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Ailene #2
Ailene
Hayden Navarro has only one concern: protecting the ones he loves.
At nineteen, he learns the world is in danger. An anonymous terrorist organization has attacked several countries all across the planet. When his parents suspect there might be a mole in the Council of Ailene, they ask Hayden to go undercover as an intern.
Once in Ailene, he quickly becomes overwhelmed by everything and everyone around him. He struggles to keep his best friend, Lowell, safe while fending off the ever-present voices inside his head telling him that one day he’s going to lose everything, and he’ll be them one responsible for it all.
He’s close to falling apart altogether when he crosses paths with Alexander Collins, a funny and handsome Council member who makes him feel happy and understood. His days suddenly become a little bit brighter—but nothing in Hayden’s life is ever easy. There’s a strict rule against workplace romances, forcing them to stay just friends, yet as they grow closer, Hayden and Lowell find themselves steadily growing apart.
Can Hayden find a way to keep his head above water while hunting down the mole, struggling with his growing feelings for Alexander, fixing his relationship with Lowell, and trying to save everyone he cares about—all at the same time?
At nineteen, he learns the world is in danger. An anonymous terrorist organization has attacked several countries all across the planet. When his parents suspect there might be a mole in the Council of Ailene, they ask Hayden to go undercover as an intern.
Once in Ailene, he quickly becomes overwhelmed by everything and everyone around him. He struggles to keep his best friend, Lowell, safe while fending off the ever-present voices inside his head telling him that one day he’s going to lose everything, and he’ll be them one responsible for it all.
He’s close to falling apart altogether when he crosses paths with Alexander Collins, a funny and handsome Council member who makes him feel happy and understood. His days suddenly become a little bit brighter—but nothing in Hayden’s life is ever easy. There’s a strict rule against workplace romances, forcing them to stay just friends, yet as they grow closer, Hayden and Lowell find themselves steadily growing apart.
Can Hayden find a way to keep his head above water while hunting down the mole, struggling with his growing feelings for Alexander, fixing his relationship with Lowell, and trying to save everyone he cares about—all at the same time?
360 pages, Paperback
Published April 3, 2023
5 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
Annabel den Dekker
6 books44 followersAnnabel den Dekker is a queer author from the Netherlands. When she’s not writing, she can be found strolling through nature, daydreaming about her favorite characters or conjuring up new stories. She’s also an avid admirer of books, music and TV series, and delights in sharing them with others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
July 3, 2023
How can I sum up this book in words. I truly loved this book. Its descriptive imagery and characters will stay in my heart for a long time. I loved Hayden and Lowells relationship, the brothers that always needed each other, even when times got hard. Alexander is just an absolute sweetheart. I loved that some of the characters had special abilities, and I loved Suri with her little beeps and cheekrubs. Honestly, Annabel Den Dekker really put everything into this one. It had action, fantasy, romance, and such an amazing storyline. I was gripped.
April 26, 2023
If you're looking for a book that doesn't follow your mainstream YA story, this one is for you! I found Ailene to be engaging and fresh, and I devoured it within 2 days. The story is well thought out, and there is enough of both action and character development. It balances out each other quite perfectly. The characters are all lovable, and anyone would kill to have their own Suri. The world-building is also excellent, where you don't get an overload of information (it is sci-fi after all) but just enough to get a clear view of where our characters are exactly.
All in all this was a great read, and I can highly recommend you pick it up!
All in all this was a great read, and I can highly recommend you pick it up!
December 10, 2023
I had so much fun reading this book! I really loved the complex and detailed worldbuilding this author used for the book. And not only the worldbuilding was amazing, the characters and the development of them were so well done. I enjoyed going on an adventure with Hayden.
If you love YA, fantasy, romance, amazing worldbuilding and a great storyline this book is definitely a must read!
Now the only thing I really want to know is where can I get myself al Suri? I absolutely loved the Womkey.
Thank you Annabel den Dekker for opportunity to read your book.
If you love YA, fantasy, romance, amazing worldbuilding and a great storyline this book is definitely a must read!
Now the only thing I really want to know is where can I get myself al Suri? I absolutely loved the Womkey.
Thank you Annabel den Dekker for opportunity to read your book.
May 12, 2023
4.5 stars. Excellent complex world building and really interesting characters. The mental difficulties Hayden struggled with his whole life were sympathetically written. I'd love to know what a womkey looks like, everyone needs a Suri. The motivations of all the people wanting change were scarily accurate. Aimed for YA readers but would certainly recommend to adults.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and am happy to leave a voluntary review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and am happy to leave a voluntary review.
April 18, 2023
An amazing read, Annabel makes you love her characters as they grow and learn throughout the story. These characters are flawed, complex and so real, it's very refreshing to read. It's beautifully written and Annabel truly brings a new world to life. I wish I could visit Ailene myself!
I'll admit I'm still swooning over Alexander after this read 🙈
I'll admit I'm still swooning over Alexander after this read 🙈
September 17, 2024
Update: I've been thinking about this for a while now, and I'm going to rate Ailene after all. This book and its beautifully flawed characters mean the world to me, and it feels wrong to not give it the love it deserves. On many, many days, this book has been my reason to get up in the morning, especially when I was certain that I couldn't. For this reason alone, it will forever hold a special place in my heart, and I can only hope that it will bring you the same joy and comfort as it has brought me.💜
________________
I'm not going to rate my own book (though I kind of love it when authors do that), but I will take this opportunity to give you some extra info:
Genre: YA Queer Sci-Fi/Dystopian Romance
Tropes: Found Family, Forbidden Romance, Love Triangle, Special Abilities
Trigger Warnings: Anxiety, Death/Dying, Depression, Violence, War
ENJOY! I hope you'll love reading it as much as I loved writing it!
________________
I'm not going to rate my own book (though I kind of love it when authors do that), but I will take this opportunity to give you some extra info:
Genre: YA Queer Sci-Fi/Dystopian Romance
Tropes: Found Family, Forbidden Romance, Love Triangle, Special Abilities
Trigger Warnings: Anxiety, Death/Dying, Depression, Violence, War
ENJOY! I hope you'll love reading it as much as I loved writing it!
May 15, 2023
thank you SO MUCH to @bellsbooksandwritings (Annabel Den Dekker) @bibliophile.nat and @booksirens for allowing me to read and review “Ailene” before it’s release TODAY, 15 may!
started: 11/05/23
finished: 15/05/23
rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
ok first off, best opening chapter i’ve read in a long time!! i was fully hooked and had no intension of putting down the book (my phone 😅). i’m talking exceptional detail and description, clear characterisation and a perfectly set up story… all in the first chapter. WOW!!
and omg suri the womkey 🥹🫶🏻🥹🫶🏻🥹🫶🏻 she has my heart and must be protected at all costs (and from the readers chat she has everyone else’s heart too)!!
i was a fan of the complexity and layering of Hayden and Lowell, though sometimes i would forget they were 19 and 20 because they often came off as very naive and emotionally immature. but overall it was a really cool and well built dystopian world to get lost in. very well paced, too.
i found the anxieties of friends drifting apart to be very well executed, but i found i could not completely relate to Hayden, Lowell or any other characters much and struggled to fall in love with them because of this.
i loved the way everything tied together in the end, too. i felt everyone’s ending suited them and it was just a really well done wrap up of the novel. for these reasons i am giving the novel 4/5 stars.
started: 11/05/23
finished: 15/05/23
rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
ok first off, best opening chapter i’ve read in a long time!! i was fully hooked and had no intension of putting down the book (my phone 😅). i’m talking exceptional detail and description, clear characterisation and a perfectly set up story… all in the first chapter. WOW!!
and omg suri the womkey 🥹🫶🏻🥹🫶🏻🥹🫶🏻 she has my heart and must be protected at all costs (and from the readers chat she has everyone else’s heart too)!!
i was a fan of the complexity and layering of Hayden and Lowell, though sometimes i would forget they were 19 and 20 because they often came off as very naive and emotionally immature. but overall it was a really cool and well built dystopian world to get lost in. very well paced, too.
i found the anxieties of friends drifting apart to be very well executed, but i found i could not completely relate to Hayden, Lowell or any other characters much and struggled to fall in love with them because of this.
i loved the way everything tied together in the end, too. i felt everyone’s ending suited them and it was just a really well done wrap up of the novel. for these reasons i am giving the novel 4/5 stars.
November 29, 2024
Trigger warnings for Ailene include: violence, death and depression.
☆
☆
This book has been on my radar for a very long time. I couldn't tell you how long though. I finally got my hands on it because I was sent the sequel Purpose to review. In saying that, it's taken me a little over a month to finish this book, which I'm a little ashamed about. It isn't anything to do with the book or the writing, I just took a long time to get through it.
~
"One day you will lose everyone you love. One day they will find out who you really are, and they will all leave you, one by one."
~
"he was asking him to stay when no one else would." - This feels unfairly familiar. Testing boundaries and pushing people away to test if they'll stay when you need them to, telling them to leave you when all you want is for them to ignore you and stay anyway.
~
"His biggest fear was that the people he loved would one day abandon him."
•
Thank you to author Annabel den Dekker for sending me an ARC copy of this book.
☆
☆
This book has been on my radar for a very long time. I couldn't tell you how long though. I finally got my hands on it because I was sent the sequel Purpose to review. In saying that, it's taken me a little over a month to finish this book, which I'm a little ashamed about. It isn't anything to do with the book or the writing, I just took a long time to get through it.
~
"One day you will lose everyone you love. One day they will find out who you really are, and they will all leave you, one by one."
~
"he was asking him to stay when no one else would." - This feels unfairly familiar. Testing boundaries and pushing people away to test if they'll stay when you need them to, telling them to leave you when all you want is for them to ignore you and stay anyway.
~
"His biggest fear was that the people he loved would one day abandon him."
•
Thank you to author Annabel den Dekker for sending me an ARC copy of this book.
March 3, 2024
I've finished reading this book a few days ago and this was the best novel I've ever read. It refers to a futuristic world, but many important ethical issues in the book can be related to nowadays too. Annabel den Dekker could deal with these two apparently different situations very remarkably with a very well written plot, prompting the reader to a serious reflection. A new literary star is born and obvioulsy we'll hear about her talent very soon.
I'm looking forward to buy and read her next book.
I'm looking forward to buy and read her next book.
April 13, 2023
I really enjoyed this! It had a lot of interesting characters, good character development, and it was very unique. The author did a good job creating a world that you could understand, but at the same time left you asking questions (in a good way). Good for all YA dystopian fans
April 22, 2023
I was fully absorbed in Hayden and Alexander's relationship. It was powerful but full of secrecy at first. Loved their characters and how they responded to each other. Loved Lowell and Suri though I couldn't quite picture what a womkey looks like!
I love how they have powers that they can use to their advantage along the way, mind reading and healing to name some.
It was nice discovering the world of Ailene and being caught up in the action from the start. I loved Hayden and could see his potential and also liked Lena. War and anxiety are parts of this book but they were handled well.
What a perfect ending! Would recommend this book!
I love how they have powers that they can use to their advantage along the way, mind reading and healing to name some.
It was nice discovering the world of Ailene and being caught up in the action from the start. I loved Hayden and could see his potential and also liked Lena. War and anxiety are parts of this book but they were handled well.
What a perfect ending! Would recommend this book!
September 29, 2023
This one is definitely a wonderful and refreshing YA story.
Ailene was an interesting mix of sci-fi and fantasy, with beautiful world building, people with special abilities, a womkey, and even a dash of romance.
Hayden and Lowell's brotherhood was inspiring and loveable. Hayden's mental struggles were treated with perfect care and were so relatable.
The characters were all wonderful, even Suri, the womkey, who was a touch of originality.
Storywise, the book is the perfect balance of action and character development. It grips the reader's imagination from the first page and keeps it until the end.
A lot of ideas are very relatable to today's world.
The only thing I can say as an improvement area is that it was very obvious this is the author's first book. The writing style was a bit awkward, and reading it felt like the language was not that smooth maybe.
But overall, Ailene is a great debut book, and I highly recommend it to both young and older readers!
Ailene was an interesting mix of sci-fi and fantasy, with beautiful world building, people with special abilities, a womkey, and even a dash of romance.
Hayden and Lowell's brotherhood was inspiring and loveable. Hayden's mental struggles were treated with perfect care and were so relatable.
The characters were all wonderful, even Suri, the womkey, who was a touch of originality.
Storywise, the book is the perfect balance of action and character development. It grips the reader's imagination from the first page and keeps it until the end.
A lot of ideas are very relatable to today's world.
The only thing I can say as an improvement area is that it was very obvious this is the author's first book. The writing style was a bit awkward, and reading it felt like the language was not that smooth maybe.
But overall, Ailene is a great debut book, and I highly recommend it to both young and older readers!
February 15, 2024
This is her debut novel and it was truly beautiful. Her heart went into this book. I connected so much with Hayden. The doubts and insecurities and feeling too much and wanting to shut yourself off.
I love the found family and the romance.
It's also got politics and terrorist, plus powers and best of all Suri 💕
"ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴀʏ ᴅᴏ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛᴇᴠᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪsʜ—ɪᴛ’s ᴏᴋᴀʏ. ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ. ɴᴏ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛ.”
ʜᴇ ʟᴇᴀɴᴇᴅ ᴄʟᴏsᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴍ, ʜɪs ᴇʏᴇs ɢʟɪsᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛᴇᴀʀs, ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ʜɪs ᴍᴏᴜᴛʜ ɴᴇᴀʀʟʏ ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜᴇᴅ ʜɪs ᴇᴀʀʟᴏʙᴇ.
“ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪᴅsᴛ ᴏғ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜɪs ᴅᴀʀᴋɴᴇss,” ʜᴇ ᴡʜɪsᴘᴇʀᴇᴅ, “ᴡᴇ’ʀᴇ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴜs.”
I love the found family and the romance.
It's also got politics and terrorist, plus powers and best of all Suri 💕
"ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴀʏ ᴅᴏ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛᴇᴠᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪsʜ—ɪᴛ’s ᴏᴋᴀʏ. ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ. ɴᴏ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛ.”
ʜᴇ ʟᴇᴀɴᴇᴅ ᴄʟᴏsᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴍ, ʜɪs ᴇʏᴇs ɢʟɪsᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛᴇᴀʀs, ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ʜɪs ᴍᴏᴜᴛʜ ɴᴇᴀʀʟʏ ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜᴇᴅ ʜɪs ᴇᴀʀʟᴏʙᴇ.
“ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪᴅsᴛ ᴏғ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜɪs ᴅᴀʀᴋɴᴇss,” ʜᴇ ᴡʜɪsᴘᴇʀᴇᴅ, “ᴡᴇ’ʀᴇ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴜs.”
August 14, 2023
This was an ARC, and such a cool read. Ailene follows the story of Hayden, who goes undercover as an intern to track down a mole inside the Council of Ailene. Hayden takes his best friend, Lowell to join him in the city of Ailene, but when Hayden falls for a fellow council member, his relationship with Lowell starts growing apart. This book is filled with magic powers, (mind reading, echolocation, air control, etc), a loveable animal character named Suri, political intrigue, queer representation, and lots of love. If you’re a fan of dystopian YA, you’ll love this one.
July 14, 2023
This is such a wholesome story!!!
If I had to describe the entire book in one word, I would say 'SEEN'. The characters were so diverse but not even one of them was overlooked or unheard. It felt like everyone is important and that no matter how good or flawed you are, YOU MATTER! This is my major takeaway from the book.
The book has a fictional world with beautifully written characters, a terrorist organization threatening to overtake and rule the world, secret agents working to figure out how to stop them, love, jealousy, beautiful friendships, loss, grief, and superpowers. The only thing I missed was a map.
I feel like some parts of the book felt predictable but were not while others were complete surprises. I had such a great time reading it and I just wanted to reach the end to understand how all the moving pieces fit together. It felt so familiar (maybe like a Bollywood movie) yet pleasantly surprising. I absolutely loved the camaraderie between Hayden and Lowell, and I was so invested in their dynamic that I found myself yelling at them to just be honest and see how much they mean to each other.
The found family trope is always so endearing to read! AILENE does great justice to this trope.
However, I was confused as to the dynamics between the characters for the first quarter of the story and even now, I am unsure of how I feel about council members falling for interns. I mean, it is a fictional universe and even though this part irked me, I am totally fine to overlook this because of the other wonderful aspects. I also had a very hard and impatient time waiting to know what Devarian wants to confess to Hayden. The author does a brilliant job with keeping the readers hooked and leaving them eager to finish the story but after reading on for so long, I felt like the confession was not so exciting. I would have also loved to see if Lowell and Lena had a future in any way.
BROWNIE POINT FOR THE MOST ADORABLE SURI!! I WANT A PET NOW, like ASAP.
Also, the epilogue, OMG I SHED SO MANY TEARSSSS!!!
Thank you to the author and Pride Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review the book.
If I had to describe the entire book in one word, I would say 'SEEN'. The characters were so diverse but not even one of them was overlooked or unheard. It felt like everyone is important and that no matter how good or flawed you are, YOU MATTER! This is my major takeaway from the book.
The book has a fictional world with beautifully written characters, a terrorist organization threatening to overtake and rule the world, secret agents working to figure out how to stop them, love, jealousy, beautiful friendships, loss, grief, and superpowers. The only thing I missed was a map.
I feel like some parts of the book felt predictable but were not while others were complete surprises. I had such a great time reading it and I just wanted to reach the end to understand how all the moving pieces fit together. It felt so familiar (maybe like a Bollywood movie) yet pleasantly surprising. I absolutely loved the camaraderie between Hayden and Lowell, and I was so invested in their dynamic that I found myself yelling at them to just be honest and see how much they mean to each other.
The found family trope is always so endearing to read! AILENE does great justice to this trope.
However, I was confused as to the dynamics between the characters for the first quarter of the story and even now, I am unsure of how I feel about council members falling for interns. I mean, it is a fictional universe and even though this part irked me, I am totally fine to overlook this because of the other wonderful aspects. I also had a very hard and impatient time waiting to know what Devarian wants to confess to Hayden. The author does a brilliant job with keeping the readers hooked and leaving them eager to finish the story but after reading on for so long, I felt like the confession was not so exciting. I would have also loved to see if Lowell and Lena had a future in any way.
BROWNIE POINT FOR THE MOST ADORABLE SURI!! I WANT A PET NOW, like ASAP.
Also, the epilogue, OMG I SHED SO MANY TEARSSSS!!!
Thank you to the author and Pride Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review the book.
May 15, 2023
This was one of those books I found incredibly hard to rate, but ultimately I was sufficiently hooked to give it a solid(ish) four stars.
I greatly enjoyed the worldbuilding in this sci-fi novel, which comes with enough complexity to feel solid but never overwhelms the reader with too much minute detail to take in. The special powers some of the characters have are intriguing and well utilized. The relationships between the characters - be they romance, friendship or (found) family - are well crafted and a pleasure to see develop over the course of the book.
On the whole, the plot was engaging and plenty of twists kept things interesting, with all story threads satisfyingly wrapped up by the end.
However, the pacing was a bit uneven and it took me a while to warm up to the characters. Other than Suri, I didn't really have any standout favourites among the cast. They all seem to have the emotional maturity of your average 15-year-old, and only Lowell has the excuse of actually being 15 in the first part of the story. Hayden especially I found difficult to relate to, and I felt his anger issues and violent outbursts could have been addressed more - frankly, how anyone at any stage of this book thought it a good idea to put this volatile guy with his violent uncontrolled temper tantrums in any position of responsibility or decisionmaking is a mystery to me. In consequence, I was also less invested in the book's central romance than I'd have liked for a long time. In the end, the romance grew on me, though. While the ending may be a little cheesy and cliché, it was still very sweet.
In sum: Lots to love here, but also a few flaws and areas that could have used some more polish. All in all an entertaining read. Looking forward to more by this author.
*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
I greatly enjoyed the worldbuilding in this sci-fi novel, which comes with enough complexity to feel solid but never overwhelms the reader with too much minute detail to take in. The special powers some of the characters have are intriguing and well utilized. The relationships between the characters - be they romance, friendship or (found) family - are well crafted and a pleasure to see develop over the course of the book.
On the whole, the plot was engaging and plenty of twists kept things interesting, with all story threads satisfyingly wrapped up by the end.
However, the pacing was a bit uneven and it took me a while to warm up to the characters. Other than Suri, I didn't really have any standout favourites among the cast. They all seem to have the emotional maturity of your average 15-year-old, and only Lowell has the excuse of actually being 15 in the first part of the story. Hayden especially I found difficult to relate to, and I felt his anger issues and violent outbursts could have been addressed more - frankly, how anyone at any stage of this book thought it a good idea to put this volatile guy with his violent uncontrolled temper tantrums in any position of responsibility or decisionmaking is a mystery to me. In consequence, I was also less invested in the book's central romance than I'd have liked for a long time. In the end, the romance grew on me, though. While the ending may be a little cheesy and cliché, it was still very sweet.
In sum: Lots to love here, but also a few flaws and areas that could have used some more polish. All in all an entertaining read. Looking forward to more by this author.
*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
October 13, 2024
Well this was a ride... A really emotional one for sure.
I really enjoyed this book but also it took a toll on my heart (you know what you did to me Bella).
I can't even explain the rollercoaster and the 7 stages of emotions and feelings that I went through while reading (I don't really know how much I can disclose at some point to let you all enjoy this amazing book in your way).
There is so much in this book that I connected with.
I see the characters and see parts of my self in most of them and see situations I can see myself in, or i could imagine being put on those spots made me feel very related. Seeing them going through it all sometimes it hurted (so much) and other times made me really happy to see them figure their way out.
Such lovely characters with such strong stories - love Hayden and Lowell and their brothery relationship, so magical, so special and makes you want a friendship like that and then there I Devarion, my favorite character that I got so attached to right away, such a strong personality to who I relate a lot and seeing him was making me feel represented for good and bad...
Oh and i can't forget to talk about the lovely Suri (the little womkey that everyone will love) she is such a treasure that everytime she passes by I automatically am happier.
All the chaos and adversity against the show of strength and courage it shows a lot about what people can do for best and worst and how perceptions can be wrong or overlooked and i love that way it is shown and gets us to experience it.
I just love to get to know this universe, or start at least as i know there is much more to be told.
What it comes next just time will tell but I will be there to see it.
I really enjoyed this book but also it took a toll on my heart (you know what you did to me Bella).
I can't even explain the rollercoaster and the 7 stages of emotions and feelings that I went through while reading (I don't really know how much I can disclose at some point to let you all enjoy this amazing book in your way).
There is so much in this book that I connected with.
I see the characters and see parts of my self in most of them and see situations I can see myself in, or i could imagine being put on those spots made me feel very related. Seeing them going through it all sometimes it hurted (so much) and other times made me really happy to see them figure their way out.
Such lovely characters with such strong stories - love Hayden and Lowell and their brothery relationship, so magical, so special and makes you want a friendship like that and then there I Devarion, my favorite character that I got so attached to right away, such a strong personality to who I relate a lot and seeing him was making me feel represented for good and bad...
Oh and i can't forget to talk about the lovely Suri (the little womkey that everyone will love) she is such a treasure that everytime she passes by I automatically am happier.
All the chaos and adversity against the show of strength and courage it shows a lot about what people can do for best and worst and how perceptions can be wrong or overlooked and i love that way it is shown and gets us to experience it.
I just love to get to know this universe, or start at least as i know there is much more to be told.
What it comes next just time will tell but I will be there to see it.
May 7, 2023
This book is one of my favourites book this year!
You get to know the world of Ailene through the amazing and well detailed world-building. I love the storyline and all the characters.
Firstoff, the political systeem is great and well thought out. The characters experience ethical dilemma's of what they are doing is truly right. Suspense is created through an anonymous terrorist organization and the undercover job of Hayden by the Council of Ailene.
I can't get enough of all the amazing persons in the book.
Hayden is a young man who struggles with the dark voices in his head. Lowell is someone who enjoys adventure and has strong desire to join action and fight for what is right.
Alexander is the youngest coucil member and love interest of Hayden. Their relationship is so beautiful and cute. They bring out the best in each other. They are each others light in the darkness.
We defintely can't forget Suri, the womkey. She is so amazing and wish I could be her friend.
All the sidecharacters make the story more in-dept and play an significant role in the development of the story and the protagonists.
Lastly, I just want to say read this book! All the elements in story and the characters who are brought to life are weaving beautifully together.
You will defintely not regret reading this!
You get to know the world of Ailene through the amazing and well detailed world-building. I love the storyline and all the characters.
Firstoff, the political systeem is great and well thought out. The characters experience ethical dilemma's of what they are doing is truly right. Suspense is created through an anonymous terrorist organization and the undercover job of Hayden by the Council of Ailene.
I can't get enough of all the amazing persons in the book.
Hayden is a young man who struggles with the dark voices in his head. Lowell is someone who enjoys adventure and has strong desire to join action and fight for what is right.
Alexander is the youngest coucil member and love interest of Hayden. Their relationship is so beautiful and cute. They bring out the best in each other. They are each others light in the darkness.
We defintely can't forget Suri, the womkey. She is so amazing and wish I could be her friend.
All the sidecharacters make the story more in-dept and play an significant role in the development of the story and the protagonists.
Lastly, I just want to say read this book! All the elements in story and the characters who are brought to life are weaving beautifully together.
You will defintely not regret reading this!
May 17, 2023
I loved this so much. Hayden and Lowell have always had each other. Despite them forming new friendships once moving to Ailene, they realize that family is the most important thing of all. They both grow up so much in such a short time and have to learn what's worth fighting for and how to determine the truth.
Alexander is new, exciting, and oh so handsome. Lowell is suspicious due to his friendship with Lena, and when they all come together, they must decide where the truth lies. In life-threatening situations, they face a deadly change in social structure that forces them to recognize what's truly important in life. Can they convince others to follow their path? Or will the world collapse in violence in the hands of the wrong people?
There was so much emotion and meaning behind the characters and their motivations. I loved it so much, and everything just meshed together so beautifully.
Alexander is new, exciting, and oh so handsome. Lowell is suspicious due to his friendship with Lena, and when they all come together, they must decide where the truth lies. In life-threatening situations, they face a deadly change in social structure that forces them to recognize what's truly important in life. Can they convince others to follow their path? Or will the world collapse in violence in the hands of the wrong people?
There was so much emotion and meaning behind the characters and their motivations. I loved it so much, and everything just meshed together so beautifully.
June 5, 2023
I loved the friends as family idea that wove it’s way through the story. The ties that bind these friends are so strong that they have to be considered family. Family doesn’t always get along, but they always love each other. This was depicted in a truly relatable way. Character development and relationships were depicted so well. The descriptive writing helped me not only to see what was happening, but to feel like I truly knew the people it was happening to. I found myself changing my mind alongside the main characters, wanting to question why “we” felt this way. I felt like I was there, beside Hayden, and discovering things together. I love when an author can draw me in to a book like that. I found that there were a lot of characters to keep track of, and I wasn’t always sure which side they were on.
May 25, 2023
Ailene was an excellent book and felt like a breath of fresh air. It definitely didn’t follow the traditional formula I’ve come to expect from YA books and it was excellent at that. There was a lot of world building, and changing alliances in this book which kept me on my toes. Much like the characters, I didn’t know who could be trusted. All the characters also got good character development and learned and evolved from their mistakes. Everyone felt very real.
I do think that the story lost a bit of steam in part 3 but it wasn’t to the point that the story became unreadable. Also while everything wrapped up well at the end, I was just left wanting more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I do think that the story lost a bit of steam in part 3 but it wasn’t to the point that the story became unreadable. Also while everything wrapped up well at the end, I was just left wanting more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 7, 2023
Dekker did an excellent job world building this great YA fantasy novel! There were many complex issues, from death and government control to complicated teen feelings and love.
I loved how she used parallels to help readers visualize her new concepts, such as the womkey. This monkey like animal, Suri, was easily my favorite of the bunch.
I enjoyed the storyline and the characters. It was a little slow at times, and a few areas felt rushed, but otherwise a great debut novel!
This is a great YA read for pride month. Grab yourself a print copy because this is a cover you're going to want on your shelf!
I loved how she used parallels to help readers visualize her new concepts, such as the womkey. This monkey like animal, Suri, was easily my favorite of the bunch.
I enjoyed the storyline and the characters. It was a little slow at times, and a few areas felt rushed, but otherwise a great debut novel!
This is a great YA read for pride month. Grab yourself a print copy because this is a cover you're going to want on your shelf!
May 15, 2023
Hayden is a young man sent to become a spy by his absentee parents. He takes is best friend with him and starts a new life in another country and city (Ailene) as part of the world's council. His job is to uncover a terrorist plot but he also makes new friends, goes on a journey of self-discovery and has to help avert a crisis that could destroy their world.
If you like scifi and NA stories with found family, finding yourself, forgiveness without grudges and redemption, I can highly recommended it.
If you like scifi and NA stories with found family, finding yourself, forgiveness without grudges and redemption, I can highly recommended it.
May 10, 2023
I liked this book. I loved how I never knew what was about to happen and how fast-paced it was. I also liked how the POV’s changed a lot, which made the characters more relatable. I loved how different and unique each of the characters were and I would definitely recommend this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Annabel den Dekker and BookSirens for allowing me to read this book as an advance review copy.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Annabel den Dekker and BookSirens for allowing me to read this book as an advance review copy.
June 12, 2023
I loved this book. I feel so proud because the author is a fellow bookstagrammer, and it's just so exciting to see!
The character development of every single character is phenomenal, but especially Hayden's, the main character. He has a very swoon-worthy love interest, too. 😏😏
The world building overwhelmed me the tiniest bit, but world buidling in general has that effect on me, haha.
10/10 recommend.
The character development of every single character is phenomenal, but especially Hayden's, the main character. He has a very swoon-worthy love interest, too. 😏😏
The world building overwhelmed me the tiniest bit, but world buidling in general has that effect on me, haha.
10/10 recommend.
July 11, 2023
Ailene is a lovely queer YA sci-fi novel that I've adored from page 1! I don't usually read books in this genre and it's been a very refreshing read.
There's a lot of action and twists in this book, but what I've loved the most was how well each character is fleshed out and developed throughout the story.
The relationship between Hayden and Lowell was very realistic and adorable, and so was the buildup of the relationship between Hayden and Alexander. The ending was immensely satisfying and perfect for all the characters.
Found family and forbidden romance are among my favorite tropes ever and this book has plenty of both!
There's a lot of action and twists in this book, but what I've loved the most was how well each character is fleshed out and developed throughout the story.
The relationship between Hayden and Lowell was very realistic and adorable, and so was the buildup of the relationship between Hayden and Alexander. The ending was immensely satisfying and perfect for all the characters.
Found family and forbidden romance are among my favorite tropes ever and this book has plenty of both!
May 26, 2023
This was great fun read for me! It was quite original, featured lots of interesting characters, and had strong character development. The author did an excellent job of constructing an understandable world while also leaving you with some (good) unanswered issues.
This is the book for you if you want something different from your typical YA tale. Ailene caught my attention right away and I devoured it. The plot is well-planned, and there is ample room for both character growth and action. Perfect symmetry is achieved between them. Everyone would kill to have their own Suri, and the characters are all endearing. The world-building is also really good; as it is science fiction, you don't receive a tonne of detail, but just enough to understand precisely where our characters are.
Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC :)
This is the book for you if you want something different from your typical YA tale. Ailene caught my attention right away and I devoured it. The plot is well-planned, and there is ample room for both character growth and action. Perfect symmetry is achieved between them. Everyone would kill to have their own Suri, and the characters are all endearing. The world-building is also really good; as it is science fiction, you don't receive a tonne of detail, but just enough to understand precisely where our characters are.
Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC :)
August 15, 2023
FR- Alors alors... alors ce roman était vendu comme une dystopie Young Adult et c'est exactement ce que c'est. J'adore les dystopies. C'est un genre que j'ai beaucoup lu à l'époque où je lisais du MF et c'est hélàs trop rare en MM. J'aime les univers dystopiques, j'aime les codes de ce genre de roman ainsi que les thèmes abordés. Et on peut dire clairement que l'auteure à réussit son paris. On est clairement dans une dystopie mais avec un couple gay.
J'ai d'ailleurs aimé que ça ne soit pas vraiment un sujet et qu'on ne reste pas vraiment bloqué sur le fait que le personnage principal tombe amoureux d'un autre garçon. D'ailleurs, contrairement à pas mal de roman MM il y a une romance MF qui est très mignonne et les personnages féminins ne sont pas stéréotypés.
Pour autant, est ce que ce roman m'a plus.. moyennement. J'ai passé un très bon moment de lecture, les personnages sont attachants et les thèmes comme je le disais plus haut fidèles aux thèmes du genre mais... Tout va trop vite. On sent que c'est le premier roman de l'auteure et le fait que le roman ne soit qu'en un tome là où en général une dystopie est sur 3 tomes n'aide pas les choses.
Ca va vite, on a pas vraiment le temps de découvrir l'univers proposé par l'auteure. Les personnages principaux sont bien développés mais parfois on fait un bon en avant sans trop savoir pourquoi.
Quelques thèmes sont clairement too much. Ok on est dans un roman Young Adult mais l'amour qui triomphe de tout? L'amour au sens large en plus, c'était clairement pas crédible.
Cependant, l'univers est sympa, le rythme de l'histoire aussi malgré quelques petits loupés. Mais au moins l'auteure à le mérite de nous servir une dystopie MM qui se tient relativement bien.
ENG- So well well well... well this novel was marketed as a Young Adult dystopia and that's exactly what it is. I love dystopias. It's a genre that I read a lot when I was reading MF and it's unfortunately too rare in MM. I like dystopian universes, I like the codes of this kind of novel as well as the themes addressed. And we can clearly say that the author has succeeded in her bet. We are clearly in a dystopia but with a gay couple.
I also liked that it wasn't really a subject and that we didn't really get stuck on the fact that the main character fell in love with another boy. Besides, unlike a lot of MM novels there is an MF romance which is very cute and the female characters are not stereotyped.
However, does this novel appeal to me more.. moderately. I had a great time reading, the characters are endearing and the themes, as I said above, faithful to the themes of the genre but... Everything is going too fast. We feel that this is the author's first novel and the fact that the novel is only in one volume where in general a dystopia is in 3 volumes does not help matters.
It's going fast, we don't really have time to discover the universe proposed by the author. The main characters are well developed but sometimes we take a leap forward without really knowing why.
Some themes are clearly too much. Ok we are in a Young Adult novel but the love that triumphs over all? Love in the broadest sense, too, was clearly not believable.
However, the universe is nice, the rhythm of the story too despite some small misses. But at least the author has the merit of serving us an MM dystopia that stands up relatively well.
J'ai d'ailleurs aimé que ça ne soit pas vraiment un sujet et qu'on ne reste pas vraiment bloqué sur le fait que le personnage principal tombe amoureux d'un autre garçon. D'ailleurs, contrairement à pas mal de roman MM il y a une romance MF qui est très mignonne et les personnages féminins ne sont pas stéréotypés.
Pour autant, est ce que ce roman m'a plus.. moyennement. J'ai passé un très bon moment de lecture, les personnages sont attachants et les thèmes comme je le disais plus haut fidèles aux thèmes du genre mais... Tout va trop vite. On sent que c'est le premier roman de l'auteure et le fait que le roman ne soit qu'en un tome là où en général une dystopie est sur 3 tomes n'aide pas les choses.
Ca va vite, on a pas vraiment le temps de découvrir l'univers proposé par l'auteure. Les personnages principaux sont bien développés mais parfois on fait un bon en avant sans trop savoir pourquoi.
Quelques thèmes sont clairement too much. Ok on est dans un roman Young Adult mais l'amour qui triomphe de tout? L'amour au sens large en plus, c'était clairement pas crédible.
Cependant, l'univers est sympa, le rythme de l'histoire aussi malgré quelques petits loupés. Mais au moins l'auteure à le mérite de nous servir une dystopie MM qui se tient relativement bien.
ENG- So well well well... well this novel was marketed as a Young Adult dystopia and that's exactly what it is. I love dystopias. It's a genre that I read a lot when I was reading MF and it's unfortunately too rare in MM. I like dystopian universes, I like the codes of this kind of novel as well as the themes addressed. And we can clearly say that the author has succeeded in her bet. We are clearly in a dystopia but with a gay couple.
I also liked that it wasn't really a subject and that we didn't really get stuck on the fact that the main character fell in love with another boy. Besides, unlike a lot of MM novels there is an MF romance which is very cute and the female characters are not stereotyped.
However, does this novel appeal to me more.. moderately. I had a great time reading, the characters are endearing and the themes, as I said above, faithful to the themes of the genre but... Everything is going too fast. We feel that this is the author's first novel and the fact that the novel is only in one volume where in general a dystopia is in 3 volumes does not help matters.
It's going fast, we don't really have time to discover the universe proposed by the author. The main characters are well developed but sometimes we take a leap forward without really knowing why.
Some themes are clearly too much. Ok we are in a Young Adult novel but the love that triumphs over all? Love in the broadest sense, too, was clearly not believable.
However, the universe is nice, the rhythm of the story too despite some small misses. But at least the author has the merit of serving us an MM dystopia that stands up relatively well.
June 2, 2023
Ailene started a bit slowly for me. I would read as I was putting my baby for a nap, which slowly turned into reading in bed, at the dining table, and anywhere I had a few minutes to spare. Before I knew it, though, I was at the end of the book and literally couldn't stop reading.
I really enjoyed the character development. I love how absolutely human everyone was with their flaws, thoughts, and feelings. It felt real. I'm not very big into sci-fi either, but I thought it was really cool for some people to have special abilities. I feel like it really added depth to the characters as well.
I had a hunch about the mole fairly soon into reading and thought it would ruin the book, but it absolutely didn't. I couldn't wait to find out what happened at the end. Overall, this was a really exciting book.
I appreciated that there were love interests and layers to the relationships without it being sexual at all. It was refreshing. There was a lot of emphasis on being your true self and loving your family.
Also, Suri is hands down the best character in the book. Imagine a meerkat that has special abilities and can communicate with you. LOVE.
I really enjoyed the character development. I love how absolutely human everyone was with their flaws, thoughts, and feelings. It felt real. I'm not very big into sci-fi either, but I thought it was really cool for some people to have special abilities. I feel like it really added depth to the characters as well.
I had a hunch about the mole fairly soon into reading and thought it would ruin the book, but it absolutely didn't. I couldn't wait to find out what happened at the end. Overall, this was a really exciting book.
I appreciated that there were love interests and layers to the relationships without it being sexual at all. It was refreshing. There was a lot of emphasis on being your true self and loving your family.
Also, Suri is hands down the best character in the book. Imagine a meerkat that has special abilities and can communicate with you. LOVE.
July 1, 2023
Ailene by Annabel Den Dekker is exactly what you need during pride month. Because imagine a world where being gay isn't the most pressing of issues but terr0rism is. Now that's the kind of society I would want, not gonna lie.
Ailene is well, I don't know what the genre is exactly. There are superpowers and a game of power positions (thrones, if you will), lovely brother duo and for some reason a meerkat (it's called a Womkey in here and I think it's smart)
This book is loads of fun but at the beginning it was a bit slow and sometimes there are a lot of small chapters with different povs that made it a wee bit tough to keep up. But listen up folks, you get the gist after a few chapters.
I absolutely love Dev. Yeah, the rest of the cast is amazing and everything but this Dev guy, I relate to him all too well. Okay but seriously, Hayden Navarro is our guy. He has his demons but don't we all.
I hope y'all read this book asap
Ailene is well, I don't know what the genre is exactly. There are superpowers and a game of power positions (thrones, if you will), lovely brother duo and for some reason a meerkat (it's called a Womkey in here and I think it's smart)
This book is loads of fun but at the beginning it was a bit slow and sometimes there are a lot of small chapters with different povs that made it a wee bit tough to keep up. But listen up folks, you get the gist after a few chapters.
I absolutely love Dev. Yeah, the rest of the cast is amazing and everything but this Dev guy, I relate to him all too well. Okay but seriously, Hayden Navarro is our guy. He has his demons but don't we all.
I hope y'all read this book asap
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