Adaptation News: Jennifer Rush 'Altered' Series Gets Optioned!

Fans of author Jennifer Rush and her series Altered will love this news! 

Variety reports that TV and feature rights have been bought by Michael Preger and Jillian DeFrehn who are known for their work with 'Vampire Academy'. The rights include the Altered three novels and three e-novellas. Dennis DeFrehn will handle the production executive role on the project for Preger Entertainment. 

“What is unique and intriguing about ‘Altered’ is that the story intricately weaves together two very popular genres in today’s market,” Preger said. “It’s YA romance wrapped around a contemporary and gripping sci-fi thriller set in a world of human genetic enhancements and memory replacement — heralding an age of bio-weaponry.”

The deal was negotiated by Wayne Alexander of Alexander, Lawrence, Frumes & Labowitz and Laurence Becsey from the Intellectual Property Group, representing the producers. The author was represented by Pouya Shahbazian (“Divergent”) on behalf of New Leaf Literary & Media and Melissa Rogal of Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler & Feldman.

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Jennifer Rush's Altered Series:

  

(click on cover to purchase)

“Altered,” published in 2013 by Little, Brown, follows a group of teenagers unwittingly recruited as subjects in a clandestine “government-sponsored” experiment to transform them into super-soldiers. The characters emerge in constant conflict with who they are and who they were — and must eventually rely upon their enhanced fighting and survival abilities to discover the truth.

The second book, “Erased,” was published in 2014, and the concluding tome, “Reborn,” was published in January.

Book Review: Erased by Jennifer Rush

Erased
Altered #2
Author: Jennifer Rush
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Released: January 7th 2014
Review Source: Loaned

After fleeing the Branch with Sam, Cas, and Nick, Anna is trying to make sense of the memories resurfacing from her old life. At the same time, she's learning how to survive in hiding, following Sam's rules: Don't draw attention to yourself. Always carry a weapon. Know your surroundings. Watch your back.

Then a figure from Anna's childhood reappears. Is it a Branch setup, or could it be the reunion Anna has hoped for? Uncertain of where her loyalties lie, Anna must fight to learn the truth -- before she is betrayed again. Ultimately, the answers hinge on one question: What was the real reason her memories were erased? Jennifer Rush delivers a thrilling sequel to Altered in a novel packed with mysteries, lies, and surprises that are sure to keep readers guessing until the last age is turned.

A friend of mine kept insisted that I should start Altered. After the non-stop nagging, I finally caved in. Let me tell you something, I was glad that she kept insisting that I read it. I was not disappointed; I really enjoyed the first book of this series. Now, this book… This book just caught me by surprise. I loved it. It was freaking great. The mystery and the suspense kept me awake.

So the gang is back, my lovely boys, Sam, Cas, and Nick are as adorable as ever. From the very beginning, this book is full of actions. The book is similar to the first book, but everything I thought this book would be about, is so not. I was completely blown away when I read about Anna, which this book reveals more about her. Of course you will get to know more about the boys’ background. At first I couldn’t stand one of them in Altered, but this book made me love him. You will need to read to find out why!

The twist and mystery is just outstanding. This book is so addicting, trust me, you will seat and read until you are done. You will be on suspense throughout the book.

I highly recommend that you start this series, PRONTO. You won’t regret it. Jennifer will capture your attention!

Waiting on Wednesday: Erased by Jennifer Rush

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Erased

Altered #2

Author: Jennifer Rush

Release Date: January 7th 2014

Publisher: Hachette Audio

They thought they had escaped. They were wrong.

After fleeing the Branch with Sam, Cas, and Nick, Anna is trying to make sense of the memories resurfacing from her old life. At the same time, she's learning how to survive in hiding, following Sam's rules: Don't draw attention to yourself. Always carry a weapon. Know your surroundings. Watch your back.
Then a figure from Anna's childhood reappears. Is it a Branch setup, or could it be the reunion Anna has hoped for? Uncertain of where her loyalties lie, Anna must fight to learn the truth -- before she is betrayed again. Ultimately, the answers hinge on one question: What was the real reason her memories were erased?
Jennifer Rush delivers a thrilling sequel to Altered in a novel packed with mysteries, lies, and surprises that are sure to keep readers guessing until the last age is turned

Book Review: Altered by Jennifer Rush

Altered 
Altered #1
Author: Jennifer Rush
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopian
Released: January 1st 2013
Review Source: Purchased

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

This book is about a girl named Ana. She is home-schooled and Her mother died a few years earlier, she only lives with her father. But, as ordinary as that is... her father works for a branch of the government...When she was thirteen she discovered four boys in her basement. Being tested for what? She doesn't know. (Yet!) Skip ahead and her father tells her about the boys living in their basement and she begins to help her father test the boys. she becomes very close with all four boys, Being with them every day. But, being with them she doesn't understand why there being tested. She doesn't think there is anything wrong with them. One day the government officials come to Ana's house to take the boys. The boys fight the officials and, break away from them. They take Ana and, are on a hunt for their real lives and histories. It is then Ana discovers that she is connected to the boys in so many other ways.

I love this book. When I started to read it I could not put it down! There was always a question being asked. But, not always answered... There is so much emotion in this book it's unreal. I could feel every emotion that each character was feeling. Ana, the death of her mother, Rejection, Deep confusion, Anger. Everything that all of them felt I could feel and it made me very attached to the characters. and it made the characters relatable. I think the author did an amazing job at making you really fall in love with all of the relationship's and friendship's in this book. And not only the main character but also, all of the boy's the father even the government. Witch I usually don't feel much empathy for ALL the characters but, I did very much in this book.

When you start to read this book , you think you know what's going on.. or what's going to happen. But, you will get your mind blown no matter what you think is going to happen. The relationships in this book are questioned so many times, they are criticized, they look fake... But, every time they are torn apart there is nothing but, pure love behind every one. This is also a book that by the end of it you will not have all of your questions answered you will be asking questions about your own government. You ask yourself "Could my government ever do this?". You will resent the government in this book because (SPOILER ALERT!) they make a traitor of one of the characters. You will be so conflicted with the love of that character and the anger of his judgment.

I am so glad I got to read this book. I love it! It has just the right amount of every genre. Sify, Love, Action... All of it. Also, the action in this book is very clear and I think that is very important in a book with action. Usually I am really confused by the action. but the author of this book did a great job making it clear what was happening at what time. If you like to be surprised by things this is a book for you to read. Every time that you think you might know what's going to happen... BAM! it takes a turn and you are shocked by everything that happens. I can't wait to read the next book in the series coming out 2014 called Erased.

Blog Tour: Altered by Jennifer Rush - Excerpt + Character Sam

Today we are the stop in the special blog tour for Author Jennifer Rush. This special tour is to celebrate the release of her book Altered. In this tour the selected blogs have been assigned a characters from Altered. The characters being featured are Nick, Cas, Trev, Anna and Sam. Jennifer has picked an excerpt from Altered to represent each characters and she shared her thoughts on them. 

Follow Jennifer Rush via: Web • Goodreads • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram

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OUaT's assigned character is: SAM

Altered Excerpt:

I could hear my heartbeat in my head now and wondered if Sam could hear it, too, if he could sense what I felt. His eyes moved again to my mouth. With his finger gone, there was nothing between us. I licked my lips. My nerves hummed like a live wire, my breath fluttering helplessly behind my teeth.

“Can I help you with something?” The attendant’s voice carried through the fitting room.

A deep voice answered back, one I didn’t recognize. “I’m looking for a young man and woman. They look like this.”

Sam leaned into me, bringing with him the scent of new canvas. His breath touched the sensitive skin between my neck and shoulder. Heat rushed down my spine. (Altered page 150)

Jennifer's Thoughts:

Sam likes to think he is impervious to normal human emotions and teenage boy hormones. But unfortunately for him (and fortunately for us and Anna!), he’s not.

In this scene, plain and simple, Sam’s hormones are getting the best of him. The poor boy has spent the last several years locked in a secret lab. His only contact with a person of the opposite sex has been with Anna. She’s made his life easier and they’ve spent a lot of time together. And under this kind of duress --- constantly in danger, chased by the Branch --- Sam can’t help but lose some of his control around her.

As this point in the story, we’re unsure of Sam’s feelings for Anna, but he gives a tiny hint with the quick drop of his eyes as he looks at Anna’s mouth --- and wonders what it would be like to kiss her.

So does he? You’ll have to read to find out!

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Here are the blogs, so you can visit all the stops:

Monday, January 7th – YA Bibliophile
Tuesday, January 8th – YA Sisterhood
Wednesday, January 9th – Confessions of a Bookaholic
Thursday, January 10th – Once Upon A Twilight
Friday, January 11th – Icey Books

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Altered
Altered #1
Author: Jennifer Rush
Released: January 1st 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.
Available: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Book Depository
OUaT's 5 Tree Review for Altered

Summary: (from goodreads) When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

Book Review: Altered by Jennifer Rush

Altered 
Altered #1
Author: Jennifer Rush
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopian
Release Date: January 2nd 2013
Review Source: Little, Brown & Co.
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

My first impression of Altered, based solely on its cover, was a positive one. I loved the branches spreading across the cover model’s back. It was neat to tie in the meaning of those branches, as the story evolved. The main character, Ana, helps her father with his very secretive research for a division called the Branch. They observe 4 young men who have been genetically altered to be “super soldiers” in their basement over the last few years. As Ana gets to know each of them, and grows to consider them her family, she envisions their freedom and has her doubts about them being locked up as they are.

The boys are all very like able characters and their different personalities serve the story perfectly. But even with their differences, they have all been programmed to be tied to each other, like a primal instinct. The Branch decides to step in and remove the boys from Anna and her father’s care. After monitoring them for so many years, her father tries to stall the Branch and tells them the boys are not ready yet. Anna is confused as to what he means, but then the boys stage their escape. Her father urges them to take Anna with them and pleads with her to go along and not come back.

Of course, there is a love interest along the way. Anna and Sam, the leader among the boys, share a connection unlike the one she has to the others. I really loved Sam! He was so brooding and mysterious and strong. How could a teenage girl NOT fall for him? While Anna finds a best friend, a brotherly love and even butts heads with the other boys, I kept hoping she and Sam would be able to lay their cards on the table about their feelings for each other. I guess it was hard to do when they’re constantly on the run and secrets are revealed at every turn.

The twists and clues leading to all of the unexpected reveals in Altered, had me hooked. I couldn’t stop turning pages late into the night. The dynamic combination of Anna, the boys and the Branch chasing them down played out in my mind’s eye like a movie. I am SO excited that there will be a sequel to Altered! I really can’t wait to spend more time with this handful of characters and see what awesome action Jennifer Rush has planned for #2.