Calculated

by Nova McBee Narrated by Laura Knight Keating

Overview

Set in Shanghai and Seattle, Calculated is a gritty, modern day blend of The Count of Monte Cristo and Mission Impossible.
She has many names-Octavia, Double 8, Phoenix, Josephine. She's a math prodigy, a calculating genius and everyone wants her.
In seventeen-year-old Jo River's complicated world of numbers, there's no such thing as coincidence. When she is betrayed by someone she loves, kidnapped by the world's most wanted smuggler, and forced to use her talent to shore up a criminal empire, Jo deems her gift a curse-until she meets Red.
Fellow captive and unlikely sage, Red teaches Jo to harness her true potential, so she can do more than just escape. Before he dies, Red reveals a secret about her enemies and makes her vow to right his wrongs. But Jo has a vow of her own.
With help from Chan, a bitter billionaire, and Kai, his off-limits son, Jo rises into a new role, ready to take down those who ruined her life. Until a mathematical error comes back to haunt her with a threat much more dangerous than the criminals on the loose.
To beat the odds, Jo must decide who she really is and if risking everything is worth it.
After all, history is not made-it's calculated.
With themes of revenge and forgiveness, loss and identity, brainpower versus brutality, and the triumph of right over might, it will resonate with readers everywhere.

Editorial Reviews

School Library Journal

03/12/2021

Gr 9 Up—A white teenage girl with an incredible gift for math cycles through an array of identities and captors who want to exploit her talent. Josephine finds herself under the control of Madame, who uses the young prodigy's gifts to further her own wealth. Things are going well until she attracts the eye of Madame's lover, Lev. Feeling betrayed, Madame sends Jo to be dealt with by King. King is known to make problems disappear, but realizes the girl's talent for calculations would be useful for him. King strips Jo of her name, referring to her only as Double-Eight. She settles into her life as one of King's captives and begins to lose all hope. In the darkest hours, she meets a fellow prisoner named Red, who mentors her to use her gift for the greater good. Now filled with a new passion and another new identity, she begins her new life in China, working to try and save the Chan business before it goes bankrupt. She struggles to express her feeling for Chan's son Kai and trust those around her. Under the shadows of her own identity, she plots against her captors. This delightful book will hook readers from the first page and have them longing for more. VERDICT Recommended for readers who enjoy fast-paced stories.—Lori James, Rolla P.L., MO

Kirkus Reviews

2020-12-02
A high-stakes YA tale of betrayal, revenge, and numbers.

“Josephine. Octavia. Double 8. Mila. Phoenix.” Josephine Rivers had so many names in the last two years that she barely knows who she is anymore. She’s a calculating prodigy with the uncanny ability to look at the world through a purely mathematical lens. After a betrayal by her own family when she’s only 15, she’s kidnapped and taken to China by the sinister Maxima, known as “Madame,” who forces her to use her gift to increase her fortune. This marks the beginning of the protagonist’s arduous tale, which sees her moved around Shanghai’s criminal underground as others exploit her gift. Her only close company is older captive Hong Rui, nicknamed “Red,” whose wisdom and support change how she views her own power and teaches her what she needs to survive. Now she’s 17 and working for a wealthy man whose captivating son Kai starts to chip away at her emotional defenses. She has the fate of the world in her hands, thanks to her unique gifts, but she also craves vengeance against those who’ve wronged her. Can she save the world from a financial collapse and also bring her enemies down? And can she trust Kai enough to let him into her heart? This engaging take on The Count of Monte Cristo, the first in a planned series, is set primarily in Shanghai in the present day but bounces back and forth in time to show Josephine’s long journey toward freedom. Along the way, debut author McBee effectively shows how she goes from being an unwilling pawn to an empowered queen. Jo’s unique way of understanding and interacting with the world informs much of the narrative, and readers will find it compelling yet also easy to visualize. Recurring themes include the opposing forces of revenge and justice, trust and betrayal, hate and love—all of which underscore Jo’s character arc. There’s a general sense of closure in the main storyline, but open questions, and a small cliffhanger, promise more to come.

An enjoyable thriller with an intriguing, relatable protagonist.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940173051998
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	02/16/2021
Series:	Calculated , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged

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