Wingspan by Samantha Combs

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars 

Title:  Wingspan

Author:  Samantha Combs

Publisher: esKape Press
     Cover Art: For the Muse Designs

Genre:  Young Adult, Paranormal - could possibly qualify as Dystopian

Length: 189 Pages   

Summary :  

Chessa Dawning never thought she’d be on the run. Yet, she was, having left the only home she’s ever known, staying two steps ahead of the men chasing her and falling for a resourceful ex-criminal with colorful friends.

Most of the time, Charlotte Lake can’t believe her life. The reluctant leader of a rebel faction called the Ginger Nation, Charlie’s days are filled with planning surveillance, rescuing detainees, and exposing government conspiracy. Surrounded by loyal friends and soldiers, she knows she can never reveal the true nature of her quest: finding her real father.

When a sudden twist brings the two girls together, revelations about the past will make them rethink where they came from and define the future in ways they never could have imagined.
Not every scientific breakthrough is a gift.  

Review:

I love fast paced stories that keep you on your toes, and keep you scratching your head trying to figure out what's going on. Wingspan met that criteria and then some, so it was a fun read. Government conspiracy, rebel factions, great big teddy bear men, girls on the run and a hot guy mixed with suspense and danger? Heck yeah!

Well written with fleshed out characters, I really enjoyed getting to know the players in this story. Chessie seemed a bit childish after realizing what her age was actually supposed to be, which was somewhat of a contradiction. On the one hand, it could be chalked up to her being sheltered. On the other hand, she lost her mom at a very early age and takes care of her dad, which usually matures kids beyond their years. It didn't come across as annoying though, because I spent most of the book thinking she was younger (see below), so she was still a fun, interesting character. The dad was a hilariously stereotypical nerdy scientist, but you could tell he genuinely cared about what was happening. Charlie was a bit of an enigma, which made her mysterious and interesting. I especially enjoyed Mickey. A great friend, loyal to the bone and protective of those he cares about, he is there every step of the way for Charlie, and the rest of them when the need arises. I want my own Mickey. 

With a few twists and turns along the way, I found myself suspecting different people at different points of the story. I had a suspicion about who the traitor was earlier in the story, but then the plot took a turn and I was still relatively surprised when it ended up being revealed. 

I did find a few misspellings here and there or sometimes the wrong word used, but the story is intriguing and fast paced enough that I could overlook them. There was a continuity issue that I'm hesitant to mention, because it's possible that it was a misunderstanding on my part. Charlie and Chessa are supposed to be the same age but, for some reason and from the very beginning of the book, I thought that Chessa was much younger. Like high school age instead of Charlie's stated 22 years old. 

With the political atmosphere being what it is these days, I thought the political component of this book was really interesting. It really makes you think about what the government is working on that the public isn't aware of. And what they're capable of that nobody considers. 

A great way to pass an afternoon, I really enjoyed this book. I've read Samantha Combs before and this was a little bit of a change from what I'm used to from her, so I had a lot of fun seeing where the plot would take me. It didn't disappoint, and being able to surprise me with the bad guy is an unusual feat, as I can usually spot them at least halfway through! I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.