Series: Shatter Me #2
Narrator: Kate Simses
11 hrs. 57 min.
Unabridged
Publisher: HarperAudio
Published: 2/5/13
Source: Library
Amazon Affiliate Link (Book)

tick tick tick tick tick

it's almost time for war. 

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance. 

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch. 

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible. 

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

My thoughts:

I'm glad I read the prequel and it did set things up nicely for this book. So, do get to that one first if you can. And yes, this one does set up things for the dreaded love triangle. I don't like triangles, but I don't have the aversion to them as others have when immediately hearing a series or a book has them. I've actually read good triangle books but I will concede that they are few in number. And how do I feel about this one? I'm not sure. It is too early to tell, but so far I'm intrigued by how it is set up. In some ways it makes sense depending on who Juliette decides who she IS in the end. She is still a child, growing and learning so she has things to think about. Even though she gets jumbled up in her head and needs to leave that space more often, she still finds a way to figure out, in baby steps, who she wants to become as she learns more about her world. Now, that I do appreciate and that is really what drives me along in the book. The triangle for me is just another way for her to explore herself more even if you might get frustrated with her confusion from time to time. It is good to remember her formative years were quite stunted.

I admit this one took me a while to get though. It was no fault of the book, and I was always glad to get back to it, but I also didn't have a problem letting it go from time to time. Still, by the end of the book I was very curious to how Juliette would progress and how all her friends fit in it.

I give this audiobook 4 stars. The narrator, Kate Simses, does the voicing of the various characters well and it is easy to get lost in her telling of the story. I really like how they took this visual book and made it work in audio. I do think I'll continue this one on audio if I can and it does look like the library has the next two. I do recommend the audiobook format.

One last chance...
For Max, Fang, Angel, Iggy, Nudge, and Gazzy.
Before it all ends. 

Are you ready for the final chapter? Are you ready for the ultimate flight? Because THIS IS IT. One last incredible, explosive adventure with an astonishing ending that no one could have seen coming.

The last book in the series and hopefully all the answers are finally given. Will Max finally save the world? Will the flock be together? Well, yes, those things are answered... well, the first is sort of answered, but the second question is fulfilled. As is who Max choses in the love triangle in which I was never a fan. Nope, not going to reveal those answers, but I will talk about the general plot.

I have to say this was back with the first book, but yet, still had those pesky plot holes that were never filled. In fact, although I thought this one was better edited than some of the most recent books in the series, there were still some minor problems. One was Akila. Um... she was a Malemute and not a Samoyed. Big difference in size an attitude (okay, I might be one of the few to know that right away, but still...). The others were the explanations that never quite took, the fact that their benefactor was never really vetted, and that some of the whys weren't explained. Yes, this one will give you some of those answers, but leave several of those that were created within this series just fluttering.

I also had problems with the big climatic ending. What were the bad guys motivation. Yes, we got... save the world from the humans, but then why were they trying to always destroy the flock? Were they the true terror? Was there more to it (I can't explain that one further w/o spoilage)? How would they know that? Who knew that? What did her mother know? Jeb (we get a partial answer, but not what I thought was a full one)? Ah way too many questions, too little answers.

I give this book 3 stars. While I think it was a pretty decent conclusion to the series despite my questions, and that was mostly because of the interaction of the flock. I still liked the way they interacted despite me thinking Fang was a jerk more than once. I would still recommend this book to MG readers who just want to be entertained and not think too much about what gets dropped and what makes sense. The action and adventure was fun.

Fang (Maximum Ride #6) (The Protectors #3)

Angel says that Fang will be the first to die, and Angel is never wrong. Maximum Ride is used to living desperately on the run from evil forces sabotaging her quest to save the world--but nothing has ever come as close to destroying her as this horrifying prophetic message. Fang is Max's best friend, her soul mate, her partner in the leadership of her flock of winged children. A life without Fang is a life unimaginable. 

When a newly created winged boy, the magnificent Dylan, is introduced into the flock, their world is upended yet again. Raised in a lab like the others, Dylan exists for only one reason: he was designed to be Max's perfect other half. Thus unfolds a battle of perfection versus passion that terrifies, twists, and turns... and meanwhile, the apocalypse is coming.

Now this book basically opens up with some of the problems in Africa, namely getting proper medical assistance and food. It was basically limited to these problems, which might be for the best especially since very young kids may be reading it and it could be too much. However, I did wonder why kids who eat more calories to keep up their daily routine would be in such a food limited area. Still, it did also provide another scenario coming into play by another evil scientist with not too many braincells working.

I think the books since #4 have picked back up to the entertainment there was at the beginning. I also have to say that Angel bugs me from time to time and in this one, I really couldn't stand her that much. I also think that was part of the point, so I have to say it was successful. As with the other stories, this one was about survival and the introduction to a new flock member, Dylan. Max is also more emotional which I did like and so there was some growth in her character. I hope with the last 2 books looming, it continues.

I give this book 3 stars. I enjoyed it much more than I did the 2 previous despite the plot repetition within the series. This one had a lot less plot holes and it flowed much better. On to the next!

Angel (Maximum Ride #7), (The Protectors #4)

Max Ride and her best friends have always had one another's backs. No. Matter. What. Living on the edge as fugitives, they never had a choice. But now they're up against a deadly force that's racing across the globe, and just when they need him the most--Fang is gone. He's creating his own gang that will replace everyone--including Max. 

Max is heartbroken over losing Fang, her soul mate. Her closest friend. But with Dylan ready and willing to fight by her side, and she can no longer deny that his incredible intensity draws her in. Max, Dylan, and the rest of their friends must soon join forces with Fang and his new gang for an explosive showdown in Paris that's unlike anything you've ever imagined... or read.

Well, I was expecting to really be upset with Angel in this book, but surprise, I really enjoyed that little girl. This is still Max's story, but we also get some of Fang's side since he split again from the group. Oh and about that... I could so totally kick Fang's... uh... hiney for how he is treating Max. I don't get this development and frankly, it makes no sense. The whole Dylan angle is also a head scratcher. I will say this, the adventure is a bit different in this one as the gang is dealing with a more brain-washed cult like kids and we are uncertain who all the "bad guy" players.

I give this book 3 stars. Although the romance was confusing, I did like the introduction of the cult like kids. It gave the kids something a bit different to fight.

The Final Warning (Maximum Ride #4), (The Protectors #1)

In this breathtaking new story from the astonishing imagination of James Patterson, a girl has to save herself from an army assembled just to capture her-and maybe save the planet while she's at it. 

Maximum Ride is a perfectly normal teenager who just happens to be able to fly, the result of an out-of-control government experiment.

Max and the other members of the Flock-six kids who share her remarkable ability-have been asked to aid a group of environmental scientists studying the causes of global warming. The expedition seems like a perfect combination of adventure, activism--and escaping government forces who watch the Flock like a hawk. 

But even in Antarctica, trapped in the harshest weather on our planet, Maximum Ride is an irresistible target in constant danger. For whoever controls her powers could also control the world. Maximum Ride is James Patterson's greatest character, a heroine who manages to be human and fearless at once.

This is actually going to be a hard one for me to review. The series really veered from the original formula quite severely for me and I'm not sure how I should handle that. So... here I go...

Let me start with my biggest complaints about the book....

The last book did fill in a lot of the questions, but things were left open and it didn't feel as if they had defeated the evil corporation. So, why are they suddenly environmentalists? Not that I think that is a bad thing at all, and I could see things growing in that direction, but it just didn't fit. It was too sharp of a turn in direction. It would have made more sense if they had totally defeated the evil and now could concentrate on the more common evil of global warming. So... I'm not sure where the story is planning to go.

It also had a lot of plot holes. Things I hoped would start to make sense from the last books have been forgotten and parts of the book just didn't fit with other parts. Also some aspects seemed to be just dropped. It's like a patchwork of stories that just didn't quite make a quilt.

As to the positives...

There are a few. I still enjoyed how the flock interacted with each other. I enjoyed Max's snark. I also laughed at Total falling in love with an Alaskan Malemute. Those things kept the story going and kept it entertaining. I also felt that MG readers would get more out of this book and even the previous ones more than adult and older YA readers.

Here is the hard part... how to rate it? I guess I'll go with 2 stars. As far as part of the series, I'm not sure I like it. It's just too different too quickly. However, they did put it as part of a new series (The Protectors #1) so I may be a bit too harsh. What I'll end with is that I still like the way the characters interact with each other. I also think that MG readers will really enjoy the story and message. I'm just not sure it fits easily within the series.

Max (Maximum Ride #5), (The Protectors #2)

Maximum Ride and the other members of the flock have barely recovered from their last Arctic adventure, when they are confronted by the most frightening catastrophe yet. Millions of fish are dying off the coast of Hawaii and someone--or something--is destroying hundreds of ships. Unable to discover the cause, the government enlists the flock to help them get to the bottom of the disaster before it is too late. 

While Max and her team are exploring the depths of the ocean, their every move is being carefully tracked by Mr. Chu--a criminal mastermind with his own plans for the flock. Can they protect themselves from Mr. Chu's army of mercenaries and save the ocean from utter destruction?

With this book, the second in the Protectors part of the series, it continues the environmental message, but is much more coherent within the plot. It runs much more smoothly and I enjoyed it a lot more. That may be because it had one objective, to save Max's mother in which the side story of environmental activism could also present itself. As we had in the previous books, the flock's interaction is fun and Total cracked me up with him lamenting about Akila the Malemute. Yes, this book is what the last book should have been more like when it changed tactics.

I give this book 3 stars. It's much more readable, but still refuses to clear up any questions you had in the previous books. MG readers will love this one especially with the side romance.

School's Out~ Forever (Maximum Ride #2), (The Fugitives #2)

Fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride and the other members of the "Flock"--Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel--are just like ordinary kids--only they have wings and can fly. It seems like a dream come true--except that they're being hunted by half-human, half-wolf "Erasers" who can fly, too.

In Book 2 of the series, the Flock members are taken under the wing of an FBI agent and try to live "normal" lives by going to school, making friends--and continuing their relentless search for their parents. But the Erasers return, forcing the Flock to abandon their search and make their escape once again. The voice inside Max's head keeps telling her that it's up to her to save the world, but this is especially challenging to do when she is faced with her ultimate match: a newer and better version of herself, Maximum Ride II. Max's heart-stopping quest to investigate the mind-blowing mystery of her ultimate destiny continues in the scariest, strangest, and funniest James Patterson novel yet.

This book takes off where the last book ends. In this one, the flock are attacked and are forced to find a place for one of them to get medical treatment and recuperation. And despite the misgivings they stay and find a bit of solace. However, nothing lasts forever. The erasers seem to magically know where they are and new enemies are revealed. Now the question on Max's mind on how to save the world has a few more pieces, however, is it enough?

I was entertained with this addition to the series. I felt more attached to Max than in the previous book, but "the voice" always seemed to keep me at arms length. Also, within this story, the introduction to "Anne" and having a normal life totally perplexed me. While it's introduction may become clear later in this series, it just did't fit here. I just didn't fit at all with what we did know of the kids and what they had been through. Too much normal... waaayyy too quickly.

I give this book 3 stars. While I had a lot of misgivings within the story, it's far from over and it all may make total sense in the end.
Saving the World (Maximum Ride #3), (The Fugitives #3)

In MAXIMUM RIDE: SAVING THE WORLD AND OTHER EXTREME SPORTS, the time has arrived for Max and her winged "Flock" to face their ultimate enemy and discover their original purpose: to defeat the takeover of "Re-evolution", a sinister experiment to re-engineer a select population into a scientifically superior master race...and to terminate the rest. Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel have always worked together to defeat the forces working against them--but can they save the world when they are torn apart, living in hiding and captivity, halfway across the globe from one another?

In this action filled book we find out more about who is behind all the coming destruction and mayhem. We also find out more about the old enemies and find some unlikely allies. And in finding those allies, the flock splits up, each trying to find a way of saving the world from the evil scientists.

I have to say that in the beginning of this book, I wasn't totally on board with everything. In fact there were a couple of "what the...?" moments in plot twists. It really didn't make sense nor did it make sense in the end. However, this being a series, perhaps it will in the end? Hard to tell, but you could have taken those moments out and it would have made for a better book. After those moments and we are back on track, the book really picks up and it became much more entertaining to me.

Many questions are answered in this book, but many more are still needing to be answered. In fact, there are a few that pop up. But that occurs within a long running series such as this one. Many clues are still needed to see the whole picture.

The book has lots of "kid power" moments I think that the MG crowd would just love. Considering the oldest of the flock is 14, I think MG readers could really get a lot out of these books as well as the YA crowd. Perhaps even more so. There is violence, but nothing too graphic that you wouldn't see on tv. I give this book 3 1/2 stars and think despite the twisty moments that didn't make sense it was a good continuation of this series.

In James Patterson's blockbuster series, fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride, better known as Max, knows what it's like to soar above the world. She and all the members of the "flock"--Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel--are just like ordinary kids--only they have wings and can fly. It may seem like a dream come true to some, but their lives can morph into a living nightmare at any time...like when Angel, the youngest member of the flock, is kidnapped and taken back to the "School" where she and the others were experimented on by a crew of wack jobs. Her friends brave a journey to blazing hot Death Valley, CA, to save Angel, but soon enough, they find themselves in yet another nightmare--this one involving fighting off the half-human, half-wolf "Erasers" in New York City. Whether in the treetops of Central Park or in the bowels of the Manhattan subway system, Max and her adopted family take the ride of their lives. Along the way Max discovers from her old friend and father-figure Jeb--now her betrayed and greatest enemy--that her purpose is save the world--but can she?

This is a fun easy read that those young MG readers could appreciate as well as adults who just like a good adventure. In some ways the set up in this story reminded me of Dark Angel in where there are kids who "belong" to a lab and then fight their way to freedom and staying that way. After that, the resemblance ends. You then have a unique telling of mutants learning to navigate the world which they know won't accept them.

The adventure these kids have is quite intense and you can't wait to find out all of the answers to the questions that form as they fight to save one of their own. Fight to save Angel, the littlest from a fate worse than death. Along the way they learn more about the world than they ever thought possible and find some unlikely help along the way. However, even while on the hot trail of learning more about their past and what they were told was true or not, they find that they can't trust anything or anyone outside of the flock.

Although I liked all the main characters, my biggest complaint about this book is that it is hard to really connect on a deep level to the kids. It makes sense because their whole life is crises management and so little time is left for really knowing who they truly are. However, since this is only one book in a series, I feel that the connection will come and probably sooner than later. You can see things falling in place within this book for that to happen.

I give this book 3 1/2 stars. I think it is a fast and fun book for the beginning to this series. I recommend it to those that enjoy UF and YA.