I originally gave this three stars, but upon further thinking I just could not do that. This was not a good book. It was okay, yeah, but not good.

Many people complain about the style, with the counting and slashes and strange numbers. I'm going to say right now I had no problem with that. I was completely fine with it, actually. No, what I had a problem with was how the fast moments, the distracted ones, were filled with thought and metaphors. She is literally in the middle of some huge things, and thinking up the perfect metaphors. If they were later on, fine. But at that exact moment? Are you out of your mind?

Don't even get me started on Juliette, the main character, whose name shows up maybe 5-10 times total. She is the most 2-D character I ever read. She's supposed to be "healing" throughout the book, but I cannot fathom why. Because she went from one prison to another? Because she's being emotionally abused? Because she's suddenly running for her life? Or because the dude who she happened to love since 2nd grade showed up and proclaimed his undying love for her?

Let's talk about that for a second.

Adam Kent. Another 2-D character who does not change whatsoever. "I've loved you forever" he says. "I joined the army for you" he claims. "Let's run away together and put my baby brother who I love oh so much in danger" he shouts skipping into the sunset.

Seriously?

Who in their right mind would waste their life searching for someone they were interested in during middle school? Who would decide that despite the fact that she killed a child (I know it was an accident) she was just so good and he loved her so much (despite never talking to her!) that he needed to look for her anyways? And why does it just so happen that one of the two people who can touch her is him, who she loves sooo much? THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO WORK FOR IT, IT JUST FALLS INTO THEIR LAPS?

And what about that bird tattoo, which just so happens to be the same bird she dreamed of, that he also dreamed of? It's mentioned once, then never again. Perhaps in later books, but it's definitely not in the first few chapters of the next. In fact, it's not even a thought that crosses her mind. We are told to accept that it happened with absolutely no explanation, and that is just lazy writing.

What could have saved that book? Finding out Adam was actually Warner's spy. Or, discovering he is worse. I so desperately wanted something to happen that made him more alive, but no. It was all set up, too, and ready to go (especially with that suspicious business with the bird) but instead we just HAD to go with gooey eyes and stops during rescues to kiss (what the hell?).

Now that I mentioned Warner, he was the only decent character. Him and Kenji (cause I'm a sucker for the clown hiding the serious thing). Yeah, he is not a good character, but he's a well-written one. He's an abusive arsehole, but he still shows signs of a troubled past that could maybe pave the way to him being on the good side (Destroy Me kind of ruined it, but I still have hope). That being said, I do not think he should be with our Lady of Pain, because he is indeed abusive.

By the way, what is up with all the main characters having abusive parents? Juliette, Adam, Warner, all three of them. Their fathers are all abusive, and while Warner's mother seems to have been a victim herself, Juliette's definitely wasn't.

One last thought in my rant, before I pack up and go: what even was the apocalypse? At the beginning, it suggested the sun became red (which will happen eventually). But then it became about pollution and plague and the destruction of the environment. AND YET there should still be birds and such around. Rats at the least. And what's with the radiation? I know there was something about an exploded nuclear power plant (which should have wiped out the entire sector, really) but is this connected to the other world ending events? Or is it just a horrible coincidence that somehow relates to people like Juliette (don't tell me you haven't drawn that connection. Both she and Kenji have special abilities, and they survived the deadly radiation. Adam likely has something, too, considering he survived).

Anyways, I'm reading the next book to see if it gets any better, but I have my doubts. I'm hoping, but 17ish chapters in it does not look good.

There are, of course, reviews telling you much better things. I suggest reading those, too, if you're trying to decide to read this book. I highly recommend against it, but it I am writing this during the coronacation, so if you are desperate for anything new, go right ahead and try. Who knows, maybe you'll like it more than I did.