Thursday, April 4, 2013

Review: 'Til the World Ends Anthology



Title: 'Til the World Ends
Author: Multiple
Publisher: Harlequin Luna
Release Date: January 29, 2013
Format/Source: Paperback- Author via Giveaway
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Dawn of Eden by Julie Kagawa
Before The Immortal Rules, there was the Red Lung, a relentless virus determined to take out all in its path. For Kylie, the miracle of her survival is also her burden-as a doctor at one of the clinics for the infected, she is forced to witness endless suffering. What's worse, strange things are happening to the remains of the dead, and by the time she befriends Ben Archer, she's beginning to wonder if a global pandemic is the least of her problems....

Thistle & Thorne by Ann Aguirre
After a catastrophic spill turns the country into a vast chemical wasteland, those who could afford it retreated to fortresses, self-contained communities run by powerful corporations. But for Mari Thistle, life on the outside-in the Red Zone-is a constant struggle. To protect her family, Mari teams up with the mysterious Thorne Goodman. Together, they'll face an evil plot in both the underworld of the Red Zone and the society inside the fortresses that could destroy those on the outside...for good.

Sun Storm by Karen Duvall
Sarah Daggot has been chasing storms since she was a child. But after the biggest solar flares in history nearly destroy the planet, she becomes a Kinetic, endowed by her exposure to extreme radiation with the power to sense coming storms-in the cosmos and beyond. And she's not the only one. Sarah believes the Kinetics are destined to join forces and halt the final onslaught of the sun. She'll vow to keep trying to convince the one missing link in their chain of defense, the enigmatic Ian Matthews, up until the world ends.

My Review:

Dawn of Eden by Julie Kagawa
1.5/5 stars

I have to admit, Julie Kagawa is lucky that I'm not basing my interest in reading the rest of the series on this prequel. It would have actually been a great story but the romance killed it for me. I never did feel that connection between Kylie and Ben. Hell, I felt more of a connection between Ben and Nathan.

And it's not that I mind sex during the apocalypse or anything, it's that they just met. So Ben brings in his dying friend, who I swear I thought was more than just a friend, and then everyone dies and Ben and Kylie run away. And have sex. And then run away some more. To his family.

I just can't. Which is sad because I'm all about vampires that are evil. I still miss them.

Thistle & Thorne by Ann Aguirre
3.5/5 stars

Best story in the anthology. The romance was way better in this story too. There was a nice slow burn that left me rooting for the two of them.

I love the world that Ann Aguirre created here and I love the characters as well. I hope to see more of this in the future. I would absolutely read novels set in this universe and featuring Mari and Thorne.

For a short story I certainly felt the impact of the segregation. The people who can afford it get to stay inside a walled city while everyone else struggles. Nothing grows anymore. People kill and rob just to survive. So Mari becomes a thief, with training from her father, to make ends meet. In Thorne she finds an unlikely companion.

The characters are likeable, the world is well-written. Ann Aguirre doesn't disappoint.

Sun Storm by Karen Duvall
3/5 stars

I've never read anything by Karen Duvall but I might pick up something by her now. I love the world that Karen Duvall created here and I would definitely enjoy reading more of it. The ending bothered me though. It was a bit ridiculous for my tastes.

Still, the overall story was interesting and I think the story is well worth the read.

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