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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
We Unleash the Merciless Storm was a great ending for the story of Dani and Carmen and the world they live in. I realize that I didn’t really explain much in my review of the first book. I’m going to spoil a few things from the first book, so please don’t continue this review if you don’t want spoilers for We Set the Dark on Fire (just know I absolutely loved both books and they’re super gay and you should read them.) This story takes place in a world where the inner island and outer island are at odds. In the first book, Dani and Carmen are both just finishing school. They end up married with Dani as the Primera and Carmen as the Segunda. The man they marry is high up in Medio’s government. Which is great as both girls are working for the resistance organization that goes by La Voz. La Voz is working to bring down the Median government which basically is just run by the wealthy people on the island and leaves the rest to live in poverty. So much more happens in this story, but that was a quick over view.
One of the best things about this book was that, unlike the first book which was entirely from Dani’s perspective, this story is told by Carmen. I loved this because there was so much that was unknown about Carmen with where the first book ended. I really loved getting to know her history. Carmen also really struggled between her feelings for Dani and coming back to a home that she doesn’t totally recognize anymore. At the end of book one, Carmen is taken back to La Voz home base and that’s where this book starts. Carmen has been gone from La Voz for several years while she was deep undercover going to school to become a Segunda. So, when she comes back, she doesn’t totally recognize the La Voz that was her home before she left. Her best friend, Alex, is angry with her. And there’s someone new, someone that is whispering into the Vulture’s ear. The Vulture is the leader of La Voz, but he isn’t acting like the leader that Carmen knows him to be. I loved the mystery of end ending which I’m not going to say anything further about because spoilers. I also really enjoyed the conclusion in general. I would have liked to gotten a ‘ten years later’ or something, but I was still satisfied with the ending. I really enjoyed all of the parts with Carmen and Dani reuniting, but also Carmen’s journey to get to Dani and find out what was going on was just as good. As much as I was disappointed that we didn’t get to see Dani until a decent way through the story, I think the anticipation of her and Carmen reuniting is what got me through.
Overall, I loved this book and I wish more people talked about this series. The world is fascinating and diverse. The relationship is queer and I’m so obsessed with it. There are wonderful friendships and a found family. I just think this is a great book and a great series.
One of the best things about this book was that, unlike the first book which was entirely from Dani’s perspective, this story is told by Carmen. I loved this because there was so much that was unknown about Carmen with where the first book ended. I really loved getting to know her history. Carmen also really struggled between her feelings for Dani and coming back to a home that she doesn’t totally recognize anymore. At the end of book one, Carmen is taken back to La Voz home base and that’s where this book starts. Carmen has been gone from La Voz for several years while she was deep undercover going to school to become a Segunda. So, when she comes back, she doesn’t totally recognize the La Voz that was her home before she left. Her best friend, Alex, is angry with her. And there’s someone new, someone that is whispering into the Vulture’s ear. The Vulture is the leader of La Voz, but he isn’t acting like the leader that Carmen knows him to be. I loved the mystery of end ending which I’m not going to say anything further about because spoilers. I also really enjoyed the conclusion in general. I would have liked to gotten a ‘ten years later’ or something, but I was still satisfied with the ending. I really enjoyed all of the parts with Carmen and Dani reuniting, but also Carmen’s journey to get to Dani and find out what was going on was just as good. As much as I was disappointed that we didn’t get to see Dani until a decent way through the story, I think the anticipation of her and Carmen reuniting is what got me through.
Overall, I loved this book and I wish more people talked about this series. The world is fascinating and diverse. The relationship is queer and I’m so obsessed with it. There are wonderful friendships and a found family. I just think this is a great book and a great series.
3.5 Stars
This is less a formal review and more just me randomly putting thoughts out there because I don't feel like trying to actually put them into a review.
I really wish Ari had not been the leak. Not only was it the predictable choice, but I think it would have been more interesting for him to actually have been loyal to his own idea of the cause, it's just that he is misogynistic.
Also, while I do usually like happy endings, I feel like I could have gone for less happy and more melancholy. Like, there just wasn't a lot of events in this book that really packed a punch, you know? There was the one death, which was only halfway through the book. And even that happened so quickly that I couldn't really feel it. And there was Carmen's tunnel of bones sequence, which was really good, but once again too early on in the book, and the tone didn't last. I really wish there had been something that packed more of an emotional punch, and really got to me.
I liked the part where Carmen and Dani basically got to meet older lesbian couple. Like, I think that was a really important moment because they have both been lacking any mother figures in their lives, and they lacked any queer role models. I actually wish those two ladies had a bigger part in the book, or that they had come up again.
There was also decidedly less anti-cop stuff. I would have actually liked more of that. Overall, there was less political messaging in this one I felt like. (Although you could make the argument that Carmen and Dani and La Voz getting a happy ending is political in and of itself).
See, those were all totally disconnected and it would have taken way too much effort to stitch them together. Still a good book though.
This is less a formal review and more just me randomly putting thoughts out there because I don't feel like trying to actually put them into a review.
I really wish Ari had not been the leak. Not only was it the predictable choice, but I think it would have been more interesting for him to actually have been loyal to his own idea of the cause, it's just that he is misogynistic.
Also, while I do usually like happy endings, I feel like I could have gone for less happy and more melancholy. Like, there just wasn't a lot of events in this book that really packed a punch, you know? There was the one death, which was only halfway through the book. And even that happened so quickly that I couldn't really feel it. And there was Carmen's tunnel of bones sequence, which was really good, but once again too early on in the book, and the tone didn't last. I really wish there had been something that packed more of an emotional punch, and really got to me.
I liked the part where Carmen and Dani basically got to meet older lesbian couple. Like, I think that was a really important moment because they have both been lacking any mother figures in their lives, and they lacked any queer role models. I actually wish those two ladies had a bigger part in the book, or that they had come up again.
There was also decidedly less anti-cop stuff. I would have actually liked more of that. Overall, there was less political messaging in this one I felt like. (Although you could make the argument that Carmen and Dani and La Voz getting a happy ending is political in and of itself).
See, those were all totally disconnected and it would have taken way too much effort to stitch them together. Still a good book though.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Upon reflection, this isn't a dystopian series - we are never shown the society's utopian shell covering the deep injustice. We're only ever shown fascism.
This book seemed to try to be more gritty and violent to offset the first book's completely underselling the cruelty and injustice. But it felt forced and unconvincing to me. Of course all sides of this conflict have injustice, terrible misogyny, and violent men.
The ending, while cute and satisfying, felt horribly contrived, like a romance novel ending. I eyerolled hard through much of this book - I was painfully aware of the author's presence the entire time.
This book seemed to try to be more gritty and violent to offset the first book's completely underselling the cruelty and injustice. But it felt forced and unconvincing to me. Of course all sides of this conflict have injustice, terrible misogyny, and violent men.
The ending, while cute and satisfying, felt horribly contrived, like a romance novel ending. I eyerolled hard through much of this book - I was painfully aware of the author's presence the entire time.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Unfortunately the sequel did not convince me any more than the first book.
I still found it hard to understand how Carmen and Dani's feelings evolved so quickly and deeply; the love story just wasn't believable in my opinion. Carmen just got on my nerves,especially after breaking Sota's trust and ruining the whole mission, consequently getting the most reasonable character killed. The villains of the story were one-dimensional, and their motivations unclear.
I have the same takeaway as with the first book; the author tries to tackle important conversations about immigration and feminism, the execution is just not very convincing.
I still found it hard to understand how Carmen and Dani's feelings evolved so quickly and deeply; the love story just wasn't believable in my opinion. Carmen just got on my nerves,
I have the same takeaway as with the first book; the author tries to tackle important conversations about immigration and feminism, the execution is just not very convincing.
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes