“Redefines ‘unputdownable.’” —Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of Illuminae “I was thrilled. I was shocked.” —NPR “Stunning twists and turns.” — BCCB (starred review) In this gripping debut novel, seventeen-year-old Cat must use her gene-hacking skills to decode her late father’s message concealing a vaccine to a horrifying plague. Catarina Agatta is a hacker. She can cripple mainframes and crash through firewalls, but that’s not what makes her special. In Cat’s world, people are implanted with technology to recode their DNA, allowing them to change their bodies in any way they want. And Cat happens to be a gene-hacking genius. That’s no surprise, since Cat’s father is Dr. Lachlan Agatta, a legendary geneticist who may be the last hope for defeating a plague that has brought humanity to the brink of extinction. But during the outbreak, Lachlan was kidnapped by a shadowy organization called Cartaxus, leaving Cat to survive the last two years on her own. When a Cartaxus soldier, Cole, arrives with news that her father has been killed, Cat’s instincts tell her it’s just another Cartaxus lie. But Cole also brings a message: before Lachlan died, he managed to create a vaccine, and Cole needs Cat’s help to release it and save the human race. Now Cat must decide who she can trust: The soldier with secrets of his own? The father who made her promise to hide from Cartaxus at all costs? In a world where nature itself can be rewritten, how much can she even trust herself? Gr 9 Up—In the crowded field of YA dystopia, this debut stands out with an especially grotesque cause of ruin: a pandemic that makes people explode like grenades. Survivors acquire immunity by eating the flesh of the still-living infected, but only at the risk of ingesting explosive meat. Moreover, the scent of infection throws any healthy person into a manic "Wrath" that's only subdued by cannibalism. Catarina, 17, has been surviving on her own in this world, which is overrun with heavily genetically modified humans and animals. A mega-corporation, Cartaxus, rounds up survivors into underground bunkers but admits no one possessing genes outside the company's strict sanctions. At the onset of the outbreak, Cartaxus abducted Catarina's father, the world's preeminent genehacker, to force him to make a copyrightable vaccine. Two years later, Catarina discovers that he succeeded but encrypted his work to prevent it from falling under Cartaxus' control. Catarina sets out to recover the vaccine. The plot defies the typical dramatic structure (rising action, climax, falling action) and instead rushes through a series of twists and relentless conflicts, making for a story line that is exciting and surprising, albeit madcap and exhausting. Perfunctory explanations will frustrate readers who prefer a touch of plausibility, but those who are in it for the action will be able to turn a blind eye. A nicely developed love triangle propels the narrative as much as the quest for the vaccine. VERDICT Purchase where the sci-fi section is popular.—Blake Holman, St. Joseph County Public Library, IN This Mortal Coil redefines "unputdownable." A thrilling, exhilarating read that's crackling with intelligence. Compelling characters and and incredible twists come together perfectly—I loved this book. This is brilliant science fiction. -- Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of Illuminae "I was thrilled; I was shocked; I have so many questions. I want to know what happens next." -- NPR ― November 9, 2017 "I can't remember the last time I was so hooked by a book. Relentlessly paced, expertly plotted, and with a romance as tense and as captivating as her wicked twists, Emily Suvada has crafted an unputdownable story. I loved every terrifying page." -- Stephanie Garber, bestselling author of Caraval "With a backdrop of amazing science and technology, THIS MORTAL COIL is a smart, page-turning thriller that gave me chills. I couldn't put this book down." -- Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of Strange the Dreamer and the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy In Catarina’s world, changing your body is as simple as pressing a few buttons. Technology implants allow people to alter their DNA. Cat’s father, Dr. Lachlan, is a renown geneticist. When he is kidnapped by the shady organization Cartaxxus, Cat is left to fend for herself. Two years later, she is struggling to survive in a world where a disease with no cure has run rampant and her father has not returned. On the surface of the earth, humanity struggles to struggles to survive, while underground bunkers serve as safe havens. Entrance to the bunkers is limited to only those willing to give up their personal technology to Cartaxxus. Cat’s life assumes a new purpose when Cole, a Cartaxxus soldier, shows up with an encrypted message for her from her deceased father. The message contains information the doctor left regarding a vaccine for the killer disease. Cat mu