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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
Mania is a great fantasy, young adult novel for any reader.
To start out with, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read the previous books before starting this one. I did not, since I got this as a review novel, and boy was I confused for 75% of this book. That's not to say this book isn't highly addicting and incredibly interesting as a "standalone", but having the background information from the other novels would have made this book so much better!
As a standalone, (or as I call it, Bri-anna the reviewer couldn't find the other novels and couldn't afford to buy them), the book was great! The author does back track and explain some of the content of the previous novels to aid the readers. So, I had a basic understanding of what was going on throughout the book.
In short, this book follows some teenagers and young adults through a sort of post apocalyptic / dystopian world. There is a virus that is going around, that makes people similar to zombies - some of them can't sleep and don't read, which leads them to not living long. Our main characters, half brothers Jack and Parker, are trying to find the cure which their Father left behind (but is no longer with them). Together with their friends, they must face a rivaling group bent on evil and cure this disease to aid the world.
I wish I would have read the previous books so I would have more feelings towards the characters. These characters are beautifully written, but since I didn't know their previous relationships and personalities, I felt like I was at a loss. JR Johansson did so great building these characters in just this book, that I can't help but wonder what happened in the two previous!
Overall, this book was great! The plot was summed up, the characters were built well, and it was an original story and plot I hadn't heard often - it was a great spin on what could have been a very typical plot.
Three out of five stars!
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
To start out with, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read the previous books before starting this one. I did not, since I got this as a review novel, and boy was I confused for 75% of this book. That's not to say this book isn't highly addicting and incredibly interesting as a "standalone", but having the background information from the other novels would have made this book so much better!
As a standalone, (or as I call it, Bri-anna the reviewer couldn't find the other novels and couldn't afford to buy them), the book was great! The author does back track and explain some of the content of the previous novels to aid the readers. So, I had a basic understanding of what was going on throughout the book.
In short, this book follows some teenagers and young adults through a sort of post apocalyptic / dystopian world. There is a virus that is going around, that makes people similar to zombies - some of them can't sleep and don't read, which leads them to not living long. Our main characters, half brothers Jack and Parker, are trying to find the cure which their Father left behind (but is no longer with them). Together with their friends, they must face a rivaling group bent on evil and cure this disease to aid the world.
I wish I would have read the previous books so I would have more feelings towards the characters. These characters are beautifully written, but since I didn't know their previous relationships and personalities, I felt like I was at a loss. JR Johansson did so great building these characters in just this book, that I can't help but wonder what happened in the two previous!
Overall, this book was great! The plot was summed up, the characters were built well, and it was an original story and plot I hadn't heard often - it was a great spin on what could have been a very typical plot.
Three out of five stars!
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
When I received this ARC from Jenn I was ecstatic! Thanx soo much!
I started reading it with a lot of enthusiasm, because let's face it, I needed the next book after reading book 2. I was traveling from Paris to Amsterdam and had a lot of time on my hands. Before I knew it I was half way through the book. Then it hit me. This was going to be the last book before I had to let go of Parker, Jack, Finn, Addie and Mia, and I wasn't ready. But before long my curiousity won it from my small deppressions over the ending of an amazing series.
The Takers are gone from the base now that Jack's and Parker's father blew it up. Consequently, making it impossible for anyone to make Eclipse ever again. To make sure that Chloe would let Finn go, Jack promised that he would find another way to make the Takers survive. The only problem is that Jack's dad was the only one with enough knowledge to make that happen. In fear of their lives the Takers kidnap Parker. The only way that Jack would get his brother back is if he handed over Eclipse to the Takers. But perhaps there is a better way. Hopefully Jack can get his hands on all of the ingredents before Parker's time is up.
The last two books were mainly about Parker, but in this book you learn a lot more about Jack. You can also see this on the covers. On the last two you could see Parker, but on this one you can see Jack. I have loved all of the covers, they really give a feel of the books. And that is what a cover is supposed to do in my opinion. Even the model fits my idea of what Jack and Parker look like.
You switch from one brother to the next every chapter. In some books this could be confusing and a reason for people to not be able to get into the story. But that doesn't happen here. Because of the switch you receive important information from both sides. Not only about the drug that Jack is working on, but also deeper knowledge about the Takers.
Jenn mentioned in the interview that I had with her that this was her favorite book of the three. I think I agree :) You learn even more about the different types of Night Walkers in Mania. It started in Paranoia, but now you go deeper into what drives them to do the things they do. Not only for the Takers, but for the Builders and The Watchers as well. There is one scene that is particulary interesting when Parker gets kidnapped. You see and feel the fear of the Watchers and the Builders living there and you kind of get to understand the feute between them. Later on when you learn more about the Takers from Parker you get it even more, and it's so cleverly done. It feels really natural.
The fear that these Takers live in it's so normal that you almost don't see them as the bad guys anymore. You begin to see them for who they are. People fighting for their lives. But then Cooper opens his mouth and they're back to being the bad guys.
Their feute takes a drastic turn for the worst and not everyone gets to the last page of this book alive. The tone that was set in the last few chapters of Paranoia continues on in this book. And it's addictive, well written and amazing! I've said it before with the other two books, but I was on the edge of my seat for most of this book as well.
What I also really liked about this book was getting to know Jack a lot more. You learn about the place he grew up in, how he must have felt most of his life, and he struggles he's been going through. Because eventhough, according to him, the Takers are responsible for his dad's passing, and the passing of many other Night Walkers, not all of them are as bad as he once thought. Chloe forces her way into his thoughts, and maybe she's only helping him to save her own skin, but he can't keep her at a distance. We also learn about Jack's best friend. She's not very taken with Jack's new friend. What I also loved was Finn. He is still the lovely comic relief in some places, with is lovely and very true t-shirts and his charming way of naming things. But he's also really helpful in this book. One thing I did miss quite a bit was Addie. I love her. I understand why she wasn't in it as much though :)
All in all a magnificint ending of an amazing series. I'm sad that it's over, but I loved every minute of it. And I can live with this ending ;) and who knows, maybe one day Jenn'll return to this world, and give us more to love. I can't wait.
This book is release on the 8th of July 2015 and I encurage you all to buy it and read it! <3
I started reading it with a lot of enthusiasm, because let's face it, I needed the next book after reading book 2. I was traveling from Paris to Amsterdam and had a lot of time on my hands. Before I knew it I was half way through the book. Then it hit me. This was going to be the last book before I had to let go of Parker, Jack, Finn, Addie and Mia, and I wasn't ready. But before long my curiousity won it from my small deppressions over the ending of an amazing series.
The Takers are gone from the base now that Jack's and Parker's father blew it up. Consequently, making it impossible for anyone to make Eclipse ever again. To make sure that Chloe would let Finn go, Jack promised that he would find another way to make the Takers survive. The only problem is that Jack's dad was the only one with enough knowledge to make that happen. In fear of their lives the Takers kidnap Parker. The only way that Jack would get his brother back is if he handed over Eclipse to the Takers. But perhaps there is a better way. Hopefully Jack can get his hands on all of the ingredents before Parker's time is up.
The last two books were mainly about Parker, but in this book you learn a lot more about Jack. You can also see this on the covers. On the last two you could see Parker, but on this one you can see Jack. I have loved all of the covers, they really give a feel of the books. And that is what a cover is supposed to do in my opinion. Even the model fits my idea of what Jack and Parker look like.
You switch from one brother to the next every chapter. In some books this could be confusing and a reason for people to not be able to get into the story. But that doesn't happen here. Because of the switch you receive important information from both sides. Not only about the drug that Jack is working on, but also deeper knowledge about the Takers.
Jenn mentioned in the interview that I had with her that this was her favorite book of the three. I think I agree :) You learn even more about the different types of Night Walkers in Mania. It started in Paranoia, but now you go deeper into what drives them to do the things they do. Not only for the Takers, but for the Builders and The Watchers as well. There is one scene that is particulary interesting when Parker gets kidnapped. You see and feel the fear of the Watchers and the Builders living there and you kind of get to understand the feute between them. Later on when you learn more about the Takers from Parker you get it even more, and it's so cleverly done. It feels really natural.
The fear that these Takers live in it's so normal that you almost don't see them as the bad guys anymore. You begin to see them for who they are. People fighting for their lives. But then Cooper opens his mouth and they're back to being the bad guys.
Their feute takes a drastic turn for the worst and not everyone gets to the last page of this book alive. The tone that was set in the last few chapters of Paranoia continues on in this book. And it's addictive, well written and amazing! I've said it before with the other two books, but I was on the edge of my seat for most of this book as well.
What I also really liked about this book was getting to know Jack a lot more. You learn about the place he grew up in, how he must have felt most of his life, and he struggles he's been going through. Because eventhough, according to him, the Takers are responsible for his dad's passing, and the passing of many other Night Walkers, not all of them are as bad as he once thought. Chloe forces her way into his thoughts, and maybe she's only helping him to save her own skin, but he can't keep her at a distance. We also learn about Jack's best friend. She's not very taken with Jack's new friend. What I also loved was Finn. He is still the lovely comic relief in some places, with is lovely and very true t-shirts and his charming way of naming things. But he's also really helpful in this book. One thing I did miss quite a bit was Addie. I love her. I understand why she wasn't in it as much though :)
All in all a magnificint ending of an amazing series. I'm sad that it's over, but I loved every minute of it. And I can live with this ending ;) and who knows, maybe one day Jenn'll return to this world, and give us more to love. I can't wait.
This book is release on the 8th of July 2015 and I encurage you all to buy it and read it! <3