Ellen Connor

I tried. I really did. I wanted to like this way more than I did because I loved the premise.

The urban fantasy storyline worked for me. A changing world with failure of tech and the beginning rise of magic, a group of people trying to survive in the new world--all good. What didn't work for me was the romance angle.

Let me comment on Mason first. I really don't care for the tortured hero love interest--ugh. It just seems dated; that is my bias so I tried to look past that to the elements of the relationship as far as romance. We never see any real reason why these two cared about each other. There is no real dialogue or getting to know each other nor is there a significant passage of time to account for it.

Because of this I spent way too much time rolling my eyes (one fell out, lol) or yelling "give or a break" or the ever popular "Really?" You can check out my Kindle highlight/outbursts comment here: https://kindle.amazon.com/profile/Jesslyn-Hendrix/665.

Another issue with the romance was that it seemed like the romance was forced in. The story would be rolling along and then the characters would engage in some badly timed kissing or sex. I'm assuming this was to illustrate how great their passion for each other was, but it didn't work for me.

NON PLOT SPOILER
I shit you not, at one point, they were trekking through the woods filled with zombie wolves and stopped to have a passionate argument followed by some kissing. If it had been a book instead of my Kindle, book would have met wall.

This book was a collaboration between Ann Aguirre and Carrie Lofty which I found out after I finished, and it felt like it. I don't know how they divided the work, but it felt like one did the PNR and one the UF.

Despite that rant, there were elements that I liked and I will probably get the upcoming books in this series (AFTER I Kindle sample them). I LOVED the fact that this was a complete story with no cliffhanger ending. I am also intrigued enough by the magic aspects and how it will develop in the future books with the passage of time.

The next book is three years after the event in Nightfall and the third book takes place twelve years later. That is absolutely brilliant thinking and give the writers huge leeway in world building.

I would recommend this book to PNR fans and give it a solid C.… (meer)

This book didn't fall neatly into any category. I consider it mostly a post apocalyptic and survival story wrapped around a romance. The world surely does end but in a manner different from any seen before. Dark things are abroad in the changing world. The tension level is high. The story revolves around John and Jenna and their escape from the city and struggle to survive the ravening beasts in the wilderness and understand the rules of the new world. The hero and heroine are both well drawn. They start out with John protecting Jenna because of a promise he made to her father and Jenna hanging with John as her best bet to survive. They each bring elements to their partnership that the other needs. Slowly their feelings deepen.

This book was very well written. It starts right in the middle of the action and never lets up. There aren't any unnecessary scenes. It is tightly written. The emotions ring true and the emotional progression is believable. The secondary characters are well drawn. The story is not all roses. Realistic bad stuff happens. There was some angst.

I normally enjoy a good epilogue that advances the characters' lives a year or so. Here I kind of think I'd rather the book ended without one. For one thing I think the advancements made in the time that passes before this final scene are too great and a bit pat. But mostly because, contrary to my life long preferences, I would have loved to see a second book about this pair. I would have loved to read about their struggles and triumphs as they arrive at that wonderful world shown in the epilogue.… (meer)

Midnight
3 Stars

Synopsis
After wandering the post-apocalyptic wasteland for several years, Chris Welsh is well on his way to losing all semblance of humanity until he comes across one of the last vestiges of civilization run by the iron hand of Rosa Cortez. A force to be reckoned with, Rosa fears showing any weakness but cannot resist the desire for intimacy that Chris evokes within her. As the two face off against each other, they must also deal with threats from both within their community and without.

Review
A good story and romance but the main characters are not likeable or sympathetic.

The post-apocalyptic world is intense and gritty, however, it is still lacking an explanation as to what caused the Change in the first place.

Chris did not appeal to me in the first book and he doesn't much improve in this one. Moreover, he goes from a steadfast advocate of science to a believer in prophetic dreams and the paranormal with little character development. Rosa is emotionally scarred and distant, and her prejudices make it difficult to warm up to her.

The book is worthwhile for the secondary characters and the plot centering on a community of survivors struggling against numerous existential threats ranging from internal strife to external dust pirates.

Despite the failings of Midnight, the final installment remains on my TBR as it focuses on Penny and Tru, the children in the first book who I found particularly intriguing.… (meer)