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Book summary:
One girl. One road. One chance to save what remains…
After a plague of vampires is unleashed in the world, Katie is kicked out of her Amish community for her refusal to adhere to the new rules of survival. Now in exile, she enters an outside world of unspeakable violence with only her two “English” friends and a horse by her side. Together they seek answers and other survivors—but each sunset brings the threat of vampire attack, and each sunrise the threat of starvation.
And yet through this darkness come the shining ones: luminescent men and women with the power to deflect vampires and survive the night. But can these new people be trusted, and are they even people at all?
In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, it’s up to one Amish girl to save her family, her community, and the boy she loves . . . but what will she be asked to leave behind in return?
This book continues on the outside, where we get to see the results of apocalypse first hand and with out characters that are in search for answers. You get to see different picture from the outside, but you have no idea what's going on. It's all mix of different things and somehow it seemed to me that this book was actually a battle. Something like science vs. religion idea, which we all are familiar with. This book was really hard on religion and it'd be cynical of me not to say that it actually was hard on science too. But the difference is that science talk is something I can relate to or actually try to understand, while religion not that much. It's me and my view of life, so I guess religious people will appreciate those moments much more.
But honestly, what bothered me the most here is that this transformed from duology to trilogy overnight. Due to that change this sequel didn't suffer from the middle book syndrome for repeating things from the first book, but rather for over complicating everything. I feel like we were given some unnecessary elements, when the story had prefect idea to start with. I guess that now the last(?!) book in this series will give us the full picture and all the answers. I will wait for that, then.
Just to point out that it wasn't such a great disaster as you might imagine, but it's just that I expected so much more. This book still had some good elements, one of them being the growth and development of Katie and Alex's relationship, which was nicely done and my favorite thing in this book.
All in all, it wasn't what I expected it to be and my hopes are with the next book.
Rating: 3 stars.
Until the next time,
I have indeed heard of The Hallowed Ones and the buzz that came with it but have yet to read it. Too bad this one didn't quite live up that though, I still want to give the series a shot though, I do like the sound of the development that goes on.
OdgovoriIzbrišiI must have totally missed the hype of The Hallowed Ones as I don't think I've ever heard of it. However, this sounds really interesting and now I definitely want to check it out.
OdgovoriIzbrišiBut going from a duology to a trilogy? Sounds weird, I can completely see how it might have some problems after the author was originally planning for it to be the last one. Also, I'm not really into super religious books... I think I'll still eventually try this series if only because it sounds, to me, so unique and I love a book that's nothing like anything else I've ever read.
Oh I'm sorry this one was up to the first one for you. I confess that I didn't feel that way and I really enjoyed it but I understand why you had a problem too. I'm not sure we will have more, when I asked my friend, she told me it was the last one.
OdgovoriIzbrišiSweet potato pie, I didn't even know they turned this into a trilogy! I thought the ending was perfect and I can't see what more could we possibly need! I liked this one a lot, especially the delicate ballance between religion and reality that was achieved by the end, but I'm really disappointed that it wasn't enough for the author and the publisher.
OdgovoriIzbrišiOmg! I remember totally wanting to read The Hallowed Ones, and then I kinda totally forgot about the book *face palm* I'm glad I caught your review of The Outside!
OdgovoriIzbrišiOh, I do remember this one time when The Hallowed One was like all over the blogosphere. It seems like such a long time ago though! You know, the more I read your reviews, Tanja, the more I realise how alike we are and that takes stalking to a whole new level. Science, I can try to understand as well. Religion... Well, let's just leave it at that. The worse thing than expectations not being fulfilled is unnecessary things and it seems like this one had both. Sad! Anyway. it's still nice to know you liked this book just about enough. Nice review!
OdgovoriIzbrišiSarika @ The Readdicts
Wait what? There is going to be a third book now? How in the world did I miss that! I thought this was it. I am kind of excited about that.
OdgovoriIzbrišiSorry you didn't like this more though, I really loved it but I can see your points too.
Like you, Tanja, I loved The Hallowed Ones. It's disappointing to hear this didn't quite live up to your expectations but I have hope I'd enjoy this especially if the romance was the highlight. That's my favorite part. I didn't know there was going to be a third book and I can see why that might lead to some of the typical "second book syndrome" issues in here. Wonderful review! :)
OdgovoriIzbrišiBah, sorry this one was a bit of a disappointment. I haven't picked this one up yet because I didn't really see the first book as that great (it exhausted and frustrated me a lot), but I feel like I made the right choice... and seriously, a trilogy?! :( It was perfect as a duology!
OdgovoriIzbrišiFaye at The Social Potato