Land of the Unaltered in set in a world where beauty is everything...artificial beauty that is. A world where hair and eye color are frequently changed to match outfits and plastic surgery is as common as going to the dentist. The country is called Civitas and a teen named Rose happens to be part of the ruling family. Rose's mother is the icon of being Altered, though Rose refuses to have any work done on herself. Hating Civitas and what it stands for, Rose leaves the city and joins her aunt Ivy for the summer. There, she gets a summer job at a lumber mill working with the quiet and elusive Flynn, who thinks she is just another capital brat. In the midst of struggling to figure each other out, they find themselves in a plot bigger than they ever imagined...
I got the opportunity to beta read this book before it came out, and I'm so glad I did. The world in this book is so unique, and I loved how it consistently builds in depth throughout the book. It makes you question what it means to be beautiful and what true beauty really is.
Rose and Flynn are solid main characters. The story goes back and forth between both perspectives, so you get a good feel for both their personalities. Rose is strong and intellectual. Her love of learning was my favorite part about her character, though I think she intimidated Flynn with it (unintentionally, and only in the best way, the kind of intimidation that comes from admiration). I think Flynn is absolutely charming. He doesn't have a way with words, he is socially awkward at times, but he has a heart of gold. I don't think either of them know their full potential yet, but I strongly suspect they will help each other find it in later books.
If you like anything dystopian with a sweet romance and an intriguing plot, give this a try! 4/5 stars and eager to read the sequel.