Hybrid – A Review

About the Book

Book: Hybrid

Author: Candace Kade

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Release Date: March 5, 2024

Lee Urban’s search for truth could destroy everything.

After narrowly surviving several attempts on her life, Lee Urban retreats into hiding, seeking refuge with her family for the Lunar New Year. But the relaxing holiday turns into a heist when someone crashes the party with intel on the hybrid’s identity.

Driven by desperation, Urban accepts a position within the elite Dragons AI team, a high-stakes gamble that will propel her into the heart of the turbulent West. As she follows the elusive clues to the hybrid, the journey takes her closer to uncovering the truths about her own origins and the odd circumstances surrounding her adoption.

Tensions between the Enhanced and Naturals grow increasingly violent and the Western Federation teeters on the brink of civil war. Urban’s choices threaten to tear her family apart, and the secrets she unearths just might shatter the delicate balance of society.

Click here to get your copy!

MY THOUGHTS

Candace Kade’s latest book, ‘Hybrid’, is a captivating continuation of the first book in the series. It follows the journey of Lee Urban, a young woman on a quest to find her birth parents and discover her true purpose in the world. As a Christian reader, I found many relatable themes in this book – the search for meaning and purpose, and the importance of having Jesus in our lives.

The main character, Lee Urban, is a relatable and likeable character. Her struggles and doubts about her identity and purpose are something that many of us can understand. As Christians, we know that without Jesus, we are lost and searching for meaning. Lee’s journey mirrors this, as she tries to find her place in the world without knowing who she truly is.

Kade does a great job of weaving this theme into the story, making it relatable to readers of all ages. However, as much as I enjoyed Lee’s adventures, there were some elements in the book that I found concerning. As a young adult book, I feel that it should have been geared more towards adults, especially considering the mature content that was included.

There were some uncomfortable situations in the book, such as partying, drinking, and romantic scenes that were not necessary for the story. As a Christian, I believe that young adults do not need to be exposed to these things, especially in Christian books. It sends the wrong message and can be misleading for readers.

Moreover, I was a little disappointed that Jesus was not clearly portrayed as the central Savior in the book. Lee Urban seemed to be the savior of humankind, and this could potentially send the wrong message to young readers. As Christians, we know that Jesus is the only Savior, and this should have been more readily portrayed in the book.

Despite these concerns, I did enjoy the book overall. Kade’s writing style is engaging and kept me hooked until the very end. Her descriptions and vivid imagery brought the story to life, making it easy to visualize the events as they unfolded. I would definitely recommend this book, with a word of caution for young adults.

In conclusion, ‘Hybrid’ by Candace Kade is a well-written and enjoyable read. It continues the saga of Lee Urban’s journey to find her birth parents and discover her true purpose. While I appreciated the themes of finding meaning and purpose in life, I feel that the book could have been more appropriate for young adult readers. Nevertheless, I would still recommend it, with a bit of caution, to adults looking for an entertaining read.

I received a complimentary copy from the author through Celebrate Lit, for my honest opinion.

About the Author

Candace Kade grew up in China and currently lives in Austin, Texas. When she’s not missing Chinese food, she’s busy writing, exploring new countries, volunteering, hiking in national parks, teaching her husband Mandarin, and keeping a baby human alive.

More from Candace

危机 is an interesting character.

It means crisis in Mandarin. The first character, 危 or wei, symbolizes “dangerous.” The second, 機 or ji, means “opportunity.” Put those two words together and you have the Chinese word for crisis.

I learned about the breakdown of this character while I was living in Beijing and starting to write the Hybrid Series. It felt risky moving to Beijing to work in an all-Chinese office using my second language, taking on a completely new role, while in the middle of a serious relationship, and with zero friends or community there to support me.

When my health failed, my long-distance relationship wavered, and the program that sent me dissolved leaving me without a job or visa, I arrived at a crisis.

If you look at the Chinese character for crisis, there’s two ways of thinking about interpreting it. One, a crisis is something dangerous, to be feared, and to run away from. Or two, a crisis could be an opportunity.

The crisis I faced in Beijing led to some incredible things in my life.

Because of it, I ended up writing the Hybrid Series and getting published. My relationship (with my now husband) became stronger. I grew on a personal level in so many ways. My dependence on God deepened as well.

My time in Beijing was one you could not pay me to relive. It’s also a season I wouldn’t trade for the world.

I once heard someone say:

“Do what scares you most.”

Maybe if what you’re chasing after doesn’t scare you, you’re not reaching high enough.

Seeing a crisis as an opportunity involves a great deal of risk. It’s a scary thing. If I avoided the things that scared me, I never would have gone to graduate school, taken half the roles I did in my career, moved overseas, dated, gotten married, learned Krav Maga, given birth, signed a book deal, and many other things that ended up being some of the best experiences in my life.

It’s all a matter of perspective.

In Hybrid, the main character, Lee Urban, faces a crisis in her life.

When Urban risks everything to seek out answers about her birth origins, she finds more than she bargained for and danger ensues. At her darkest moment of despair, she sees the characters weiji, or crisis, for what they could be: a dangerous opportunity. That discovery changes everything for her.

That same discovery changed me.

At some point in our lives, we will all face a crisis. The question is, will we let the fear of danger cow us into taking the path of least resistance? Or will we be true to ourselves, take calculated risks, and pursue the things we know God made us for?

For me, I’m choosing the latter.

“What are you afraid of?”

– Candace

Blog Stops

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 23

Through the Fire Blogs, March 24 (Author Interview)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 25

Artistic Nobody, March 26 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, March 27

Guild Master, March 28 (Author Interview)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, March 28

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 29

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 30 (Author Interview)

Inkling and notions, March 31

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 1 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, April 2

For the Love of Literature, April 3 (Author Interview)

Beauty in the Binding, April 4 (Author Interview)

Trinity Lofty Pages, April 4

Wishful Endings, April 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Candace is giving away the grand prize package of a hardback copy of Hybrid and a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2a8f7/hybrid-celebration-tour-giveaway