September 2, 2022 - Staff Reviews

One Summer Weekend

By Shannon Stacey

Release Date:

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/4826038

3.5 Stars - A surprisingly in depth romance for the short length. If you're looking for an easy weekend read with plenty of sun, sand, and some sparking relationship drama, look no further. Noah and Carly have been besties since childhood. They start to realize the depth of their connection over a wedding trip. Somewhat unoriginal sure but it definitely works! These two were great together.

Shannon Stacey is a usually overlooked romance author on par with Carly Phillips and Lori Foster. She's got a fun and flirty style with a steamy scene or two thrown in now and then. Noah and Carly in this little story are so easy to get to know and like. Most of the time, novellas fail to capture personality in characters in full. Not so here. Noah's a bit clueless, inventing a fake girlfriend to a boss he's unusually close to. But he's talking about his best friend: mild-mannered book store owner Carly. She indulges his little lie until they both just indulge too much in general.

Noah and Carly have a really cute backstory and loads of childhood and young adult tales. They've been through everything together, and you can't help but root for them. It seems wild that they wouldn't see what was right in front of them all this time, but it just seems to prove that falling in love doesn't have to be about the physical side of a relationship. Of course, once things get steamy between them, they both have some crazy notions and silly doubts. The couple is always the last to see what everyone else knows. But they manage to pull it off in a believable way. Most of their hang ups are in regard to Noah's commitment aversion and Carly's desire for the family dream. Once they figure it out, it's the most adorable little epilouge scene. This novella covers so much ground in short amount of time and pages. Easy to recommend for any romance fan or the passing summer reader.

(NS)

August 26, 2022 - Staff Reviews

Chain of Command

By Tom Clancy/Marc Cameron

Release Date: November 16, 2021

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/6070352

3 Stars - A fine book, but not a good Jack Ryan book. Cameron handles the thriller portion of it and brings his own sharp style as usual. President Jack Ryan faces one of the hardest days of his life when the First Lady is kidnapped, and it takes the help of old friends to unravel who was behind it. It took a long time for the action to really get rolling but it was entertaining anyway.

Cameron is suitable choice for the long-running series. His law enforcement background makes him adept to take over the action scenes, and he has a similar sense of humor to Clancy that we see briefly. However, this is a real disappointment again to most of us traditional fans. Jack Sr. and Jack Jr. do nothing in this book except step aside. And then it's almost as if Cameron got 3/4 finished and went "yeah, they can't do anything. Just end it." The Campus of course steals the show doing all the legwork and just stumbling into the case as usual.  This has credible action sequences, fairly good dialouge, and a lot of honest and straightforward political fair. But it's hard not to be slightly disappointed. 

The appearances of Dom, Adara, Clark, Ding, etc. are all perfunctory. Clark daughter/Ding's wife's name is Patsy not Patty, a detail no one cared to catch on edit. Along with a couple typos. Background previous book details are wrong. (Mary Pat did not help Jack take on the IRA.) The action is mainly at Adara's helm. But Cameron is not great with female leads. Adara is running black ops missions unaware or ignoring the fact she's pregnant? I don't think so. She's the medic. Jack Sr. steps aside to let his new and very smart VP do the heavy work. And Jack Jr. is sidelined as well. The father and son duo hug it out in an awkward scene where Cameron calls the President through Jr.'s eyes "The Old Man" three times on a half page instead of "Dad", "his father", or "Senior". Someone should have turned this into a great standalone First Lady kidnapping thriller. None of the characters lived up to their potential good or evil, though they were fairly likable or at least memorable. This book was good, but it could have been great. 

(NS)

August 19, 2022 - Staff Reviews

 

Just One Spark

By Carly Phillips

Release Date: January 18, 2022

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/6063886

3 Stars - Rockstar Dash Kingston has found the love of his life in the latest Kingston family story. The romance between him Cassidy is already started by the first chapter, and it quickly heats up. But these two have some committment issues to face before they can live happily ever after.

Phillips' fun and bubbly atmosphere is perfectly intact here with a slew of returning characters. Her slightly sentimental style and sweet couples are back as well. This one just really suffered from some pacing issues I believe. Dash is overcoming his rocky past of course, and Cassidy has pretty much already stolen his heart. His emotions and doubt feel very genuiene in his pursuit of her. He's clever too, basically tricking her into a relationship. Cassidy wasn't especially memorable but she was kind and cautious.

This one sort of felt like putting the cart before the horse, if you will pardon a metaphor. Cassidy and Dash's most exciting night, a hook up where they both felt the big spark, after a brush with a psycho stalker, happens off page in another novel. After the intensity of Xander's story, this one is a bit mellow and ho-hum in comparison. Dash and Cassidy enter a pseudo relationship for positive press for the band, and she acts as their assistant. But they make it clear very quickly how real this is. Both of them sort of hold back on thr actual love part, which seems weird and a bit forced. This was still a fun and fast read with a medium level of steamy scenes along the way. The author definitely teased us though with the youngest and final Kingston sibling book though! So, I'll be back for more like always. As will probably most fans of the series. This can be read as a standalone but I wouldn't start here.

(NS)

August 16, 2022 - Staff Reviews

 

The Summer Proposal

By Vi Keeland

Release Date: January 10, 2022

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/8588481

2.5 Stars - This book had so much potential that it didn't quite live up to. Keeland's characters are always are so real but they are always flawed too. I was really hooked in the beginning, but this couple's relationship really suffered from lack of progress. Enjoy for the fun, flirty banter and summer sex appeal if you dare.

Keeland's work is really hit and miss with me. I have truly enjoyed some of her solo stories like The Invitation and The Rivals. Here she misses the mark. Her trademark humor and excellent character voices are great. But the plot is pretty much a failure. Max is lovable. He's dedicated to hockey and his family, and almost immediately to Georgia. Georgia on the other hand is indecisive and snotty. She has her sweet moments but she's pretty cold and hard to understand. I think she looked better on paper: business woman, dyslexic, raised by single mom, likes old movies that don't get named.

I was really hooked at the beginning. But a random flashback at the one-third benchmark had me rethinking my devotion. Georgia at no point seems to want to give up her emotional crutch of an ex-fiancee. They do not have an open relationship. They are exes with benefits, let's just be honest. But she uses this guy and her fear to hold off from Max. Why? That's incredibly unclear. And the result of all that is largely unsatisfying. Now, there's some steamy scenes and sexy dialouge and very sweet moments. Again, if you're on the beach for the day or hiding on your couch for a rainstorm, you'll be entertained.  But Keeland can do a lot better than this. By that one-third point, these two have only had one kiss. And frankly, there's a lot of wordiness that drags down the pacing. This book should have just had them hooking up and been about one hundred less pages. If you're in it for the drama and the hot hockey player though, go for it.

(NS)

August 10, 2022 - Staff Reviews

Wild Storm

By Richard Castle

Release Date: May 13, 2014

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/2231172

3 Stars - Another fun action-packed little thriller in the short Derek Storm series, perfect for spy junkies and tv crime show lovers. Storm is on the hunt for some techno terrorists and it's just another day in the life saving the world for him. He hits several fun places like the African desert and sea faring expensive yachts and hooks up with some old friends.

Derek Storm is of course the fictional brain child of the also fictional Richard Castle. Fans of the tv show Castle should absolutely give this series a try and even some who have never heard of it. These are just easy, clean fun with heaps of drama to keep the story a little more grounded. Storm is the very James Bond - esque hero who is nearly perfect of course. But Storm has such a vivid sense of humor and enough of a quirky though process, we lesser humans can enjoy him too. A handful of his favorite past sidekicks return as well as some new friends.

The picture of the Sphinx on the front is slightly misleading. There is an archeologist, treasure hunting angle to the plot. But it's relatively small. Mostly, Storm is tracking terrorists who crashed several planes. Naturally, in true Castle style, everything is not as it seems at first. It's always fun in the Castle stories to guess who the real bad guy is, and this novel is no different. A few scenes sort of dragged the story down, as I've never been a fan of Castle's morbid side or the paragraphs that are prone to overdramatics. And a couple feel slightly out of place. But except for a few bumps, the ride is mostly smooth and fast-paced. Storm's on and off love interest Clara Strike shows up to throw in a little romance. And junior lady badass Katie Comely (yes, very Bond girl) makes for a fun new addition to the character dynamics.  The villians and frenemies are no less intriguing. Basically, if you're reading this series or just looking for some weekend book popcorn, you'll be entertained. Just don't take it too seriously.

(NS)

August 4, 2022 - Staff Review

 

The Cowboy She Loves to Hate

By Maisey Yates

Release Date: December 1, 2021

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/6368033

2 Stars - A little novella that's got a bit of an indentity crisis. It's still a short, easy, and fun read. Nelly is your ultra cliche girl next door who has long been crushing on Tag. The surprise is that he's been adoring her from afar just as long. A quick steamy little story that's sure to entertain for an hour or two.

Maisey Yates appears to be onto quite a series here, but I confess I couldn't figure out if this was the first one or not. Tag's family has quite a bit going on that's left very vague and mysterious. That would've been okay had his family history not factored in so much to his life choices. Nelly's backstory is more believable and even likable despite being a bit predictable. Both these two were clearly enamored of each other and had tension in spades, surprising for such a short story. The sparks were flying between them immediately but they were both pretty immature in different ways.

So this felt more like an episode of TV's Yellowstone more than a western novella. At first, the dialouge felt very historical and then it was just an accent, I guess. Yates didn't really have enough pages to draw any tension here. But there was oddly a lot of build up to the few scenes these two are steaming up the pages. Nelly's inexperience with everything from life to relationships is her number one feature. But I had to give her credit for being more emotionally stable than I expected given her rather intense personality. Tag's supposedly protective of Nelly but his actions just don't seem to match up with his attitude. He was the more unstable of the two. Their reasoning to not be together was very thin, and they felt like they were 21 the whole time not later 30. Anyway, this is an intense novella perfect for anyone looking for a cute childhood friends to lover romance will probably enjoy.

(NS)

July 26, 2022 - Staff Reviews

 

The Legacy

By Elle Kennedy

Release Date: September 21, 2021

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/7040580

3 Stars - This adorable return to the legacy of the off-campus crew is worth the read for any fan of the series and new adult genre. New adult writing has been on a decline of late but Kennedy makes it fun to revisit those days. While it felt a bit longer than I expected, she's worked in everything that's lovable yet also problematic about romance sequels.

So with this review, I have to touch on four couples and four stories so forgive me if I get extra wordy by the end. This was much more than a few brief extended epilouge novellas, which was great! All too often the reader doesn't get their time or money's worth. It had been a long time since I read the original stories and I was also excited to see some side characters from the spin-off series appear too. All the romances and the bro-mances are back and as good as ever. Plus, Kennedy really never fails to amaze me with her talents with male POV and managing to work in humor plus a little suspense. Her stories never fail to feel real.

Down to the finer details now. We have the real double edge sword in this book of why return to couples who are already happily living ever after? Grace and Logan's story which focused on them finding their next relationship step was unfortunately the peak here for me. Not just because they werey fave couple way back when. They really seem to grow and support each other.   Dean and Allie's story sort of blew by for me. They are maybe getting engaged. Their immaturity levels were always the hardest for me, little change here. And Allie's feelings about relationship progress and her actor friends annoyed me. But they're still hot and cute at least. Tuck and Sabrina go on their screwball comedy riddled honeymoon, and it's a steamy few pages then a lot of crazy. New friends, new jobs, etc. all appear on the horizon for them. Hannah and Garrett were saved for last and it's not really a spoiler she gets pregnant unexpectedly. But they barely handled the situation at all, let alone admirably for two grown people in a supposedly healthy relationship. At least once they got their act together, it was cute city. Was it engaging and exciting to see these couples again? Of course! But sadly, at least half these characters don't seem to have matured much. And some conflicts seemed thrown in for the sake of drama which I don't really think belongs in epilouges. Maybe we can revisit them again in another five or ten years!

(NS)

July 20, 2022 - Staff Reviews

Marriage on Madison Avenue

By Lauren Layne

Release Date: January 28, 2020

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/4815416

4 Stars! - A nearly perfect friends to lovers romance with an excellent fake engagement set up. Clarke and Audrey are basically the ideal couple everyone can see but them of course. Neither can bring themselves to call off the fake wedding and their chemistry really makes this slow burn worth the read.

Lauren Layne has a way of making even the simplest or basic of moments romantic, and her ability in that shines here. Audrey is a very likable heroine, a sweet society girl whose childhood friendship with Clarke has seen her through the worst of times. I'm still not a fan of the series set up with Brayden. It does, however, her lack of trust is understandable. Clarke's pretty indecisive the whole book. But he's always there for Audrey and cares about her so genuienely.

Audrey's friendship with Naomi and Claire has a chunk of this story as well, and it continues to grow through all the wedding planning hoopla. It's cute and fun to see her friends know her better than she knows herself. Plus, their hunky guys return too. I will say Audrey and Clarke have the classic miscommunication problems going on the entire book, and it can get frustrating. And worth noting, Layne's signature steamy scenes are completely absent here. Also, I went into this with low expectations but by halfway through, I was undeniably hooked. I think that's when the story peaked though. Lauren teased us with build up scenes that had the potential to be really dynamic, but they sort of came and went quietly without much of a bang. Like the whole ski lodge trip. The ending was much the same. The payoff was sweet and satisyfing, but I still felt like there was more fleshing out to do there after so much build up the first half of the book. Overall though, this was a fabulous little romantic comedy sure to please.

(NS)

July 14, 2022 - Staff Reviews

A Perfect Plan

By Jeffery Deaver

Release Date: September 28, 2021

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/wvreads-wvlc/content/media/6211937

3 Stars - An intense short story from the Lincoln Rhyme series that's sure spark the reader's interest. Our hero seems to be dodging everthing from bombs to poison as a mysterious enemy attempts to kill him while he's inside his own small home fortress. Rhyme has help from his friends though and he's not one to wait to see who is working against him.

This is but a glimpse of Deaver's suspense writing talents but it's a fair one. He manages to pack a lot of drama into the brief story. Lincoln's not one to sit still despite his disabilities. From the time he is warned - through a tip - that's someone's out to get him, his brilliant mind is working overtime. His lovely wife Amelia returns though not just as a target but as the smart and astute partner and investigator she is. Her part is probably disappointly small though for her personal fans. Plus many of Lincoln's quirky friends and a slew of cops come to help.

This short story is right up the alley for any fans of forensic mysteries or who-dun-its. Rhyme manages to stay just a step or two ahead of the people targeting him all the way, using just his wits. The technical details can get a bit tedious. And it's difficult for Deaver to repeatedly build tension here as he would in a full length novel. But what a tv show episode this would make! It's exactly like the popular 60 minute police procedurals we get so addicted to. There's also some room for a little humor, particularly poking fun at Lincoln's resistance to modern slang and pop culture. I think we all know someone like him who refuses to conform to all that of the times. If you're looking a quick thriller to pass time or a dull day or a vacation day, this would be perfect. I would think especially for fans of this series or Deaver's other work. You don't have to spend hours solving this mystery just sit back and enjoy.

(NS)

July 8, 2022 - Staff Reviews

Brazen

By Jaci Burton

Release Date: December 21, 2021

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/6161179

3 Stars - This short and sweet little story was a surprise without being full of surprises. Instead of Burton's usually low key romances of late, this was actually an intense re-release from her early days. There's not a lot of conflict but there's a lot of cowgirl atmosphere and fun to be had. A bit predictable but more to it than expected.

Burton's earlier works are quite scandalous, and this one turned out to be no exception. Fans of her newer cowboy trilogy may want to look for something less steamy. I had been expecting something more along her newer lines but was none the less entertained. Walker's got the strong and silent cowboy part down. He's smooth and confident one minute but a bit broody and indecisive the next. Jolene's wild cowgirl, the baby sister who is happy in the country and running her ranch. I didn't quite get the vibe Burton was going for outside of that though. She didn't come off with an edge or as a mix of innocent and strong like she was trying to illustrate.

Now, there's a lot of build up and talking about Jolene and Walker's relationship or rather lack there of. It takes awhile for them to let their physical attraction actually fire up and even longer for them to let their guards down emotionally. It gets a bit tedious, but Burton hasn't quite honed her writing style here. It can get annoying hearing the same observations from different characters repeated. And Burton's got some rambling descriptions and run on sentences abound. It's just not very polished, but it's a novella so there's no time for it to really wear on the reader. The side characters aren't super deep but they're likable. These main two characters have sizzling chemistry though and a shared passion for ranch life. There was so much more country mood and atmosphere than I anticipated, but it was great. If you're into cowboy and cowgirl romances and you don't mind them a little dirty and rough around this edges, this one is sure to pass the time.

(NS)

June 11, 2022 - Staff Reviews

Hostage

By Robert Crais

Release Date: August 7, 2001

Ebook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/wvreads-wvlc/content/media/256446

2.5 Stars - A fast-moving but problematic thriller that's a quick read. I still struggled despite the pace, however. Our hero Jeff Talley was struggling too, trying to bring his hostage negotiation skills back to form without the baggage of past traumatic experiences. Creepy but not very bright villians seem to take center stage though.

It's been many years now since I've seen the movie, and I've always been curious about Robert Crais' acclaimed suspense novels. Starting in one of his crazy long series seemed a bit daunting so I went with a simple plotted, familiar story here instead. Talley has the background and memories that would make him a really interesting central hero but Crais seemed to hold him back. We get details of his fascinating, yet sometimes horrorific, past jobs only in sporadic flashbacks. The real meat of the story is told from the hostages and their captors who are all cringe-worthy in their own ways.

My big problems with the book are pretty much the same ones I had with the movie. These are dumb criminals. And that's okay as a fact because a lot of criminals are dumb, that doesn't make them less entertaining. But Mars and Dennis sway from stupid to unhinged like they need bipolar meds. Living in their POV, albeit 3rd person, is just weird. They aren't smart or clever or at all likable. The kids in the house are almost even harder to like. The girl is sometimes logical and then just completely caves and freaks out, draws attention to herself. The brother is gross, and I get why they made him a little kid in the movie. Despite all the stupidity, I can see why Crais has many fans. His writing style is very sharp and to the point. And he has a way of crafting colorful side characters and injecting humor into a dark story. There's an element too of how dated this book quickly became, technology being what it is. I can't say the ending was shocking or really thrilling since I already knew what was coming. But despite my hang ups, this was a very tense drama that's plotted and written well.

(NS)

May 25, 2022 - Staff Reviews

 

The Thin Man

By Dashiell Hammett

Release Date: December 1933

Audiobook Available from WV Reads!

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/wvreads-wvlc/content/media/114791

3 Stars - This fun and fast little classic mystery probably has something for everyone. Hammett's snappy dialouge makes up a slightly meandering mystery plot. Nick and Nora's characters are also nearly every bit as likable as in the movie series though the book is a bit darker. All the side characters are crazy and quirky leading to a wild whodunit.

Hammett's quick-paced and quick-witted style makes it easy to see why he's still read today and why Hollywood was eager to scoop up his stories. The twisty and turny but at time repetitive plot left a bit to be desired though for me. Nick's lovable rogue attitude covers his clearly sharp intellect, and he's quite a cad. Nora's around to keep him in line though, mostly, when she's not the one encouraging antics. Dorothy and Mimi the hapless femme fatales got just a little tiresome with all the fluttering and crying, etc.

I think the narrator might have had more to do with Dorothy and Mimi prickling my nerves. But overall Dufris did an excellent performance that was engaging and easy to follow. It was difficult to keep up with what Nick discovered and click the pieces together for yourself. But that's nothing new with these old-fashioned detective stories. This at times felt more like a play than a short novel turned movie. We don't get much out of the setting location wise here though the time period is obvious. We seemed to keep returning to same people and places once too often. Sometimes I had no idea where Hammett's side stories were going. Such as the slightly shocking cannabalism antecdote. And the big climatic ending and reveal felt a bit abrupt. Regardless, this was and fun and easy listen . It's perfect for Golden Age Hollywood fans looking to mix up the classics.

(NS)

March 24, 2022 - Staff Picks

Another month is winding down, readers! We're looking to share a new type of post today featuring children's fiction stories. 

National Library Week is approaching! Celebrate it by visiting your local library and meeting fun unusual library patrons. To start the celebration off, read about Bears, Dragons, Circus’, and even Monsters in the libraries. They are great stories for expanding the imagination and love of reading for those in pre-kindergarten to second grade levels. 

In The New LiBEARian, Ms. Merryweather is late to storytime. That never happens. So, Dee and her friends follow clues to find her and during the hunt they find out there is a new LiBEARian working there. Little do they know that he came from somewhere special and does not even work there.

Did we learn our lesson about allowing unusual library patrons to the library? Well…maybe not quite. If Bears can be in a library I guess that means dragons can too…right? In DO NOT BRING YOUR DRAGON TO THE LIRBARY, a friend and his dragon try to enter the library and learn that while there are many things that are going on, it is not quite safe to bring a dragon in. For one they are big, are sometimes rude, and have a little problem with flames. But don’t worry; the librarian comes up with a solution that is perfect for all. 

If bears and dragons are not allowed, surely a one girl circus is. Magnolia saw a sign that said “You Can Do Anything At The Library!” It got her thinking that she could have her very own quiet circus in the library. What can go wrong with cannons, pies, and hula hoops? Check out what happens by checking out the book If You Ever Want to Bring a Circus to the Library, DON’T!

Sometimes there are people who don’t like libraries. But have you ever heard of a monster not liking a library, especially one who thinks the library is a restaurant? Theodore and Oskar came to the library for one thing and one thing only, to read in quiet. But something just does not seem right as they snuggle down on their bean bag chairs. In The NOT So Quiet Library, they learn just what is making the noise and have to use the knowledge they have gained from reading books to stop it.

What are some of your favorite library tales? Are any perfect for little readers?

(AS)

Please note this post was originally shared in OVParent Magazine.

February 23, 2022 - Staff Reviews

Me Before You

Jojo Moyes

3 Stars

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/965198

Though there is the element of romance to this book, it is very light in the sense that it is clean and is NOT the main focus of the book. The book touches upon a very sticky subject. Assisted Suicide. It also touches upon death and quadriplegics. So for some any of those could be a trigger. There is another topic but I do not want to give it away as it is part of the main characters life; but it is devastation to people it happens too, and if you read enough through the book you start to guess as.

It is worth a listen/read. I listened to it and enjoyed the narrators (there were multiple). I felt the author did a nice job writing, but I was not particularly thrilled with the characters and their actions. The main character Lou just bugged me at times (including her boyfriend who I really wanted to run over with his own bicycle). She was a character written to be someone who lets things just happen and doesn't speak up.  In the end, the why makes SO much sense.

Her family treated her poorly in my opinion and I have no clue how her and her sister never threw down as her sister was just selfish. Made me dislike them to where I just wanted to throw the book at a few of them.

But, the story is intriguing and kept me coming back. The ending was inevitable and was not surprising too much.  I tried to listen to the second book that falls after this since it is a trilogy, but I am not sure if I can finish it. The same issues I have with not speaking up and taking a hold of ones life annoys me.

This is a book club read for the BCPL and I am hoping to have a good discussion on what others felt about it. I also am not sure if I will give the movie a try, but am interested enough that one day I might.

(AS)

February 9, 2022 - Staff Reviews

Any Sign of Life

By Rae Carson

Rating 4 stars

YA Lit

https://wvreads.overdrive.com/media/6007966

If you are a fan of ya lit and/or dystopian reads, this is the book for you. For those who may not know what dystopian reads means, think of Hunger Games/The Giver/Divergent/The Maze Runner/etc. The plot typically takes place on Earth OR something resulting in the loss of Earth. Typically after the world as we know it changes so drastically that a new eco/class/financial system is in play, and/or the topography of the world was changed.

This plot take place in the future, after the pandemic has come and gone, and another super deadly virus hits and leaves only a handful of people alive. I enjoyed the main characters and thought a lot about what happened was plausible. But at times there were things where attention should have been paid a bit better to the details and how someone might know some information, and/or how did certain things happen really with no fleshed out details.

The ending ended with the possibility of a sequel but is also wrapped it up a bit. I was not as happy with the ending as though it wrapped up for what currently takes place in the book, you are left thinking and wondering what else will happen to the main characters. What happens to make it a dystopian is a HUGE deal, and not knowing the fate of the world and the characters just personally sets me on edge. But it fits the book 100% since the characters were living on the edge every day.

(AS)