A review by emlizzy
The Lives We Lost by Megan Crewe
4.0
This is the second book in the series, and I enjoyed it just as much (if not more!) than the first one, The Way We Fall.
The things I liked:
I enjoyed the structure and narration of this one - as much as I liked the diary/letters structure of the first, I feel like the more general first person narration left a little more room for additional detail that wasn't as present in the first book. This was evident in the descriptions of people, places, atmospheres, feelings, etc. Overall, I felt more engaged and drawn into the story. I could picture people and places in my mind, and felt more invested in their success.
Kaelyn, as the narrator, seemed more mature and believable in this book. I guess given what she had been through between the first and second books, I would have expected any teenage girl to have grown up a little. Either way, the slightly more mature voice was appreciated, and the seriousness of this story felt more real to me - more consistent with the overall situation of dealing with an uncontrollable viral outbreak.
I liked the fact that the characters were on the move - I liked seeing how they responded to different people, places, situations, and challenges. Because the characters were tossed into situations outside of their comfort zone, I felt like I was able to get to know them better, seeing how they responded and adapted to each changing situation.
The plot was constantly moving and changing. It seemed like the tension remained high throughout the entire book. I read this in one sitting - the story kept me engaged and, other than taking a break to eat some breakfast, I couldn't stop reading. This was truly a page-turner for me.
Overall I think I enjoyed The Lives We Lost a little more than the first book in the series, The Way We Fall. It seems like Megan Crewe has really hit her stride with this series, and I'm sooooo looking forward to reading the third book. Seriously, I'm so upset that I don't have it in my hands, right now! I can't wait until it comes out this year!
The things I liked:
I enjoyed the structure and narration of this one - as much as I liked the diary/letters structure of the first, I feel like the more general first person narration left a little more room for additional detail that wasn't as present in the first book. This was evident in the descriptions of people, places, atmospheres, feelings, etc. Overall, I felt more engaged and drawn into the story. I could picture people and places in my mind, and felt more invested in their success.
Kaelyn, as the narrator, seemed more mature and believable in this book. I guess given what she had been through between the first and second books, I would have expected any teenage girl to have grown up a little. Either way, the slightly more mature voice was appreciated, and the seriousness of this story felt more real to me - more consistent with the overall situation of dealing with an uncontrollable viral outbreak.
I liked the fact that the characters were on the move - I liked seeing how they responded to different people, places, situations, and challenges. Because the characters were tossed into situations outside of their comfort zone, I felt like I was able to get to know them better, seeing how they responded and adapted to each changing situation.
The plot was constantly moving and changing. It seemed like the tension remained high throughout the entire book. I read this in one sitting - the story kept me engaged and, other than taking a break to eat some breakfast, I couldn't stop reading. This was truly a page-turner for me.
Overall I think I enjoyed The Lives We Lost a little more than the first book in the series, The Way We Fall. It seems like Megan Crewe has really hit her stride with this series, and I'm sooooo looking forward to reading the third book. Seriously, I'm so upset that I don't have it in my hands, right now! I can't wait until it comes out this year!