WOW. I absolutely did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, but it was amazing. While it took a little while for me to get into the action, Ruby was a sympathetic and relatable protagonist (though I will say that the "I'm a monster" thing is so overdone and I find it a little bit annoying in characters who aren't Bellamy Blake) and I loved her and her friends so much. I've always enjoyed a good roadtrip/fugitive story, and I can hardly imagine a better adventure squad than Ruby, Liam, Chubs, and Zu.

Zu was so important to me: not just as a small child you wanted to protect (though she certainly was that), but also as an Asian character with her own backstory and motivations, aka great rep. I hope we get to learn more about her, and that she and Ruby cross paths again soon.

Liam ... where to start? "He looped his own towel around my waist and drew me to his side. 'That was the Liam Stewart way of saying, Hi, darlin', missed you something fierce. Oh, wow, bad enough to make you cry?'" He's sweet and noble and protective, but flawed and human and therefore so lovable. You could see it coming from a mile away, but his relationship with Ruby was so well-developed and I was definitely invested. *cries because of the ending* May they meet again.

And Clancy — damn. I love a bit of darkness in books, and it's so awesome that it was made clear what a manipulative little piece of shit he was. Again, not really a twist but something that was thoroughly explored and clearly so, so wrong. I definitely applaud the fact that he wasn't made out as the classic tragic misunderstood antihero with daddy issues that justify his immorality — no, his actions were not excused and I feel so vindicated.

In conclusion — great characters and a fascinating world that I definitely want to keep exploring. Can't wait to see how their story continues!

As far as classification goes, "guilty pleasure" comes to mind - not mine, but probably someone's. I did get some enjoyment in the love interest turning out to be

Spoiler

a lying, cheating asshole

, just to keep things interesting. Lovely setting; it's a large part of why I rated this book above a 2 at all.

Interesting if not really groundbreaking premise, well-written with vivid, lovable (and, perhaps most importantly, imperfect) characters. Great pacing, nice twist; even the romance was well timed.

I understand the series' reputation, though imo it doesn't quite live up to the hype. I didn't particularly like any of the characters, nor am I all that invested in the storyline. Also,

Spoiler

secret twins

is such a cliche.

Meanders on lengthy tangents; the moral/revelation felt predictable yet crammed in abruptly at the end, apropos of little (if anything) in the body of the story. Worthwhile premise, but the plot was pretty flat and the characters weren't particularly memorable either.

Quirky, with a relatable narrator. It took a little while to figure out Bartholomew's mental state, but I felt that it was pretty well done. I loved Max and Elizabeth too, as well as the

Spoiler

"aliens"

development.

The romance with Duval definitely didn't appeal to me - too cliche. Even if Ismae isn't the only Daughter, it bothers me that she seems to be significantly more powerful than any of the others. The political/historical themes were somewhat interesting, but ultimately not enough to keep me hooked on this series.

Honestly, this seemed more like a snapshot/short than a fully developed novel. That said, what we do get is a pretty vivid, relatable narrative with lovable characters.

Not all that exceptional, except that it made me root for the antihero over the boyfriend. Messy mashup of mythologies, which I didn't really like, though the idea of the Everneath is interesting in its own right.

In all honesty, I thought the MC was kind of a bitch; though I related to her bookish side, she seemed like "that friend" - the one who ditches you for not being cool enough. The plot development was limited, and ultimately I didn't enjoy this book very much.