but the main character felt more human than some of the supporting characters. It had a lot of action, a little romance, and a very interesting plot. I really liked the main character and loved how hard she tried to keep a hold on her humanity. However, I didn't feel like I made a connection with any of the secondary characters, aside from her mom. I didn't like the insta-love at the beginning, and quite frankly I have no feelings for the guy except quite a bit of distrust. The best friend went from best friend to psycho in about a minute. I was also left with a lot of questions (Sarah?! - Why didn't her mom TELL her anything?!). I'm sure those will be answered in the next book/books, but I would have liked to have a little to go on. That all being said, I really liked it and am interested to see what happens in the next one.Areas of concern: A handful of cuss words. A lot of violence towards the main character and loved one. The main character is forced to use violence, but hates that she has to and tries to control herself to do the least amount of damage when it is necessary.

[zabetreading · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Really disliked the main character. Couldn't get past her whining enough to give it more than a 2. Full review to come.

[jaylia3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Mila has just been uprooted from her childhood home in Philadelphia and is coping with the recent death of her father, but feeling melancholy under those circumstances is completely human and just means she’s a typical teenage girl. Except she’s not. Until she falls off the back of a pickup truck and leaks some kind of machine fluid instead of bleeding, Mila has no idea that the gaps in her memory and the overprotective tendencies of her mother are clues to her real nature. Which is android--and when she finds out she is just as horrified as she thinks everyone else will be, but she doesn’t have much time to adjust to the idea because within days she and her “mother” are on the lam. Mila was designed to be a military weapon with abilities that have only recently been switched on, and now that her cover is blown the military wants her back in spite of her imperfections which include feeling emotions. Mila 2.0 has a heart racingly fast pace, but it’s the heart touchingly real character of Mila herself and the way she evolves and grows in strength and self knowledge that kept me glued to the page. This is the first of three parts, and I can’t wait for the next installation. There is a prequel short story and some sample chapter that are available for free on Amazon. I’d start with the book chapters first because the prequel, like many others, is more interesting if you are already well into the story.

[melissarochelle_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Mila is not a normal teenager., but she doesn't know that...yet. As Mila discovers more about herself, we get to see her struggle between her humanity and her android programming.It's a good premise, but there was something about the book that I just didn't love...I'm not sure if it was the writing or what. It just didn't feel right. Sounds silly, but there you go. Basically, I have little interest in finding out more (I'll wait for the TV show...see below).Some might say this has been done before though...my first thoughts were of a younger android version of Sydney Bristow...then I thought Nikita...then I thought a nicer version of Terminator minus the time travel...then Bionic Woman minus the ever being human part.HOWEVER! I can DEFINITELY see this becoming a pretty cool TV show. It's very much a story of self-discovery and the action will make for some pretty cool tv-watching. I mean, Shonda Rhimes apparently has a hand in it and I dig her...so fingers crossed!

[cherylk_44 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Milia is a bit of a loner. She does not really have any friends. Her only friend is Kaylee.Things change between them when they both try to catch the attention of the new boy in town, Hunter. Kaylee offers to give Hunter a ride and makes Mila ride in the back of the truck bed. Kaylee goes really fast and Mila gets thrown out of the truck. This is when her whole life as she knew it changes. Mila learns that she is not a real girl. She was made in a laboratory. Now there are some men who want Mila. Mila and her mother go on the run. I liked this book. Mila only got better as her character and the story developed. She got more intriguing with what she could do. Adults and teens will enjoy this book and trilogy. Where the book world is currently over run by vampires, werewolves, fairies, and zombies it is cool to see a series that is kind of furturistic. My only conplaint about this book is that I did feel it was too long for a first book. I understand that the author was trying to explain the conception and get me ffamiliar with the characters to come in the series but still a bit long. I might not be saying this if it was not for the fact that the action and story did not pick up until about almost 150 pages into the book. Also, I will have to see how it goes in the next book as I am not feeling the love connection between Mila and Hunter at this moment. Of course they did spend most of the book apart. MILA 2.0 is a book that your friends will be talking about. So don't be left behind and pick up a copy for yourself.

[titania86_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Mila lives with mother in a boring, tiny Minnesota town. She's used to bigger cities and larger populations, but due to her father's death, her mom felt they needed a change of scenery. Mila has gaps in her memory and doesn't remember when her father died or even if she was there when it happened. Needless to say, she is overwhelmed with dealing with her emotions, adapting to her new surroundings, dealing with her overbearing mother, and coping with the death of her father. A car accident that leaves Mila injured uncovers a shocking secret that her mother tried to keep from her: she's actually an android. Now, she and her mother have to run because the government and another mysterious organization are after them. While running from people who want to kidnap her, Mila has to come to grips with her newly discovered state of being and the relationship with her mother that was essentially built on lies.There have been a few teen series with artificial intelligence as the focus and they seem to be quite similar to each other. I had a set of expectations going into Mila 2.0 because of this, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it didn't follow the typical formula I had become familiar with. The first part of the story establishes Mila as normal teenage girl in a very emotional situation. She keeps to herself and is very shy, but has her own circle of friends. Her social life is thrown into turmoil when Hunter, a mysterious and hot boy, comes to live in the small town. Her friends turn on her when Hunter shows her more interest and this leads to the car accident and revelation of her true nature. I hated her best friend Kaylee, who dropped Mila over a random boy she doesn't even know, but the portrayal is disturbingly accurate. Although I'm usually not a fan of cliche romances, I didn't mind this one. The actual romance is paper thin and based on instalove, but the reason it is there is necessary. It gives Mila something that is only hers, not manufactured by her mother or the people who made her, and it cements her humanity. It's a small portion of the book, but gives her an anchor and something to fight for when she feels despair. The next portion of the book follows Mila and her mother on the run. Mila finds out what she is and has to process that information. She could have just allowed her anger and despair to consume her, but she pushes through. Not only does she have to rethink her entire self image, but she also has to figure out how to use all her android programming as uncomfortable as that makes her in order to survive. Their journey also makes her differentiate how much of her memories and personality are programmed and how much are hers. The rest of the story is emotional, exciting, heartstopping, and addicting. I love the third act the most because it gives insight into one of the groups out to get her and shows how her humanity and emotions make her a unique hybrid that has the best of both worlds. Mila 2.0 is a wonderful debut novel. It isn't perfect, but the writing flows well and kept me reading for hours on end. I can't wait for the next book in the series and I would recommend this installment to fans of science fiction and artificial intelligence stories.

[HeatherlyWalker · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

seriously, most annoying narration!
give up the cadence and just READ!

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: A great science fiction read about a girl android holding on to her humanity.Opening Sentence: Beyond the eastern border of Greenwood Ranch, orange poured across the sky, edging the clouds like flames.The Review:It’s always nice to read a story with elements that you haven’t seen before or seen in a while. Debra Driza’s Mila 2.0 was refreshing. In a world of paranormal beings, dystopian societies, and life altering realistic scenarios, Mila 2.0 is about a regular girl, who isn’t so regular. I was captivated by the synopsis. A girl android? It brought me back to the days of reading Isaac Asimov.Driza’s Mila 2.0 has a contemporary feel to it with science fiction tendencies. Mila survived a tragic fire, where her father did not. She lives with her strict and overprotective mother. Her routine is predictable and safe, deemed and controlled by her mom. After the death of her dad, Mila has become anti-social, quiet, and closed off. The only person she calls a friend is Kaylee, a semi-popular girl that brings Mila out of the borders of loneliness. Mila was a character easy to relate to, android or not. I liked the ease and simplicity of her voice. It was fresh, while being feminine and youthful. She was strong, but rebellious, like all young teens are.In the first half of the book, Mila is as human as humans can get. She has teenage emotions, the highs and lows, and she definitely thinks in that over analyzing way that teenagers do. In the latter part of the book, Mila changes. Without telling you too much, Mila goes through a transformation that is expected as a result of the events that happen. What is surprising about it all is how Driza keeps her humanity. There is a fine balance between human and android, one that Driza talks about, and it was enjoyable to see that defined.Mila 2.0 is set in an alternate universe of present day. While the background and location is familiar, it brings an ease to the reading experience. With the information that is given in regards to android technologies, the setting doesn’t overshadow the details. I think the main focus is the intricacies that Driza brought into Mila’s anatomy. I was able to see each android element, and it was like watching a movie. I can get very visual when it comes to science fiction elements, and I’m really glad Driza described Mila in the way she did.I loved the intro to Mila 2.0 as well as to Mila herself. I knew about the basic premise, but was pleasantly surprised at how Driza wrote the plot. The delivery of the situation, along with the precipice, was brilliant. The story had a slow but steady progression, filling in with details when needed. There is a turning point in the book, where the pace quickens, and it matches with the events that take place. What once was slow enough to gather information, is now quick to keep up with the action.Mila 2.0 had a contemporary feel while bringing in science fiction elements. I enjoyed every moment of it, and I think you will also.Notable Scene:No, the only pain I was allowed was choking the nonexistent life from my fake heart.Sweeping the shards onto the floor, I stormed over to the bed and slid between the sheets. Threw the pillow over my head in an effort to block out the world.But I couldn’t block out the memories, false or not. Couldn’t block out the internal paid I shouldn’t even be able to feel.Couldn’t keep those annoying phony tears that felt so, so real from flowing.FTC Advisory: Katherine Tegan Books/Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Mila 2.0. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[lauhlman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful read! Suspenseful, thrilling, and intriguing! I was amazed at how attached I became to Mila...I was shocked when she found out about herself and felt very upset when she worried about losing her humanity. For a first novel in a series, it was well written and not too bumpy a ride getting to the meat of the story. Definitely would recommend this to hard-core sci-fi lover's.

[emmyson · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

(Many thanks to Edelweiss and Katherine Tegan Books for allowing early access to this title.)

There are things I liked and things I disliked about this book. My problem is that I'm not sure how to go about talking about them without giving too much away. I shall do my best.

First, I liked the relationship between Mila and her mom. It was one of those that could have gone the way of so many YA novels these days...you know, the dysfunctional family trope. GAG. I hate that. Can we PLEASE read about some functional families? I know they exist! I just know they do!

Anyway, this relationship was much more to my liking. Sure, Mila and her mom had their issues, but underneath it all, they loved each other and would do anything for each other. It just seemed so NORMAL to me. The book definitely earned points for that.
Second, I liked Mila herself. Even after she finds out that she's not human, she works hard to retain her humanity. She refuses to be what her creators (well, one of them) think she should be. She won't let them turn her into something she's not. I really admired that in her.

Finally, I really liked the second half of the book. The action picks up significantly and it was a roller coaster ride to the finish. So much happened and it was all edge-of-your-seat crazy.

I suppose that was to make up for the very lackluster first half of the book. I very nearly gave up because I was bored to death. The only reason I kept going was that this was a review book and I felt obligated to finish. I didn't *hate* it, but I didn't particularly want to waste my life on it either.

The first half was filled with things that, looking back, really didn't need to be there. Mila's relationships with her friends was there to show her humanity, so to speak, but it did nothing to further the plot. It's almost like it was tossed in as an afterthought - "Oh, we better show that she's affected by mean girls too." I wasn't impressed.

Also, Hunter. Um, okay, so he's such a big deal in the first half and then completely disappears except in random reminiscings? Weird. I preferred Lucas. At least he served a purpose other than hot high school boy who may or may not be a bad guy. (There was nothing to suggest that Hunter is a bad guy, just so you know. I'm just theorizing here.)

Then there's that cliffhanger ending. Don't get me wrong - I don't hate cliffhangers. In fact, I rather enjoy a well-done one. This one was not well done, at least not in my opinion. It was just there. It kind of reminds me of when you're watching a show and the power goes off right before the end and you never get to see what happens. I lose interest really quickly in cases like that. I'm not so sure that I'll be up for whatever comes next in this series, but we shall see. A killer cover and fabulous synopsis can do wonders to revive interest...

2.5 Eiffel Towers and a maybe on the series.

[ayaf-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Interesting concept, lukewarm execution.When I read the summary for the book I got really excited. Unfortunately within the first few pages I began questioning the plot and the main character, which leveled my interest. The book has alot of plot holes and the main character had that I'm-a-practical/smart-survior-in-any-case-except-when-it-comes-to-boys personality which pops up in a lot of YA fiction but couldn't be ignored in this one.I think the author should have built up Mila's character, gave her a realistic set of everyday struggles and made her a character you feel connected to before moving the story forward. Without that connection it makes it hard to follow Mila's internal struggle with both herself and her place among others.While I did eventually finish the book, I didn't enjoy it. I read a lot of books, and there are very few I don't like. This book had a lot of potential and while I won't be reading the next one I hope the author is able to tap into that potential.

[avidreaderlisa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

At first I am going to have to be honest...I thought this book was a little weird, I really went back and forth between three stars and four...I think a 3.7 would fit

I had to get past the angst of Mila being a regular girl. Oh and for one thing.... If a supposedly best friend of mine told me to ride in the back of the truck just so she could be alone with a guy, I would have told her to go to .... or kiss my rear-end...or ok well never mind you get the point and the way the Kaylee treated her afterwards...oh geeze I think the girl deserved some neck ringing

Short complaint over

Now the first half and the second half of the book just didn't seem to go together. How did we get to one point to the other. It just seemed to be a bigger leap then justified. I am going to say that if you have been wanting to read the book, then do and be your own judge.

[emily_anne-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I was so, so excited when I finally got the chance to read Mila 2.0. I had heard (actually, I read) a lot of high praise for the book and, let’s face it, the cover and title are pretty cool. All that aside, I was majorly disappointed by the words inside. Mila 2.0 was purely an “eh” book for me.

So, we start out the book with a major dose of school and home drama. Ah-hem. Where is all the action and Bourne Identity stuff I was promised? Finally, after a long wait, some interesting events happen. Sadly, for me, it was too little and too late.

I also have a lot problems with the supporting characters. For your sake, I can sum all of these little quips into one sentence: The secondary characters had no depth. And, for a book the size of three average books, that is a terrible crime. The evil guys are... evil. The cute guy is... cute. And the mean girl is... mean. How boringly generic. *cue sleepy face*

Fortunately, I did like Mila, our main character who happens to be not human. While I wasn’t emotionally invested in her story, her voice did seem authentic. I loved how the author handled her thoughts and inner turmoil. I know that if I just found out I was a robot, I would have lots and lots of inner turmoil!

Overall, Mila 2.0 was not for me. There were some good parts, but the bad overruled the good for me. Mainly, I was just kind of yawning through the novel, when I wish I could have been on the edge of my seat throughout the book!

[lilcrickit · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved it! Driza intricately crafts this fascinating debut loaded with emotional depth and lots of kick butt action. What would you do if everything you've known about yourself gets flipped and you learn that you are nothing what you thought? Jaded? Well, Mila is angry after she discovers by accident that she is not human, her mother has lied to her and someone is after them. Now, on the run, she must come to terms with the details of how she was created. Mila struggles to hold onto some semblance of her shattered normalcy, and the hope she was not created to kill but that may be difficult if she intends to save her life.

Mila is an interestingly complex and intriguing character. It's refreshing to read about a non-human trying to hold on to the only humanity she knows rather than a human turning into something supernatural, which is usually the norm. Aside from her being a machine, she behaves as if she is human, her emotional levels are spot on for a shy teenage girl, who would rather blend in than stand out and the author did a great job portraying this through Mila. She's strong yet fragile and I think it's that balance that makes her story so fun to read. Now, on another note, her best friend....don't like her she is vapid, fickle and jealous of the attention that Mila receives from the new guy that she's determined to sink her claws into and thus leads to the beginning revelation of Mila's creation.

This is not really a romance but maybe in the next book there will be more. I liked the love interest but something is up, where did he come from, who is he and why right before things turn sour does he show up in Mila's life, though it could be nothing. Any how, I feel this was more about Mila's sense of identity, belonging and her relationship with her mother who takes great risks to secure her human life. The writing transitions is well throughout the story and the action sequences are fantastic. So, needless to say I'm hooked and can't wait for Mila 3.0 to be released.

[beckygandee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As soon as I saw this cover, I wanted to read the book. Mila 2.0 was a good, action-packed read. Started off with some romance but then kind of died down toward the end. I really enjoyed listening to this and at times my heart went out to Mila and her situation. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series, I'm hoping for some better times for Mila. I would of gave it 5 stars but I felt it needed some more romance in there

[alwaysyaatheart · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Mila and her mom have moved from Philly to a ranch in the small town of Clearwater Minnesota. They are still recovering from the death of Mila's dad in a fire. Unfortunately, Mila has been been left with little memory of what happened, and of her life before the fire. Her mom seems distant, and all she has left of her dad is an old flannel shirt, which she wears almost all the time. Her best friend is Kaylee, who has taken her under her wing over the last few weeks since she moved to Clearwater. Kaylee is loud and outspoken, and very energetic. A few of the other girls have accepted Mila and become friends with her, but it is only because of Kaylee. When a hot new boy moves to town, things begin to change. Hunter is definitely not the typical Clearwater boy that is dressed Carthartt's and work boots. In fact, he is quite the hottie. Though unspoken, it is clear Kaylee has called dibs on Hunter, but Hunter only has eyes for Mila, which causes a bit of a rift between the two friends. This crescendos when Kaylee and Mila give Hunter a ride after school. As a result of Kaylee's wreckless driving, Mila is thrown from the vehicle and suffers an injury to her arm. That is when Mila's life as she knows it drastically changes. Instead of blood coming from her arm, there is a whitish fluid and metal there, which freaks Mila, Kaylee, and Hunter out, though Hunter handles it very well. They get Mila back home, and when her mom see's her, she is forced to tell Mila the truth....the truth about herself, who she is, and what she is. You see, Mila isn't entirely human. MILA is a "Mobile Intel Lifelike Android, an artificial intelligence experiment that has been conducted by the military, designed to be a weapon in the body of a 16-year old girl...an endoskeleton wtih human skin and hair, etc, with technology that blends the human side to the android side, simulating human function." Mila is able to can learn and make decisions, feel pain, sensations, and most importantly, emotions. When Mila's mom, Nicole, saw that she was actually becoming more human than android, she feared for her and what the military would do to her, so she stole her and escaped. Mila fully feels and believes she is human, so this totally rocks her world, and not in a good way. She can't understand how she can have these feelings, especially what she feels for Hunter, and not be human. Not only is the military hunting her, so is another covert group that wants to sell her to the highest bidder. She barely has time to comprehend all this when the enemies that they have been trying to avoid catch up with them, forcing Mila and her Mom to go on the run.From this point in the story on there is nonstop action, nail biting danger, and intense edge of your see drama that continues from page to page, with never a dull moment. The synopsis compares it to the Bourne Identity Trilogy, which is a very accurate portrayal, especially as Mila learns more about what she is actually capable of doing - she is totally badass, just like a female Jason Bourne, with a science fiction twist. I was actually very surprised by how much I liked Mila's character and how human she really seemed. We didn't get to see too much of Hunter, but there was the hint of a future budding romance between them, and the stage has been set to see more of that in the next installment. I am really looking forward to see where Debra Driza takes that aspect of the story from here. Nicole, one of the scientist who created Mila and who Mila also considers her mother was a very likable character also. Then there was the really insane General Holland, the other scientist that helped create Mila, and who is also her biggest threat. Lucas was another character that I liked a lot and proved to be quite an ally to Mila. I hope to see more of him in the next installment also. Overall, I really enjoyed Mila 2.0. If you love action, science fiction, drama, with the bonus of a hint of romance mixed it, then you should definitely check Mila 2.0 out.

[wrightja2000 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Three fourths of the way through, I was really enjoying this but now it has taken a turn to the ridiculous. I'm having trouble believing in this world all of a sudden and it's feeling a bit like James Bond (which I despise) with the over the top drama and action.

It started with the airport scene. #1- If she can fool the airport scanners, and her body is realistic enough to fool herself, then why not go with the security guards to let them see she's just a regular girl with nothing to hide? #2 If they start to run, where were they planning on going from there? You can't just sneak on an airplane. However I was willing to suspend my disbelief. I was even coming up with solutions- they hide in some baggage and Mila uses some as yet unknown Android skill to hide them.

It would have been much more exciting and less silly to just have the bad guys catch up to them.

Next in the secret compound- I get that she doesn't want her mom to get hurt. But why didn't she take out the main bad guy any number of times? He's the head but he's also insane. And seriously, how is everyone just ignoring the fact that their boss is willing to torture employees and burn hostages to death? Yes, people can be convinced quite easily to do bad things by authority figures, but the authority figure has to seem legit and convincing, not crazy.

Ok, so now I've finished the book and the ending is a little better than the rest of the last fourth. There were parts I really liked, such as Mila's trying to figure out what parts of her are human, who she really is and what her abilities are.

[perpetualrevision · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The basic premise is a bit outlandish, but I love the idea of hearing the story of the android who thought she was human coming from her own first person point of view. She was clearly well "programmed" to think and act like a normal teenager, for the most part (aside from her keener than usual sense of hearing and sight). But she also has some pretty nifty android programming, like the internal GPS and the enemy "alert" system.

Driza's storytelling is so vivid that I could see everything happening in my mind as I listened, and the fact that the main character is an android helped me further suspend disbelief at a few highly improbable moments. I also appreciated Driza's use of foreshadowing to make me curious to find out what happens next (or to unravel the mystery of MILA 1.0). I listened to the first book via my Scribd subscription and will do the same for the next book.

[prettydeadly · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The first thing I want to stress in this review is that I really did enjoy Mila 2.0 but this is still mostly going to be negative. Mila 2.0 is like junk-food for the brain - all action and not a lot of thought.

The biggest issue I had with this book was the writing. It was very, very bland. I felt like there was too much description and not a lot of substance. The book was almost 500 pages, but could have easily been edited down to 400. Maybe even less. From the very beginning I found myself skimming over large chunks of text, only reading the first sentences of the paragraphs, and jumping ahead to dialog. While the action was always kicked up, I was usually bored and that is 100% due to the writing. Because of the dull writing the anticipation and anxiety that is usually found in a thriller was lost.

The blurb of Mila 2.0 did a huge injustice to the book. The story would have been one thousand times more interesting if the reader didn't already know that Mila was created in a lab. It made it incredibly frustrating to read since it takes a good while to get to the discovery of Mila's android origin. And because the rest of the novel was basically Mila and her mother on the run, it lost that magic that could have made it more edge-of-your-seat exciting.

I really liked the characterization of Mila. I thought she really handled the revelation that she was a robot really believably. She was upset and freaked out and scared and fascinated. She questioned what it means to be human - which is my all-time favorite theme when reading. But even if I liked her, and found her to be realistic, I just could not form any attachment to her. I felt very detached and distant from all the characters, honestly. I felt no love for her mother - no contempt either, I was just very indifferent.

The side characters left much to be desired. Mila's friends at school were the typical mean girls and dropped her like a bad habit as soon as the new boy arrived. And of course the new boy, Hunter, is broody and mysterious and oh-so-different from the boys of their small town. I hated the obsession that Mila formed over Hunter, even though they hadn't even kissed. She was on the run, literally running for her life from the government and who knows what else, and the only thing she can think of is to call Hunter to cancel their date. Really? Is that the most important thing you could be doing right now?

Overall, the overwhelming feeling I having coming out of Mila 2.0 is a fat, resounding meh. I will be checking out the sequel, if I can remember this one that far into the future. But honestly, I found that a decent concept was ruined by exceptionally boring writing and a lackluster execution.

[bookishthings · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. Mila is a likeable character, and just wants to be normal. She doesn’t deal with things too well when her world gets flipped upside down. She doesn’t know what’s real, and what’s not. The only thing I didn’t care for with Mila is her hang up on this one guy. She knew him for a couple of days, but then would obsess over him sort of. It was weird.

Mila fights becoming what she was made for the entire time. She doesn’t want to have all of these advanced features. There are a few things that happened in this book that I hope are elaborated on in the sequel. Even though we meet the people responsible for Mila’s creation, I want to know where she came from. I mean there’s so many questions here.

I love Mila’s bravery when she has to make hard choices. Experiment or not, nobody should be put through the things she is. It’s cruel.

With the ending of Mila 2.0, I’m excited to see what is going to happen next. There are so many possibilities with events that could happen!!!

[booktwirps · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mila is adjusting as well as can be expected after a fire killed her father, leaving her and her mother alone. The two of them have moved to a small midwestern town to start over. Mila has made a few friends and is doing the best she can to fit in. But when Hunter, a hot new guy moves to town, all of the girls, including Mila’s new best friend Kaylee, are all over him. When Hunter shows that he is only interested in Mila, Kaylee gets all kinds of jealous. When Mila is involved in a freak accident that should have killed her, but she walks away relatively unscathed, she realizes that who she thought she was isn’t who she really is. Mila is an android, and all of her memories were implanted in her. But if that’s true, why can she feel emotions? Why can she cry, laugh and get angry?When rumors start to fly around school about Mila’s accident and how she managed to walk away unscathed, the only person who doesn’t seem bothered by it is Hunter. But when their home is broken into by armed men, Mila and her mother must flee. Whoever created Mila wants her back. She was never meant to be let out of the laboratory, and if she doesn’t escape, she may be destroyed.This was a good, action-packed read, but none of the characters really stood out to me aside from Mila. I liked the complexity of everything she had to deal with and the answers she sought to uncover: Who created her? Why? Why can she feel emotion? Why did the woman she thought was her mother take her? Why is she hiding her?Aside from Lucas, an MIT student who works in the lab where Mila was created, no one else really stood out to me. Kelsey and the mean girls at the school were the typical, bitchy queen-bee’s, Mila’s “mom” was caring yet distant and I thought Hunter was rather boring. Even Holland, the man who created Mila and is now out to capture her, felt a little too predictable.Despite the fact that the characters were very average, the book was well-written. There’s plenty of action as was to be expected and a few nice twists. The book is over 400 pages long, but it didn’t feel long, which is a good sign. The first part of the book was where I had the biggest problem. It felt like just another cliché high school “new girl versus the bitchy girls as they fight over the new boy” book, which was so not what I was expecting. It finally picked up after Mila left town.This leads to something else that I just couldn’t buy into. The first part of the book is all about Mila starting fresh in a new town and eventually discovering who/what she really is. During that time she meets and falls madly in love with Hunter. I think they go out maybe three times (if that), and then after she is on the run, all she can do is lament about the future she could have had with him, and how Hunter meant the world to her.I understand that the author was trying to show that Mila could actually feel emotion and that she could actually have an emotional relationship with people, so there was obviously something special about her. I also got that maybe Mila would really need to feel that she was normal, and having these feelings for a boy would show that, but still — a deep, undying love after three dates? That seems a little extreme — even for an android.Despite a clunky beginning, and a questionable romance, I really enjoyed the book. I like lots of action and mystery and this had plenty. I’m not surprised that it was optioned for a television show. I can totally see this as a series, and I would totally be hooked on it. I would recommend this one to fans of light sci-fi who like their books with a lot of action. If you can get past the few minor flaws, I think you’ll really enjoy it.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

MILA 2.0 was an exciting and entertaining science fiction story. The story begins with Mila moving with her mother to a horse farm in Clearwater, MN after the death of her father. Mila is trying to fit in. She has been befriended by Kaylee but, when Hunter comes to the school, Kaylee shows her true self as a jealous rival for Hunter's attention. In fact, she tries to kill Mila by driving recklessly after forcing her into the back of her pickup truck so that she can monopolize Hunter's attention in the cab. Mila is thrown from the truck and cuts a gash in her arm which reveals something other than flesh and bone. Mila goes to her mother for an explanation which rocks everything she thought she knew about herself.Mila's mother is actually the scientist who helped create her. She has stolen her from the lab and evil General Holland who created her to be a war machine and is eager to terminate her because she is too human. They go on the run but are captured by General Holland's troops and returned to the lab. Mila and the woman she thinks of as her mother are separated and Mila is forced to go through a bunch of testing to save both her life and her mother's. Mila is called Mila 2.0 and General Holland has created a Mila 3.0 who is more to his liking without all those human emotions. Mila does her best and is even befriended by one of the young scientists. Lukas comes to recognize how human she is and wants to help her. However like Mila, he is being coerced into General Holland's service because of threats to someone he loves. He does manage to engineer Mila and her mother's escape though both he and Mila's mother are gravely injured.I liked this story. I liked Mila's discomfort with the thought that she was not human and her reluctance to embrace her android strengths. I also liked her devotion to her mother. I thought that she was one of the most human characters in the story. She far surpassed General Holland's humanity. He did make an excellent villain though. He was crazy and obsessed with carrying out his secret scientific mission. He was blind to anyone's opinion except his own and willfully blind to the truth of Mila's humanity. I look forward to reading the next books in this trilogy to find out Mila's fate. Science fiction fans will enjoy this one.

[mrso822 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In case you can’t tell, I have been on a major HarperTeen kick lately. I’ve requested several of their books from the library, thanks in large part to Epic Reads’ Tea Time, and they seem to all have come in at the same time! Mila 2.0 was another one of these books. I’m not usually into sci-fi (or so I thought a few months ago), but Mila 2.0 was getting great reviews, and just sounded really interesting.

Mila 2.0 starts off as any regular YA may. We meet Mila and are introduced to her friends, school, and troubles. There’s also a cute boy thrown in who actually adds to Mila’s troubles, as he seems interested in her, while her only friend, Kaylee, is interested in him. Needless to say, Kaylee is not exactly thrilled about this development, and unfortunately for Mila, Kaylee’s true colors come out.

However, it is exactly this sequence of events that leads Mila to some interesting discoveries about herself. First, she realizes she has amazing hearing, able to hear things that she should not be able to hear from certain distances. She also finds herself moving faster than normal and unaware of her own strength. It isn’t until after an accident that Mila finds out the truth about herself: She is an android, created with human-like emotions, and that her “mother” is actually one of her creators.

This is the point where Mila 2.0 really started to pick up. Mila has a very hard time believing and accepting the truth about herself, but as she finds herself on the run, she realizes more and more of her abilities and starts to face the truth. My favorite parts were when she would actually accept and use her abilities, especially when it led to some moments of kicking butt!

There were a few scenes in the second half of Mila 2.0 that I just felt were a little too descriptive and possibly not necessary, but I’m wondering if they may become important as the trilogy progresses. I just tend to be the type of person that once the action picks up, I like a lot of it. Some of the descriptive moments just felt like they slowed the pace down for me a bit. They weren’t horrible, and things always picked up, but they definitely weren’t my favorites.

I thought the characters were pretty great. Mila is definitely the most interesting, because though she’s technically a machine, the fact that she was programmed with human emotions makes her a very relatable character. I definitely felt bad for her when Kaylee turned on her. However, that brings us to Hunter. He was awesome. There was just something about him that I loved. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn’t like everyone else and was the only one who was truly nice to Mila. I can’t wait to find out more about him. I really missed him while Mila was on the run. General Holland was a terrific villain. He was just so creepy.

I really liked the ending of Mila 2.0. There was one scene that literally had my heart in my throat, but it was just perfect. I enjoyed seeing Mila come into her own a bit, and I’m definitely looking forward to the next book. Why is so 2014 so far away?

You can also read this and other reviews on my blog, Mommy's Reading Break

[bookswithbite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What does it mean to be human? As I read this book and began to explore the world that Ms. Driza created, I can't help but think about this question. So many morals and rights broken, only to discover that the truth is hard to bear.What I really enjoyed about the story is the self discovery that Mila has. Many lost secrets all of the sudden coming back to haunt Mila. Learning what she truly is and going on the run set my heart in motion. I ran along side with her, feeling the betrayal, the sting of envy that she is not who she thought she was. She is a fraud and everything around her is a lie. As you can see, there is an emotional roller coaster to go along with the book. If you're anything like me, and eat emotion up, then you'll love this story.I'm very interested in seeing where the love interest will go. After all Mila, is well not exactly human and there could be some complications if you get my drift. Still, the friendship is something that gave Mila peace and some security. At least that part of her life is well...real.The ending of the book is not quite a cliff hanger but not the end either. Instead, it gives you the feeling of, "things has just begun." Mila is searching for the real truth of her life and you just know that things will get crazy in the next book.MILA 2.0 is great start to an action pack fantasy. It brings real emotion to the table along with a plot that moves quickly. MILA 2.0 is awesome.

[neithernora · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book was rather underwhelming... The romance in particular was undeveloped and less than believable, but those adjectives could be applied to any number of other elements of the book. Also, Highly Resistant Protagonists (by which I mean protagonists, particularly narrator-protagonists, who stubbornly remain in denial of their plot and spend a significant amount of page space whining and complaining and wishing their lives were normal) are, believe it or not, not terribly entertaining to read about (excepting those like Bilbo Baggins, who are Highly Resistant to Comedic Effect; Mila is not one of these).

The plot, when it finally happened, wasn't fast-paced enough to make up for its initial slowness, and much of it was far too predictable -- there really weren't any twists or Big Reveals, for all the suspense.

Also, a ridiculous amount of brand-name-dropping, especially in early chapters.

Giving it two stars, and feeling generous.

[jadestar31 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book is marketed for the teenage crowd. I'm not a teenager. This may be why I had such a big problem with it. The premise sounds so interesting, but the execution is so weak.I think my biggest problem with this book was the characterization of the secondary characters. The only person that seemed moderately real was Mila (the irony is not lost on me, I know). Everyone else was such a cliche. Mila's friends were the typical catty high school mean girls. Her best friend was "quirky" and super friendly until they started chasing the same boy. Then she showed her true colours by being a typical Plastic. There was absolutely zero loyalty.The main love interest in this novel, old what's-his-name (Parker? Hunter? Ryder?) was a carbon copy of every brooding bad-boy loner that you've read in teen novels. He also appeared for about a minute before Mila moved on. The other main male character that has the potential to become a romance (Nathan? Lucas? Okay, now I'm just naming One Tree Hill characters) was a super smart scientist that was working for the bad guys, but only because he was blackmailed into doing it, and had a heart of gold. Yawn. Even Mila's mother was just so dull. Don't even get me started on the main antagonist.I will admit the action scenes were written quite well and I'm sure this book has the potential to do quite well for the right market. However, if you're not a 15 year old girl, skip this book. Save your brain cells. This is where I stop reading the series.

[bookspot · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

 Mila can't remember who she was. After moving, with her mother, to small town Clearwater, Minnesota after her father was killed in a fire she's struggling to come to terms with the past -- and remember it.She can't remember if she used to like chocolate ice cream or pink finger nail polish. What she used to like wearing -- anything that made her her. All the little things.It's even more surprising when she learns the reason for all of those gaps: Mila isn't a real teenage girl. Created in a lab, programmed to act like a teenager, she's also incredibly dangerous. And incredibly valuable in the right hands.Now, with the threat of 'termination' looming after her escape from that lab and someone after her for the advanced technology she possesses -- even if she isn't aware of how to use it -- Mila's on the run. Trying to stay alive, at least as alive as she's ever been, and discovering more disconcerting things about herself at every turn.Debra Driza's debut, Mila 2.0, was sold as 'Bourne-style' and though I can see that, a bit, I am hoping for more of it in the second book. With Mila, the initial setup where we meet Mila and the other characters, get a little introduction to how Mila's life is, is good. It's nice to see that her life is relatively normal, albeit affected by the death of her father and the gaps in her memory. We also see the little quirks, too.When things really start to kick in with the plot -- the scifi aspect coming into play and Mila's origin being explained -- I did wish for something . . . more. Or less, strangely. There was not quite enough unknown or quite enough known, either. At the same time I was wondering what exactly was so special about Mila and what she was able to do that someone was after her (the not enough known side), I also wanted there to be a bit more mystery on the side of what had happened in taking her from the lab (not enough unknown).The balance between giving enough to pull me in, but keeping enough hidden to keep me interested -- and the story tense -- wasn't quite met here.The last (about) thirty percent of the story was the best for me. The characters involved there are some of the best in the book -- and I do hope some of them make an appearance in Book 2. They have great interactions with Mila. Two in particular provide quite a great contrast, one seeming to see only her as android and the other seeming to see her human aspects.The combination of the tension really amping up, the great character interaction and the promises it seems to hold for Book 2 (as well as some hopes I have), made this my favorite section.Now that both readers and Mila know more about her, where she came from and what she can do, I'm anxious to see where Book 2 takes her!(egalley received via Edelweiss from Harper for review)