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Ripple #3
Unfurl
Against all expectations, Samantha Ruiz has survived attacks by two of Helmann’s deadliest assassins. She’s alive, but she’s far from safe. Helmann is planning a second Holocaust and wants Sam to play a starring role. Will, meanwhile, separated from Sam by an ocean, seeks a way to prevent Helmann’s apocalypse. Along with Sir Walter and Mickie, Will plays a deadly game sneaking into Geneses’ facilities, discovering unsettling clues as to Helmann’s plans. The clock ticks down as Will and Sam discover just how much they must be willing to sacrifice to stop Helmann. UNFURL, the powerful conclusion to The Ripple Series, will leave fans breathless.
339 pages, Paperback
First published December 25, 2011
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April 24, 2023
Did you ever want to read a series of books kind of like the beginning of the Uncanny X-men? Unfurl is the third book of the Ripple series written by Cidney Swanson with a similar vibe to those beginning stories. Teen supertypes that can turn invisible with supervillains intent on world domination? I really enjoy the writer, with the first three books forming a complete story, but I don't know that I got everything I wanted out of the first trilogy of books. The worldbuilding was really good in my opinion; I like the characters and how they fit together as allies and villains, but somewhere near the end, it kind of became ant-climactic. I'm not sure if it's just a me thing, that I built up the story more than I should have with expectation, (Swanson is not Chris Claremont, that's not her fault) but it went from spectacular to good. I have really enjoyed Swanson's Mars books and the earlier books to this series, so I know that it's not the writer or the writing, so forgive my inability to clarify. I really think that I had overly high expectations. It's as simple as that. Good, but not great. This is my book #33 of 50 from my Over 5 Yrs TBR reading goal.
April 24, 2015
Pathetic characters + Predictable plot = Horrible book/series.
May 15, 2017
Have you read the first two books, because this one definitely takes the pace up a notch.
I was happy and frustrated by chapters ending in cliffhangers--but my goodness does that move the book forward! I feel like Ms. Swanson really found her groove in this third book. The pace was awesome. The journal entries added so much to the story. The characters (while Sam is still a little too weepy) are awesome and believably torn over their fractured world. I should mention Will is a bit sappy at the beginning, but either I got used to it, or he put on his big boy pants. One of the two.
There was definitely more action in this book than the last two. (Combined.) The plot moved quickly and evenly. Although there were moments I covered my head and asked, "You're really going to make the same mistake, again?", the results were different due to the characters' experience, so that was refreshing.
And the ending... This books comes to a comfortable closing place. It's clear how the story can continue, but it's also an easy spot to pause in the journey. Can I just say THANK YOU to the author for that?
Over all, I enjoyed the first three books in the series.
Content warning: Minor, infrequent cussing. Minor violence.
I was happy and frustrated by chapters ending in cliffhangers--but my goodness does that move the book forward! I feel like Ms. Swanson really found her groove in this third book. The pace was awesome. The journal entries added so much to the story. The characters (while Sam is still a little too weepy) are awesome and believably torn over their fractured world. I should mention Will is a bit sappy at the beginning, but either I got used to it, or he put on his big boy pants. One of the two.
There was definitely more action in this book than the last two. (Combined.) The plot moved quickly and evenly. Although there were moments I covered my head and asked, "You're really going to make the same mistake, again?", the results were different due to the characters' experience, so that was refreshing.
And the ending... This books comes to a comfortable closing place. It's clear how the story can continue, but it's also an easy spot to pause in the journey. Can I just say THANK YOU to the author for that?
Over all, I enjoyed the first three books in the series.
Content warning: Minor, infrequent cussing. Minor violence.
February 7, 2017
I got the first book of the series for free and I did not really enjoy it (I gave it 2/5 stars). Then I found the entire series for free and decided to read the rest of it. I was not particularly fond of this series, nor the chracters, nor the plot was working for me. It was not bad, it just did not really keep my interest.
The whole "ripple" thing was not a bad idea, it was quite original and I liked how it was handled. But the plot was not really interesting, I did not particularly care about what was going to happen next. The characters were flat, not well developed and I did not connect with any of them. The writing was not bad, but not particularly good either.
I did not have issues with the writing or with the book in general, it just did not work that much for me.
(I also understood that there were more books in the series, not only three like I thought. They seem to focus on other characters)
The whole "ripple" thing was not a bad idea, it was quite original and I liked how it was handled. But the plot was not really interesting, I did not particularly care about what was going to happen next. The characters were flat, not well developed and I did not connect with any of them. The writing was not bad, but not particularly good either.
I did not have issues with the writing or with the book in general, it just did not work that much for me.
(I also understood that there were more books in the series, not only three like I thought. They seem to focus on other characters)
January 27, 2012
After I reviewed both Rippler and Chameleon here, Cidney Swanson was so kind as to give me a copy of the last book, Unfurl. THANK YOU SO MUCH!! Needless to say, I love Unfurl as much as I love the previous two books.
One way of looking at the series is that Rippler and Chameleon were the 'scene-setting' books, where we're introduced to the characters and really get to know them (and see Will and Samantha (Sam) fall in love). Unfurl on the other hand, will be the action book, because that's where the fight against Helmann is out in the open (no more need for background information.
The book begins with Sam and Will apart - Sam in Las Abs and Will in France. They pine over each other, as people in love are supposed to do, but thankfully, the book is so much more than an "I Miss You" refrain. Sam's rippling abilities are getting stronger, and now, she can hear the thoughts of those with Rippler's Syndrome and Will is rippling faster. Both of them undergo separate but related paths in the struggle against Geneses and Helmann that come together for a satisfying resolution.
The pacing of the book was great. Despite the alternating viewpoints, there wasn't an information overload and it was easy to remember what was going on. It made sense that events moved so quickly, because the first two books had set the stage, so to speak, for the war. Plot-wise, this is the most important book of the series, although to just read this book alone means you'll miss all the lovely character developement in the other two books.
This isn't to say that the book relies on plot alone, or that Rippler and Chameleon are character-based along, but I'm just saying that this is what seems to be emphasised to me. And that's what I like about it. I don't like series that are overly long and draggy (this is one story, unlike those multi-story series, which are different) or too fast paced and try to cram in every conceivable action scene. The Rippler series strikes a satisfying balance between plot and character.
Plus, it seems that in Unfurl, there is a greater emphasis on Catholicism. Now, Cidney isn't a Catholic (it's there in the book), but it's quite necessary when you have characters from 14th century France. The treatment of the religion was very sensitively handled, and treated with the respect due.
I do wonder, if the book can be considered pro-life in a way. Now, there are no teenage pregnancies (or any pregnancy in the book), but the topic of cloning and eugenics appear. Come to think of it, it's actually a really good series to use to introduce these two topics to others. But I just want to quote the three paragraphs that impacted me:
"I knew what he meant to do. Hans would accomplish the task I'd come here to perform. But the task felt completely different now that I'd seen that possible - Sam: the one who could grow to maturity free from my pain. I'd seen her, and there was no way to pretend I hadn't.
As I watched him destroy the tiny organism, felt his horrible delight, I was glad I hadn't had to do it myself. It was the difference between obseving a kill and pulling the trigger. I didn't know what the law said about week old bastocysts, but I knew Hans intent was murderous.
It put my step-mother's annual heartache about a misarriage in a completely different light. I hadn't understood why she felt sad about someone she'd never met. But I got it now. She grieved for someone she had seen, if only in her imagination."
At the risk of giving some major spoilers, I have to set the scene in context. Sam travels back to a Geneses lab to get her egg back before it's fertilised with Helmann's sperm. Unfortunately, it's already been fertilised but Hans has decided to betray his Father's wishes. But the passage speaks to me about the importance of life, and that's what Eugenics and Cloning cover - who has the right to give life (cloning) or take it away (eugenics)?
All in all, this series is a must-read. I may have taken a fairly long time to even start reading the books, but once I started, there was no way to stop. Rippler has realistic characters, a suitably evil villian and a great storyline. Basically, it has all the elements to make me happy.
(First published at http://allsortsofbooks.blogspot.com/2...)
One way of looking at the series is that Rippler and Chameleon were the 'scene-setting' books, where we're introduced to the characters and really get to know them (and see Will and Samantha (Sam) fall in love). Unfurl on the other hand, will be the action book, because that's where the fight against Helmann is out in the open (no more need for background information.
The book begins with Sam and Will apart - Sam in Las Abs and Will in France. They pine over each other, as people in love are supposed to do, but thankfully, the book is so much more than an "I Miss You" refrain. Sam's rippling abilities are getting stronger, and now, she can hear the thoughts of those with Rippler's Syndrome and Will is rippling faster. Both of them undergo separate but related paths in the struggle against Geneses and Helmann that come together for a satisfying resolution.
The pacing of the book was great. Despite the alternating viewpoints, there wasn't an information overload and it was easy to remember what was going on. It made sense that events moved so quickly, because the first two books had set the stage, so to speak, for the war. Plot-wise, this is the most important book of the series, although to just read this book alone means you'll miss all the lovely character developement in the other two books.
This isn't to say that the book relies on plot alone, or that Rippler and Chameleon are character-based along, but I'm just saying that this is what seems to be emphasised to me. And that's what I like about it. I don't like series that are overly long and draggy (this is one story, unlike those multi-story series, which are different) or too fast paced and try to cram in every conceivable action scene. The Rippler series strikes a satisfying balance between plot and character.
Plus, it seems that in Unfurl, there is a greater emphasis on Catholicism. Now, Cidney isn't a Catholic (it's there in the book), but it's quite necessary when you have characters from 14th century France. The treatment of the religion was very sensitively handled, and treated with the respect due.
I do wonder, if the book can be considered pro-life in a way. Now, there are no teenage pregnancies (or any pregnancy in the book), but the topic of cloning and eugenics appear. Come to think of it, it's actually a really good series to use to introduce these two topics to others. But I just want to quote the three paragraphs that impacted me:
"I knew what he meant to do. Hans would accomplish the task I'd come here to perform. But the task felt completely different now that I'd seen that possible - Sam: the one who could grow to maturity free from my pain. I'd seen her, and there was no way to pretend I hadn't.
As I watched him destroy the tiny organism, felt his horrible delight, I was glad I hadn't had to do it myself. It was the difference between obseving a kill and pulling the trigger. I didn't know what the law said about week old bastocysts, but I knew Hans intent was murderous.
It put my step-mother's annual heartache about a misarriage in a completely different light. I hadn't understood why she felt sad about someone she'd never met. But I got it now. She grieved for someone she had seen, if only in her imagination."
At the risk of giving some major spoilers, I have to set the scene in context. Sam travels back to a Geneses lab to get her egg back before it's fertilised with Helmann's sperm. Unfortunately, it's already been fertilised but Hans has decided to betray his Father's wishes. But the passage speaks to me about the importance of life, and that's what Eugenics and Cloning cover - who has the right to give life (cloning) or take it away (eugenics)?
All in all, this series is a must-read. I may have taken a fairly long time to even start reading the books, but once I started, there was no way to stop. Rippler has realistic characters, a suitably evil villian and a great storyline. Basically, it has all the elements to make me happy.
(First published at http://allsortsofbooks.blogspot.com/2...)
September 12, 2013
Gems for Writers:
World-Building. We talk a lot about world-building here at The Bearded Scribe , and Cidney Swanson does a spectacular job of it. She seamlessly incorporates Rippler’s Syndrome and all of its attendant characteristics into a realistic setting, such that the reader begins to forget that Rippler’s is a fictional condition. This makes the idea of exploiting chameleons for their DNA all the more distasteful, which, in turn, lends a sense of urgency to Will and Sam’s quest to foil the villain’s evil plans.
Theme, Not Didacticism. I love a good moral as much as the next person, but only to a point. I have thrown down many books in my life simply because I felt the writer was bludgeoning me with a theme. Take heed, writers: You do not need to force a message into your story—the reader will find it on their own! Luckily, The Ripple Trilogy does not fall into this trap! One of Swanson’s main themes is forgiveness, and it plays out naturally throughout the trilogy, culminating in a tear-jerking, chill-inducing denouement.
Romantic Tension. Good news, Beardies! It is possible to work a romantic thread into a speculative fiction story without the use of the dreaded love triangle! The romance between Will and Sam is beautifully done; the tension between them is caused by a misunderstanding on both their parts and resolved in a way that feels genuine. Best of all, the romantic plot never overshadows the central conflict.
READ FULL REVIEW HERE
World-Building. We talk a lot about world-building here at The Bearded Scribe , and Cidney Swanson does a spectacular job of it. She seamlessly incorporates Rippler’s Syndrome and all of its attendant characteristics into a realistic setting, such that the reader begins to forget that Rippler’s is a fictional condition. This makes the idea of exploiting chameleons for their DNA all the more distasteful, which, in turn, lends a sense of urgency to Will and Sam’s quest to foil the villain’s evil plans.
Theme, Not Didacticism. I love a good moral as much as the next person, but only to a point. I have thrown down many books in my life simply because I felt the writer was bludgeoning me with a theme. Take heed, writers: You do not need to force a message into your story—the reader will find it on their own! Luckily, The Ripple Trilogy does not fall into this trap! One of Swanson’s main themes is forgiveness, and it plays out naturally throughout the trilogy, culminating in a tear-jerking, chill-inducing denouement.
Romantic Tension. Good news, Beardies! It is possible to work a romantic thread into a speculative fiction story without the use of the dreaded love triangle! The romance between Will and Sam is beautifully done; the tension between them is caused by a misunderstanding on both their parts and resolved in a way that feels genuine. Best of all, the romantic plot never overshadows the central conflict.
READ FULL REVIEW HERE
October 11, 2013
(Source: I own a copy of this book.)
This is the third book in the ‘Rippler’ series.
Sam and Will are separated by the Atlantic ocean, and both have their own problems. Sam is kidnapped by men working for Hellmann who want to harvest eggs from her, whilst Will narrowly avoids a car accident in Rome, only to end up on the news because of it.
Can Sam escape? Can she get her eggs back? Does Will have to go into hiding again? And will the pair find their way back to one another?
This was an okay end to the series, although I can’t say I enjoyed it all that much.
Sam and Will started this one apart, with them both missing each other, which obviously wasn’t the best thing for either of them. It would have been nice for them to have been able to stick together, but that’s not the way things went.
The storyline was okay, although I did find it a little hard to believe in places. The whole thing about Sam’s eggs was a little odd, and her trying to steal them back was even more bizarre. How fortunate that the lab where they were was so easily accessible. There were also a few other plot points that I wasn’t impressed with, but I don’t want to go into detail because of spoilers.
The ending was okay, and it was happy thankfully!
Overall; an okay end, but had some believability issues.
6 out of 10.
This is the third book in the ‘Rippler’ series.
Sam and Will are separated by the Atlantic ocean, and both have their own problems. Sam is kidnapped by men working for Hellmann who want to harvest eggs from her, whilst Will narrowly avoids a car accident in Rome, only to end up on the news because of it.
Can Sam escape? Can she get her eggs back? Does Will have to go into hiding again? And will the pair find their way back to one another?
This was an okay end to the series, although I can’t say I enjoyed it all that much.
Sam and Will started this one apart, with them both missing each other, which obviously wasn’t the best thing for either of them. It would have been nice for them to have been able to stick together, but that’s not the way things went.
The storyline was okay, although I did find it a little hard to believe in places. The whole thing about Sam’s eggs was a little odd, and her trying to steal them back was even more bizarre. How fortunate that the lab where they were was so easily accessible. There were also a few other plot points that I wasn’t impressed with, but I don’t want to go into detail because of spoilers.
The ending was okay, and it was happy thankfully!
Overall; an okay end, but had some believability issues.
6 out of 10.
February 16, 2012
SupaGurl Books http://www.supagurlbooks.blogspot.com for all my reviews!
From the moment I started reading Rippler, I just knew that this was going to be an wicked good series. I was so right! The writing throughout is spot on.
Sam is still growing as a person and you can see that growth in this one still. I love how she has taken what happens to her in stride. Does she freak out? yes, as she should but she also steps up and does what needs to be done. Being away from Will in this book is a huge part of this book. I will tear you up and it should.
Will is just as torn up at being apart from Sam. Just like her though he does what needs to be done *finally* he did need prodding to get with it, which I thought was sweet.
This book brings everything to a head and there is action, suspense and love! You will not see what is coming until it's too late. While the ending to the series is great it could also mean an opening for more ... later. GET IT NOW!!
From the moment I started reading Rippler, I just knew that this was going to be an wicked good series. I was so right! The writing throughout is spot on.
Sam is still growing as a person and you can see that growth in this one still. I love how she has taken what happens to her in stride. Does she freak out? yes, as she should but she also steps up and does what needs to be done. Being away from Will in this book is a huge part of this book. I will tear you up and it should.
Will is just as torn up at being apart from Sam. Just like her though he does what needs to be done *finally* he did need prodding to get with it, which I thought was sweet.
This book brings everything to a head and there is action, suspense and love! You will not see what is coming until it's too late. While the ending to the series is great it could also mean an opening for more ... later. GET IT NOW!!
January 3, 2013
First let me say that I'd recommend this series to anyone who enjoys YA. I got through RIPPLER in no time, same as UNFURL -- CHAMELEON took a while due to reasons not related to my enjoyment of the book.
UNFURL wasn't my favorite of the trilogy. I still enjoyed it, especially reading some of the story from Will's POV, but there were some issues with consistent character voice, pacing, and plot predictability. Which means it gets a rating of four rather than five.
UNFURL wasn't my favorite of the trilogy. I still enjoyed it, especially reading some of the story from Will's POV, but there were some issues with consistent character voice, pacing, and plot predictability. Which means it gets a rating of four rather than five.
April 16, 2020
The third entry in the Ripple series, and the last one that was packaged in with the omnibus edition I got, was disappointingly inconsistent. Not in that multiple POVs way, even though this one does use both Sam and Will's POVs. Linguistically, it was hard for me to tell much of a difference between the two characters' voices. A third-person narrator would have been a stronger choice, but Swanson had thus far committed thoroughly to the first-person with the last two books. Either way, the need to convey information that Sam wouldn't have had was going to prompt some kind of change in the narrative style itself.
Unfurl had a nice amount of action and intrigue, at least. More than Rippler did, in any case, but it was less focused than Chameleon was. Literally, it was hopping all over the place geographically, and it gave me some whiplash trying to refocus every other chapter or thereabouts.
Since I only have the first three of these, and since the initial trilogy at least wraps up this Geneses story arc, I'm not even slightly tempted to continue with the series. I'm not attached to any of these characters, and a lot of the time, it's hard for me to tell their voices apart. The teaser for #4 promises at least Gwyn's voice sounds different, but it's not enough to sell me on it, especially considering the increasingly large pool of characters who could potentially offer their own narration moving forward.
Unfurl had a nice amount of action and intrigue, at least. More than Rippler did, in any case, but it was less focused than Chameleon was. Literally, it was hopping all over the place geographically, and it gave me some whiplash trying to refocus every other chapter or thereabouts.
Since I only have the first three of these, and since the initial trilogy at least wraps up this Geneses story arc, I'm not even slightly tempted to continue with the series. I'm not attached to any of these characters, and a lot of the time, it's hard for me to tell their voices apart. The teaser for #4 promises at least Gwyn's voice sounds different, but it's not enough to sell me on it, especially considering the increasingly large pool of characters who could potentially offer their own narration moving forward.
February 6, 2017
***SPOILER ALERT***This was my least favourite of the books in this "trilogy" (see below) when it actually should be the best. In fact, I'd have given it one star, but things came together well in the end.
Several things didn't make sense, with Will and Sam not getting in touch with each other after she was caught by Hans, when they discovered the Angels in the buildings, etc.
The whole process of Hans taking one of Sam's eggs was ridiculous, especially when he later destroyed the clone he'd made of her himself. Also, the idea of Will and Sam travelling to each other so that they're on opposite ends of the world again, a bit silly.
I still loved Sir Walter, and the scene with everyone solid in the Feu Froid Castle was really well done. That's where my second star came from.
Lastly, this is not a trilogy, since at the end, there is a fourth book to read, and who knows after that? That irks me because it's misrepresented, and I likely would have stopped reading had I known there wasn't an ending at the third book.
Won't be reading the fourth one, first two books are pretty good, but things fell apart here.
Several things didn't make sense, with Will and Sam not getting in touch with each other after she was caught by Hans, when they discovered the Angels in the buildings, etc.
The whole process of Hans taking one of Sam's eggs was ridiculous, especially when he later destroyed the clone he'd made of her himself. Also, the idea of Will and Sam travelling to each other so that they're on opposite ends of the world again, a bit silly.
I still loved Sir Walter, and the scene with everyone solid in the Feu Froid Castle was really well done. That's where my second star came from.
Lastly, this is not a trilogy, since at the end, there is a fourth book to read, and who knows after that? That irks me because it's misrepresented, and I likely would have stopped reading had I known there wasn't an ending at the third book.
Won't be reading the fourth one, first two books are pretty good, but things fell apart here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2023
I had fun with the first two books but this one lost me after the first few (very, very short) chapters. It concludes an arch but apparently there are 7 books. While I thought the concept of Ripplers was a lot of fun I'm not motivated enough to continue reading the series.
As one example... most of this book the chapters trade off between Sam and Will being the 1st-person narrator. It works because they are actually separated and have their own plot things going on. When they come together again at the end...I couldn't tell who was 'talking'. It made me realize how poorly the characters stand out.
As one example... most of this book the chapters trade off between Sam and Will being the 1st-person narrator. It works because they are actually separated and have their own plot things going on. When they come together again at the end...I couldn't tell who was 'talking'. It made me realize how poorly the characters stand out.
June 1, 2021
I am so happy there is another book in the Ripple series. This book was exciting and unpredictable. The characters seem real, except for being able to disappear, so it almost didn’t feel like a fantasy. The teenagers acted like normal teenagers; not silly or older than their years. The actions the characters took were logical, and there were no holes in the plot. I enjoyed the descriptions of the places they traveled to. The author obviously did a lot of research. I can’t recommend this book, or the series highly enough.
July 10, 2021
Enthralled
Sam and Will's journeys are magnetic. It's obvious there are many other nefarious dealings in place, but where will it lead them and their family and friends? They are all bound together through blood in some way and as the storylines collide, the answers are still in the making. This read is so enthralling that I am immediately moving on to the next. Visible, here I come!
Sam and Will's journeys are magnetic. It's obvious there are many other nefarious dealings in place, but where will it lead them and their family and friends? They are all bound together through blood in some way and as the storylines collide, the answers are still in the making. This read is so enthralling that I am immediately moving on to the next. Visible, here I come!
September 19, 2019
I enjoyed this book, I loved the characters, and I freaking knew that he's a double agent! Now, I'm just happy everyone's alright in the end, and looking forward to reading the next book. I'm sure it's about Gwyn and her Unrequited love. Oh, and there's one more bad guy that's still alive right? If I not mistaken it's called Fritz?
May 6, 2021
Great ending to the trilogy, but enough excitement for more books in the series to follow. I really enjoyed the alternating viewpoints of Will and Sam. Plenty of action and adventure and questions answered. I loved the relationships between the characters and Sam kicked arsed when needed. Great story.
January 8, 2018
I found the third book in this series a bit of a slog. It picked up in the last quarter but the second and third quarters were really too drawn out. It was a fair ending but I certainly won’t be looking out for any more in this series.
June 19, 2018
I am so happy all three of these books were free because they were so incredibly not worth it. I just cannot buy into the storyline and the premise. The characters are so boring.
I just cannot waste anymore time than I already have.
I just cannot waste anymore time than I already have.
July 30, 2018
This was my least favorite of the 3. The back and forth with the characters narratives was sometimes annoying. I did like the fact that Sam and Will finally came out to Sam’s parents but that issue was really skimmed over. However I probably will eventually read the rest in this series.
June 17, 2022
Sam and all of her friends try to put an end to Hellman's evil plans to kill off the undesirables. Love sickness and longing teeny bop stuff abounds. It was an ok trilogy, but not really my cup of tea, thought the premise sounded interesting but was lacking for me.
January 10, 2017
Yes
The series keeps getting better! These are not stand alone books, but they are all part of a very good service.
The series keeps getting better! These are not stand alone books, but they are all part of a very good service.
September 28, 2017
A little predictable as the story progressed and the loved-up teenager element caused me irritation (being old and cynical) - Elements of an enjoyable story none the less.
February 24, 2018
meh. slightly more fun than books 1 and 2 but with all the same problems.
June 24, 2019
Awful.
October 16, 2012
This review, as well as many more, can be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca).
Synopsis:
Samantha Ruiz has now escaped the evil grasp of Helmann twice. In order to keep herself safe Samantha is sent back home to the US in the hopes that she'll be off Helmann's radar. Accompanying Samantha is Chretien, Sir Walter's nephew, who has been given to task of being Samantha's bodyguard while she's home. Unfortunately this change in scenery means that she and Will will have to be separated and live on different continents.
Meanwhile, back in France Sir Walter, Mickie and Will try to piece together why Genesis Corp (run by Helmann) is slowly buying up various neighbourhoods in ethnic communities. As they begin to uncover Helmann's plot they are determined to stop Helmann and his 'Angel Corp' from destroying millions of lives. Unfortunately, in order for Helmann to accomplish his mission he needs something from Samantha and will do anything in order to get it from her. This puts Samantha and those around her in extreme danger as they race to stop this madman.
My Thoughts:
This being the last book in the Rippler trilogy I was hoping for something big. You know with loads of suspense, action, sweet romance etc. For some reason, this book just didn't grip me. It was a little slow to start yet the ending felt a rushed and unfinished. Overall, this book just didn't hold my attention like the other two books in the series.
I think what would have made it a better read for me is if the Nazi plot was dealt with more. That is what riveted me to the first book and I think that some of that sinister feel was lost in the second book and pretty much devoid in the third book. In the first two books, Ripple and Chameleon, we have this truly evil guy and his horrible offspring who give off a uber creepy vibe. This time around they didn't feel as much as a threat to Sam. They lost their sinister side and didn't seem like an immediate threat, I suppose.
That's not to say that I didn't like this book. My favourite part of the book was a really intense scene where something (I don't want to give it away) is taken from Sam and I started to get all 'OK here we go, it's going to take off now' but that storyline fizzled out fairly quickly. It was such a great part of the book and I was hoping that it would spawn some new issue that Sam and Will had to deal with but sadly it really didn't take the storyline to the places I was hoping.
I like the fact that Samantha is a strong female main character who can hold her own (ie. the anti-Twilight heroine). That said, I wish that Will was a little more of a hero in this book. Not that Sam needed to be rescued (a la Bella Swan) but it would have been nice to have Will take the lead a bit more.
I do admit that I did question some of the plot lines. Some seemed a little unrealistic or odd. Why would Sam think that going back to her hometown be the safest option? That's where Helmann found her the first time! Wouldn't Helmann have someone scouting the area since her parents are still there? And what's up with her parents?? Sam is supposedly really close with her dad and stepmom yet she never seems to spend time with them.
Don't get me wrong, this was a decent read. Ms Swanson has a very unique take on a supernatural themed series. This book just didn't conclude the trilogy as I would have hoped.
My Rating: 2/5 stars
Note: My sincere thanks to Cidney Swanson for providing me with this complimentary copy of Unfurl for my honest review.
Synopsis:
Samantha Ruiz has now escaped the evil grasp of Helmann twice. In order to keep herself safe Samantha is sent back home to the US in the hopes that she'll be off Helmann's radar. Accompanying Samantha is Chretien, Sir Walter's nephew, who has been given to task of being Samantha's bodyguard while she's home. Unfortunately this change in scenery means that she and Will will have to be separated and live on different continents.
Meanwhile, back in France Sir Walter, Mickie and Will try to piece together why Genesis Corp (run by Helmann) is slowly buying up various neighbourhoods in ethnic communities. As they begin to uncover Helmann's plot they are determined to stop Helmann and his 'Angel Corp' from destroying millions of lives. Unfortunately, in order for Helmann to accomplish his mission he needs something from Samantha and will do anything in order to get it from her. This puts Samantha and those around her in extreme danger as they race to stop this madman.
My Thoughts:
This being the last book in the Rippler trilogy I was hoping for something big. You know with loads of suspense, action, sweet romance etc. For some reason, this book just didn't grip me. It was a little slow to start yet the ending felt a rushed and unfinished. Overall, this book just didn't hold my attention like the other two books in the series.
I think what would have made it a better read for me is if the Nazi plot was dealt with more. That is what riveted me to the first book and I think that some of that sinister feel was lost in the second book and pretty much devoid in the third book. In the first two books, Ripple and Chameleon, we have this truly evil guy and his horrible offspring who give off a uber creepy vibe. This time around they didn't feel as much as a threat to Sam. They lost their sinister side and didn't seem like an immediate threat, I suppose.
That's not to say that I didn't like this book. My favourite part of the book was a really intense scene where something (I don't want to give it away) is taken from Sam and I started to get all 'OK here we go, it's going to take off now' but that storyline fizzled out fairly quickly. It was such a great part of the book and I was hoping that it would spawn some new issue that Sam and Will had to deal with but sadly it really didn't take the storyline to the places I was hoping.
I like the fact that Samantha is a strong female main character who can hold her own (ie. the anti-Twilight heroine). That said, I wish that Will was a little more of a hero in this book. Not that Sam needed to be rescued (a la Bella Swan) but it would have been nice to have Will take the lead a bit more.
I do admit that I did question some of the plot lines. Some seemed a little unrealistic or odd. Why would Sam think that going back to her hometown be the safest option? That's where Helmann found her the first time! Wouldn't Helmann have someone scouting the area since her parents are still there? And what's up with her parents?? Sam is supposedly really close with her dad and stepmom yet she never seems to spend time with them.
Don't get me wrong, this was a decent read. Ms Swanson has a very unique take on a supernatural themed series. This book just didn't conclude the trilogy as I would have hoped.
My Rating: 2/5 stars
Note: My sincere thanks to Cidney Swanson for providing me with this complimentary copy of Unfurl for my honest review.
April 28, 2012
Check out the full review here: http://teacherwritebookaholicohmy.blo...
Well, this is definitely an interesting series. I've been through some ups and downs with this series and I'm slightly sad to see this series end. I'm sure though that the author has some more books up her sleeve. Maybe some paranormal romance books.
Anyway, since I don't want to give the entire series away, I'll list some positives and some negatives. I think some of the negatives will seem the same, since the same issues I had before were still prevalent in this third book, but I'll list them anyway.
Okay, so here are the positives:
1) Nice ending
I have to say, Cidney Swanson ended this series with a nice and light touch and even alluded to some future books. She ended it with some hope and promise. I liked it a lot.
2) Will and Sam
I loved the fact that we got to see both perspectives of the characters. For so long, we've seen everything through Sam's eyes but now we get this last book through a fresh perspective.
3) Fast Paced . . . At least, after the climax
At first, the book moved a bit slow for my taste. However, as I progressed through half of the book, it seemed that the pace picked up. But once the solution to the problem was solved before the final fifty pages, it slowed back down. But for a while the book did move pretty fast and I wish there was more of that fast pace movement in the book.
Negatives:
1) Same old bad guy
"I will rule the world!" Yeah, so not my thing. I just get so tired of the same plot, same story, same execution. I would have loved something new here. Any new twist that would have re-freshened this old plot.
2) Convenient solution to problems
Solution to the problem was way too easy. There was no thought to it at all. And it wasn't an easy solution to just one problem in the book, but multiple times this happened.
There were many times where the author could have delved deep and made her character really think and change because of a choice. However, the author chose the easy way out and kept all of the characters the same and not dynamic at all.
You would think over the course of three books the main characters would change or find something major. Sure, Sam found out she could ripple (a.k.a. disappear into thin air) which is awesome. However, I still think something else should have happened.
I guess after all of these adventures and discovery, I would expect a character would go through some changes. Instead we get the same characters throughout. I expected some change in some characters but ALL of them stayed the same. To me, this is just unrealistic.
3) Predicable
Like I mentioned before, the same plot, same story to me. I could tell what was going to happen after the first few chapters. Now the climax did throw me. But the solution of the problem was predicable. So some parts were easy to see, but the climax threw me for a loop.
Overall impression: Would I recommend this series?
I would say yes if a predicable plot wouldn't bother people. It would bother me. A lot. However, I know some predictability in novels is okay for some people.
I would give this book definitely to my middle school readers since it's a clean young adult fantasy book for them.
Anyone else is fair game, just dependent on taste.
Anyway those are my thoughts about this entire series.
Well, this is definitely an interesting series. I've been through some ups and downs with this series and I'm slightly sad to see this series end. I'm sure though that the author has some more books up her sleeve. Maybe some paranormal romance books.
Anyway, since I don't want to give the entire series away, I'll list some positives and some negatives. I think some of the negatives will seem the same, since the same issues I had before were still prevalent in this third book, but I'll list them anyway.
Okay, so here are the positives:
1) Nice ending
I have to say, Cidney Swanson ended this series with a nice and light touch and even alluded to some future books. She ended it with some hope and promise. I liked it a lot.
2) Will and Sam
I loved the fact that we got to see both perspectives of the characters. For so long, we've seen everything through Sam's eyes but now we get this last book through a fresh perspective.
3) Fast Paced . . . At least, after the climax
At first, the book moved a bit slow for my taste. However, as I progressed through half of the book, it seemed that the pace picked up. But once the solution to the problem was solved before the final fifty pages, it slowed back down. But for a while the book did move pretty fast and I wish there was more of that fast pace movement in the book.
Negatives:
1) Same old bad guy
"I will rule the world!" Yeah, so not my thing. I just get so tired of the same plot, same story, same execution. I would have loved something new here. Any new twist that would have re-freshened this old plot.
2) Convenient solution to problems
Solution to the problem was way too easy. There was no thought to it at all. And it wasn't an easy solution to just one problem in the book, but multiple times this happened.
There were many times where the author could have delved deep and made her character really think and change because of a choice. However, the author chose the easy way out and kept all of the characters the same and not dynamic at all.
You would think over the course of three books the main characters would change or find something major. Sure, Sam found out she could ripple (a.k.a. disappear into thin air) which is awesome. However, I still think something else should have happened.
I guess after all of these adventures and discovery, I would expect a character would go through some changes. Instead we get the same characters throughout. I expected some change in some characters but ALL of them stayed the same. To me, this is just unrealistic.
3) Predicable
Like I mentioned before, the same plot, same story to me. I could tell what was going to happen after the first few chapters. Now the climax did throw me. But the solution of the problem was predicable. So some parts were easy to see, but the climax threw me for a loop.
Overall impression: Would I recommend this series?
I would say yes if a predicable plot wouldn't bother people. It would bother me. A lot. However, I know some predictability in novels is okay for some people.
I would give this book definitely to my middle school readers since it's a clean young adult fantasy book for them.
Anyone else is fair game, just dependent on taste.
Anyway those are my thoughts about this entire series.
January 12, 2012
(From my blog, Word Vagabond: Supporting Independent and Small Press Authors.)
In the last book of Cidney Swanson’s Ripple series, Sam and Will are fighting a war on two fronts against Dr. Helmann’s evil Geneses Corporation. Sam is back in California with her family, guarded night and day by Sir Walter’s nephew Chrétien, who is masquerading as a foreign exchange student with limited success. Will and his sister Mickie are across the Atlantic, helping Sir Walter investigate the properties that Geneses has been acquiring in ethnic neighborhoods all over the world. But Helmann’s neo-Nazis aren’t done with Sam yet- they still have plans for her, or more specifically, for her genes. And as Sir Walter and Will begin to uncover the full scope of Helmann’s plans, they realize it will take all of them together to thwart him, as well as help from a very unexpected quarter.
Swanson demonstrates her skill in building suspense again in this book. The plot is well-paced, with revelations coming slowly but frequently enough to keep the reader interested. There are some truly surprising twists as well.
Although I found the constant pining for each other from Sam and Will excessive and irritating, in general there is a fantastic emotional depth to Unfurl. The characters have to deal with some devastating personal losses, and Swanson doesn’t take this lightly. There is a thoughtful examination of love and loss, and also a compassionate treatment of forgiveness.
Development of the characters is somewhat hit-or-miss. Sam remains the most well-developed character, but her family and Mickie are still little more than background characters. I’m also somewhat puzzled that Sam’s family is so uninvolved with her. Several characters mention how much Sam’s Dad cares about her, but he is hardly in the series as a whole, and when he does appear, his reactions are strangely blasé.
The best moments are found in the confrontations with the villains. This is where we get the best insights into all the characters, and also some of the best action and dialogue.
Overall, I found Unfurl an exciting and satisfying end to the Ripple saga, which has become one of my favorite Young Adult series.
In the last book of Cidney Swanson’s Ripple series, Sam and Will are fighting a war on two fronts against Dr. Helmann’s evil Geneses Corporation. Sam is back in California with her family, guarded night and day by Sir Walter’s nephew Chrétien, who is masquerading as a foreign exchange student with limited success. Will and his sister Mickie are across the Atlantic, helping Sir Walter investigate the properties that Geneses has been acquiring in ethnic neighborhoods all over the world. But Helmann’s neo-Nazis aren’t done with Sam yet- they still have plans for her, or more specifically, for her genes. And as Sir Walter and Will begin to uncover the full scope of Helmann’s plans, they realize it will take all of them together to thwart him, as well as help from a very unexpected quarter.
Swanson demonstrates her skill in building suspense again in this book. The plot is well-paced, with revelations coming slowly but frequently enough to keep the reader interested. There are some truly surprising twists as well.
Although I found the constant pining for each other from Sam and Will excessive and irritating, in general there is a fantastic emotional depth to Unfurl. The characters have to deal with some devastating personal losses, and Swanson doesn’t take this lightly. There is a thoughtful examination of love and loss, and also a compassionate treatment of forgiveness.
Development of the characters is somewhat hit-or-miss. Sam remains the most well-developed character, but her family and Mickie are still little more than background characters. I’m also somewhat puzzled that Sam’s family is so uninvolved with her. Several characters mention how much Sam’s Dad cares about her, but he is hardly in the series as a whole, and when he does appear, his reactions are strangely blasé.
The best moments are found in the confrontations with the villains. This is where we get the best insights into all the characters, and also some of the best action and dialogue.
Overall, I found Unfurl an exciting and satisfying end to the Ripple saga, which has become one of my favorite Young Adult series.
May 19, 2013
Unfurl picks up right where Chameleon left off: Sam going back to California and Will staying in France with Micke and Sir Walter. Sam makes her way back to the States in the company of Christian, the son of Sir Walter, who has promised to act as her bodyguard. Meanwhile, in France Sir Walter, Mickie and Will are trying to find out why Geneses has been buying random warehouses near the demographics they despise, while keeping them seemingly unused. Hans manages to kidnap Sam and take something from her that could allow Helmann to clone her infinitely. It turns out that Helmann has been experimenting with new results from his 'children' - he wants them to be the ones to play savior when he unleashes his planned devastations. Will Sam and her family be able to come out unscathed from Hans' wrath when she escapes from him, yet again? Can they all find a way to defeat Helmann and save the millions of people he is planning genocide for? I loved this book! It was extremely fast-paced and actiony which made it an awesome conclusion to the series. Not once did I get bored or annoyed with the characters or the plot. Cidney has amazed me with her ability to keep me riveted through the entire series, where as some trilogies die painful deaths at the end of the second book. Sam and Will's longing for each other was not overdone in my opinion - it was very tasteful and true to the way teens are. Plus, my favorite part of the book is at the end when Sam tells him, "You are my Africa." That is such a cute ending scene for such a beautiful series. I liked the fact that no unnecessary character death was thrown in as a plot device and I am completely exicted to see what Cidney writes next! :)
VERDICT: 5/5 Stars Plus my eternal friendship and lots of hugs
*I was given an ebook copy of this book by the author herself (who is awesome), in exchange only for an honest review. This book was published December 25th, 2011.*
VERDICT: 5/5 Stars Plus my eternal friendship and lots of hugs
*I was given an ebook copy of this book by the author herself (who is awesome), in exchange only for an honest review. This book was published December 25th, 2011.*
March 4, 2017
The finale to the trilogy starts with Sam and Will on different continents. Sam goes back to Las Abs to be with her family, alongside her new bodyguard, Christian, Walthard de Rochefort's 400-year-old son. There, she has several encounters with Hans, Helmann's son. Will remains in Paris with his sister and de Rochefort, where they plan to infiltrate Geneses headquarters to figure out what Helmann's plans are and to stop the holocaust he seems to be planning.
The pacing of this story more or less returned mirrored the first with the action coming in fits and starts. Because Will and Sam are separated, we experience their adventures through separate points of view, so it very much feels as though there are two stories happening simultaneously. So just as one story begins picking up, we are thrown back to the other characters story and it felt like a loss of story momentum occurred as a result. Also, despite their immaturity, there was some great character chemistry with Sam and Will and I missed that throughout this story. I was less interested in the characters individually as I was in them together.
This story did have some good parts. The "chameleon" rules are very original and enjoyable to read about - I'd love to have that ability. I liked Sam's adventure - equal parts exciting and creepy with the harvesting of her egg. I honestly had a moment when I couldn't believe it had gone there. But I was also confused about Hans's actions later.... Believe it or not, I really did like that Will was so open emotionally, not afraid to cry and be sad to be separated from his girlfriend. I think that emotional trait is so undervalued in young heroes. He may have seemed like a crybaby, but it showed he wasn't a typical teenage boy. I also liked Sam and Will's reunion, although I do wish it had been more drawn out.
The pacing of this story more or less returned mirrored the first with the action coming in fits and starts. Because Will and Sam are separated, we experience their adventures through separate points of view, so it very much feels as though there are two stories happening simultaneously. So just as one story begins picking up, we are thrown back to the other characters story and it felt like a loss of story momentum occurred as a result. Also, despite their immaturity, there was some great character chemistry with Sam and Will and I missed that throughout this story. I was less interested in the characters individually as I was in them together.
This story did have some good parts. The "chameleon" rules are very original and enjoyable to read about - I'd love to have that ability. I liked Sam's adventure - equal parts exciting and creepy with the harvesting of her egg. I honestly had a moment when I couldn't believe it had gone there. But I was also confused about Hans's actions later.... Believe it or not, I really did like that Will was so open emotionally, not afraid to cry and be sad to be separated from his girlfriend. I think that emotional trait is so undervalued in young heroes. He may have seemed like a crybaby, but it showed he wasn't a typical teenage boy. I also liked Sam and Will's reunion, although I do wish it had been more drawn out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2014
*Contains slight spoilers for previous books in the series*
Why did I read this? I spent .99 cents on the whole series and I wanted to see if it would redeem itself after the first two books. It didn't. It was worse.
Not only was the dialogue still filled with long drawn out explanations, I had to sit through Will and Sam talking, thinking and crying about each other. They whined about missing each other at least twice every chapter. At least in the other books Sam thought for herself a little bit more. But in my opinion Will talked and thought like a girl much too often throughout the entire book. Him and Sam talked in a much too similar manner I hadn't noticed in the previous books that were only in Sam's POV.
Both of the characters also used the term "rippled/rippling" much to often. I wouldn't have minded it as much if the way it was said varied a little bit from time to time, but it didn't. It was always "he rippled solid", "I rippled solid", "he rippled invisible." I think the word rippled must have been used at least 50 times which gets annoying really fast, I had hoped that the author would tone it down a little but if anything it was worse in this book than the others.
Even the story's plot was a bit jumbled, though it was much better constructed than the rest of the story. At times there were too many bad guys to keep track of and the fact that none of them had the same ultimate goal made it a bit hard to keep track of which one wanted what.
I can't even begin to express how happy I am that that was the last of these books. I'm never reading any of this authors books again.
Why did I read this? I spent .99 cents on the whole series and I wanted to see if it would redeem itself after the first two books. It didn't. It was worse.
Not only was the dialogue still filled with long drawn out explanations, I had to sit through Will and Sam talking, thinking and crying about each other. They whined about missing each other at least twice every chapter. At least in the other books Sam thought for herself a little bit more. But in my opinion Will talked and thought like a girl much too often throughout the entire book. Him and Sam talked in a much too similar manner I hadn't noticed in the previous books that were only in Sam's POV.
Both of the characters also used the term "rippled/rippling" much to often. I wouldn't have minded it as much if the way it was said varied a little bit from time to time, but it didn't. It was always "he rippled solid", "I rippled solid", "he rippled invisible." I think the word rippled must have been used at least 50 times which gets annoying really fast, I had hoped that the author would tone it down a little but if anything it was worse in this book than the others.
Even the story's plot was a bit jumbled, though it was much better constructed than the rest of the story. At times there were too many bad guys to keep track of and the fact that none of them had the same ultimate goal made it a bit hard to keep track of which one wanted what.
I can't even begin to express how happy I am that that was the last of these books. I'm never reading any of this authors books again.
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