The Breeders

Breeders, Book 1

By: Katie French

Narrated by: Carla Mercer-Meyer

Sixteen-year-old Riley Meemick is one of the world's last free girls. When Riley was born, her mother escaped the Breeders, the group of doctors using cruel experiments to bolster the dwindling human race. Her parents do everything possible to keep her from their clutches - moving from one desolate farm after another to escape the Breeders' long reach. The Breeders control everything and they're hunting Riley. When the local Sheriff abducts the adult members of her family, Riley and her brother Ethan are left to starve. Then Clay arrives, the handsome gunslinger who seems determined to help to make up for past sins. As Riley's affection for Clay grows she wonders can she trust Clay with her secret and risk her freedom? The three embark on a journey across the scarred remains of New Mexico. When Riley is forced into the Breeder's hospital, she learns the horrible fate of her mother - a fate she'll share unless she can find a way out.

©2012 Katie French (P)2014 Tantor

needs more character development

Spoilers**
There are several gaps in the story that need to be re-edited. Like where did Ethan's coyote bite go? Just because he uses soap doesn't make it go away.
I think it's easier to catch oversights when listening rather than reading or maybe I've just listened to enough of this genre to have certain expectations but this comes across like a first time authors work. Definitely room for improvement. Great concept though. OK read.

Great story

Put off listening to this because of a review I read. Finally got it, and am glad I did. Worth it!

good story

I really enjoyed this story. it was difficult to turn off. narrator has a calming voice that seemed perfect.

When purpose is skewed, abuse is inevitable

This post apocalyptic adventure/love story held my attention from beginning to end . At first I thought it was set back in the depression but as the story unfolds I realize that civilization has been thrown backwards. We don't find out by what until later on in the book. When we do, everything they've gone through makes sense.
Riley is a young girl who has to pretend to be a boy to keep from being dragged off by the Breeders . Both her mother and aunt were captured by the Breeders earlier in life and now won't even speak of it . They do everything possible to keep Riley hidden inside but of course things go wrong after that it's a life-and-death push-pull struggle up until the very end to try to recover her family, escape the breeders and stay alive . I thought the adventure was over until I went to leave a review and saw the 2nd book. Just purchased it and I'm often running .

YA Novel Barely Good

This Young Adult novel is based upon a post-apocalyptic notion that the human race has dramatically reduced the female population though (event to be disclosed). A group, called the breeders, are trying to repopulate the race. So much for the premise. The setting is a cross between the wild west and downtown Detroit. French does a poor job in plot, she chooses to move the main character (Riley) from event to even without a good reason for her actions. Though she does have one central goal, there is little back-story. Some auxiliary characters are in the story to quack like a duck in the background. While others change and morph in unexplained ways.

Carla Mercer-Meyer pulls of a med-western twang accent for the characters that barely carry the story for the women and completely missed for the men. Though another narrator cannot save the weak plot no matter what their skills.

I am somewhat interested in what the outcome of the next book.It would be good if it were a short story but as two or more novels -- eeek. Oh well, if I have the time, I will circle back and listen to book two. There are many other YA series to get hooked on, this one isn't one of them. If you do listen to book one, you will probably do book two just for kicks. So, I do recommend you pass and thus you have no decision to make.