printingbetweenthepages's review against another edition
5.0
This young adult dystopian novel is full of magic, thrills, and suspense. I really enjoyed this one!
It’s been eighteen years since dark creatures concealed underneath black hoods invaded the world. The surviving population was forced into hiding to avoid the dark creatures. Twin girls named Lyla and Lilly Langston, along with their grandparents are among the few that survived the invasion.
When their grandmother is killed, and their grandfather is taken captive by the dark creatures, Lyla and Lilly set off to locate their grandfather. While on their quest the girls realize that they have unique, magical abilities.
The story that unfolds is action-packed, intriguing, and unique. Just when you think you have things figured out a perfectly timed plot twist changes everything.
I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy dystopian fiction, especially if they also enjoy the fantasy quest trope.
I got vibes that this may become a series, and I hope that is the case because I really enjoyed this book and would like to see what the future holds!
It’s been eighteen years since dark creatures concealed underneath black hoods invaded the world. The surviving population was forced into hiding to avoid the dark creatures. Twin girls named Lyla and Lilly Langston, along with their grandparents are among the few that survived the invasion.
When their grandmother is killed, and their grandfather is taken captive by the dark creatures, Lyla and Lilly set off to locate their grandfather. While on their quest the girls realize that they have unique, magical abilities.
The story that unfolds is action-packed, intriguing, and unique. Just when you think you have things figured out a perfectly timed plot twist changes everything.
I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy dystopian fiction, especially if they also enjoy the fantasy quest trope.
I got vibes that this may become a series, and I hope that is the case because I really enjoyed this book and would like to see what the future holds!
_mkarys's review against another edition
4.0
This book reminded me why it’s so fun to read dystopians.
Aftermath is the first book in The Armorian Chronciles. It follows two twin sisters, Lyla and Lilly, who live in a version of our world that has been conquered by these mysterious and dangerous beings they call the Takers. In this world, they have to live off of scraps and train in combat to survive. The twins live with their beloved maternal grandparents, and everything is well, all things considered. At least they’re alive and they have a roof over their heads, until one day their world is turned upside down. Their grandmother is killed, their grandfather is missing, and their father returns out of the blue after a lifetime spent thinking he was dead. Above all that, they discover that they are witches coming from another dimension, Armoria, and that the villains who had destroyed their home came from this world.
This would be a lot to take in for anyone, but Lyla and Lilly manage not to be broken by this series of events. Between the two sisters, Lilly is the one who accepts the truth about their father and their origins a lot better than Lyla, who at first is very reserved and doubtful, despite Lilly is the one who is more pragmatic when it comes to other things, like romance and boys. I really liked how the two sisters sort of balanced each other out, keeping each other grounded when it came to it. The sisterly bond was my favorite aspect of this story. I loved reading the scenes of the two sisters together.
There is also a bit of romance in this novel, which I found to be very adorable. Graham is hawt! *hides in a corner* I do think Lyla’s considerations of him were a little rushed at first. The attraction is understandable, but I felt like she was focusing too much on her crush on Graham and not enough on the fact that she needed to find a way to find and save her grandfather. Lilly as well seemed very invested in her new life in Armoria, and neither of the twins seemed to give much thought about their grandparents once they left Earth.
I was really intrigued by this book and its epilogue, which has me second-guessing every character I’ve encountered in the story. I’m curious to know how the story continues! I recommend this to all lovers of dystopians. The mood was very reminiscent of how I felt while watching The Hunger Games. (Not “reading” because I haven’t read those *hides in a box of shame*)
Aftermath is the first book in The Armorian Chronciles. It follows two twin sisters, Lyla and Lilly, who live in a version of our world that has been conquered by these mysterious and dangerous beings they call the Takers. In this world, they have to live off of scraps and train in combat to survive. The twins live with their beloved maternal grandparents, and everything is well, all things considered. At least they’re alive and they have a roof over their heads, until one day their world is turned upside down. Their grandmother is killed, their grandfather is missing, and their father returns out of the blue after a lifetime spent thinking he was dead. Above all that, they discover that they are witches coming from another dimension, Armoria, and that the villains who had destroyed their home came from this world.
This would be a lot to take in for anyone, but Lyla and Lilly manage not to be broken by this series of events. Between the two sisters, Lilly is the one who accepts the truth about their father and their origins a lot better than Lyla, who at first is very reserved and doubtful, despite Lilly is the one who is more pragmatic when it comes to other things, like romance and boys. I really liked how the two sisters sort of balanced each other out, keeping each other grounded when it came to it. The sisterly bond was my favorite aspect of this story. I loved reading the scenes of the two sisters together.
There is also a bit of romance in this novel, which I found to be very adorable. Graham is hawt! *hides in a corner* I do think Lyla’s considerations of him were a little rushed at first. The attraction is understandable, but I felt like she was focusing too much on her crush on Graham and not enough on the fact that she needed to find a way to find and save her grandfather. Lilly as well seemed very invested in her new life in Armoria, and neither of the twins seemed to give much thought about their grandparents once they left Earth.
I was really intrigued by this book and its epilogue, which has me second-guessing every character I’ve encountered in the story. I’m curious to know how the story continues! I recommend this to all lovers of dystopians. The mood was very reminiscent of how I felt while watching The Hunger Games. (Not “reading” because I haven’t read those *hides in a box of shame*)
_ckarys's review against another edition
4.0
Aftermath is a story that unites many elements that I love with others that I’m always a bit iffy about. Together, however, everything worked really well!
Reading this story, I couldn’t help but be reminded of dystopian settings such as The Hunger Games The story follows twins sisters, Lyla and Lilly, who live in what we could consider a dystopian version of our Earth, now conquered by dangerous beings from another realm that they call Takers. The twins have lost their mother during the conquest, and now live with their grandparents, learning to fight and living off scraps to survive. The balance of their life is tipped when the twins discover their grandmother’s corpse and that their grandfather has gone missing. But what’s more is that they are visited by their father, whom they believed dead, who tells them of another dimension from which the villain of the story, the one who murdered their mother and destroyed the world as they knew it, comes from. Furthermore, Lyla and Lilly also hail from this world, being half witches. These events set off the story, taking the sisters into the world of Armoria to train alongside those who are building a resistance against the Demorites (aka the Takers).
Though I’m not always 100% sold on dystopian novels, this sort of setting really worked well for Aftermath and created a great atmosphere. I really enjoyed the world-building and was very fascinated by the concept of the two dimensions.
The characters were really well-rounded. I especially loved the bond between the twins, Lyla and Lilly. Their personalities balanced well and it really reminded me in ways of my bond with my sister, with whom you most likely know I’m very close. It’s always a nice treat to find strong familiar bonds in a story, something that we don’t find enough in books nowadays.
I was very intrigued by Lyla’s mysterious dreams. She recurrently dreams about the night of their mother’s death at the hands of Damien, the story’s villain. Damien, who is able to communicate with Lyla in her dream state, and wants her for her powers. Now, I bet you know where this is going *wiggles finger at you* But I cannot disappoint you. Yes, I was very intrigued by the mysterious and dangerous Damien. Dark hair, bright eyes…you know me, I have a weakness, and I was reminded of one of my favorite villains reading about him. (In this household we venerate the Starless Saint, the one and only Darkling from the Grisha trilogy). I really want to know all there is to know about this character!
The thing I didn’t enjoy much was the romance, specifically that between Lyla and Graham. Yes, Graham was very handsome, but I was not sold on his Prince Charming aura, and though he and Lyla don’t immediately act on their attraction, the immediate lovestruck thoughts she had for him really didn’t impress me with everything else that was happening—which sometimes seemed to come second in her mind to her romantic feelings. I’m more than happy to have an instant attraction between characters, but I always prefer feelings to progress slower and I would have liked to see that in this book.
Apart from the little romance incident, I really enjoyed the story! I can’t wait to see what else this world has in store for us in the next book. I recommend Aftermath to lovers of YA fantasy and dystopian. Thank you to the author for sending me a copy!
Reading this story, I couldn’t help but be reminded of dystopian settings such as The Hunger Games The story follows twins sisters, Lyla and Lilly, who live in what we could consider a dystopian version of our Earth, now conquered by dangerous beings from another realm that they call Takers. The twins have lost their mother during the conquest, and now live with their grandparents, learning to fight and living off scraps to survive. The balance of their life is tipped when the twins discover their grandmother’s corpse and that their grandfather has gone missing. But what’s more is that they are visited by their father, whom they believed dead, who tells them of another dimension from which the villain of the story, the one who murdered their mother and destroyed the world as they knew it, comes from. Furthermore, Lyla and Lilly also hail from this world, being half witches. These events set off the story, taking the sisters into the world of Armoria to train alongside those who are building a resistance against the Demorites (aka the Takers).
Though I’m not always 100% sold on dystopian novels, this sort of setting really worked well for Aftermath and created a great atmosphere. I really enjoyed the world-building and was very fascinated by the concept of the two dimensions.
The characters were really well-rounded. I especially loved the bond between the twins, Lyla and Lilly. Their personalities balanced well and it really reminded me in ways of my bond with my sister, with whom you most likely know I’m very close. It’s always a nice treat to find strong familiar bonds in a story, something that we don’t find enough in books nowadays.
I was very intrigued by Lyla’s mysterious dreams. She recurrently dreams about the night of their mother’s death at the hands of Damien, the story’s villain. Damien, who is able to communicate with Lyla in her dream state, and wants her for her powers. Now, I bet you know where this is going *wiggles finger at you* But I cannot disappoint you. Yes, I was very intrigued by the mysterious and dangerous Damien. Dark hair, bright eyes…you know me, I have a weakness, and I was reminded of one of my favorite villains reading about him. (In this household we venerate the Starless Saint, the one and only Darkling from the Grisha trilogy). I really want to know all there is to know about this character!
The thing I didn’t enjoy much was the romance, specifically that between Lyla and Graham. Yes, Graham was very handsome, but I was not sold on his Prince Charming aura, and though he and Lyla don’t immediately act on their attraction, the immediate lovestruck thoughts she had for him really didn’t impress me with everything else that was happening—which sometimes seemed to come second in her mind to her romantic feelings. I’m more than happy to have an instant attraction between characters, but I always prefer feelings to progress slower and I would have liked to see that in this book.
Apart from the little romance incident, I really enjoyed the story! I can’t wait to see what else this world has in store for us in the next book. I recommend Aftermath to lovers of YA fantasy and dystopian. Thank you to the author for sending me a copy!
isabellleeee's review against another edition
3.0
I haven't read a dystopian in a while and this was an awesome go-to!
Aftermath tells the story of two twin sisters, Lyla and Lilly, who live in a dystopian version of our Earth. When they were infants, the world was invaded, and conquered by the "takers", or as we learn later in the story, the Demorites. Lyla and Lilly were raised by their grandparents and had to learn fight training and to hunt in order to survive in this new world. But all goes sideways when an unfortunate turn of events takes place and they learn to be half witches, and that another realm exists. Now Lyla and Lilly must accept that everything's about to change in their lives as well as prepare for rescuing their grandfather that has been captured.
Sometimes it's a little bit tricky to understand whose character the pronoun "she" for example is referring to, but nothing too dramatic. In terms of characters, I liked that the two have very distinct personalities, though I personally felt I couldn't connect much with any of them.
However, I was interested to know what was to come next because what distinguishes Aftermath is its combination of elements not so common to see together: dystopian, witches, and The Hunger Games vibe? It worked very well in my opinion!
I felt the pacing of the story was very good, the descriptions on point with what we needed to know and to set the perfect atmosphere for the read. You can also expect a bit of romance in the story, and that being a must for me, was awesome! Oh, and I loved Lyla and Lilly's scenes together! If you love siblings bonding throughout the story, I think you'll love their relationship.
The epilogue was awesome to intrigue me for the next book.
I recommend Aftermath to all lovers of dystopians because you won't want to miss this!
Aftermath tells the story of two twin sisters, Lyla and Lilly, who live in a dystopian version of our Earth. When they were infants, the world was invaded, and conquered by the "takers", or as we learn later in the story, the Demorites. Lyla and Lilly were raised by their grandparents and had to learn fight training and to hunt in order to survive in this new world. But all goes sideways when an unfortunate turn of events takes place and they learn to be half witches, and that another realm exists. Now Lyla and Lilly must accept that everything's about to change in their lives as well as prepare for rescuing their grandfather that has been captured.
Sometimes it's a little bit tricky to understand whose character the pronoun "she" for example is referring to, but nothing too dramatic. In terms of characters, I liked that the two have very distinct personalities, though I personally felt I couldn't connect much with any of them.
However, I was interested to know what was to come next because what distinguishes Aftermath is its combination of elements not so common to see together: dystopian, witches, and The Hunger Games vibe? It worked very well in my opinion!
I felt the pacing of the story was very good, the descriptions on point with what we needed to know and to set the perfect atmosphere for the read. You can also expect a bit of romance in the story, and that being a must for me, was awesome! Oh, and I loved Lyla and Lilly's scenes together! If you love siblings bonding throughout the story, I think you'll love their relationship.
The epilogue was awesome to intrigue me for the next book.
I recommend Aftermath to all lovers of dystopians because you won't want to miss this!
brie_reads_'s review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book is different than anything I have ever read before. My first thought was it was historical yet futuristic. There are swords and bow and arrow, but at the same time guns and earth destroyed and overrun by evil. And with all of this even a little bit of magic.✨ While she makes this entire world, she also has some clean romance in here. There are no bad romantic scenes with too much detail. It was more of a cute romance than anything else.
🌫
When I first started this, I thought it was a little slow. But the farther I got into the book, it grabbed my attention. I loved every moment. The character development, the time and place, everthing!!! It was a really good book and I can't wait for book 2 to come out so I can read it too.😊 Without giving a spoiler, the ending...OMGoodness. It had me going for a minute. I thought for sure it was going to end on a cliffhanger but it didn't!!! She did the unexpected and just made it seen like it was going to end that way but there was way more.
🌫
This book has everything it needs: good strong characters, an evil villain to defeat, some romance, and magic!!! I totally recommend this book to anyone who likes these kind of books!!!💖
🌫
When I first started this, I thought it was a little slow. But the farther I got into the book, it grabbed my attention. I loved every moment. The character development, the time and place, everthing!!! It was a really good book and I can't wait for book 2 to come out so I can read it too.😊 Without giving a spoiler, the ending...OMGoodness. It had me going for a minute. I thought for sure it was going to end on a cliffhanger but it didn't!!! She did the unexpected and just made it seen like it was going to end that way but there was way more.
🌫
This book has everything it needs: good strong characters, an evil villain to defeat, some romance, and magic!!! I totally recommend this book to anyone who likes these kind of books!!!💖
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