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A review by zu_reviews
The Countdown by Kimberly Derting
2.0
I was really hoping, with a more clear plot direction, this would improve on the second book and finish off the series nicely. Unfortunately, this reapted a lot of the things that I disliked in the second book.
For starters, this book still gives me really gross and creepy vibes. They're still pushing the love triangle of Tyler-Simon-Kyra, and Griffin is still interested in Tyler, but Griffin and Simon are obviously like 60+ years old even though they are in teen bodies. Tyler and Kyra actually are still teens!!! IN HIGH SCHOOL. It's just NOT okay. I always felt super uncomfortable reading it. Not to mention that Simon and Griffin hardly know them either, like only a few weeks and no real time spent together. They just read as child predators to me. Especially Simon, cause he just wants her. There is no connection. And he's a aggressive and pushy and just... it's disgusting when put all together. YOU'RE OLD ENOUGH TO BE THEIR PARENTS, IT'S NOT CUTE IT'S CRIMINAL.
The added perspectives of Simon and Tyler weren't awful, but my book had them in a completely different font that was jarring and annoying. (That's not Derting's fault though, so I'm not including it in my rating. Just wanted to mention it in my review.) And Simon in particular... all he thinks about is Kyra, but not in a loving way, or anything. His interest in her is just annoying and creepy as I mentioned above, but it's heightened in his viewpoint because he has no reason to be in love with her. He has literally nothing to think about, no positive comments about her personality. Because he has no connection or any way to relate to a 17 year old girl. It's just "where is she?" "Is she hurt?" "Everyone is stupid!" "ARGH Tyler sucks, she's mine!!!"
And then the end... more unnecessary twists that pack no punch. We dragged to get there, a lot of this book felt stretched. And I felt like there was some moral and illogical inconsistencies with motive at the end. Derting tried to make clear "good guys" and "bad guys" but drew the lines in all the wrong places.
For starters, this book still gives me really gross and creepy vibes. They're still pushing the love triangle of Tyler-Simon-Kyra, and Griffin is still interested in Tyler, but Griffin and Simon are obviously like 60+ years old even though they are in teen bodies. Tyler and Kyra actually are still teens!!! IN HIGH SCHOOL. It's just NOT okay. I always felt super uncomfortable reading it. Not to mention that Simon and Griffin hardly know them either, like only a few weeks and no real time spent together. They just read as child predators to me. Especially Simon, cause he just wants her. There is no connection. And he's a aggressive and pushy and just... it's disgusting when put all together. YOU'RE OLD ENOUGH TO BE THEIR PARENTS, IT'S NOT CUTE IT'S CRIMINAL.
The added perspectives of Simon and Tyler weren't awful, but my book had them in a completely different font that was jarring and annoying. (That's not Derting's fault though, so I'm not including it in my rating. Just wanted to mention it in my review.) And Simon in particular... all he thinks about is Kyra, but not in a loving way, or anything. His interest in her is just annoying and creepy as I mentioned above, but it's heightened in his viewpoint because he has no reason to be in love with her. He has literally nothing to think about, no positive comments about her personality. Because he has no connection or any way to relate to a 17 year old girl. It's just "where is she?" "Is she hurt?" "Everyone is stupid!" "ARGH Tyler sucks, she's mine!!!"
And then the end... more unnecessary twists that pack no punch. We dragged to get there, a lot of this book felt stretched. And I felt like there was some moral and illogical inconsistencies with motive at the end. Derting tried to make clear "good guys" and "bad guys" but drew the lines in all the wrong places.