After reading the synopsis of Calculated by Nova McBee, I knew I had to grab a copy ASAP. I am glad that I did. This YA book is so unique, and it is quite the departure from what I typically read. When you read the back cover, readers are told that this book is a YA Count of Monte Cristo meets Mission Impossible story. I know both of those stories and love them, so I anticipated that this book would be something I would enjoy heartily. Honestly, I didn’t see too much of either story. Instead, what I saw is a retelling of the Joseph story from the Bible, and I LOVED it! Every detail in the Biblical story is portrayed in some clever and unique way. So well done! I love the concept that Josephine, our heroine, is a numbers prodigy. If Josephine wants to calculate the height, width, and mass of a building all she has to do is look at the building. What a trip! Josephine, herself, is an amazing character. I love how she recognizes that her gift is a gift and should be used for good, not evil. That’s quite a noble stance for anyone to take, let alone a 15 year old girl. Most people I know would use a gift like Josephine’s to their advantage, but not Josephine. The lives of others means everything to her and she does all she can to protect people, even when others choose to take advantage of her. She truly is an inspirational heroine! As far as the themes go, the idea of purpose mentioned throughout really resonated with me. None of us are here by accident; we all serve a purpose. And the people who cross our paths — for a lifetime or for a minute — are not accidental either. Every day is an opportunity to serve others, to help a fellow man, to make someone’s life a little easier even for just a minute. What a great reminder for us all.

Calculated is a remarkable YA novel and I enjoyed every minute. I highly recommend this well-written, engaging story. If you are a fan of excellent YA fiction filled with cool characters and timely themes, then I implore you to pick up a copy of this book ASAP.

I purchased a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com on May 2, 2023, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.