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sreepurna's review
5.0
Rating: 5/5
This book is magic.
“I hate you back, he tries to say, only his lungs can’t draw in enough air.”
Things I liked about this book:
Everything. I repeat, EVERYTHING.
Writing reviews is sometimes really frustrating. I just can’t explain how sincere I am about my feelings for this book. It’s so easy not to trust a review. And so difficult to make people believe I mean every word from the bottom of my heart.
M.C. Frank is amazingly talented. I have read her book Ruined before this (https://thelonelybooklover.wordpress.com/2016/09/09/ruined-by-m-c-frank-review-spoiler-free/), it’s a historical romance which I LOVED. I can’t believe the same person can write a dystopian fiction with such ease and make it COMPLETELY different and unique. As I mentioned in my review of book 1 of this series (https://thelonelybooklover.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/no-ordinary-star-part-1-m-c-frank-book-review-this-will-be-short-because-i-need-to-read-the-next-part-now/), I am in awe.
When M.C. Frank describes the freezing cold breeze of the North Pole, you literally shiver. No joke. When she writes of Astra describing Felix holding her, I kid you not, it felt like someone lit a warm cosy fire near my soul.
I stayed up till 2.00 a.m. last night, reading No Plain Rebel and came to the conclusion that it is one of my favorite dystopian novels. I have read many books of this genre, in fact I started finding them quite boring and similar. But ohmygod this series is so good I can literally cry.
I am so emotionally vested in Astra and Felix’s lives, that my heart is in the author’s hands now. I don’t have any idea what can happen in the third book of the series but I am waiting with bated breath to find out.
Things I didn’t like about the book:
This probably makes me a bad reviewer, but I couldn’t find a single flaw in this book.If you don’t believe me, read the book and show me ONE flaw.
Also:
This is not a sad book per se. And I don’t usually cry after reading books (I did not cry after TFIOS or Nicholas Sparks books). Then why did I tear up while reading No Plain Rebel?
I guess you never know WHAT could be a trigger for someone. You could find something cute, while I could cry buckets over the same story.
Also (this is the last one):
Please read this book. I am not asking as a reviewer. I am asking as a fellow book lover. If you want to read a solid good book which teaches you things and yet want to enjoy it, read this book.
~Sripurna
This book is magic.
“I hate you back, he tries to say, only his lungs can’t draw in enough air.”
Things I liked about this book:
Everything. I repeat, EVERYTHING.
Writing reviews is sometimes really frustrating. I just can’t explain how sincere I am about my feelings for this book. It’s so easy not to trust a review. And so difficult to make people believe I mean every word from the bottom of my heart.
M.C. Frank is amazingly talented. I have read her book Ruined before this (https://thelonelybooklover.wordpress.com/2016/09/09/ruined-by-m-c-frank-review-spoiler-free/), it’s a historical romance which I LOVED. I can’t believe the same person can write a dystopian fiction with such ease and make it COMPLETELY different and unique. As I mentioned in my review of book 1 of this series (https://thelonelybooklover.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/no-ordinary-star-part-1-m-c-frank-book-review-this-will-be-short-because-i-need-to-read-the-next-part-now/), I am in awe.
When M.C. Frank describes the freezing cold breeze of the North Pole, you literally shiver. No joke. When she writes of Astra describing Felix holding her, I kid you not, it felt like someone lit a warm cosy fire near my soul.
I stayed up till 2.00 a.m. last night, reading No Plain Rebel and came to the conclusion that it is one of my favorite dystopian novels. I have read many books of this genre, in fact I started finding them quite boring and similar. But ohmygod this series is so good I can literally cry.
I am so emotionally vested in Astra and Felix’s lives, that my heart is in the author’s hands now. I don’t have any idea what can happen in the third book of the series but I am waiting with bated breath to find out.
Things I didn’t like about the book:
This probably makes me a bad reviewer, but I couldn’t find a single flaw in this book.If you don’t believe me, read the book and show me ONE flaw.
Also:
This is not a sad book per se. And I don’t usually cry after reading books (I did not cry after TFIOS or Nicholas Sparks books). Then why did I tear up while reading No Plain Rebel?
I guess you never know WHAT could be a trigger for someone. You could find something cute, while I could cry buckets over the same story.
Also (this is the last one):
Please read this book. I am not asking as a reviewer. I am asking as a fellow book lover. If you want to read a solid good book which teaches you things and yet want to enjoy it, read this book.
~Sripurna
rincondejoss's review
4.0
I received this book for an honest review.
OMG I need so more of this story, it's just so cool and it keeps you on the edge trying to tie all the dots to see the larger picture.
Felix is growing so much and in this book he made me so proud, at last he is sort of fighting back and he is in love how cute.
Astra too looks like she is growing more closer to him, however she seems to have still this will to fight for justice no matter what, a thrilling book with an excelent plot.
OMG I need so more of this story, it's just so cool and it keeps you on the edge trying to tie all the dots to see the larger picture.
Felix is growing so much and in this book he made me so proud, at last he is sort of fighting back and he is in love how cute.
Astra too looks like she is growing more closer to him, however she seems to have still this will to fight for justice no matter what, a thrilling book with an excelent plot.
itsspfw's review
4.0
* Received an ARC from the author in exchange for honest review.
I have to admit it, this book made everything went so great that made it more better than the first book!
Everything is going on great series of events, and I see Frank's writing been developed perfectly. Her writing isn't that great top of perfection but she is so good, she makes you attached to the story and makes you hungry for more. I honestly think each book of this series deserve to be bigger and not short because there are so many things could happen! Also, it must be known, this series deserves attention.
The characters are shown on their true picture now and I'm so glad, because I've been worrying about Felix!
The only thing that I had problem with is that there were a very few chapters are too slow which made me feel a little annoyed because the story is amazing and I want it to keep its amazingness.
I have to admit it, this book made everything went so great that made it more better than the first book!
Everything is going on great series of events, and I see Frank's writing been developed perfectly. Her writing isn't that great top of perfection but she is so good, she makes you attached to the story and makes you hungry for more. I honestly think each book of this series deserve to be bigger and not short because there are so many things could happen! Also, it must be known, this series deserves attention.
The characters are shown on their true picture now and I'm so glad, because I've been worrying about Felix!
The only thing that I had problem with is that there were a very few chapters are too slow which made me feel a little annoyed because the story is amazing and I want it to keep its amazingness.
meganbeauchamp's review
3.0
After reading this it still bothers me that this is set up in installments. The second installment felt like it could stand on its own a little more then the first, but I still don't get why it had to be like this. It actually makes me less likely to finish.
Overall though I liked seeing so much from Felix's perspective in this book. He is coming alive, he is waking up, and I love watching it. But Astra is a character that I want to see more of, and I wanted more scenes of the two of them interacting. I feel like that is the strongest aspect of the book.
The world created in these books needs more time to be really fleshed out. Mostly we get the history as well as current state from a vis of the clockmaker talking to Felix. It isn't enough though for me to feel really connected.
I really wish these were each full books with just more of everything. They are good now, but could have been something really special. There is a quality about these books, maybe it is the writing, maybe the installments, maybe the plot, but it feels slightly hazy. It is very hard to describe but when I think back and try to describe what happened in the first two, there isn't really a lot. The summary could be a few sentences, and therein lies the haziness. I wish these books were more fleshed out and didn't mention so many little things that the reader has to guess at, or have specific background knowledge to really understand the author's meaning. It just becomes a little lofty and I feel like for some readers, a ton of aspects are probably going right over their heads.
Overall though I liked seeing so much from Felix's perspective in this book. He is coming alive, he is waking up, and I love watching it. But Astra is a character that I want to see more of, and I wanted more scenes of the two of them interacting. I feel like that is the strongest aspect of the book.
The world created in these books needs more time to be really fleshed out. Mostly we get the history as well as current state from a vis of the clockmaker talking to Felix. It isn't enough though for me to feel really connected.
I really wish these were each full books with just more of everything. They are good now, but could have been something really special. There is a quality about these books, maybe it is the writing, maybe the installments, maybe the plot, but it feels slightly hazy. It is very hard to describe but when I think back and try to describe what happened in the first two, there isn't really a lot. The summary could be a few sentences, and therein lies the haziness. I wish these books were more fleshed out and didn't mention so many little things that the reader has to guess at, or have specific background knowledge to really understand the author's meaning. It just becomes a little lofty and I feel like for some readers, a ton of aspects are probably going right over their heads.
popthebutterfly's review
5.0
Rating: 5/5
Genre: YA Dystopian/Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (very mature and depressing scenes. Some triggering scenes.)
Favorite Quote: “Power will always pollute things.”
BOOK 2 in the NO ORDINARY STAR series A soldier is summoned to the North Pole, days before the year changes, told to fix a the great Clock for a celebration. He has no idea what to do. A girl, hunted for the crime of being born, almost dies out on the ice. She is rescued by the last polar bear left alive. A library waits for them both, a library built over a span of a hundred years, forgotten in the basement of an ice shack. The world hasn't known hunger or sickness in hundreds of years. It has also forgotten love and beauty. The year is 2524. Inspired by the short stories of Ray Bradbury, this futuristic young adult novel is set in a world where Christmas -among other things- is obsolete and a Clock is what keeps the fragile balance of peace. Written in three installments, this is the breathtaking and sensual story of how two unlikely people change the world, and each other, one book at a time. In No Plain Rebel, Felix finds out the truth. Or so he thinks. He’s trying to come to terms with that, as well as with the fact that the Clockmaster’s shack has been discovered by his fellow-soldiers, but he can’t exactly concentrate. The match girl’s fiery curls appear before his eyes every ten seconds, distracting him, and then he starts talking to her in his head. Because she’s no longer there. The Stadium is looming in the distance. It’s ten heartbeats to midnight.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for promotion and for my honest review. This did not influence my review in any way.
I have been itching this whole month to read the next book in the trilogy and I was NOT disappointed when I read it. This book picks up where we left off in the first book and it definitely explains the back story and the overall plot of the series. While there is a lot of information that comes at the reader, it isn’t heavy nor is it overwhelming. And while I thought the story would continue to circle around Astra and Felix, this book starts encompassing more and more characters and for the most part they are all very well developed. I also want to brag about the writing. The writing is so well done. You don’t just read these characters talking, you hear them. Each character has a distinctive voice. M.C. Frank also did something that I thought was very different. The tale is told from Felix’s POV and Astra’s POV and usually the emotional turmoil is told from the female’s viewpoint… but M.C. Frank wrote mostly from the emotional turmoil of Felix for a variety of reasons… that would be spoilery… but it was so well done! I always feel that guys get the short end of the stick in the majority of books I read and I liked that Felix had a wider array of emotions than the majority of guys I read in other books.
While I loved, loved, loved this book I did have some things I wanted to see (and that I’m hoping to see in the next book!). I want to see more of Astra and the Rebel’s story and I want to see their part in this book explained more. I want to know how it is on their side of the conflict and what it would be like to be one of them. While I think that all of the characters are very well developed, I do want to see more about this cast of characters if just for curiosities’ sake! Hopefully I’ll see more of that in the 3rd book, but if not I’d be happy with how the story is. I love this universe and I love how the story is mainly from Felix’s view and I’m rooting for him all the way!
Give this series a read-through! M.C. Frank is one of the most underappreciated authors out there. She writes amazing books and this series is one of my favorite dystopian series already. I can’t wait for the next book and I can’t wait to see how this will end!
Genre: YA Dystopian/Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (very mature and depressing scenes. Some triggering scenes.)
Favorite Quote: “Power will always pollute things.”
BOOK 2 in the NO ORDINARY STAR series A soldier is summoned to the North Pole, days before the year changes, told to fix a the great Clock for a celebration. He has no idea what to do. A girl, hunted for the crime of being born, almost dies out on the ice. She is rescued by the last polar bear left alive. A library waits for them both, a library built over a span of a hundred years, forgotten in the basement of an ice shack. The world hasn't known hunger or sickness in hundreds of years. It has also forgotten love and beauty. The year is 2524. Inspired by the short stories of Ray Bradbury, this futuristic young adult novel is set in a world where Christmas -among other things- is obsolete and a Clock is what keeps the fragile balance of peace. Written in three installments, this is the breathtaking and sensual story of how two unlikely people change the world, and each other, one book at a time. In No Plain Rebel, Felix finds out the truth. Or so he thinks. He’s trying to come to terms with that, as well as with the fact that the Clockmaster’s shack has been discovered by his fellow-soldiers, but he can’t exactly concentrate. The match girl’s fiery curls appear before his eyes every ten seconds, distracting him, and then he starts talking to her in his head. Because she’s no longer there. The Stadium is looming in the distance. It’s ten heartbeats to midnight.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for promotion and for my honest review. This did not influence my review in any way.
I have been itching this whole month to read the next book in the trilogy and I was NOT disappointed when I read it. This book picks up where we left off in the first book and it definitely explains the back story and the overall plot of the series. While there is a lot of information that comes at the reader, it isn’t heavy nor is it overwhelming. And while I thought the story would continue to circle around Astra and Felix, this book starts encompassing more and more characters and for the most part they are all very well developed. I also want to brag about the writing. The writing is so well done. You don’t just read these characters talking, you hear them. Each character has a distinctive voice. M.C. Frank also did something that I thought was very different. The tale is told from Felix’s POV and Astra’s POV and usually the emotional turmoil is told from the female’s viewpoint… but M.C. Frank wrote mostly from the emotional turmoil of Felix for a variety of reasons… that would be spoilery… but it was so well done! I always feel that guys get the short end of the stick in the majority of books I read and I liked that Felix had a wider array of emotions than the majority of guys I read in other books.
While I loved, loved, loved this book I did have some things I wanted to see (and that I’m hoping to see in the next book!). I want to see more of Astra and the Rebel’s story and I want to see their part in this book explained more. I want to know how it is on their side of the conflict and what it would be like to be one of them. While I think that all of the characters are very well developed, I do want to see more about this cast of characters if just for curiosities’ sake! Hopefully I’ll see more of that in the 3rd book, but if not I’d be happy with how the story is. I love this universe and I love how the story is mainly from Felix’s view and I’m rooting for him all the way!
Give this series a read-through! M.C. Frank is one of the most underappreciated authors out there. She writes amazing books and this series is one of my favorite dystopian series already. I can’t wait for the next book and I can’t wait to see how this will end!
queendarcy's review
2.0
The second installment in the No Ordinary Star trilogy was, well, interesting XD Finally, there's some progress in the story, we learn more about why the world is the way it is and we find out more about the characters' backstory. But that's about it - I felt absolutely nothing for the characters, the whole thing felt so...bland and flat...like I was reading a report on these events? Ikd, can't explain it. And yet...I wanted to know how it ends + it's so short + I've already put the final book on a reading challenge XD
starryeyedenigma's review
5.0
Woo hoo!! Book 2 of this awesome , fast paced, short trilogy! And I loved it :)
A quick recap on where we are with the story (without any spoilers :)):
It is almost year 2525, and something big is going to happen. Felix, the handsome ‘tin man’ and Astra, the fiery red headed ‘match girl’ have met in the first book and are still together, trying to figure out what the truth is and how they can save each other and the world as it is. Amidst all this, there are all these ‘Old World’ things that they discover together, almost like they are babies and have been born again. No Plain Rebel continues their story…
As I had desired, the second book keeps up with the momentum and excitement of the first, while also providing more details on what the current world is like, who the Council is and what they want or what their plan is for humankind, and what the future would look like. We learn about Astra and Felix’s past and why the Clock master chose them. The second book is a perfect continuation to the first that helps answer a lot of questions I had, and ends with the perfect bang/build up for the finale.
So, here are the things I loved about the second book in the trilogy:)
•More on the dystopian future that seems really scary, since it sounds so plausible! (Shudder)
•Astra and Felix!!! :-*
•The amount of research the author has done on the subject of time, colonies, and other literature references to Homer, Iliad- I love books which have references to literature or other books
•Again, the length of the book is short and can be easily read in a day
I can’t wait to read the final conclusion to this very interesting science fiction trilogy! I would recommend anyone who is interested in science fiction or likes stories involving dystopian settings such as Brave New World, 1984 or Fahrenheit 451. Have you read these books? What were your thoughts?
A quick recap on where we are with the story (without any spoilers :)):
It is almost year 2525, and something big is going to happen. Felix, the handsome ‘tin man’ and Astra, the fiery red headed ‘match girl’ have met in the first book and are still together, trying to figure out what the truth is and how they can save each other and the world as it is. Amidst all this, there are all these ‘Old World’ things that they discover together, almost like they are babies and have been born again. No Plain Rebel continues their story…
As I had desired, the second book keeps up with the momentum and excitement of the first, while also providing more details on what the current world is like, who the Council is and what they want or what their plan is for humankind, and what the future would look like. We learn about Astra and Felix’s past and why the Clock master chose them. The second book is a perfect continuation to the first that helps answer a lot of questions I had, and ends with the perfect bang/build up for the finale.
So, here are the things I loved about the second book in the trilogy:)
•More on the dystopian future that seems really scary, since it sounds so plausible! (Shudder)
•Astra and Felix!!! :-*
•The amount of research the author has done on the subject of time, colonies, and other literature references to Homer, Iliad- I love books which have references to literature or other books
•Again, the length of the book is short and can be easily read in a day
I can’t wait to read the final conclusion to this very interesting science fiction trilogy! I would recommend anyone who is interested in science fiction or likes stories involving dystopian settings such as Brave New World, 1984 or Fahrenheit 451. Have you read these books? What were your thoughts?
claire_luna's review
5.0
I received an ARC of this book from the author in return for an honest review. Thank you!
First off, you can’t imagine how ecstatic I was to receive an ARC of this book, since I watched it grow as a beta reader. Following M.C.’s process has been amazing, and working with her has been a great experience.
This review is spoiler-free!
This book is the second installment of the No Ordinary Star trilogy, set in a dystopian future. It stars two endearing protagonists who find themselves in remarkable positions, going against a regime that is threatening the world.
Astra and Felix’s relationship develops with poignant delicacy, the way they help each other grow is heart-warming, and I have to say I am in love with both of them. The world-building is complex, and the icy setting gives a brilliance to every scene (just look at the cover!). The minor imperfections don’t impede the enjoyment of this book, it is well-paced and with the right amount of plot for its short length. I was at the edge of my seat, even though I’d read it before!
The characters have captured my heart, the setting has enthralled my imagination and the writing has pierced my soul (that might seem over-dramatic, but there are some lines that I still cannot get over).
I would recommend this to readers who like their stories vibrant, dark and light, with pain and joy in perfect balance.
Also, each book is only $1.50 on amazon right now, and free on kindle unlimited, so you should really go check it out!
First off, you can’t imagine how ecstatic I was to receive an ARC of this book, since I watched it grow as a beta reader. Following M.C.’s process has been amazing, and working with her has been a great experience.
This review is spoiler-free!
This book is the second installment of the No Ordinary Star trilogy, set in a dystopian future. It stars two endearing protagonists who find themselves in remarkable positions, going against a regime that is threatening the world.
Astra and Felix’s relationship develops with poignant delicacy, the way they help each other grow is heart-warming, and I have to say I am in love with both of them. The world-building is complex, and the icy setting gives a brilliance to every scene (just look at the cover!). The minor imperfections don’t impede the enjoyment of this book, it is well-paced and with the right amount of plot for its short length. I was at the edge of my seat, even though I’d read it before!
The characters have captured my heart, the setting has enthralled my imagination and the writing has pierced my soul (that might seem over-dramatic, but there are some lines that I still cannot get over).
I would recommend this to readers who like their stories vibrant, dark and light, with pain and joy in perfect balance.
Also, each book is only $1.50 on amazon right now, and free on kindle unlimited, so you should really go check it out!
hopereads_'s review
4.0
"It's ten heartbeats until midnight", and oh, how this book had my heart beating!
No Plain Rebel is the incredible second installment in M.C. Frank's No Ordinary Star series. We rejoin Felix and Astra on their journey to discovering themselves, and eachother, in the dystopian One World.
- Spoilers ahead -
One reason why No Plain Rebel is so readable is the growing love between Felix and Astra. It's confusing, delicate and realistic, and only now do they begin to realise that their desire to be around eachother is not survival instinct, but something far more complex.
Because I enjoy Felix's character the most, I really did enjoy the narrative more in this second novel, as the story-telling was largely from his perspective. His journey is more interesting as he uncovers secrets that not only involve members of his family, but also reveal the heinous plans of the government that rule One World.
Regarding Astra, I found I lost a little sympathy for her as some of her actions I couldnt justify, namely her leaving for the Rebels. However, this may be a deliberate move on the author's part, and I'll only know once I read the third and final book of the series!
I mentioned in my review of NOS that there were elements that reminded me of His Dark Material's, but I'd like to make a correction; in NPR I kept thinking back to The Hunger Games, as the drive and passion of Katniss to overthrow Snow is very much apparent in that of Felix and Chairman Kun. Any writer that can capture that of an international bestseller is so very worthy of praise! So congrats M.C.
My favourite of M.C. Frank's works, so far! No Plain Rebel is a page-turner, that I devoured much too quickly, and now have to wait miserably until the final book.
- My Book And I
In lieu of writing this review, the author has kindly sent me a copy of No Plain Rebel.
No Plain Rebel is the incredible second installment in M.C. Frank's No Ordinary Star series. We rejoin Felix and Astra on their journey to discovering themselves, and eachother, in the dystopian One World.
- Spoilers ahead -
One reason why No Plain Rebel is so readable is the growing love between Felix and Astra. It's confusing, delicate and realistic, and only now do they begin to realise that their desire to be around eachother is not survival instinct, but something far more complex.
Because I enjoy Felix's character the most, I really did enjoy the narrative more in this second novel, as the story-telling was largely from his perspective. His journey is more interesting as he uncovers secrets that not only involve members of his family, but also reveal the heinous plans of the government that rule One World.
Regarding Astra, I found I lost a little sympathy for her as some of her actions I couldnt justify, namely her leaving for the Rebels. However, this may be a deliberate move on the author's part, and I'll only know once I read the third and final book of the series!
I mentioned in my review of NOS that there were elements that reminded me of His Dark Material's, but I'd like to make a correction; in NPR I kept thinking back to The Hunger Games, as the drive and passion of Katniss to overthrow Snow is very much apparent in that of Felix and Chairman Kun. Any writer that can capture that of an international bestseller is so very worthy of praise! So congrats M.C.
My favourite of M.C. Frank's works, so far! No Plain Rebel is a page-turner, that I devoured much too quickly, and now have to wait miserably until the final book.
- My Book And I
In lieu of writing this review, the author has kindly sent me a copy of No Plain Rebel.