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pengirl55's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and War
jackiepreston's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
The book starts off a little slow, especially with the introduction of two new perspectives - Hiro, this time as a full character and not a recording; and Luce, younger sister of Lito. As the story of those two picks up the entire book moves more quickly and continues to be as engaging as the first book. I wish that Astrid's story had connected a little more with the other three, because the Lito/Hiro/Luce stories are all loosely connected from the beginning and get closer as the book moves along, but Astrid's story is always completely separate. I have confidence that her story will eventually collide with the rest of them in the third book, but for now it almost felt like I was reading two stories instead of one story with multiple perspectives.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
nonesensed's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Revolutions are rarely clean, no matter how well-meaning or necessary. At least, that's an excuse a lot of people will march out once things get bloody. Our main cast may have good intentions, but do their allies? Who are their allies? Treason is always a possibility. So is seeing different solutions to the same problem.
Since this is book 2 in a trilogy, I don't want to spoil anything. All I can say is that things get dark, but that darkness feels earned. Can't wait to read the finale!
Since this is book 2 in a trilogy, I don't want to spoil anything. All I can say is that things get dark, but that darkness feels earned. Can't wait to read the finale!
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Body horror, Sexual violence, and Violence
brukneem's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The layers of character development, world building an expertly hidden plot twists blew me away. I'm pissing shitting crying throwing up and screaming into the void. This series is absolutely amazing ðŸ˜ðŸ¥°
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Body horror, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, Dysphoria, and War
thysparklyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Glad I chose to read this as soon as I finished the first book since I was afraid I'd forget all of the world building done in it.
This is where the story paved by The First Sister allows its characters to truly shine, and it was fascinating. It was honestly a fantastic read, definitely give it a chance if you were at all hooked by The First Sister. Now onto the third one!
This is where the story paved by The First Sister allows its characters to truly shine, and it was fascinating. It was honestly a fantastic read, definitely give it a chance if you were at all hooked by The First Sister. Now onto the third one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and War
Minor: Vomit
iam's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Reread April 2023: Loved this so much. Where book1 is about the loss of bodily autonomy, book2 is about sacrafice and martyrdom, and the decision to harm the one to spare the many. gut-wretching yet enchanting.
Original review: High-stakes, fast-paced, painful and yet full of hope, The Second Rebel is a stunning and worthy sequel that makes me want more.
Read this review and more on the blog!
Content warnings include: violence, mostly off-page torture and experimentation on humanoids (very plot relevant), death, off-page sexual abuse, oppression, blackmail, fade-to-black sex, corruption.
Mentions of: domestic abuse, child abuse, biological/viral warfare, suicide.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The First Sister was one of my top if not most-favourite-of-all reads of 2020. I adored it from beginning to end, so, naturally, I was very excited for The Second Rebel, and had very high expectations.
I am more than happy to report that all of these expectations were met, and more!
The book more or less seamlessly picks up where the previous one left off (making rereading The First Sister right before starting this very rewarding). Astrid, Lito and Hiro are each following their respective goals, all of which become more and more intertwined. There is also a new addition to the protagonists, Luce, Lito’s younger sister, an idealistic artist who just started a new job at Val Akira Labs right when her brother gets into the big corporation’s crosshairs.
The stakes are very high from the beginning, and only keep rising. Old and new players affect the board and reroll the dice more than once. New connections and relationships form and are torn apart, we get to explores ones that were only previously hinted at or shown through second hand.
Hiro, who only got flashback chapters in The First Sister, now has their own present chapters and they are an absolute delight of a character to read about. I adored them in book 1 already, but book 2 only cemeted my love for them.
I particularly loved how the book expands the worldbuilding. There are more details about the Sisterhood, the Asters, and even the elusive Synthetics. The backdrops again feature both familiar and new places all across the human controlled parts of space, which was interesting to see. And there will be more to be discovered in the sequel…
Hinting at the ending, I won’t say anything other than that I pretty much spent the entirety of the last 30% sobbing my eyes out. It was glorious, is was painful, it was so, so good, and I absolutely cannot wait for the finale of the trilogy.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Before reading: I remember seeing The First Sister's cover for the first time and being stunned. I can't remember when I was last so mesmerized by a cover! And now book2 managed to make me feel the same way once more!
I absolutely cannot wait to read this!
Original review: High-stakes, fast-paced, painful and yet full of hope, The Second Rebel is a stunning and worthy sequel that makes me want more.
Read this review and more on the blog!
Content warnings include: violence, mostly off-page torture and experimentation on humanoids (very plot relevant), death, off-page sexual abuse, oppression, blackmail, fade-to-black sex, corruption.
Mentions of: domestic abuse, child abuse, biological/viral warfare, suicide.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The First Sister was one of my top if not most-favourite-of-all reads of 2020. I adored it from beginning to end, so, naturally, I was very excited for The Second Rebel, and had very high expectations.
I am more than happy to report that all of these expectations were met, and more!
The book more or less seamlessly picks up where the previous one left off (making rereading The First Sister right before starting this very rewarding). Astrid, Lito and Hiro are each following their respective goals, all of which become more and more intertwined. There is also a new addition to the protagonists, Luce, Lito’s younger sister, an idealistic artist who just started a new job at Val Akira Labs right when her brother gets into the big corporation’s crosshairs.
The stakes are very high from the beginning, and only keep rising. Old and new players affect the board and reroll the dice more than once. New connections and relationships form and are torn apart, we get to explores ones that were only previously hinted at or shown through second hand.
Hiro, who only got flashback chapters in The First Sister, now has their own present chapters and they are an absolute delight of a character to read about. I adored them in book 1 already, but book 2 only cemeted my love for them.
I particularly loved how the book expands the worldbuilding. There are more details about the Sisterhood, the Asters, and even the elusive Synthetics. The backdrops again feature both familiar and new places all across the human controlled parts of space, which was interesting to see. And there will be more to be discovered in the sequel…
Hinting at the ending, I won’t say anything other than that I pretty much spent the entirety of the last 30% sobbing my eyes out. It was glorious, is was painful, it was so, so good, and I absolutely cannot wait for the finale of the trilogy.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Before reading: I remember seeing The First Sister's cover for the first time and being stunned. I can't remember when I was last so mesmerized by a cover! And now book2 managed to make me feel the same way once more!
I absolutely cannot wait to read this!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
booksthatburn's review against another edition
I found myself much less interested in the the story than in the first book. I'm still uneasy with some of the character choices I mentioned in the first book's review and I couldn't tell when or if they would be resolved. Ultimately, while I'm unable to pin down exactly what I don't like about this book, trying to make myself finish it resulted in a period of several days where I barely read anything and could only handle re-reads. As soon as I officially DNF'd this I was able to read other stuff again. For me, that's enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Fatphobia, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Excrement, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
salemander's review against another edition
5.0
god this book was so good!! sobbed through the entire last fucking half jesus christ i need these characters to get peace. such beautiful writing and the world building is insane!! terrified for the next book but i know it’ll be worth it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, and War
caseythereader's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Transphobia and Dysphoria
faduma's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence