faiththompson416's review
5.0
If you know me, you know an important truth about me: I am extremely stingy with my 5-star review.
So that should say something about this book in and of itself.
The characters are the first point I'd like to mention. West, Alex, Gideon, Jack, Simon, Nate, Ed, Ty, Rene', Spencer...so many broken boys (and our one broken girl) and their lives are so compelling and so heartbreaking and so REAL. I know I'm forgetting some and there are a TON of bois in this story so I won't try to mention every last one of them, but I adore them all. I didn't have trouble remembering ANYBODY, and the whole thing is just so beautifully woven and emotional and just AGHHHH. I live for characters like this--real, broken, struggling, and ultimately, beautiful.
There are so many plot threads and POVs and struggles and deaths that it can all get to be a bit much, but I never found the content levels to be TOO much for me (although I understand that this is a place that will vary from reader to reader, and I will list some of the content at the bottom of the review ;)) There's real darkness in the world. It's a fallen place, and if we leave our world in the hands of sinful man, we're going to screw it up. That's just the truth. Angela doesn't shy away from that truth at all and I appreciate it. Immensely. <3
Descriptions: A+.
Emotion levels: A+
Fight scenes: A+
Grittiness: A+
Everything: PERFECTION.
Overall, I absolutely adore this book. ADORE. I need a sequel, please and thanks, Ang. <3
CONTENT
Language: some mild but real, written out cussing (d-word, h-word, a couple of others, but at about that level throughout. Things worse than that aren't written down.)
Sex: one very chaste romantic thread that doesn't really come to much in this book (but hey, I need it to be more in the sequel, thanks). This book doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of sex trafficking and slavery, so there's mentions of what goes on there as well as plenty of implied stuff, but nothing toooo graphic. I think that would be the best way to describe everything in this book: real, but not graphic. There is one scene where a young boy is rescued from a house full of older men, and it's implied that something was going on there, but not depicted. That's probably the most graphic scene in the book.
Violence: People get shot, there are wars, these guys are all gangsters, and it's not particularly tame. Torture sequences and poison galore are in this book, and it's all pretty intense, so...yeah. xD I didn't find it too much but I also have a tolerance for that sort of thing when it's written like this.
Other stuff: There's some drinking and stuff but the main characters don't do it much, and it's depicted as bad when it does happen. Overall just a lot of intensity, some violence that borders on graphic, and sexual content that is not graphic but is real and will probably make some people uncomfortable. NEVER depicted as good when it does, though.
Five stars, and GIVE ME BOOK TWO NOW ANGELA
So that should say something about this book in and of itself.
The characters are the first point I'd like to mention. West, Alex, Gideon, Jack, Simon, Nate, Ed, Ty, Rene', Spencer...so many broken boys (and our one broken girl) and their lives are so compelling and so heartbreaking and so REAL. I know I'm forgetting some and there are a TON of bois in this story so I won't try to mention every last one of them, but I adore them all. I didn't have trouble remembering ANYBODY, and the whole thing is just so beautifully woven and emotional and just AGHHHH. I live for characters like this--real, broken, struggling, and ultimately, beautiful.
There are so many plot threads and POVs and struggles and deaths that it can all get to be a bit much, but I never found the content levels to be TOO much for me (although I understand that this is a place that will vary from reader to reader, and I will list some of the content at the bottom of the review ;)) There's real darkness in the world. It's a fallen place, and if we leave our world in the hands of sinful man, we're going to screw it up. That's just the truth. Angela doesn't shy away from that truth at all and I appreciate it. Immensely. <3
Descriptions: A+.
Emotion levels: A+
Fight scenes: A+
Grittiness: A+
Everything: PERFECTION.
Overall, I absolutely adore this book. ADORE. I need a sequel, please and thanks, Ang. <3
CONTENT
Language: some mild but real, written out cussing (d-word, h-word, a couple of others, but at about that level throughout. Things worse than that aren't written down.)
Sex: one very chaste romantic thread that doesn't really come to much in this book (but hey, I need it to be more in the sequel, thanks). This book doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of sex trafficking and slavery, so there's mentions of what goes on there as well as plenty of implied stuff, but nothing toooo graphic. I think that would be the best way to describe everything in this book: real, but not graphic. There is one scene where a young boy is rescued from a house full of older men, and it's implied that something was going on there, but not depicted. That's probably the most graphic scene in the book.
Violence: People get shot, there are wars, these guys are all gangsters, and it's not particularly tame. Torture sequences and poison galore are in this book, and it's all pretty intense, so...yeah. xD I didn't find it too much but I also have a tolerance for that sort of thing when it's written like this.
Other stuff: There's some drinking and stuff but the main characters don't do it much, and it's depicted as bad when it does happen. Overall just a lot of intensity, some violence that borders on graphic, and sexual content that is not graphic but is real and will probably make some people uncomfortable. NEVER depicted as good when it does, though.
Five stars, and GIVE ME BOOK TWO NOW ANGELA
sunny_care's review against another edition
DNF at 36%
This book just wasn't for me.
It was not clear to me from the blurb, but this is Christian fiction set in a dystopia backdrop.
The major focus of the book, from what I read, was a wide range of characters dealing with their own individual crises of faith as they learn to live in the war-torn country they're left with.
If this book sounds like it's for you, try it out. But it just wasn't my cup of tea.
This book just wasn't for me.
It was not clear to me from the blurb, but this is Christian fiction set in a dystopia backdrop.
The major focus of the book, from what I read, was a wide range of characters dealing with their own individual crises of faith as they learn to live in the war-torn country they're left with.
If this book sounds like it's for you, try it out. But it just wasn't my cup of tea.
ill_fated_fannibal's review
adventurous
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
thepurplegiraffe's review against another edition
4.0
K I have feelingsss
Somehow I never wrote up my review of this? Abby of the past?? I have questions??
I'm here now though so let's goooo.
I can't think of the last time a book has made me so STRESSED but in the best way. I'm always a fan of found-families/"your family sucks so i'm your brother now" tropes, and this is stuffed full of those relationships. (also while there isn't a ton of romance, it's so sooooft) The boys (the sweet, sweet boys) deserve the entire world and I love them.
There's no shying away from the hard things in this book, which can make it hard to look at, but also makes it so powerful. The concept is so cool, even though it's scary. The characters truly struggle, and tbh, one can never trust that any of them will actually make it out of this alive. It's just got a really cool vibe, and I could totally picture the whole thing as a movie in my head.
My only complaint about this (which might just be a me thing, idk) is that I kind of lost track of who was who at a couple of points. It's a big cast of characters, which is fine, but they've all got a lot going on and it can be confusing. But the characters themselves are wonderful, and, as I've said, I love them. I'm looking forward to book 2 even though I know it's gonna break me, lol.
Four stars from me!
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**
Somehow I never wrote up my review of this? Abby of the past?? I have questions??
I'm here now though so let's goooo.
I can't think of the last time a book has made me so STRESSED but in the best way. I'm always a fan of found-families/"your family sucks so i'm your brother now" tropes, and this is stuffed full of those relationships. (also while there isn't a ton of romance, it's so sooooft) The boys (the sweet, sweet boys) deserve the entire world and I love them.
There's no shying away from the hard things in this book, which can make it hard to look at, but also makes it so powerful. The concept is so cool, even though it's scary. The characters truly struggle, and tbh, one can never trust that any of them will actually make it out of this alive. It's just got a really cool vibe, and I could totally picture the whole thing as a movie in my head.
My only complaint about this (which might just be a me thing, idk) is that I kind of lost track of who was who at a couple of points. It's a big cast of characters, which is fine, but they've all got a lot going on and it can be confusing. But the characters themselves are wonderful, and, as I've said, I love them. I'm looking forward to book 2 even though I know it's gonna break me, lol.
Four stars from me!
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**
merieshenanigans's review
5.0
I'm not sure I'm ready for this review, but I might as well do my best.
This book is by no means a "delightful" read. Rather, it's real and raw and heavy and gritty and takes a definite plunge into darkness. But out of the darkness there comes light. That is how I would define this book-- because Angela Watts did an amazing job showing that even under the ugliest, dirtiest layers of rock and grime and dust, you can still find a gemstone that, when polished and cut and brought into light, can reflect a dazzling array of beauty.
Granted, in this book, they still have a long way to go, even as diamonds in the rough. Literally all of the main characters are males in the same gang, with the exception of one girl. There is death and sorrow and horror and bloodshed. Torture, human-trafficking, and rape are all presented, and although we don't see any of it on-screen (shudder) we read about the trauma and the nightmares that result. These men have yet to see a clear line between justice and revenge. Which is what makes the scenes of prayer, of hoping, of grasping for the light all that much more beautiful.
There's a major theme of loyalty and love in the bonds of brotherhood-- surviving, staying strong for each other. There's the matter of forgiveness and accepting that forgiveness. There's doing all you can to bear the present while longing for a better future.
Oh, and can I just talk about the characters a moment? There are a lot of different POVs, which can be very hard to keep up with. Also, nobody kill me, but I wasn't too invested in West's chapters until the end, when I was planning his demise for being such a ridiculously responsibly selfless brother. Also but like GIDEON HOCHBERG. And Alex (whose accent was so much fun to read!) neeeeeds a break in West Virginia.
I take that back. All the MCs need to up and steal a vacation in Bali. The villains just won't leave them poor scary gangster men alone!!!
The language is nothing worse than your average Marvel movie, with only two words I can think of which are fairly mild compared to others that overpopulate most modern YA novels. And the romance is only a smidgen. The faith theme doesn't come across as preachy. Of course, I've already mentioned the violence that should turn sensitive readers away.
Okay, overall... this was an amazing read. I'm equal parts thankful that Angela creates such nice-but-not-actually-nice characters and furious that she makes them go through so much. So, where's book two?
*I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A positive review was not required; all views and opinions expressed are my own.*
This book is by no means a "delightful" read. Rather, it's real and raw and heavy and gritty and takes a definite plunge into darkness. But out of the darkness there comes light. That is how I would define this book-- because Angela Watts did an amazing job showing that even under the ugliest, dirtiest layers of rock and grime and dust, you can still find a gemstone that, when polished and cut and brought into light, can reflect a dazzling array of beauty.
Granted, in this book, they still have a long way to go, even as diamonds in the rough. Literally all of the main characters are males in the same gang, with the exception of one girl. There is death and sorrow and horror and bloodshed. Torture, human-trafficking, and rape are all presented, and although we don't see any of it on-screen (shudder) we read about the trauma and the nightmares that result. These men have yet to see a clear line between justice and revenge. Which is what makes the scenes of prayer, of hoping, of grasping for the light all that much more beautiful.
There's a major theme of loyalty and love in the bonds of brotherhood-- surviving, staying strong for each other. There's the matter of forgiveness and accepting that forgiveness. There's doing all you can to bear the present while longing for a better future.
Oh, and can I just talk about the characters a moment? There are a lot of different POVs, which can be very hard to keep up with. Also, nobody kill me, but I wasn't too invested in West's chapters until the end, when I was planning his demise for being such a ridiculously responsibly selfless brother. Also but like GIDEON HOCHBERG. And Alex (whose accent was so much fun to read!) neeeeeds a break in West Virginia.
I take that back. All the MCs need to up and steal a vacation in Bali. The villains just won't leave them poor scary gangster men alone!!!
The language is nothing worse than your average Marvel movie, with only two words I can think of which are fairly mild compared to others that overpopulate most modern YA novels. And the romance is only a smidgen. The faith theme doesn't come across as preachy. Of course, I've already mentioned the violence that should turn sensitive readers away.
Okay, overall... this was an amazing read. I'm equal parts thankful that Angela creates such nice-but-not-actually-nice characters and furious that she makes them go through so much. So, where's book two?
*I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A positive review was not required; all views and opinions expressed are my own.*
nicole_dust's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars.
WOW my nerves are fried. If this book could be described in one word, it would be "intense."
L I K E S :
The characters. They truly were the heart of the book, and my own heart broke several times while reading their stories. West, Simon, Rene', Gideon, Alex . . . basically all of the characters were absolute WRECKS and I so hope they survive.
The intensity. I honestly can say that I have never read a book so intense before. I probably shouldn’t have been so surprised, given that it’s set in the middle of a WAR and there are GANGS, but . . . oh well. Needless to say, I was riveted.
The world. This is a realistic dystopian world, in my opinion. I could totally see this happening in the next decade or so, although I hope that it never does . . .
The hope. This is a very dark story. What I found most incredible was that Angela was able to shine hope into even the darkest corners. This is something I aspire to do in my own writing, and to see someone about my age pull it off so seamlessly is very inspiring.
The plug at the end for book 2. LITERAL CHILLS. I don’t quite know why, honestly.
M E H :
At times the plot felt all over the place for me. I was generally able to keep my bearings throughout it all, but occasionally the characters would say what they were doing and I would be very confused.
D I S L I K E S :
George Johnston. This should actually be a "like", but I HATE this man with a BURNING PASSION. What he does to his son . . . *shudders* Excellent villain, though!
Like I said before, the characters are the heart of this book. However, there are a LOT of characters, and I found myself losing track of who was who and what side they were on, etc.
C O N T E N T :
It has been stated before, but this book is NOT for the faint of heart. There is a torture sequence that is somewhat graphic (?? that might just be my own personal taste). Sex trafficking is part of a subplot, and Angela does not shy away. Lots of death, blood, and violence.
Overall, while it wasn’t perfect, I enjoyed myself (when I wasn’t freaking out)! Can’t wait for book 2 to be released!
*I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in my review are my own. :)
WOW my nerves are fried. If this book could be described in one word, it would be "intense."
L I K E S :
The characters. They truly were the heart of the book, and my own heart broke several times while reading their stories. West, Simon, Rene', Gideon, Alex . . . basically all of the characters were absolute WRECKS and I so hope they survive.
The intensity. I honestly can say that I have never read a book so intense before. I probably shouldn’t have been so surprised, given that it’s set in the middle of a WAR and there are GANGS, but . . . oh well. Needless to say, I was riveted.
The world. This is a realistic dystopian world, in my opinion. I could totally see this happening in the next decade or so, although I hope that it never does . . .
The hope. This is a very dark story. What I found most incredible was that Angela was able to shine hope into even the darkest corners. This is something I aspire to do in my own writing, and to see someone about my age pull it off so seamlessly is very inspiring.
The plug at the end for book 2. LITERAL CHILLS. I don’t quite know why, honestly.
M E H :
At times the plot felt all over the place for me. I was generally able to keep my bearings throughout it all, but occasionally the characters would say what they were doing and I would be very confused.
D I S L I K E S :
George Johnston. This should actually be a "like", but I HATE this man with a BURNING PASSION. What he does to his son . . . *shudders* Excellent villain, though!
Like I said before, the characters are the heart of this book. However, there are a LOT of characters, and I found myself losing track of who was who and what side they were on, etc.
C O N T E N T :
It has been stated before, but this book is NOT for the faint of heart. There is a torture sequence that is somewhat graphic (?? that might just be my own personal taste). Sex trafficking is part of a subplot, and Angela does not shy away. Lots of death, blood, and violence.
Overall, while it wasn’t perfect, I enjoyed myself (when I wasn’t freaking out)! Can’t wait for book 2 to be released!
*I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in my review are my own. :)
angelarwatts's review against another edition
This novel comes out August 13th!
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Want to get an ARC copy? Sign up here: https://forms.gle/fNZ9zat34eunf9AR8
abigailharder's review against another edition
5.0
I honestly have very mixed feelings about this book. I loved it but I also disliked for how real it was. It hurt me honestly. I cried, I cheered, and I cried some more. It's scary to see how far our country really could go. This could happen people, not saying that it will, but it could. That is a really scary thing.
My heart broke for every single character in this book, well not for George. George is a scumbag that I do not like at all. He can go away for all I care. All the boys, there are so many I won't list them all, are so broken and I wanted to take away their pain. I cried for them. Their pain and what they were going through was so real. It hurt y'all, it hurt to watch teen boys go through hell like these boys did.
Rene' was such a sweet, loving, but also broken character that I love dearly. Her and Simon's relationship made me smile. I am glad that Angela included their relationship because it felt real but it also was a small light in the midst of darkness. It made the book at times not as heavy of a read.
The faith content y'all was amazing. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated all the faith content. It wasn't too preachy, it wasn't watered down either. It was gospel driven and straight from scripture. Ugh, my heart leap with happiness every time the guys or one of the Fishers' mentioned anything about God. It was heartwarming to see the transformation of some of the characters throughout this novel.
Overall, I adored this book so much. Sure it was a very heavy read but it was so worth the tears and misery that I as a reader went through. I am anxiously awaiting a sequel!
The content was definitely more on the heavy side so if you are not good with lots of gore and just heavy war and gang violence then I would not recommend this book to you. This book as good as it is, is definitely PG-13 maybe even leaning more on the R scale a bit.
However, if you are like me and can handle it I HIGHLY recommend reading. This is a book that I am praying will make it big!
*FTC: I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.*
My heart broke for every single character in this book, well not for George. George is a scumbag that I do not like at all. He can go away for all I care. All the boys, there are so many I won't list them all, are so broken and I wanted to take away their pain. I cried for them. Their pain and what they were going through was so real. It hurt y'all, it hurt to watch teen boys go through hell like these boys did.
Rene' was such a sweet, loving, but also broken character that I love dearly. Her and Simon's relationship made me smile. I am glad that Angela included their relationship because it felt real but it also was a small light in the midst of darkness. It made the book at times not as heavy of a read.
The faith content y'all was amazing. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated all the faith content. It wasn't too preachy, it wasn't watered down either. It was gospel driven and straight from scripture. Ugh, my heart leap with happiness every time the guys or one of the Fishers' mentioned anything about God. It was heartwarming to see the transformation of some of the characters throughout this novel.
Overall, I adored this book so much. Sure it was a very heavy read but it was so worth the tears and misery that I as a reader went through. I am anxiously awaiting a sequel!
The content was definitely more on the heavy side so if you are not good with lots of gore and just heavy war and gang violence then I would not recommend this book to you. This book as good as it is, is definitely PG-13 maybe even leaning more on the R scale a bit.
However, if you are like me and can handle it I HIGHLY recommend reading. This is a book that I am praying will make it big!
*FTC: I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.*
hannahmrodriguez's review against another edition
4.0
Angela R Watts has created a vast dystopian landscape filled with characters that face the worst and the wildest. She doesn’t shy away from hard topics and situations... but handles them with care. It all feels very real. It’s gritty. Filled with grace (and the Gospel).
I did loose track a few times of who was who (even on this re read ack) because there are many characters. Thankfully, there’s a handy list with details on people. Definitely check this out if you like apocalyptic style fiction!
I did loose track a few times of who was who (even on this re read ack) because there are many characters. Thankfully, there’s a handy list with details on people. Definitely check this out if you like apocalyptic style fiction!
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