Invasion (C.H.A.O.S. #1) by Jon S. Lewis

Title: Invasion

Author: Jon S. Lewis

Publish Date: January 4, 2011

Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishers

Pages: 321

Other Books in the Series: Alienation (C.H.A.O.S. #2)  January 3, 2012 - Domination (C.H.A.O.S. #3) April 16, 2013

Buy the Book: The Book Depository | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: ★★★★

He didn't ask for the job, but now all that stands between us and chaos... is Colt

Colt McAlister was having the summer of his life. He spent his days surfing and his nights playing guitar on the beach with friends. He even met a girl and got his first car. But everything changes when his parents are killed in a freak accident.

He's forced to leave his old life behind and move to Arizona with his grandfather. The only person he knows at the new high school is a childhood friend named Dani. And Oz, a guy he's sure he's never met but who is strangely familiar.

But what if his parents' death wasn't an accident? His mother, an investigative reporter, was going to expose a secret mind-control program run by one of the world's largest companies. Before she could release the story, what if agents from Trident Biotech made sure she couldn't go public?

Vowing to uncover the truth, Colt gets drawn into a secret world of aliens, shapeshifters, flying motorcycles, and invisible gateways.

The Invasion has begun.

I love books that are like this. That hold so much promise for the future of the series and yet keep the reader wanting for more. The author has completed a well-written novel and well fleshed out characters that capture the reader from the beginning. It starts out in the middle of the action which enchanting in so many ways. Often when books have a lull in the first chapter or two, it loses readers almost immediately and so I was happy to see that this wasn't the case at all. The plot is very interesting, entwining a lot of qualities and items that fascinate a lot of people which only makes it that much more interesting. I really liked this book.

Colt was a character that I wasn't too sure about in the beginning as I was trying to grasp how his character would be in this story. His voice as a character grew a lot within the first chapter and I began to really like him as a character. I felt like I could relate to his original feeling about monsters because he really wasn't too certain about it at first, which is something that I could truthfully relate to. I feel like I would claim that there is no way possible for this to happen. Yet after he is introduced and acquainted to the idea, he seems to flourish in the situation, proving that he is not only knowledgeable about things but also that he is a strong fighter. In that chapter he proved to be more than a surfer and continues to throughout the story. But sadly he forgets everything that occurs and all that remains is a vague ideal of everything he did. That certainly didn't make his life any easier though once everything begins to get worse.

I found Danielle to be an adorable character. She was the type of friend that Colt needed with out all the emotional complication that comes with most friendships in this genre of literature. It is good that she is there when he faces the loss that no one wants to experience, for sure. They have been friends since they were toddlers, so I suppose that isn't any surprise. Once problems begin to arise though, she proves to be more than just a friend. She proves to be an expert hacker, just the type of person that Colt needs. I liked her character a lot. 

Oz is the type of character I think I would have expected to be the main character, simply because of his background. He is the son of the leader of C.H.A.O.S. which makes him the type of person that could either help or hinder the plot as well as the organization. However, he proves to be a worthwhile friend to Colt and perhaps something more for another main character. He is flirty and sarcastic, something that makes his scenes even more entertaining. He was pretty awesome.

It's a good book, so definitely check it out and see if it's the type of book you would like to read! 

**This book was received from the publisher via NetGalley. None of the review was influenced by the author or the publisher. This is a completely original review. The thoughts and feelings of the reviewer are entirely her own and have no ties to the publisher.**