Another one from the sci-fi YA market, this time from experienced author Rachel Cohn. BETA caught my eye quite literally. The cover is simply stunning. Then I noted that publisher was not accepting ARC copy requests from bloggers, which annoyed me and left me wondering briefly when Disney had bought Hyperion. 
 When the book popped up from another source, I snagged it without really remembering why it had caught my attention. At which point I looked at Goodreads, and the mixed reviews left me curious. It seems the YA market is pretty well split between loving it and hating it. 
 I can see why. It's pretty basically an inversion of the Cinderella story. The writing is very light, and despite the depth of exploration possible with this subject matter (Beta is a clone, and a teenage clone at that.), it stays light. 
 Until the very end, where Cohn punches you in the gut and leaves you wondering what the hell just happened there. Presumably, the next bit will be the part where our heroine learns what she's capable of, and sets up for the traditional third part of the trilogy, where she fights back against the Establishment, Overcomes Adversity and Triumphs-In-The-End. The ladies sci-fi market knows what I mean there. 
 So basically, it's too science fictiony for non-geek girls, not science-fictiony enough for geek-girls, and just way too damn girly for most boys. Add in a fast, non-graphic rape sequence and a justifiable homicide, and you end up with an intriguing, well-written book that's going to polarise its audience. 
 Cohn does in fact do some work with the twin themes of the value of life and what does and does not constitute humanity, which are the core of any clone story. She also spends some time musing on the definition of self, and the question of how much of who we are is determined via our biology. Both are handled deftly--Cohn has the touch for teaching without making it obvious--but not with any real depth. 
 Overall, I'd encourage parents to read this one on the sly themselves, before deciding if it's suited to their individual children. On the one hand, it's a nice (if fluffy) entry-level piece into the world of sci-fi for young girls steeped in Princess culture, but on the other hand, the violence near the end, while non-descriptive, may be unsuitable for sensitive, very young readers.