Reviews

The Reckoning by Marisa Noelle

bookingbonkers's review

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5.0

This was a brilliant finale to this series! More character development, more epic stuff happening, more heartbreak and more breathtaking imagery. Love this series!

energyrae's review against another edition

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5.0

Things are finally back to normal for everyone. They have defeated Earl, and Silver can breathe easily. Except, things aren’t going to plan, and Silver is having a hard time coping. It doesn’t help Matt has become overprotective and a bit controlling. So meeting Eli is a nice break from the chaotic mess in her mind. Their friendship might be just the thing Silver needs.

This is a tough review to write. Noelle put us in a pinball machine and tossed us around as she played. I found myself irrationally angry with Matt. He was controlling and stifling. It’s no wonder Silver spent a lot of time with Eli. But this is the couple you want to pull together and work out to save the world. They have always done what they needed to get things done. When Matt was at his worse, I was cheering Noelle for writing him so well that I felt such emotion. Overall, an addicting and satisfying read and conclusion to the trilogy.

jasbeingjas's review against another edition

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3.0

I'm not sure how I missed adding this to Goodreads, but I didn't see it on my Goodreads Challenge. This is the final installment to the Unadjusteds trilogy, and while it's not my favorite in the series, you can still get caught up in the mystery and building tension. You can read my review from the blog tour here: https://www.jasbeingjas.com/post/the-reckoning

lindzy's review against another edition

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4.0

Full Review Here

I’ve enjoyed the adventures and the powers depicted in the first two books. I had issues with Silver’s character in book two, but she redeemed herself and I was intrigued about where the new threat was going to take things. I was looking forward to The Reckoning.

It’s an interesting choice when an author deliberately sends her main character on a negative development arc. Silver spends the first half of the book arrogant, selfish and so self-absorbed that I wanted someone (preferably a bulk) to shake some sense into her. I really went off her.

As the story and Silver’s development progresses, she comes full circle and you root for her again. I wish we could’ve seen more of the other characters and their abilities, rather than the narration fixating on Silver and Eli – especially as it’s impossible to connect to the latter because you know not to trust him.

In true Noelle form, however, it comes together seamlessly.

Silver comes back to herself, the threat manifests, and our band of survivors have to come together to face impossible odds (again). The pacing takes a long time to build, with a large portion of the book being character-focused. Once events gain momentum, you don’t have time to figure out what’s going on: the danger is here and it’s real. It made the character development more pronounced, although the tension may have benefitted from longer to build.

The enemy was unclear. It wasn’t a person or a known threat. Formless and menacing, it’s hard to identify exactly what it was, which undermined it for me: a deranged, power-hungry maniac had more impact than something illusive.

The book was a lot of fun. As a young adult science-fiction novel, it touches on a lot of important themes, not least that no one is incorruptible and that relationships are complicated. There were times I identified with the messages, and times I sensed it was aimed at a younger audience. It was a good balance between the fate of the world, and personal problems.

Given the current climate, it’s easy to identify with the despair and helplessness of humanity trying to survive when the world turns against you. An invisible, deadly threat is something we can all relate to.

I enjoyed this book, and liked watching everything come together. Very mixed feelings on the ending (no spoilers) but it does make me intrigued where this will go next.

If you’re enjoying the series, or looking for a new YA science-fiction to binge, then The Unadjusteds books are entertaining reads. The Reckoning works for a late-teen audience reaching the point in their lives where they want to establish who they are. If that’s your thing, then a definite recommendation.

nialiversuch's review against another edition

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4.0

*I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Six months after the terrifying events at Earl’s mountain, Silver Melody and her friends are attempting to rebuild their lives in the safety of an enclosed community. They are using Silver’s father’s genetic expertise to create crops, and they are settling in and slowly recovering from the trauma of the previous years. For many, hope is taking its first tremulous steps back into their lives.

Silver knows that there is darkness on the horizon, though. She is plagued by haunting dreams of blackened crops and a huge, shadowy figure with yellow eyes engulfing the entire community. Silver struggles against an undercurrent of anxiety and feels pressure from all sides as her friends’ expectations mount and she tries to please everyone. She feels very alone.

Bubbling within Silver are intriguing new powers that she both fears and desires. What is she capable of? If only she could get some space to learn about her new, secret abilities.
Then there’s Eli. Rescued from captivity during their last mission, he is surrounded by an air of mystery. Silver can sense an affinity with Eli, a shared understanding that comes from isolation and the weight of being different. As their bond intensified and Silver’s exploration of her powers exposes unimaginable surprises, she must face a choice – and whichever path she takes will have life-changing consequences.

The Reckoning is the thrilling conclusion to Marisa Noelle’s Unadjusteds trilogy. Although the novel is slower in pace than the previous two, it is packed with an intense plot that keeps the reader’s heart racing. The familiar and beloved characters from the previous novels are still key in Silver’s story, as their lives, hopes and fears continue to intertwine. Noelle is skilled at writing emotion, and this novel is full of heart-wrenching and joyful moments in equal measure. Silver is an incredibly engaging protagonist; complex and wise, fierce and loyal, caring and selfless. However, her flaws and limitations are sensitively portrayed by Noelle – Silver is not just a heroine protecting her friends, she has constant battles within herself, facing demons that threaten to crush her.
The setting of Noelle’s imagined world is unique and vibrant. The threat of the dark figure that hangs over the novel is incredibly effective – the reader desperately wants to turn the pages but can’t shake the feeling of lingering tension. The plot builds in intensity, leading to gripping action scenes and moments of heart-stopping revelation.

The Reckoning is a powerful end to the trilogy, continuing Noelle’s signature style of intense action and emotion. Although I was excited to read the novel and absorb myself in Silver’s story once again, I was sad to read the final few pages and realise that the end was… the end. It’s been a privilege to be part of Silver’s journey over the three novels, and it’s very special to know that her world will always be available, just the turn of a page away!

Thank you to Marisa Noelle for an advanced copy of The Reckoning in exchange for an honest review. And a huge thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review each novel over the last few years, it’s been wonderful.
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