A review by lifeandliterature
Astral Tide by Anna Silver

4.0

This needed to happen. The dreaming needed to come back. The Astral needed a way back into this world, and they had been it.

It had been quite some time since I read the first book in the Otherborn series, so when I first started reading Astral Tide it took me a little while to get a grasp on the story and remember how things played out and ended in Otherborn. But as I continued to read, things started to come back to me and I was able to immerse myself in the story.

After the shock of Rye being captured, London, Kim, Zen and Tora are still on the run from from the Tycoons and moving from camp to camp. London vows to return for Rye but as yet the opportunity hasn't presented itself. However it seems that at every turn, the enemy is getting closer. What will the outcome be when there is nowhere left to run?

London felt the darkness creep in on her like a childhood nightmare, returning with all the fears she could forget in the light of day. And the space of him, where he was, where he'd just been, pulled at her like a vacuum in his absence. Her heart folded in on itself, crumpling like paper, withering inside her without him. Wilting like a plant without water.

London was just as quick to speak her mind this time around. She is still quite opinionated but at the same time she was able to compromise and listen to her companions when it was called for. London is dealing with a lot of emotions and conflicting feelings this time around. Her love for Rye is just as strong, but it's been months since she's seen him. She's not even sure what's become of him. And then there is Zen, who is caring and protective, and he's started looking at her differently. There's something in his eyes that tells her how much he cares. London is finding it more and more difficult to believe that they are just friends. Will the guilt she feels over her feelings for Zen allow that friendship to go to the next level?

I found that I enjoyed the second half of the book much more than the first. I think because there was much more action and I felt the characters were finally working towards something, where as in the first half I felt there there was more running and hiding than facing things head on.

I loved the trips to the Astral and the journey of the characters learning exactly what they are capable of and what abilities they possess. This was definitely where most of the character development centred.

The first book really had it's stand out characters to me, whereas this time around I didn't feel that anyone stood out more than the other. Each character had their part to play. Despite this being told from London's point of view there was lots of time with the other characters so I felt that I knew them all fairly well by the end.

Astral Tide is just as well written as the first book in the series and the story was engaging throughout. It ended in somewhat of a cliffhanger, but nothing that will have you tearing your hair out in frustration. However it will leave you eager to see what is next in store for London and her group of friends.

4/5 Zen Stars.