Eight Reasons to Love 'Spinning Starlight' by RC Lewis

Spinning Starlight

RC Lewis  

Goodreads / Amazon

Sixteen-year-old heiress and paparazzi darling Liddi Jantzen hates the spotlight. But as the only daughter in the most powerful tech family in the galaxy, it's hard to escape it. So when a group of men show up at her house uninvited, she assumes it's just the usual media-grubs. That is, until shots are fired.
Liddi escapes, only to be pulled into an interplanetary conspiracy more complex than she ever could have imagined. Her older brothers have been caught as well, trapped in the conduits between the planets. And when their captor implants a device in Liddi's vocal cords to monitor her speech, their lives are in her hands: One word and her brothers are dead.
Desperate to save her family from a desolate future, Liddi travels to another world, where she meets the one person who might have the skills to help her bring her eight brothers home-a handsome dignitary named Tiav. But without her voice, Liddi must use every bit of her strength and wit to convince Tiav that her mission is true. With the tenuous balance of the planets deeply intertwined with her brothers' survival, just how much is Liddi willing to sacrifice to bring them back?
Haunting and mesmerizing, this retelling of Hans Christian Andersen'sThe Wild Swans strings the heart of the classic with a stunning, imaginative world as a star-crossed family fights for survival in this companion to Stitching Snow.

Note: I got this as an eARC from NetGalley. 

Eight is an important number in 'Spinning Starlight', so I decided to make this post about eight things to love about this book. (Not that I don't have things I disliked.)

1) The Retelling

I really liked the comparisons to the original fairy tale. I like the original 'The Wild Swans'. It definitely is a fairy tale about family.

The comparisons were pretty simple. Missing brothers. Lost voice. Etc etc etc. The fact that the fairy tale was adapted was pretty awesome in my book.

2) Liddi's personality

I truly loved Liddi's character. She was brave. She went into the unknown for her family. She was dedicated. She gave birth to some awesome ideas. (Non-fashion related, of course.) She was a great and admirable character. Definitely not the usual ditzy heiress. (Or even the rude one. Ehem Eadlyn ehem.)

3) Romance's slow build

I hate insta-love. Hate it. When this book introduced a slow-moving romance, I was thrilled. 'At last,' I thought, 'a slower romance!' (Not that I haven't read slower-moving romances before. I have. This was just nice.)

I may not have loved the romance, but I loved the slow build.

4) Tiav's love for Liddi without knowing who she is

He didn't care who she was before they met. He could barely communicate with her. He loved her anyways. I thought that was interesting. He saw past the Liddi Jantzen everyone else saw. He saw her. (Cheesy, I know. Spare me.)

Isn't that romantic?

5) Brotherly love

I'm an only child. I don't know how older brothers are supposed to act. If I had older brothers, though, I wish they were like Liddi's. These guys were cool. Smart and kind. Warm and loving. They are what I think older brothers are supposed to be. I loved it.

And I appreciate it when books have an emphasis on familial love. Family is forever, you know?

6) The memories

These memories really gave depth to Liddi's relationship with her brothers. (All of them.) They showed family. And love and care. The brothers' love of Liddi really showed.

It was a nice peak into why Liddi cared so much about rescuing her brothers. (Other than the fact that they are her brothers.) Without it, I might have wondered why. (Only child thinking.)

7) The world and tech

The streamers. The Khua. It was so cool. I loved it. The futuristic world was interesting. I loved the advancements in technology. I wanted to live in this world. (After the book, of course.)

8) Liddi's growth

Liddi really grew in this book. She was some paparazzi girl in the beginning. She went to fashion shows and wore expensive jewels. As time wore on, she discovered her potential. She discovered her genius. I really admired her transformation. It was truly amazing.

Rating:

4/5

0

Review: 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card

Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card

Goodreads / Amazon

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

Ender's Game is the winner of the 1985 Nebula Award for Best Novel and the 1986 Hugo Award for Best Novel

Travel Companion:

If I traveled with the main character Ender Wiggin, he would be:

The Navigator

Ender would be the navigator of the adventure. He would be the one with an actual compass. (Not the iPhone one.) We would all follow him anywhere. (We would be lost without him.)
We would meet Ender at the airport, who would be suspiciously eyeing everybody. (Including us.) We would either A) snatch his little child person and run or B) coax him to join us with the thought of exploration.
But either way would work.

At first, I didn't feel for Ender. I felt like I didn't get enough depth from him. It seemed like I was just watching him act and not think. I wanted more. What was he thinking? Why did he do certain things? I wanted to know about Ender. What made him tick? I needed more.
But as I moved through the story, I started to feel for him. I pitied him even. His whole world was different. It was new to him. He was plunged into battle. Forced to fight. I felt like that was terrible for his health, mental and physical. Ender deserved better. He deserved a childhood. He was too young to be a commander. Where was his childhood? His childhood was stolen away. He could have read and played games. Got a girl. Dated. Earned honor roll.
But no.
He had to be a commander. He had to fight the buggers. But he was too young. Ender needed a better life.
I hope he found it.

The Adventure Begins (And Ends):

We were taken through Ender's life from the moment he was taken to the Battle School to the end. How he fought. His isolation. His weaknesses and strengths.
There were twists. Rivals. People who hated Ender's mind. People who wanted Ender dead. The teachers forcing Ender to his limits. We saw how Ender reacted. He was quick on his feet. Smart and deadly so. 
The plot had a few twists. The ending. The truth behind the games at Command School. All shocking. You wouldn't expect them. They smashed into you and surprised you. They were interesting to the reader.

I'll Wait For You At the Gate:

The great thing about this story was the lack of romance. Sure, there was familial romance, but that is different than actual romance. The bond between Ender and Valentine was strong. Those two were great siblings to each other. They were there for each other. She was his warm memory, his home. The person he could rely on when things got tough.

Perks and Upgrades:

What an action-filled plot. We had some great action scenes. The two armies fight. The fight that took Ender by surprise. On top of that, Ender was a great strategist. He could fight well. He ordered his soldiers well. His tactics were unique. He crafted them on the spot. It was great seeing how the boy worked.

You Have Arrived at Your Destination:

The ending was great. It summed up everything that happened. What he did. Why he left. What happened after. Then we had Valentine and Ender. I expected those two to reunite. It was awesome when they did. Those two worked well together. A great duo. And what happened with the queen? Amazing. I wouldn't expect anything like that. And everything really was a misunderstanding. They didn't understand you, and you didn't understand them. If you spoke the same language, it would have been better.
I don't feel like there is a need to read the next books in the quintet. The story ended perfectly. Ender got something that could make him happy. The other books could explore Ender more, but I don't feel like I need to read them.

This review is short because this story was just too hard to place. I couldn't formulate my thoughts. It was hard to understand the book. I feel like it was on another level of comprehension. I was missing things; I know that. I can't explain things I don't understand.

Rating:

3/5

0

Review: 'The Contingency' by Karona Thompson

The Contingency
Karona Thompson

Amazon (No link) / Goodreads

How does someone live in a world bent on destroying the very thing they are ? 
You don't. 
You don't live. 
You survive. 

And the only way to do that is to hide. 


Hiding. This is what Callia Gracie has been doing since the day she was found to have the Echthra blood component within her veins she has been doing. Hiding, in plain sight. 

In her home she's Callia Gracie but outside and to everyone else she is Frankie Sly. A name that's meant to protect not just her but those around her. 

But what will she do when she's found out? In a world where it is she against everyone, will she crumble and fall or will she stand and fight.

Note: I got this as a read-for-review.

_________________________________________________________

Here Be the Players

Callia was okay. She wasn't the most interesting character. She was meek and shy at first. And when she used her powers, she didn't seem to act stronger because of it. She seemed to be the same. Sure, she gained a bit of confidence, but she still seemed to be the same. Shocked at her actions. Shy. Those are just a few words to describe Callia's personality. And Frankie Sly? I'm not sure that's a good code name or anything. It seemed to mock the soldiers. Like, 'I'm totally normal. My last name is coincidentally Sly!' I didn't feel for her. She was just so bland. She wasn't devious or rude. She wasn't very brave. Those are my favorite character types. She did care for her family, though. I'll give her her that. Callia just wasn't the sort of girl I would be friends with. She was just so dull.
The Prince was okay. His motivations were confusing. Why her? What do you see in her? Also, what's with you? Hot then cold. It's like that song. Geez. 'You're hot then you're cold. You're yes then you're no.' Those words exactly. He seemed to be kind deep inside. Deep inside, though. He could have had more time to explain or be explained. He didn't get enough pages to explain how actions.
Aaron was okay. He was loyal, but he gave up Callia too easily. If he loved her as much as he claimed, he would have fought more. He was like, 'Bye, Callia. I can't help you. Sorry.' Yet...he was kind and caring. He liked Callia no matter who she was. He didn't judge. That was an interesting part of his character.

The Adventure Begins (And Ends)

The plot wasn't too interesting. It didn't seem to be anything different. It wasn't that interesting or unique.
And I felt like it was echoing 'Shatter Me'. Here, we have a girl who has powers. She has to keep them secret, though. No one in her dystopian future has powers. (That she knows of.) She meets a guy who cares. And doesn't mind if she has powers. (Spoiler Alert) Then she is taken. And ends up with super powerful guy's son who comes off as a rude guy who ends up being nice.
It just seemed to be copying. Or reinventing. I felt like there wasn't many differences with this and 'Shatter Me'. There were some. Enough to make it its own idea but too many similarities to deny.

The Swoon-Gasp-Swoon Factor

N/A

Ka-Pow Power

There wasn't a lot of drama or action. The action was minimal. And Callia seemed to blank out sometimes during an action scene. Since she didn't fight, things were a bit boring. Oh yes, your powers are cool. When and if you use them. She just never fought. Period. She only fought back once or twice. She finally had motivation. The majority of the story was her accepting her fate. She didn't really stand up for herself.

Kiss Kiss Fall in Love

The romance was annoying.
There was something between Aaron and Callia. A strong bond. A good friendship turned into something else. Maybe something more. I couldn't tell. But they worked well together. Cared for each other. It was obvious that they liked each other. You had to see it. 
There was absolutely no chemistry between Callia and the Prince. It was a bit dull. And she hated him with a burning passion. There was nothing there. Sure, he was nicer at times, but that didn't contradict all the punches and kicks he gave her. Saying thank you and trying to help. He didn't have to. It showed he could be a good person. If he wanted to. And perhaps he could be a love interest. Just not in my opinion.
There was no use for a love triangle. It felt like the Prince liked Callia, but Callia didn't feel much for him. And Callia had her heart set on Aaron anyways. There was no reason for a love triangle. 

Special Effects

The grammar was a huge problem for me. It seemed like every page had a grammar problem. Missing commas. Missing quotation marks. Words that seemed to not fit. (But if it was a letter different, that would be a different story.) They were just so commonplace. I considered putting this eBook down around halfway through when the grammar errors became more evident. And they were simple things. 

I really didn't like the massive amount of grammar issues. It wasn't just a few times. It was often. And that's where I have a problem. A few times would be one thing. Many times is another. 

The End

The ending was such a cliffhanger. It just ended on that open-ended note... So much could have happened. Someone dies. The Prince dies. The rebels appear. (None of this happens. At least, not to my knowledge.) So many chances. 
The story could have continued. It could have been longer and had the fight scene. It could have had more closure. You don't get anything. It's just the end. The end.
When I got to the ending, I sat there in shock. I scrolled down a bit. Nothing. I was shocked. The story surely couldn't end there! But it did. And that's what upset me. A cliffhanger is one thing. An ending in the middle of a scene is another.
This story could have been longer. So many things were thrown at you. So many questions. You needed answers. And you got none.

Rating:

2/5

0

Review: 'More Happy Than Not' by Adam Silvera

More Happy Than Not

Adam Silvera 

Amazon / Goodreads

The Leteo Institute's revolutionary memory-relief procedure seems too good to be true to Aaron Soto -- miracle cure-alls don't tend to pop up in the Bronx projects. But Aaron can't forget how he's grown up poor or how his friends aren't always there for him. Like after his father committed suicide in their one bedroom apartment. Aaron has the support of his patient girlfriend, if not necessarily his distant brother and overworked mother, but it's not enough.

Then Thomas shows up. He has a sweet movie-watching setup on his roof, and he doesn't mind Aaron's obsession with a popular fantasy series. There are nicknames, inside jokes. Most importantly, Thomas doesn't mind talking about Aaron's past. But Aaron's newfound happiness isn't welcome on his block. Since he's can't stay away from Thomas or suddenly stop being gay, Aaron must turn to Leteo to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he is.

Adam Silvera's extraordinary debut novel offers a unique confrontation of race, class and sexuality during one charged near-future summer in the Bronx.

_______________________________________________________________________

Here Be the Players

Aaron wasn't bad. You might think he's boring at first, but he gained depth as the story continued. It was revealed that he was gay. And he had so many problems because of it. So much happened. He had to accept it. But it was odd. He did seem a bit normal for the area. (The lower side. The poorer side of town. You get my meaning hopefully.) Played manhunt. Had a girlfriend. Did the do. He seemed so normal that everything just seemed so terrible. Perhaps, that was on purpose. He was a nerd of sorts. A comic book nerd. But his person revolved around the gay thing. It seemed like he was just the 'gay guy'. That was a bit confusing. He did have other personality traits. Why not mention that and lessen his 'gay guy' title? Not sure... It was interesting to see what happened to him. I didn't love his character, though, but he did have his good points. He was willing to admit his lies. But he wasn't great as I expected him to be. 
Thomas was interesting. Someone who can't decide. About anything. That's okay, though. You're only a teenager. It is understandable. What I did understand was why he had to lead poor Aaron on. Aw...poor Aaron. I sympathize with the poor guy. He didn't expect Thomas to do what he did. (Evasive maneuvering! Dodge and weave, boys!) I did like Thomas. He did many things. And he didn't decide. Which wasn't bad but wasn't good either. He was a good friend. I imagine he'd be a good boyfriend as well. Who knows?
Genevieve was interesting as well. An artist. She was amazing. She was loyal. She stayed with Aaron. Loyalty was a trait she had. She was a great girlfriend and friend. Smart. Funny. Quirky. She tried her best to help. And maybe that's what's important. 

The Adventure Begins (And Ends)

The beginning was a bit boring. Two guys becoming friends out of the blue. How was this different than other stories? You might be asking yourself that. It seemed so typical. Closeted gay guy likes seemingly straight guy. Whoops. Forgot to tell you seemingly straight guy is gay. But this story wasn't anything like that. It seemed so different. You start to wonder why Leteo was important and why it was in the blurb. You feel a bit for the relationships Aaron had. They were all great. The loving bond from girlfriend Genevieve. The funny and kind Thomas. The rough friendships he has with the kids on the block. Brendan the sorta best friend. Me-Crazy. (I liked Me-Crazy a bit. Just a bit. He was the whackjob people are worried about. Crazy and insane. Reckless. But he did push it a bit too far.)
Towards the middle, things got interesting. We had the feelings rising. The question of being gay. What's this? What am I feeling? And Aaron was worried about revealing things.
And then...it got real. So soul-crushingly real. It started to hurt. We learned the procedure Aaron went through. The Before. The things that made him get the procedure. And the thing that made him remember. It made me gasp. I held my breath. I was worried for Aaron. I was worried in general. What is wrong with those people? What's wrong with the people who created Leteo? Leteo can destroy lives, but they can also help. Is the pro worth the con? Which outweighs which?

The Swoon-Gasp-Swoon Factor

It was truly dramatic. The fights. The Collin thing. The hiding. The quietness. Holding things back. It was the sort of drama that you don't expect. 

You expect the father to find out about his son and be angry.

Well. You got that and more.

I truly didn't expect the beating that Aaron got that unwound his memories. Whoa. And they said they were your friends? You need better friends, duded. 

This drama drew you in. What's going to happen? What not? Who will attack next? You clung to the pages. The story drew you in. You had to know.

Ka-Pow Power

N/A

Kiss Kiss Fall in Love

The romance...it's actually hard to place. Are we talking about Aaron's wants? Or Collin's which was real? Or Genevieve's which was fake? 

I didn't particularly like Collin. He was rude. His rejection was uncalled for. He was rough and touchy. Assuming things really. He didn't care for Aaron. I don't think so at least. He seemed to use Aaron for sex. To calm his urges.

Genevieve... Ah. She was good as a girlfriend. She tried to be kind. And help. Tried to make Aaron feel straight when feeling gay made him feel terrible. I thought they had a good bond. But Aaron was rude to her. She didn't deserve it. He could have let her down easy or something. I hoped they gained trust with each other again. And maybe they did in the end.

And Thomas. Such a good friendship. Romance was going to ruin it. You could tell. Thomas was too flighty. Unpredictable. You wouldn't know if he would accept Aaron as a boyfriend or not. He was a bit rude. What's wrong with a kiss? You're a teen. Let it be. You people are reckless! What's wrong with a kiss? 

Special Effects

It showed the rough side of town. The poorer side. 

I am a middle class person. Always have been. My parents aren't rich. They were never rich. My family made enough money, though. I still wanted the lavious 1% lifestyle as many do. But my life wasn't too bad. 

So it's a punch in the gut when I read this side of the story. The faulty plumbing. The sharing of rooms. The needs over the wants. Not even considering the wants anymore. The two jobs, maybe more.
It was a stab in the gut. The smack of reality.
I never realized how bad people have it.
I'm lucky. I know that. I've known it for a while. I never saw much poverty. My friends were rich private school kids or well-off public school ones. I grew up wailing about wanting the stuffed bunny, and then it's in my arms.
One distinct memory I had was one when I was around nine. There was a new toy out. And I wanted it. My half-birthday was coming up. Declaring the importance of one's half-birthday, I got my dad to purchase it for me. It was around $10-20. Now...I feel so bad.

I wander the streets of New York City and yearn to place a dollar in the guy's cup. Or put a granola bar there. Make some contribution. I don't. Why? I'm a shy person. Not the cute shy. The shy that will rage if you dare make me interview that person, what are you doing, staph. Yes. That person. I'm that person. So I got what I wanted as a kid. I needed to be pleased. Being an only child didn't help much either.

And this...this is someone's reality. Kicking beer cans. Grafitti. Kissing in the dark. One bedroom apartments. Even my aunt has two bedrooms! (One's been made into a closet.) And she lives in a city where rent is expensive with a capital E. 

I don't see the truth sometimes. I've been blindsided by everything I know. 

This story showed me the truth.

The End

The ending was good. Worthy. It fit the story. Especially the title. More happy than not. And that's what Aaron got. His happiness. Or, at least, more happiness than not. It was a good ending.

I did feel like Aaron finally became someone else. Someone that suited who he wanted to be. Accepting of his fate. Things happen. You have to accept it after a certain point. 

This story really made an impression. It started out a bit boring, but it ended on a high note. Something that changed and different. 

Rating:

5/5

0

Review: 'The Ungoverned' by Jaq C Reed

The Ungoverned
Jaq C Reed

Amazon / Goodreads

Ara is Code Yellow.

In a world of assignment, there is no choice. Ara lives, works, and breathes under the rule of the Governance. It’s a race against time, as every minute is counted down off her clock of life.

The annual cull of the population threatens her friends, family; everyone close to her. Missteps lead to questioning and torture.

She is genetic perfection; the impure of the Nation are cast out and terminated. Mingling with anyone outside of Rank brings with it the possibility of code collision and termination. The Code keeps everyone, including Ara, under complete control of the Governance. Until she becomes unCoded.

From a life of drudgery, Ara unwittingly becomes the face of revolution. With the forbidden love of the Governor’s son and the Cull looming, can she save her friends from torture? Can she save her family from certain death? Can she save herself?

In a world of surveillance, where death is at every turn–

Will she allow herself to be Governed? Or join the ranks– of the few that are—

THE UNGOVERNED 

_________________________________________________________

Here Be the Players

Ara wasn't a bad character. She had a good change. She was shy. Quiet. Almost unimportant. Then...no code. Which was cool. She became stronger. More determined. Her personality changed. She changed. Which is why I liked her at the end. She would do what she had for her family. For Nova. For Varian. For Arturo. She stayed for them. 
Varian was quite cool. He was smart and kind. Caring. But his smarts wasn't flaunted. Or imposed on the reader. He was a good match for Ara. I saw that relationship a mile away. He complimented her. Both kind. Both loving. It would have been a great couple.
Arturo was awesome. Such a great brother. And the twist? He's into dudes. I felt like this could have been focused on more. Oh well. He had loyalty. And would do things secretly. Hidden. He was great. And he truly loved his sister. Which in this world seemed to be lacking. He was a soldier second to a brother and son. Family first.

The Adventure Begins (And Ends)

The plot was actually quite interesting. It might have been the Code thing. Or the rebellion. (The rebellion was obvious.) The Eridon thing? Unexpected. Whoa. I didn't see it coming. 
The plot had action in it. Which I liked. The escape? Awesome. Them leaving? Cool. And the secrets they had to keep. You wanted to know what would happen. Will they be caught? Will they be fine? Will they escape? Will they be killed? So many questions. You just had to know.

The Swoon-Gasp-Swoon Factor

N/A

Ka-Pow Power

N/A

Kiss Kiss Fall in Love

The romance was...odd. It didn't seem to fit. Why? Why couldn't we just have Ara? Why did we need a guy? No. Two guys. And Felix was creepy in the end. Cruel even. Ugh. That didn't sit well with me. And while Varian worked, the pairings just seemed a bit too forced. I saw the romance...but it didn't work. It was confusing for me. I  understand its purpose. 
And the love triangle. Uncalled for. Just choose one. Or dump Felix. I mean, he would be a raging mess, but that is to be expected. I can't believe what Felix did. How cruel. That didn't work at all with me. Not all.

Special Effects

The world building wasn't bad. It was confusing at first. What's the Code? The different levels? Code Black? The technology? But as you read on, you discover how science fiction this place is. How fascinating actually. 
You were given so many different things. How the world ended. (Environmentally catastrophe.) How people found refuge. The survivors. The world was pretty cool. A bit confusing at first, though.
But. How did the Code work? I want to know. Was it a virus? Or something else? Was it man-made or found? I didn't get too much in it. It was living. That's all I know. Hm... What if this is a thing even now? Scary.

The End

The story ended on a high note. The search for Arturo. Ara's sacrifice. Felix's twist. And Nova. The epilogue was great. It raised some questions. But you just knew Arturo would find her. You just knew. It was great.
No questions. A high note. Happiness will be dealt.

Rating:

3/5

0

Review: 'End of Days' by Susan Ee

End of DaysSusan Ee

Amazon / Goodreads

End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee’s bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

________________________________________________________________

Here Be the Players

I like Penryn. Still. She's still badass. In those scenes when she's fighting...wow. I love that about Penryn. She is so badass. She is a tough heroine. She can defend herself. She doesn't need a guy. She doesn't need anyone but her family. I love that about her. She isn't like other girls. She's that badass. 

Penryn does change. Wow. She changes a lot. In the first book 'Angelfall', she's innocence. The daughter of a 'crazy lady'. (Aren't we all a bit crazy sometimes?) She becomes a leader. A strong leader. Someone who is shoved under the position. She doesn't like it. I see that. But she's a good leader. She can make people rally. She's just that type of person. I love this. She's become a better heroine with her leadership. Penryn is badass to the max. One of my top heroines that exist. 

And Raffe. He isn't cold as usual. Which is great! (Kinda?) He's still awesome, though. He's still a good fighter. Not entirely the cold, distant guy we had in the earlier books. This guy is truly awesome. He's can fight. He's a great leader. Raffe is a colder, more angelic version of the Penryn we all know and love. And he's more buff. 

He's warming up to Penryn. Which is great. (I ship it.) I love that. He's losing this hard exterior. This is a good change. Really. This change is great. It really changes the dynamics of the story. It makes the relationship more viable. I'm happy this is happening. It took almost three books for it to happen, but Raffe ended up having a heart. 

The Adventure Begins (And Ends)

The plot. I can gush about the plot. Wow. I can gush all day about this book's plot. 

The action was breathtaking. When you have someone like Penryn who isn't a novice to fighting and Raffe who has been fighting for years, you have perfect action sequences. Add those two components to angel adversaries and locusts. (Those locusts are odd. They're both foe and friend at once. Which seems abnormal.) This creates an amazing combination for fighting. Penryn is great with Pooky Bear. She knows her stuff. And Raffe...with or without a sword. He's a great fighter. They both know their stuff.

The drama with the relationship. That caused so much trouble in this book. That was making my pulse race. What would happen? You didn't know. It could turn any direction. Raffe was pulled back and forth. He was hot and cold. As they say. He would say he cared. Then push her away. It was always dramatic. Extremely. Such a soap opera.

The change in scenery. Okay. I want to know about the hellion world now. What happened? Will we know what happened? I know it has to do with Lucifer. But...what happened to the people? To the people living there. What made them turn into little beasts with horns and wings? What made them succumb to the Fallen? There is so much I want to know. 

And the talent show. Gah. That was perfect teamwork. I wanted to squeal in delight. The twins working with the others. Their genius is astounding at times. The way humanity works together for a good stand against the angels. It's their only chance. It was a beautiful scene. Especially the one with the ballerinas. That shattered my heart. Such a poignant scene. Showing the after of the apocalypse. The effects it has on humanity. How alone people are but never lonely. 

This plot=soap opera + kickass action + loneliness + different settings. 

The Swoon-Gasp-Swoon Factor

N/A

Ka-Pow Power

N/A

Kiss Kiss Fall in Love

Deep breath, guys. (Ooh. I feel like this is a spoiler... Kinda?) We've all been waiting for this relationship. I've been cheering for it. We all have. I know it. 

Admittedly. We were given what we wanted. Such steamy scenes. Penryn was melting. I honestly think she was a Popsicle in Raffe's arms. She was truly falling for him. All over again. Because wow. I was a bit uncomfortable actually. (If you know me well enough, you know about my...reluctance to romance.) 

While I might not like romance, these two are adorable. They both protect each other. Which isn't necessary. Penryn and Raffe can both fend for themselves if they had to. They don't always need the other. Except for support in times when the other is completely surrounded. That's when they might need the other. But. They were the duo that would fight back-to-back. (That should have been a scene!) 

Romance isn't my thing. But this couple isn't bad. 

Special Effects

N/A

The End

The ending. Alright. 

It's not the ending I was expecting. I was expecting fanfare. Or another apocalypse. (I was disappointed to see that this was the last book in the series. I can't wait for Susan Ee's next book, though.) 

But it was a good ending. Raffe and Penryn were happy. Both of them. Which is great. I'm surprised that Raffe would give up that much for Penryn. But maybe that's the relationship between those two. I was taken aback by what Raffe did. Wow. He really did care. That's great. Honestly, that's amazing. A surprise twist! 

As an ending to a series...not bad. It was a happy ending. (To my surprise.) Both parties were happy. It doesn't have questions left. It's a good note to end on. 

For the entire series, I truly loved it. It was a great series. Action. Enough romance to make me turning the page without deterring me. Great characters. A fantastic twist on the classic apocalypse. 

Thank you, Susan Ee, for this great ride.

Rating:

5/5

1