If you thought Shatter Me was a good series, this duology will scratch the itch and even though it’s a little different, sometimes different can be better… right? I think so 😛
For two years, six months, fourteen days, eleven hours and sixteen minutes, Subject Six-Eight-Four — ‘Jane Doe’ — has been locked away and experimented on, without uttering a single word.
As Jane’s resolve begins to crack under the influence of her new — and unexpectedly kind — evaluator, she uncovers the truth about Lengard’s mysterious ‘program’, discovering that her own secret is at the heart of a sinister plot … and one wrong move, one wrong word, could change the world.
Graphic: Panic Attacks, Confinement, Torture Moderate: Death of a Parent, Medical Trauma, Gaslighting Minor: Kidnapping, Blood, Violence
My Review
Wowie. This was a way better executed and altered version of Shatter Me. Obsessed. I loved this one – the only thing I could have done without was some more specifically described torture type scenes. Characters were great, development of those characters and how especially the main character, figured things out as we went was amazing. Loved the power element, always fun. Can’t wait to see it a bit more in action in the second book. Plot wise it was great. Similarities like I said above to Shatter Me, but with a much better execution. Enough differences to be it’s own story, and taking place in Sydney (nice touch), different dynamics and way less characters to keep track of. All that and more made this an action packed, easy to follow, quick to pace through and thoroughly enjoyable story.
Graphic: Death of a Parent, Confinement, Violence Moderate: Blood, Kidnapping, Terminal Illness Minor: Murder, Gun Violence, Torutre
My Review
Continuation of the story was great. Blindsided but at the same time knew it in my bones! There was a lot of internal dialogue and processing (sometimes of things that had already occurred… like we were rehashing things we had already not just witnessed but thought about as the reader) which was frustrating at times. A good deal of this book could easily be skimmed unlike the first one where everything was essential and riveting. Happy with it overall though.
Would I Recommend This Book?
Yes, I thought this was a great series, particularly if you like Shatter Me.
Similar Books You Might Like
If you are thinking what kind of books would have similar feel, themes or content, here is a list that you can consider:
Stories about heists are always a hit, just look at movies like Oceans 11 or The Sting… and books about heists are no exception. I LOVE a good heist story, so let’s look at some of the heist books I’ve read and enjoyed.
Having this many POV can sometimes be a bit messy, but I think this was really well done. It added such incredible drama to the story, I love to jump in and out of people’s perspectives, plus when everybody in a heist is in a different spot as part of the team layout like this is necessary. I liked everyone. All the characters in their own ways were fantastic, they interacted with each other really well, and the plot moved forward with these character dynamics in mind. The actual heist/prison break itself was really well done. I enjoyed the setup, the planning, the execution, and everything in between. The magic system was quite good, it was a bit of a spin on the normal type of abilities you can see in people. I like the way that this particular system spun things, and I would love to see more.
I’ll start this off by saying I liked this book. Not loved, but liked. I think the first half was my favourite and after looking up spoilers I don’t think I will continue the series. However, it was still a good story and interesting characters.
Here are my little observations: It was really hard to keep track of all the characters and who they all were (particularly with an audiobook format). I think there were just a bit too many for my personal preferences.
I’m not used to books that take place over such long periods of time but that are still interesting and flow well. I appreciated that from this book (it was also my first “high fantasy” that I made all the way through and I liked it quite a bit actually).
There was a huge amount of info dumping at times, but something about it didn’t feel that annoying like it can with other books. I was fully aware of it, and yet I didn’t mind.
The theme of discussing religion throughout was an unusual choice. While it doesn’t favour any one in particular, and seemingly makes some up (although who knows because more keep being made all the time), it was kind of….. odd. It felt strange that these people are talking about that in the middle of everything. I love a good Christian fiction book, so religion in books is not something I don’t like, it was more so that this seemed to acknowledge that religion exists but also that it doesn’t much matter which one you believe… and that’s something I disagree with so perhaps that’s why it felt so disjointed for me.
I love Brandon’s writing, and have enjoyed another series of his but I think the continuing of this one will not be something I’m interested in.
There were a lot of turns, once you thought you knew what was going on, it all changed again. I thought I was in for a painting heist, but what I got was a lot more than that. The way things flowed, fit together and unfolded was great. I was convinced of one thing, only to be proven wrong about others. Then again, some things I guessed and when I was proven right, it was really nice. There were a lot of moving parts, and it seems like everyone is a lot smarter than people in real life. Elaborate and intricate plans are not the norm with most people in the lives we all live in the real world. However, for a fictional story like this one, I don’t mind. The characters were pretty good, but I found it difficult to really connect properly what with all the twists and turns of the way things happened.
I really enjoyed the slow reveal of how everybody in the bank was a thief. They were multiple plot lines, things were happening slowly but also with the usual Ernest Cunningham way. It did get quite complex at points, and some things were a little bit far-fetched until they weren’t. We managed to have a meaning for everything, but because there was so much happening it was difficult at times to follow the thread. Having said that, it was wrapped up quite nicely. Everything made sense, and some things were surprising, some things weren’t. Ultimately it was funny, interesting, and very scientific… That was unexpected.
I wasn’t sure what to expect but I really liked this story. The element of being caught up in a heist, having an ex FBI agent, and how everything unfolds was great. High stakes, fast paced and corruption all within the span of a day. Nicely done, a good read.
I am not the target audience so keep that in mind for the review below.
Classic adults aren’t as smart as teenagers, they missed important details and we can not only be taken seriously but also help solve the crime whilst being in mortal danger kind of a story.
Cultural additions were really nice. I like a good art heist story and having a budding artist come at it was also an interesting twist. I did have to speed read a lot of it though because it didn’t seem to hold my attention well.
The first of a series, what happens when a school involves training kids with super powered abilities? This. But let’s not forget the deeper conspiracies and dangers that lurk here, because our main characters can’t.
Dreading her first day at a new school, Alex is stunned when she walks through a doorway and finds herself stranded in Medora, a fantasy world full of impossibilities. Desperate to return home, she learns that only a man named Professor Marselle can help her… but he’s missing.
While waiting for him to reappear, Alex attends Akarnae Academy, Medora’s boarding school for teenagers with extraordinary gifts. She soon starts to enjoy her bizarre new world and the friends who embrace her as one of their own, but strange things are happening at Akarnae, and Alex can’t ignore her fear that something unexpected… something sinister… is looming.
An unwilling pawn in a deadly game, Alex’s shoulders bear the crushing weight of an entire race’s survival. Only she can save the Medorans, but what if doing so prevents her from ever returning home?
I really enjoyed the world, the characters, and the plot of this book. It was fantastic. I liked the sarcastic character of Alex, and the way that she discovered this parallel world where superpowers were super common. There was an overarching mystery, there were things that we got to figure out as we went along to the world and how things run, and I thought that it was laid out really well. I enjoyed this world, I thought it was really interesting interesting, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in this series to discover more of it. The library was a really really cool Element. I liked the idea of unlimited and unusual adventures that they could have, while also trying to figure out the overall mysteries of the library, the school and the world. Figuring it all out with Alex was a good way to discover things. I liked her friends, I thought they were really fun and very realistic guy friends. I also liked the way that other characters and their relationships to Alex developed across the book, I’m excited to see where all of that goes in further books.
Would I Recommend This Book?
Yes, this is a great start to a series that I’m excited to continue.
Similar Books You Might Like
If you are thinking what kind of books would have similar feel, themes or content, here is a list that you can consider:
If you wanted a story about a war college, learning how to ride dragons who don’t particularly like you, and a romance that shouldn’t really exist in a world that’s getting more complicated with every book that’s written… this one might be for you.
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away… because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.
Graphic: Sexual Content, Violence, Death Moderate: War, Death of a Parent, Injury Minor: Vomit, Grief
My Review
This book took me by surprise. Apart from the graphic explicit content, the rest of this book was really good. I loved the idea of a dragon riding College, the way that the story unfolded was great, the way the characters interacted was really interesting and engaging. I really really enjoyed this book, and if it wasn’t for the graphic content that I am not a fan of, it would’ve been a five star book. I found the main character violet to be a stereotypical character. Having said that, I still like her. The enemies to lovers banter that we get is always fun, but I appreciated that we didn’t rush into anything when it came to that relationship. The book takes place over a fair amount of time, and I actually thought this did really well for the character development and understanding of real life relationship relationships which are not Insta love. Although there was a little bit of that in here as well. Dragons can be a little hit or miss, this one I think was handled pretty well.
Would I Recommend This Book?
Yes. I really enjoyed this book, it completely swept me away. If you don’t want open door, however, steer clear.
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If you are thinking what kind of books would have similar feel, themes or content, here is a list that you can consider:
Sanderson churns out books like nobody else, but they are so interconnected with each other sometimes that it’s difficult to just pick one up. Enter the secret projects. Linked in a very small way (not enough to stop you from understanding and enjoying). All different, but all connected in a small way – new worlds, new adventures.
The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one. With the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. Her father takes her on a voyage to find himself a bride and disaster strikes. Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. She finds herself amid the spore oceans and on adventures where pirates abound. Can Tress leave her simple life behind? Can she make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?
This book was funny, interesting, and thoroughly engaging. The way the world worked with moon particles rather than water, was really fun to explore. The way these different types of particles worked, was really very interesting. The way they could be manipulated and used, was also really cool. The characters were really very interesting, they had a really nice Growth arc. I liked how it poked fun at a lot of common themes and issues with stories like the fact that the main character seems to have a hidden talent that will ultimately help them. The story was essentially about a normal person. With a normal life. It was very self-aware, and very funny. The narrator voice was really fun to follow. I don’t know enough about the Cosmere to have gotten some of the references I am aware that were made, but I still enjoyed the book regardless. I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. I have very limited things I didn’t like about this book, and it was pretty solid all around.
Years ago he had comrades in arms and a cause to believe in, but now the man who calls himself Nomad knows only a life on the run. Forced to hop from world to world in the Cosmere whenever the relentless Night Brigade gets too close, Nomad lands on a new planet and is instantly caught up in the struggle between a tyrant and the rebels who want only to escape being turned into mindless slaves–all under the constant threat of a sunrise whose heat will melt the very stones. Unable to understand the language, can he navigate the conflict and gain enough power to leap off world before his mind or body pay the ultimate price?
Graphic: Death, Violence, Fire Moderate: Body Horror, Grief, Slavery Minor: Injury, Suicidal Thoughts, Death of a Parent
My Review
I haven’t really read much of the Cosmere, but I really enjoyed this book despite that. You can read this without having really done too much inside the Cosmere, which is really nice. I wasn’t 100% sure what to expect, but the premise sounded really good. There were some parts I had to gloss over, because they were referring to other things that were explored in other books, but it wasn’t so bad that I took me too far out of the story.
I really enjoyed this world and the characters, it was really very interesting.It was predominantly a character study to me, with a lot of what does it mean to be “this” or how should I feel now that I’m experiencing “that”. There was still a lot of world building, plot and interesting things happening, but there were a lot of times where we stopped and introspected. It was done really well, but I’m not a huge character driven reader, so some of that was harder to make my way through than other parts.
I love how Brandon exposes you to different worlds and magic systems, he is a master at this! This was a really cool world, and some really interesting differences in the way that the sun and world worked. I thought it was fascinating, and I had a lot of fun exploring how this looked for an outsider who also comes into this world with not really much knowledge on how anything works.
A man awakens in a clearing in what appears to be medieval England with no memory of who he is, where he came from, or why he is there. Chased by a group from his own time, his sole hope for survival lies in regaining his missing memories, making allies among the locals, and perhaps even trusting in their superstitious boasts. His only help from the “real world” should have been a guidebook entitled The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, except his copy exploded during transit. The few fragments he managed to save provide clues to his situation, but can he figure them out in time to survive?
I wasn’t going to read this book, but when I started it just to check it out briefly I couldn’t stop.
It was funny, interesting and kept me engaged the whole way through. This was a prime example of the amnesia storyline done well. I’m not usually a fan of mediaeval timelines, or anything to do with wizardry, but there was honestly not really any magic in that way. I also enjoyed the mediaeval time, mostly because it had people from a little further in our time technology wise.
I enjoyed discovering our main character as he kept going through the series, and how he interacted with everyone as he went through it.
Would I Recommend This Book?
Yes, the secret/hidden projects are a great way to jump into Sanderson with low commitment levels if you don’t want to be introduced to a giant connected web of worlds just yet.
Similar Books You Might Like
If you are thinking what kind of books would have similar feel, themes or content, here is a list that you can consider:
Okay, I claim a lot that Ted Dekker is my favourite author, but I have actually only read a handful of his books. so, I decided to change that. Here is my experience as I went through some of Ted’s other books.
Oh my word. i am updating this post as i have just finished reading ‘black’ which is the official first book (i suppose, although that’s debatable) of the circle series. this began as a trilogy, but there was a further book that was released afterwards and an entire series of worlds that stemmed from this as well.
Dang, my brain is basically broken. what the heck even is reality anyway? would the fall have still happened even if humanity was given another brand new start. what would that mean if the humans were living like that for generations and someone from our world interacted with it. just some of the questions we explored.
while i did really enjoy it, i was left pretty shattered afterwards. i also think it was super intense – more so than pretty much any of his other books i’ve ready. some of the evil was evil. some of the good was good and it was all just such a crazy ride. i have to take a break before i read any more but it was still such an amazing story and look at various ideas of good v evil and how humanity fits into that. also, can i just say – the foreshadowing with a virus that swipes through the whole world…. how did so many books consider this for such a long time and we just never really paid attention?
For me, this book was slow to start, but once we got past the first third or so, that was when I started to get more interested. There was politics, family drama, amnesia, a lot more going on as well. I think the barebones of the story were interesting, however for me it was a bit too slow, and I was not invested in either the plot nor the characters. It was still pretty well written, there was some really interesting elements, and the last third was the best part
A really interesting concept of being able to see into the future but only a short time, and mostly concerning yourself and the circumstances around you. I found that really interesting, and the way that it was explored was great. Enough explanation for me to suspend my disbelief, but not so much that I got pulled away from the story. I liked the idea of being able to look at the future, free will, how things are changed when people make decisions, and how God fits into that. I thought the dynamic between a Muslim and a Jew/Christian/westernised viewpoint of agnostic tied in. There wasn’t too much of that, but enough that it was an interesting discussion. I understand that Dekker changed the book after 911, I have the physical copy of the old version and I listened to the audiobook of the new version. I wanted to tandem read, but ended up mostly just listening to the audiobook. I know somethings were changed, and maybe at some point I’ll go and look at it in more detail. I would be interested to see what he changed in light of those circumstances. I enjoyed the story okay, the running for your life, running away from oppression, it was very dynamic. I would’ve preferred maybe a different environment to explore the concept of the prophetic/future seeing concept. Just personally.
Umm… yep. The story drew me in, it did feel like it was in multiple parts though. First half or so of the story was very clear, it made sense, I understood the stakes, and then all of a sudden we changed. it went from something I understood to something quite different. I’m not mad at it, I actually I enjoyed both parts, however the tonal and plot shift was a little disjointed for me. I didn’t connect to many characters though they were interesting in their own ways. The ending came out of nowhere for me. The resolution was not something I even a little bit thought would happen. Not a single place in my brain expected how this story unfolded. I thought that part was clever but also that it didn’t have a ton of foundation to it. As a reader there was really only one or so moments that you could look back on and see a small amount of foreshadowing. Otherwise I was so in the dark about it that it was impossible to guess (at least for me). All my theories were wrong. All my assumptions were wrong. Again, not mad at it because I thought it was clever (or at least interesting), just confused.
I’m really of two minds with this story. On one hand, I see the deep theological concepts at work. On the other side though, I see a lot of what appears to be New Age understanding. I don’t know how to marry the two together. I always thought that the circle world looked a little too deeply into the demonic side, and this story Not only did that, but also really leaned into what appears to be more of “ spiritual” understandings. I’m not saying that there wasn’t Christian themes in the story, but a lot of what was explored felt less biblical/gospel related like the Circle series was originally, and a lot more spiritual. I think delving too far into the spiritual spaces can be very distracting, and can also be quite dangerous. Just as CS Lewis explored when he wrote the Screwtape letters, the same could be said for something like this. It depends, I suppose, on your perspective. I always feel a bit squirmy in some of the exploration of the darker side of these books. This was no exception, and I think that without the guiding gospel message that the original books had, it had a more disappointing feel. The story itself, I found to be quite interesting. I liked that Rachelle was trying to work through the idea of being blind both physically and spiritually. There were some very interesting themes that were explored and I liked the concept of the city of Eden. I was tossing up with the rating whether it would be higher or not, but I think that I was left with the feeling of unease more so than contemplation as is often the case with Dekker books. Having said that, there were moments that I was challenged in my own understanding, and my own situation. We can all be blind sometimes to things in our lives, but I think we need to weigh up a story like this with the Scriptures.
Mild spoiler-ish (I try to keep big things out though)
I read this when I was a teenager and now as an adult and while I remember liking it (primarily for the twist) I found myself really getting a lot of additional things I didn’t get when I first read it. It was quite a deep look into the nature of good and evil, and how humans deal with that. I really enjoyed that aspect of it. It was a clever twist and turned through someone’s mind, through abuse and how that looks, and how we come to terms with the good and the bad in ourselves and in the world. I liked the plot, and I thought it moved pretty well. Characters were good, and there were a lot of clues throughout if you know what to look for. I loved that I knew what to look for this time, and it didn’t ruin the ending for me. I actually enjoyed this more, knowing the twist and how it was going to work out. I thought the conclusion was good, however the aftermath I thought was not taken very seriously. The point of the book was looking at the deeper issue of good versus evil, but I also thought that we could’ve potentially wrapped up how things looked in the aftermath with a little bit more realism.
This time around, I actually also listen to the audiobook. The same narrator as the circle series, and he has a very interesting way to read the bad guy voices. Convincing is all I will say.
Super powers that only the worst of the worst are given… what happens to the world after an event like that, and how do the regular people live? Can anyone be stopped, or is life just a wasteland?
Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary people extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics. Epics are no friends of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man, you must crush his will. Now, in what was once Chicago, an astonishingly powerful Epic named Steelheart has installed himself as emperor. Steelheart possesses the strength of ten men and can control the elements. It is said that no bullet can harm him, no sword can split his skin, and no fire can burn him. He is invincible. Nobody fights back . . . nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, the Reckoners spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them. And David wants in. When Steelheart came to Chicago, he killed David’s father. For years, like the Reckoners, David has been studying, and planning, and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience. He has seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.
Graphic: Gun Violence, Death of a Parent, Death Moderate: Violence, Blood, Child Death Minor: Cursing, Car Accident, Suicide
My Review
I really enjoyed this one!
I liked the world that was created, and the POV of David was really great. I loved his funny character, and his interactions with the others. I really liked Brandon’s writing style too.
I found myself wanting to know more about Steelheart himself, and I look forward to the other books in the series to hopefully fill in more of the blanks about the world created – particularly the things that are still a question mark 😀
The final 20 pages or so seemed to squash a lot into a small space of time, and some of the story in that section felt rushed and/or a little contrived BUT overall it was great, the new location and Epics were awesome. I’m excited to read the final book!
Graphic: Gun Violence, Death, Gore Moderate: Injury, Violence, Fire Minor: Child Death, Sexual Content, Death of a Parent
My Review
Finally reached the end, and BOY was it worth it! I really enjoyed the whole series, and this final battle book was a fabulous ending. The characters (as always) were so full and authentic to the voices that began in the first book. I loved them, and I loved the development that this final book forced a few of them into! This book was utterly littered with adventure and twists that had me tearing my hair out. And I loved every moment of it.
The only reason for the 4 star rating was some of the plot ‘revelations’ felt a little cliched and that was a tad irritating.. otherwise, it was a fantastic ride!
Would I Recommend This Book?
Yes, this was a great series and if you want to dip your toe into Sanderson without committing to the entire cosmere, this is where I started and I would recommend.
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When I first sat down to read Powerless by Lauren Roberts, I did not finish it. I recognised the similarities with Red Queen, but that didn’t bother me. It was when I got to the Hunger Games part of the book that it felt a little dark and I just stopped. Eventually, I picked it back up and decided to give the whole series a try (even if just to see how similar it was to Red Queen, which I had read)… Let’s see how the experiment went.
Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites.
The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.
Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done.
When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites’ powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.
Some things to keep in mind: Torture, Murder, Injury Detail, Death of a Parent, Torture
My Review
Okay. I read half of this book previously then came back to it. My considerations of viewing torture and murder as something characters like still holds. That is pretty brutal. All that aside, I did actually enjoy the book as a whole. Was it dark? Yes. Did I still like aspects of it? Yes. Banter was fun, trials were interesting, and I quite enjoyed the overall plot (of course I liked RQ so that makes sense).
Original DNF review just after halfway:
So, banter was amazing, characters were interesting, similarities between red queen and hunger games were there but it was still distinct to its own story. There was a large focus on torture and it was quite dark overall (almost expected when you consider the hunger games aspect). That was a large reason why I stopped reading. It wasn’t too bad, but there was something a little too dark for me in this story to keep reading
Some things to keep in mind: Murder, Injury Detail, Kindapping/Confinement, Torture
My Review
I like this one better than the first. There wasn’t as much focus on an inner dialogue about Kai and the torture he could and does carry out. The book itself just didn’t feel as dark as the first one, which was a lot better for me. I actually really enjoyed seeing how Peyton and Kai interacted with each other at this book a lot more than the first one. I think it did drag on a little bit, but the things that happen made sense and I enjoyed it so I didn’t mind.
Some things to keep in mind: Death, Grief, Torture, Toxic Relationship, Mental Illness
My Review
While Reckless was my favourite book in the trilogy, this one was my second favourite. The interesting high seas adventure, the balance between brothers, and duty versus love, and some other really interesting topics were covered. I thought it was pretty good, but they were some icky relationship things happening… One characters fate was a little… uncertain.. but I didn’t care that much.
Would I Recomend This Series?
I would recommend the series, but with a caveat. If you don’t mind reading Red Queen meets Hunger Games, and being able to spot the very similar scenes and characters, then go for it! If you are likely to get frustrated by this, then maybe give this one a pass.
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If you are thinking what kind of books would have similar feel, themes or content, here is a list that you can consider:
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