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Monument 14 #2
Sky on Fire
Trapped in a superstore by a series of escalating disasters, including a monster hailstorm and terrifying chemical weapons spill, brothers Dean and Alex learned how to survive and worked together with twelve other kids to build a refuge from the chaos. But then strangers appeared, destroying their fragile peace, and bringing both fresh disaster and a glimmer of hope.
Knowing that the chemical weapons saturating the air outside will turn him into a bloodthirsty rage monster, Dean decides to stay in the safety of the store with Astrid and some of the younger kids. But their sanctuary has already been breached once. . . .
Meanwhile, Alex, determined to find their parents, heads out into the darkness and devastation with Niko and some others in a recently repaired school bus. If they can get to Denver International Airport, they might be evacuated to safety. But the outside world is even worse than they expected. . . .
Knowing that the chemical weapons saturating the air outside will turn him into a bloodthirsty rage monster, Dean decides to stay in the safety of the store with Astrid and some of the younger kids. But their sanctuary has already been breached once. . . .
Meanwhile, Alex, determined to find their parents, heads out into the darkness and devastation with Niko and some others in a recently repaired school bus. If they can get to Denver International Airport, they might be evacuated to safety. But the outside world is even worse than they expected. . . .
215 pages, Hardcover
First published May 28, 2013
244 people are currently reading
7874 people want to read
About the author
Emmy Laybourne
30 books1,220 followersEMMY LAYBOURNE is a Young Adult novelist best known for her Monument 14 series, an internationally best-selling trilogy that has been translated into 9 languages. Her standalone book Sweet won a Junior Library Guild Award, was a YALSA Quick Pick and got a Perfect Ten rating from VOYA. Her latest books, Berserker, and Ransacker tell the story of a family of Norwegian teens with ancient Viking powers and are currently being adapted for television.
Emmy is a former character actress, and is occasionally recognized from her role as Mary Katherine Gallagher’s best friend in the movie “Superstar.” She lives outside New York with her husband, two kids, faithful dog and a flock of seven nifty chickens. Visit her online at www.EmmyLaybourne.com.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
www.facebook.com/EmmyLaybourne
www.twitter.com/EmmyLaybourne
www.instagram.com/EmmyLaybourne
Emmy is a former character actress, and is occasionally recognized from her role as Mary Katherine Gallagher’s best friend in the movie “Superstar.” She lives outside New York with her husband, two kids, faithful dog and a flock of seven nifty chickens. Visit her online at www.EmmyLaybourne.com.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
www.facebook.com/EmmyLaybourne
www.twitter.com/EmmyLaybourne
www.instagram.com/EmmyLaybourne
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,229 reviews
July 24, 2019
OOOOOH! this is my 2,000th review! think hard about balloons and cake and it will be like we are having a celebration!
this book is 215 pages. and that's 215 YA pages, with all the normative font/margins/pacing of YA. which means you can read this book in an hour or so. now for me, doing my "catch-up on YA series i started and never finished" program it's fine, cuz i have the third book right here ready to go. but how very frustrating for people who were reading this series as it was published, to be teased with such a shockingly short book and then have to wait a year for the resolution. sometimes procrastination pays off.
so yeah - it's short - it's real short, but it's still a tense and enjoyable book. in case you missed karen's review of book one, this series is about a group of kids ranging in age from 5-17 who are holed up in a superstore in monument, colorado after NORAD's chemical leak whoopsie causes blood type-specific symptoms in anyone who breathes the air. depending on your type, you could suffer blisters, sterility, paranoia, or if you are type o, turn into a berserking violent monster. so you'll want to stay indoors.
which is where they are in book one - caring for the littler kids, raiding the store for supplies and comforts, and surviving better than many. however, they still face threats because there are plenty of other people who would love to be in the safety of a superstore, and they're not all polite or in control of their impulses right now.
in this book, the survivors break into two groups - most of the kids pile onto the school bus in their masks to try to make it to denver airport, where the refugees are gathering for evacuation. the plan is to get the kids to safety and then send help back for those left behind; the (mostly) type o's, who stay in the store to keep the non o's safe, just in case. the story is split between dean, who has stayed behind, and his younger brother alex, on the bus.
this is a smart development, so the reader doesn't feel bored or claustrophobic being stuck in a store for the whole book. and yet, again, there is just as much action in the store as there is in the greater, much changed world. i love all the store stuff. i love how dean isn't a traditional hero, just a kid smart and practical enough to take what he's given and repurpose it into making the store more homelike for the scared little kids and using his innate cleverness to survive the threats more dangerous than their homesickness and whining.
i like all the moments where their own inexperience causes unforeseen difficulties - why yes, how will we feed these kids outside if they can't take their masks off?, or when they struggle to figure out the correct dosages of medicine for little kids - i like how those details add a layer of realism to a premise that otherwise is toeing the line of absurdity. i liked the josie twist, i didn't understand the mr. scietto thing , i'm glad that and overall i think it did what a middle book is meant to do - progress the story into new territory, clear up some questions, and set the scene for the big finale.
i am very grateful for that four-page exposition-rich prologue, and even though this series is dopey at times, it's a lot of fun and i look forward to seeing how it concludes. and i don't even have to wait a year to do so! suckers!
oh, and i JUST LEARNED - there are no fewer than THREE free tor shorts connected to this series. which i will also read soon. score!
http://www.tor.com/2012/05/16/dress-y...
http://www.tor.com/2013/06/26/jake-an...
http://www.tor.com/2014/04/15/what-ma...
come to my blog!
this book is 215 pages. and that's 215 YA pages, with all the normative font/margins/pacing of YA. which means you can read this book in an hour or so. now for me, doing my "catch-up on YA series i started and never finished" program it's fine, cuz i have the third book right here ready to go. but how very frustrating for people who were reading this series as it was published, to be teased with such a shockingly short book and then have to wait a year for the resolution. sometimes procrastination pays off.
so yeah - it's short - it's real short, but it's still a tense and enjoyable book. in case you missed karen's review of book one, this series is about a group of kids ranging in age from 5-17 who are holed up in a superstore in monument, colorado after NORAD's chemical leak whoopsie causes blood type-specific symptoms in anyone who breathes the air. depending on your type, you could suffer blisters, sterility, paranoia, or if you are type o, turn into a berserking violent monster. so you'll want to stay indoors.
which is where they are in book one - caring for the littler kids, raiding the store for supplies and comforts, and surviving better than many. however, they still face threats because there are plenty of other people who would love to be in the safety of a superstore, and they're not all polite or in control of their impulses right now.
in this book, the survivors break into two groups - most of the kids pile onto the school bus in their masks to try to make it to denver airport, where the refugees are gathering for evacuation. the plan is to get the kids to safety and then send help back for those left behind; the (mostly) type o's, who stay in the store to keep the non o's safe, just in case. the story is split between dean, who has stayed behind, and his younger brother alex, on the bus.
this is a smart development, so the reader doesn't feel bored or claustrophobic being stuck in a store for the whole book. and yet, again, there is just as much action in the store as there is in the greater, much changed world. i love all the store stuff. i love how dean isn't a traditional hero, just a kid smart and practical enough to take what he's given and repurpose it into making the store more homelike for the scared little kids and using his innate cleverness to survive the threats more dangerous than their homesickness and whining.
i like all the moments where their own inexperience causes unforeseen difficulties - why yes, how will we feed these kids outside if they can't take their masks off?, or when they struggle to figure out the correct dosages of medicine for little kids - i like how those details add a layer of realism to a premise that otherwise is toeing the line of absurdity. i liked the josie twist, i didn't understand the mr. scietto thing , i'm glad that and overall i think it did what a middle book is meant to do - progress the story into new territory, clear up some questions, and set the scene for the big finale.
i am very grateful for that four-page exposition-rich prologue, and even though this series is dopey at times, it's a lot of fun and i look forward to seeing how it concludes. and i don't even have to wait a year to do so! suckers!
oh, and i JUST LEARNED - there are no fewer than THREE free tor shorts connected to this series. which i will also read soon. score!
http://www.tor.com/2012/05/16/dress-y...
http://www.tor.com/2013/06/26/jake-an...
http://www.tor.com/2014/04/15/what-ma...
come to my blog!
May 14, 2013
*Spoiler free for the series*
Sky on Fire, the sequel to Monument 14, is more action packed and exciting, but the writing is still filled with irritating quirks that doesn't allow me to give it a higher rating, no matter how much I might have enjoyed the rest--which was actually quite a bit.
Since we're at it, let me tell you what I mean about the writing. I knew from the first book that the author likes to write as if her readers are a little… slow? The first novel was filled with commentaries and unnecessary repetitions to make sure we understood clearly what was happening. This sequel is, unfortunately, not without these redundancies. The best example:
"Right before Castle Rock, there was a long stretch of open highway. ("Open" meaning that there was one clear lane with no obstacles to go around.)"
--Thanks for that, Captain Obvious!
This is an example from book 1:
Niko half dragged me through the hail, down the "aisle" that was not an aisle but was actually the space above the seats (because, remember, the bus was on its side)."
--Ooooh ok, I hadn't caught that when the bus CRASHED and flipped sideways 30 seconds earlier.
Fortunately. these instances only appear a couple of times in each book. However this is not my only complaint on the writing. While reading, there are sentences and… peculiarities that stand out like a sore thumb, which both distracted and annoyed me. Here are some of them and maybe you'll see what I mean:
"They had dirty faces and smelled not good."
--You speak good.
"what I read in her expression went something like: Ah, this dumb kid feels like he's getting pushed around so he's taking a stand on a small, insignificant detail. But I guess if he needs to win this little victory for the sake of his pride, then I will give in."
--That's very facially talented! O_O
"Jean let me rub some toothpaste around on my gums so I wouldn't have breath like I ate a donkey's butt all day."
--Gross! Worst analogy ever!
"He's the worst person I ever met.
1) He had laid a trap for us.
2) We had fallen into the trap.
3) He still had a dad."
--Umm ok, we better watch out for THIS badass villain!
Also, the most dangerous side effect of this chemical: "O monsters"! Yep. *snort*
Aside from this writing, I actually quite enjoyed the rest. With many characters, I was impressed that I was able to easily keep them all straight, and they became people I cared about--though some more than others. I also appreciated the neat way the recap was done with an " in case we die" letter at the beginning. It was only 3 pages, but it completely set me right back to where we had left off as if no time had passed.
This time, the plot was a lot more exciting while still keeping the claustrophobic feel some loved from the first. This is achieved with two POVs: one from the supermarket, another from the outside, which raises the tension in the story, plus it answers the big question of what the outside has been like since this apocalypse. On this note, I found it to be a pretty realistic depiction of how people would act during such a catastrophe: violence and horror caused by other survivors are often the most dangerous of all. Although we still did not get answers as to what brought on the deadly chemicals, we do make some progress with which I was satisfied, knowing the explanations were (hopefully) saved for the final installment. Furthermore, since the outside POV constantly keeps us on edge, I actually enjoyed the more laid-back feel of the others in the supermarket this time, "playing house" as I called it in my review of book 1. It doesn't stay quiet for long there either, however. Overall, it does become a pretty exciting novel and by the ending I was frantically turning the pages with my heart pounding. It's really a shame that the writing puts such a damper on things.
The writing problems I had are not something new to this sequel, so if you loved the first you might not be bothered by it in Sky on Fire either. I did think it was a strong sequel which is rare in itself, and despite my complaints, I'm looking forward to the 3rd - Savage Drift!
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Sky on Fire, the sequel to Monument 14, is more action packed and exciting, but the writing is still filled with irritating quirks that doesn't allow me to give it a higher rating, no matter how much I might have enjoyed the rest--which was actually quite a bit.
Since we're at it, let me tell you what I mean about the writing. I knew from the first book that the author likes to write as if her readers are a little… slow? The first novel was filled with commentaries and unnecessary repetitions to make sure we understood clearly what was happening. This sequel is, unfortunately, not without these redundancies. The best example:
"Right before Castle Rock, there was a long stretch of open highway. ("Open" meaning that there was one clear lane with no obstacles to go around.)"
--Thanks for that, Captain Obvious!
This is an example from book 1:
Niko half dragged me through the hail, down the "aisle" that was not an aisle but was actually the space above the seats (because, remember, the bus was on its side)."
--Ooooh ok, I hadn't caught that when the bus CRASHED and flipped sideways 30 seconds earlier.
Fortunately. these instances only appear a couple of times in each book. However this is not my only complaint on the writing. While reading, there are sentences and… peculiarities that stand out like a sore thumb, which both distracted and annoyed me. Here are some of them and maybe you'll see what I mean:
"They had dirty faces and smelled not good."
--You speak good.
"what I read in her expression went something like: Ah, this dumb kid feels like he's getting pushed around so he's taking a stand on a small, insignificant detail. But I guess if he needs to win this little victory for the sake of his pride, then I will give in."
--That's very facially talented! O_O
"Jean let me rub some toothpaste around on my gums so I wouldn't have breath like I ate a donkey's butt all day."
--Gross! Worst analogy ever!
"He's the worst person I ever met.
1) He had laid a trap for us.
2) We had fallen into the trap.
3) He still had a dad."
--Umm ok, we better watch out for THIS badass villain!
Also, the most dangerous side effect of this chemical: "O monsters"! Yep. *snort*
Aside from this writing, I actually quite enjoyed the rest. With many characters, I was impressed that I was able to easily keep them all straight, and they became people I cared about--though some more than others. I also appreciated the neat way the recap was done with an " in case we die" letter at the beginning. It was only 3 pages, but it completely set me right back to where we had left off as if no time had passed.
This time, the plot was a lot more exciting while still keeping the claustrophobic feel some loved from the first. This is achieved with two POVs: one from the supermarket, another from the outside, which raises the tension in the story, plus it answers the big question of what the outside has been like since this apocalypse. On this note, I found it to be a pretty realistic depiction of how people would act during such a catastrophe: violence and horror caused by other survivors are often the most dangerous of all. Although we still did not get answers as to what brought on the deadly chemicals, we do make some progress with which I was satisfied, knowing the explanations were (hopefully) saved for the final installment. Furthermore, since the outside POV constantly keeps us on edge, I actually enjoyed the more laid-back feel of the others in the supermarket this time, "playing house" as I called it in my review of book 1. It doesn't stay quiet for long there either, however. Overall, it does become a pretty exciting novel and by the ending I was frantically turning the pages with my heart pounding. It's really a shame that the writing puts such a damper on things.
The writing problems I had are not something new to this sequel, so if you loved the first you might not be bothered by it in Sky on Fire either. I did think it was a strong sequel which is rare in itself, and despite my complaints, I'm looking forward to the 3rd - Savage Drift!
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
May 10, 2015
A fantastic continuation of the story with a lot of action and emotion. As with book 1 the inclusion of both teenagers AND little kids is what makes me feel so invested in the characters, and a little bit teary a couple of times! I enjoyed the dual POV of Alex and Dean, two brothers that we're separated in book 1 and have their own battles to fight throughout the story, it's nice to have two very different voices but both gunning for the same outcome - basically to survive and rescue these kids.
The ending is a little on the cheesy side for me, especially the final events in Monument - that's been done so many times before it's a bit of a cliché, but nevertheless it was exciting. And I guess I need to move on to book 3 asap given that last minute little carrot on a stick Laybourne dangled in front of me!
The ending is a little on the cheesy side for me, especially the final events in Monument - that's been done so many times before it's a bit of a cliché, but nevertheless it was exciting. And I guess I need to move on to book 3 asap given that last minute little carrot on a stick Laybourne dangled in front of me!
May 21, 2013
If I reviewed this book with just one word, that word would be UGH. Honestly, I enjoyed Monument 14 when I read it last year. I'm not sure whether it's actually better than Sky on Fire or if, because of my monumental reading challenge, I was just happy to read something so fast-paced. Either way, Sky on Fire is just sad. I hate making such a pronouncement, but the quality of the writing, the flat characters, and the discomfiting portrayal of women combined to make this a horrid read for me.
Warning: There will be spoilers all up in this bitch.
On the plus side, Sky on Fire probably only took about an hour of reading time all told. It's just 210 pages, so it flies by. Its brevity is the big selling point. The other positive I can offer for Laybourne's series is that the world building does have promise. I like that the world really does seem pretty fucked, and that she's willing to kill off characters; I would like it more if she killed off all of them. The idea of an airborne toxin affecting different blood types in varying ways is interesting too. Unfortunately, a good idea didn't help much, since I hated the plot, writing and characters.
We'll start with the characters. I've read two books in this series now and have yet to see any character development. Things happen and the kids do change somewhat, but not for any discernible reason. Shit just happens. For example, Astrid, pregnant and the object of Dean's affections, tells him that it was nice of him to stay with her in the store, but that she won't have sex with him. Nothing really changes, but they have sex either that day or the next day and suddenly she likes him. Apparently this nerdy virgin who had no experience whatsoever before must have been a mind-blowing lay. *rolls eyes* So, yeah, Astrid changed, but there was nothing to explain why she supposedly likes Dean rather than Jake.
Or, how about this? At the end of the first book, we learned of Astrid's pregnancy. This was my first really bright red flag in the series, but I still wanted to give book two a try. How terrible is it to be a pregnant teenager? Pretty awful in most circumstances. How about if there are no doctors around to help with the birthing? That's definitely worse. And what if you're in the middle of an apocalypse? Worst time ever to have a kid. This is pretty much fact. Yet, somehow, both Jake and Astrid are OVERJOYED at the fact that they will be bringing spawn into the world. No. Yes, these kids are idiots, but, fuck, even they should realize that this is the worst fucking thing that could be happening.
Let's talk about the girls in this book. The way they are portrayed makes me very uncomfortable. The strongest girl in the book is Astrid, pregnant in the middle of the apocalypse. She does actually help save them. Yay! But she's also in the middle of an asinine love triangle and apparently wants to be with whichever guy had sex with her last. So . . . less cool. Then there's Sahalia, who does nothing but cry and have guys attempt to rape her. She's also thirteen. The younger ones serve no purpose to the plot. Oh, there's another girl who's used as a hostage. And another one who does save the group on the bus a couple of times, but then always runs off crying and I'm pretty sure gets left behind entirely, though they're going to go get her in book three. Still, they freaking fly off to fucking Canada and leave her. This is how much women matter.
The writing drove me bonkers. It's repetitive and redundant, like my description. The sentences are simple, especially in Alex's sections. The narration is split between brothers Dean and Alex, as they group has split into two. Alex's notes are monotonous. I don't know how something non-verbal can be monotonous, but this is. Simple sentences with few two or more syllable words. "We did this. We did that." down to mundane details that have nothing to do with the overall plot. Both brothers seem to be writing journals of some sort, but it's unclear when they're writing them. The bottoms of each page indicate the time or location of the entry, but they sometimes reference things the characters don't know yet, like they're being compiled much later. For example, Dean mentions that the smoke kept the toxins in the air from affecting them though they didn't know that yet. That's something they couldn't have learned until at least the last few chapters, but that was in the middle of the book.
Speaking of smoking, that plot element may have disgusted me more than the sexism. Apparently cigarette smoke clears the air of the dangerous elements. Yay! Children, cigarettes are good for you. Was this book endorsed by Marlboro or something? Ugh. There are so many other things that could have been used to clear the air, like incense or candles. It really had to be fucking cigarettes? This sends an awesome message to children.
In no way can I endorse this book. It's certainly not a good choice for a reader like me. I suspect Laybourne is trying to target reluctant readers, but easy-to-read writing can be better than this. However, if you can look past flat, unlikable characters and questionable messages, then maybe you'll like this series. Every book works for someone, right? All I know is that no force in the 'verse could make me read any more.
Warning: There will be spoilers all up in this bitch.
On the plus side, Sky on Fire probably only took about an hour of reading time all told. It's just 210 pages, so it flies by. Its brevity is the big selling point. The other positive I can offer for Laybourne's series is that the world building does have promise. I like that the world really does seem pretty fucked, and that she's willing to kill off characters; I would like it more if she killed off all of them. The idea of an airborne toxin affecting different blood types in varying ways is interesting too. Unfortunately, a good idea didn't help much, since I hated the plot, writing and characters.
We'll start with the characters. I've read two books in this series now and have yet to see any character development. Things happen and the kids do change somewhat, but not for any discernible reason. Shit just happens. For example, Astrid, pregnant and the object of Dean's affections, tells him that it was nice of him to stay with her in the store, but that she won't have sex with him. Nothing really changes, but they have sex either that day or the next day and suddenly she likes him. Apparently this nerdy virgin who had no experience whatsoever before must have been a mind-blowing lay. *rolls eyes* So, yeah, Astrid changed, but there was nothing to explain why she supposedly likes Dean rather than Jake.
Or, how about this? At the end of the first book, we learned of Astrid's pregnancy. This was my first really bright red flag in the series, but I still wanted to give book two a try. How terrible is it to be a pregnant teenager? Pretty awful in most circumstances. How about if there are no doctors around to help with the birthing? That's definitely worse. And what if you're in the middle of an apocalypse? Worst time ever to have a kid. This is pretty much fact. Yet, somehow, both Jake and Astrid are OVERJOYED at the fact that they will be bringing spawn into the world. No. Yes, these kids are idiots, but, fuck, even they should realize that this is the worst fucking thing that could be happening.
Let's talk about the girls in this book. The way they are portrayed makes me very uncomfortable. The strongest girl in the book is Astrid, pregnant in the middle of the apocalypse. She does actually help save them. Yay! But she's also in the middle of an asinine love triangle and apparently wants to be with whichever guy had sex with her last. So . . . less cool. Then there's Sahalia, who does nothing but cry and have guys attempt to rape her. She's also thirteen. The younger ones serve no purpose to the plot. Oh, there's another girl who's used as a hostage. And another one who does save the group on the bus a couple of times, but then always runs off crying and I'm pretty sure gets left behind entirely, though they're going to go get her in book three. Still, they freaking fly off to fucking Canada and leave her. This is how much women matter.
The writing drove me bonkers. It's repetitive and redundant, like my description. The sentences are simple, especially in Alex's sections. The narration is split between brothers Dean and Alex, as they group has split into two. Alex's notes are monotonous. I don't know how something non-verbal can be monotonous, but this is. Simple sentences with few two or more syllable words. "We did this. We did that." down to mundane details that have nothing to do with the overall plot. Both brothers seem to be writing journals of some sort, but it's unclear when they're writing them. The bottoms of each page indicate the time or location of the entry, but they sometimes reference things the characters don't know yet, like they're being compiled much later. For example, Dean mentions that the smoke kept the toxins in the air from affecting them though they didn't know that yet. That's something they couldn't have learned until at least the last few chapters, but that was in the middle of the book.
Speaking of smoking, that plot element may have disgusted me more than the sexism. Apparently cigarette smoke clears the air of the dangerous elements. Yay! Children, cigarettes are good for you. Was this book endorsed by Marlboro or something? Ugh. There are so many other things that could have been used to clear the air, like incense or candles. It really had to be fucking cigarettes? This sends an awesome message to children.
In no way can I endorse this book. It's certainly not a good choice for a reader like me. I suspect Laybourne is trying to target reluctant readers, but easy-to-read writing can be better than this. However, if you can look past flat, unlikable characters and questionable messages, then maybe you'll like this series. Every book works for someone, right? All I know is that no force in the 'verse could make me read any more.
March 24, 2014
NONONONOONONONONONONONNO
No puedo...simplemente no puedo.
Realmente intenté hacer una reseña pero todavía no encuentro cómo empezar. Sin dudas esta trilogía se está convirtiendo en una de mis favoritas.
Me hizo reir,sorprenderme, preocuparme y hasta darme escalofríos. De verdad que el final fue... ¿WHAT?.
Voy a esperar unos días más, porque tengo que reseñar esto..y tengo que hacerlo bien
January 17, 2023
WHEW! 😓 Excuse me ... I'm gonna need a minute!
This is an intense, fast-paced, suspenseful trilogy! 🤯
This is an intense, fast-paced, suspenseful trilogy! 🤯
April 9, 2015
Rating: 4 Stars
My Opinion of This Book: Definitely better than the first book!
_________________________________________________
Wow..this book. Guys, I basically hated the first book, but I decided to give this series another chance. So I go to Barnes & Noble, pick it up, and expect to just read one or two chapters (because, you know, the first one was bad, so why would this be good?), but instead I read the whole entire thing. In one sitting. At B&N. I haven't finished a book in one sitting since agos ago! This book was so intense, I literally could not put it down at all. To say the least, this book was awesome. I wasn't expecting such greatness.
FULL REVIEW TO COME
My Opinion of This Book: Definitely better than the first book!
_________________________________________________
Wow..this book. Guys, I basically hated the first book, but I decided to give this series another chance. So I go to Barnes & Noble, pick it up, and expect to just read one or two chapters (because, you know, the first one was bad, so why would this be good?), but instead I read the whole entire thing. In one sitting. At B&N. I haven't finished a book in one sitting since agos ago! This book was so intense, I literally could not put it down at all. To say the least, this book was awesome. I wasn't expecting such greatness.
FULL REVIEW TO COME
August 12, 2017
I had the same problems with this book as I had with the previous one.
There is an overall lack of emotion, everyone seems a bit too calm, no build-up to emotional or important scenes and I just cannot connect with the characters.
The sentences are kept short (often too short) and read more like a bad journal than a book. This makes the story feel flat, even though the plot in itself is fantastic.
During the last 100 pages, I often had to shake my head at how ridiciously easy some things were resolved and at how many coincidences seem to take place in this universe.
There is an overall lack of emotion, everyone seems a bit too calm, no build-up to emotional or important scenes and I just cannot connect with the characters.
The sentences are kept short (often too short) and read more like a bad journal than a book. This makes the story feel flat, even though the plot in itself is fantastic.
During the last 100 pages, I often had to shake my head at how ridiciously easy some things were resolved and at how many coincidences seem to take place in this universe.
May 15, 2017
This was a great followup to Monument 14. The fourteen kids are now split up with brothers Alex and Dean in different groups. We are able to view what each group is doing through the alternate POV of the two brothers. I loved the mix of happy endings with hints of future doom. Will the group in the bus make it to the evac point? Will the group in the Greenway be rescued?
April 29, 2016
Argh! Malditas expectativas.
O segundo livro de Monument 14 me deixou um pouco insatisfeito, no geral. Eu não sei se me cansei da história ou do gênero, ou se ele simplesmente não precisava ser uma trilogia. O problema é o seguinte: nada significativo aconteceu em grande parte do livro. Parecia uma repetição do primeiro, e eu já estava começando a ficar cansado com os eventos e com os personagens. Falando nisso, alguns deles passaram a me irritar.
Meus olhos começaram a enxergar um monte de atitudes e acontecimentos desnecessários (estranho colocar dessa forma, hahaha) e, de vez em quando, difíceis de acreditar. Agora que terminei, eu me pergunto se eu só gostei tanto do primeiro livro por culpa da ocasião. Não sei.
A escrita é SUPER simples, sem muito desenvolvimento ou floreios, mas esse formato serve bem à história. Acredito que tenha sido um livro que me divertiu, me entreteve, mas... só. O final (que, por sinal, foi corridíssimo) me fez torcer o nariz um pouco e me deixou com a sensação de que quero saber como termina, mas não tenho pressa.
O segundo livro de Monument 14 me deixou um pouco insatisfeito, no geral. Eu não sei se me cansei da história ou do gênero, ou se ele simplesmente não precisava ser uma trilogia. O problema é o seguinte: nada significativo aconteceu em grande parte do livro. Parecia uma repetição do primeiro, e eu já estava começando a ficar cansado com os eventos e com os personagens. Falando nisso, alguns deles passaram a me irritar.
Meus olhos começaram a enxergar um monte de atitudes e acontecimentos desnecessários (estranho colocar dessa forma, hahaha) e, de vez em quando, difíceis de acreditar. Agora que terminei, eu me pergunto se eu só gostei tanto do primeiro livro por culpa da ocasião. Não sei.
A escrita é SUPER simples, sem muito desenvolvimento ou floreios, mas esse formato serve bem à história. Acredito que tenha sido um livro que me divertiu, me entreteve, mas... só. O final (que, por sinal, foi corridíssimo) me fez torcer o nariz um pouco e me deixou com a sensação de que quero saber como termina, mas não tenho pressa.
January 22, 2015
2.5
This book was extremely hard for me to get through. I enjoyed Monument 14. It wasn’t without its faults, but the overall story was okay. I was extremely interested in reading the sequel because I wanted to know how everything turned out. Would the kids be saved? Would they make it to Denver? Would they find their families? Honestly, halfway through the book, I just didn’t care anymore.
Maybe it was me. I know, personally, I’m not a fan of end of the world type scenarios where it showcases the worst of mankind. I was sickened by the behavior of some throughout this book. And I do understand that in those types of scenarios, people would probably act like this, it just isn’t something I’m fond of. So that part was on me.
Looking at the book as a whole, I was disappointed. The writing felt very basic to me. The narrative wasn’t engaging and a lot of it was repetitive. There was no emotional attachment between me and the characters. Most of them, I just wanted to go away. I felt there was no real development with them. Here’s a quick rundown of my thoughts on them:
Dean: very passive, main goal is to be with Astrid despite her attitude, no backbone
Astrid: rude, floats from one boy to next depending on who is showing her the most affection, do not believe that her “feelings” for Dean are real
Jake: Douche
Chloe: just there to cry and complain
The Twins: they were cute and I have nothing bad to say about them
Josie: spent the whole book crying and running away
Niko: probably my favorite character even if I didn’t understand his love for Josie, strong, protective
Alex: he was kind of just there to be a co-narrator.
Max, Ulysses, Batiste: they all kind of became the same person here
Sahalia: oh lord, an older version of Chloe who apparently everyone wants to rape, I really didn’t like her
I think that’s all of them. It wasn’t just the characters, but the little things that happened in the story as well. The way the pregnancy was dealt with ( I don’t believe for a second two teenagers would be ecstatic about bringing a baby in this world), the cadets (pointless plot device), and children smoking cigarettes ( really? There wasn’t a better way to have them cleanse the air?). Everything just left a bitter aftertaste to me.
Based on the ending I’m pretty sure there is going to be another one. I’m honestly not sure if I will read it because I believe that this is going outside of my suspension of belief.
This review can also be found here on my blog.
This book was extremely hard for me to get through. I enjoyed Monument 14. It wasn’t without its faults, but the overall story was okay. I was extremely interested in reading the sequel because I wanted to know how everything turned out. Would the kids be saved? Would they make it to Denver? Would they find their families? Honestly, halfway through the book, I just didn’t care anymore.
Maybe it was me. I know, personally, I’m not a fan of end of the world type scenarios where it showcases the worst of mankind. I was sickened by the behavior of some throughout this book. And I do understand that in those types of scenarios, people would probably act like this, it just isn’t something I’m fond of. So that part was on me.
Looking at the book as a whole, I was disappointed. The writing felt very basic to me. The narrative wasn’t engaging and a lot of it was repetitive. There was no emotional attachment between me and the characters. Most of them, I just wanted to go away. I felt there was no real development with them. Here’s a quick rundown of my thoughts on them:
Dean: very passive, main goal is to be with Astrid despite her attitude, no backbone
Astrid: rude, floats from one boy to next depending on who is showing her the most affection, do not believe that her “feelings” for Dean are real
Jake: Douche
Chloe: just there to cry and complain
The Twins: they were cute and I have nothing bad to say about them
Josie: spent the whole book crying and running away
Niko: probably my favorite character even if I didn’t understand his love for Josie, strong, protective
Alex: he was kind of just there to be a co-narrator.
Max, Ulysses, Batiste: they all kind of became the same person here
Sahalia: oh lord, an older version of Chloe who apparently everyone wants to rape, I really didn’t like her
I think that’s all of them. It wasn’t just the characters, but the little things that happened in the story as well. The way the pregnancy was dealt with ( I don’t believe for a second two teenagers would be ecstatic about bringing a baby in this world), the cadets (pointless plot device), and children smoking cigarettes ( really? There wasn’t a better way to have them cleanse the air?). Everything just left a bitter aftertaste to me.
Based on the ending I’m pretty sure there is going to be another one. I’m honestly not sure if I will read it because I believe that this is going outside of my suspension of belief.
This review can also be found here on my blog.
September 16, 2018
El que eligió la tipografía para el segundo punto de vista es ciego y le importa poco que la gente pueda leer el libro (?
Más allá de eso, la serie debería terminar acá.
Más allá de eso, la serie debería terminar acá.
November 29, 2013
[Rating: 4.5 stars] They should really do half stars.
”We didn’t die. Stay safe…or get to Denver.”
The brothers have separated. Alex, Niko, Sahalia, Josie, and Brayden, along with Max, Ulysses, and Batiste, have taken their old school bus to Denver Intl Airport to try to get rescued, while Dean, Astrid, Chloe, and the twins Henry and Caroline stay behind in the store, knowing that they will become O monsters once exposed to the chemicals. While Dean and the others at the store have some gang problems, along the way, Alex and the kids on the bus will have to deal with crazy soldiers, old gangs, and domineering kids. And what’s this Operation Phoenix that they are hearing about? Will they find hope in Denver? Or will they find that their situation is worse than they could ever think of?
Sky on Fire ramped up everything: action, climax, and heartwarming scenes! On both ends of the story, despite the brothers getting separated, the plot was fast paced. On Alex’s side, we deal with the horrors of the outside world: crazy kids, O monsters, and other crazies just trying to survive. On Dean’s side, we deal with gang members that have found their way into the store. The plot, however, raises some questions.
1)Where did the white mold (skunk) come from?
2)What is Josie’s blood type? How is she the way that she is?
3)What the heck happened to Brayden?! She just left his character hanging!
I’ve seen many people talk about the repetitiveness of the writing, the repeatedness of the writing, and also how the writing says the same thing over and over again. (See what I did here? ;) ) I see the point, but they fail to keep in mind that this is from the point of view of kids struck with disaster, not a 3rd person POV. I also liked the fonts that distinguished each of their points of view, but Alex’s font was a bit too small for my taste ( but it didn’t interfere that much)
I liked how the book included a little review of the cast of characters in the beginning, just in case we forgot. It was a good thing too; it helped me get right back into the story. Some new adult characters were introduced too, and it was an interesting look into the grimy world of Monument, Colorado. I also actually kinda liked the relationships that were forged on Alex’s side, though they weren’t touched upon that much. Also, were so touching. :`)
And the best part of the book was the climax! HOLY CRAP it was so suspenseful and thrilling! I was actually really scared for their lives! And after that, I loved how the story ended, EXCEPT…the story wasn’t ended there! It relates back to a past event that has the kids ready to go…where? We’ll find out in Savage Drift!
Overall, I don’t think Sky on Fire suffered that much from the 2nd-book-slump. It was great how she ramped up the action. Hopefully she answers all the questions and more in the final book of this trilogy, Savage Drift!
”We didn’t die. Stay safe…or get to Denver.”
The brothers have separated. Alex, Niko, Sahalia, Josie, and Brayden, along with Max, Ulysses, and Batiste, have taken their old school bus to Denver Intl Airport to try to get rescued, while Dean, Astrid, Chloe, and the twins Henry and Caroline stay behind in the store, knowing that they will become O monsters once exposed to the chemicals. While Dean and the others at the store have some gang problems, along the way, Alex and the kids on the bus will have to deal with crazy soldiers, old gangs, and domineering kids. And what’s this Operation Phoenix that they are hearing about? Will they find hope in Denver? Or will they find that their situation is worse than they could ever think of?
Sky on Fire ramped up everything: action, climax, and heartwarming scenes! On both ends of the story, despite the brothers getting separated, the plot was fast paced. On Alex’s side, we deal with the horrors of the outside world: crazy kids, O monsters, and other crazies just trying to survive. On Dean’s side, we deal with gang members that have found their way into the store. The plot, however, raises some questions.
1)Where did the white mold (skunk) come from?
2)What is Josie’s blood type? How is she the way that she is?
3)What the heck happened to Brayden?! She just left his character hanging!
I’ve seen many people talk about the repetitiveness of the writing, the repeatedness of the writing, and also how the writing says the same thing over and over again. (See what I did here? ;) ) I see the point, but they fail to keep in mind that this is from the point of view of kids struck with disaster, not a 3rd person POV. I also liked the fonts that distinguished each of their points of view, but Alex’s font was a bit too small for my taste ( but it didn’t interfere that much)
I liked how the book included a little review of the cast of characters in the beginning, just in case we forgot. It was a good thing too; it helped me get right back into the story. Some new adult characters were introduced too, and it was an interesting look into the grimy world of Monument, Colorado. I also actually kinda liked the relationships that were forged on Alex’s side, though they weren’t touched upon that much. Also, were so touching. :`)
And the best part of the book was the climax! HOLY CRAP it was so suspenseful and thrilling! I was actually really scared for their lives! And after that, I loved how the story ended, EXCEPT…the story wasn’t ended there! It relates back to a past event that has the kids ready to go…where? We’ll find out in Savage Drift!
Overall, I don’t think Sky on Fire suffered that much from the 2nd-book-slump. It was great how she ramped up the action. Hopefully she answers all the questions and more in the final book of this trilogy, Savage Drift!
August 28, 2013
Wow! O_O!
Okay, this book was pretty crazy! Though, I have to admit it wasn't as crazy as the first one. And while I'm admitting, I'll go ahead and say that I honestly didn't understand the series being title Monument 14, until in this book when Alex had called them the survivors the Monument 14. That was met with a face palm and an outspoke "No Shit!"
Anyways....
Once again, I was kept entertained and immediately pulled--DOVE--into the story. Easily reading through and being able to remember and pick off where we left off with the help of a summary of previous events. Which by the way wasn't at all annoying as they sometimes can be in certain books. In this book it was more serious toned than the first of the series. The whole survival and fighting for life is more real, as well as how their world has changed durastically. Before it was just news and speculation, but now its reading into it and hearing what the characters have to face and how they react to the dire situations.
Another refreshing difference is that there are two POV. We not only get Dean once again and his familiar train of thoughts--though, once again he changes throughout with book even more--we also get his little brother Alex. We get insight into what was happening inside the market, where the survivors that stayed behind were at, As well as get to see what happened with the others that went for help.
Above all, ignoring the fact that the grammar being used in the book is a bit too....sophisticated for these characters that are supposed to be teenagers and realistically wouldn't be recited in those certain ways. It's a good book, great story line. Fantasic beginning, middle, and of course the ever existant cliffhanger ending. Something to read, especially if you're continuing from the first book in the series.
Alright. So not wanting to give ANYTHING away, and not knowing what else needs to be said, I shall just leave it at that. :)
Okay, this book was pretty crazy! Though, I have to admit it wasn't as crazy as the first one. And while I'm admitting, I'll go ahead and say that I honestly didn't understand the series being title Monument 14, until in this book when Alex had called them the survivors the Monument 14. That was met with a face palm and an outspoke "No Shit!"
Anyways....
Once again, I was kept entertained and immediately pulled--DOVE--into the story. Easily reading through and being able to remember and pick off where we left off with the help of a summary of previous events. Which by the way wasn't at all annoying as they sometimes can be in certain books. In this book it was more serious toned than the first of the series. The whole survival and fighting for life is more real, as well as how their world has changed durastically. Before it was just news and speculation, but now its reading into it and hearing what the characters have to face and how they react to the dire situations.
Another refreshing difference is that there are two POV. We not only get Dean once again and his familiar train of thoughts--though, once again he changes throughout with book even more--we also get his little brother Alex. We get insight into what was happening inside the market, where the survivors that stayed behind were at, As well as get to see what happened with the others that went for help.
Above all, ignoring the fact that the grammar being used in the book is a bit too....sophisticated for these characters that are supposed to be teenagers and realistically wouldn't be recited in those certain ways. It's a good book, great story line. Fantasic beginning, middle, and of course the ever existant cliffhanger ending. Something to read, especially if you're continuing from the first book in the series.
Alright. So not wanting to give ANYTHING away, and not knowing what else needs to be said, I shall just leave it at that. :)
March 11, 2013
♥ Find my reviews here: Literary Meanderings
- - -
**Contains spoilers for the first book in the series—Monument 14**
Sky on Fire picks up immediately after the events of it's predecessor. The original group of kids & teens has split into two parts. Most of them are on the school bus, heading for the Denver International Airport—a place they were told would offer help to an injured friend and help organize a rescue party for those left behind. Among those on the Denver-bound bus is Alex, brother of Dean—our narrator and main character for book one. Dean is among those left behind at the Greenway department store in Monument. Along with him is Astrid, who we found out was pregnant at the end of book one.
The group on the bus comes across many obstacles along the way, some expected and some not.
The group at Greenway is dangerous all on their own. Most of them have type O blood. Type Os, when exposed to the chemical compounds in the air, become enraged, violent, and completely homicidal.
Will either group be able to overcome all of the obstacles that stand in their way? Will they find their families? Find out how to beat the compounds? Survive?
- - -
I enjoyed this book a lot more than Monument 14! This book is more focused on action and danger than the first. The first book sort of irritated me because there was too much focus on sexual predators and sex in general. It wasn't really something that I feel had a place in the book. Anyway. This book impressed me!
I enjoy reading from male POVs. This book is told in duel viewpoints by Alex and Dean. Alex is with the group on the bus; Dean with the group at Greenway. This was smart of the author to do. It gave the series a fresh voice (Alex), and let us see what was happening at all times in both places. Each brother has a distinctive voice, and each of their strengths and weaknesses shine through in their words.
New dangers are introduced to us in this novel. The compounds remain a threat, but there are also other threats to consider. Looters, type Os who've been exposed to the compounds, running out of food and water, and gangs. One such gang becomes a problem for both of our groups. They call themselves the “Cadets” - Their leader is very violent and sort of insane. He's definitely a dictator. This group is where my problems came in... Mainly, these guys were overly crude and military-like. It seemed overly done, and too fake—like some bully on the playground putting on his big boy pants; playing a part more than actually being a badass villain.
As with the first book, I was thoroughly impressed with the uniqueness the compounds bring to the story. Incase you missed it: In the first book these chemical compounds were released into the air. They react with blood types. When exposed to the compounds, type Os become violent and full of rage. Another type (I don't remember specifics aside from type O) will literally become paranoid and insane. Another will immediately blister and bleed when exposed, and die pretty quickly. The last group becomes sterile; unable to reproduce. -- This element of the story is explained A LOT more in this book than the first. We learn some details on the why of it, as well as what the government plans to do about the issue.
A lot of emphasis is put on how bloodthirsty the type Os get when they are exposed to the compounds. I really liked how the Os used their weakness to their advantage. Throughout the book, they purposely expose themselves to save those they care for. It was pretty awesome. For lack of better word, LOL, it was badass! I loved the violence and gore. Who doesn't like a side of horror with their apocalypse? :)
Emmy Laybourne kept the pace up to a nice level. There was more action in this book than the first. There was a lot going on in just the span of a few pages. I am impressed with how much she fit into just over 200 pages. All of these action-packed events lead up to quite the remarkable climax! It was emotional and surprising, as well as cliffhanger-y, but not too cliffhanger-y. It seems to me that there will be a third book, and I hope so! If there is, I definitely plan to continue the series.
Overall, this was a fantastic sequel to Monument 14. Laybourne stepped up her game as far as excitement and pacing, as well as character interaction and development. She gave us a ton of answers to questions posed in the previous book. There is a thread of romance woven into the story, and while it's a bit of a love triangle, it's done well and gives readers a little something extra to root for. There are deaths. There is violence. There is love and hate. There is action and science. There are reunions and promises. It's really an amazing follow-up and I hope to see more in the series. I definitely plan to continue it if this is the case!
- - -
Book source: NetGalley
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan Children's Publishing Group
January 14, 2014
There really aren’t that many post-apocalyptic trilogies I truly enjoy, but the raw realism of Laybourne’s apocalyptic vision, the sheer probability of it all, is what makes her series stand out in the sea of post-apocalyptic reads out there. The point of these books, I think, is to convince the readers they’re entirely possible, and with Monument 14, my mind was free of doubts from the start.
In Sky of Fire, our small group of young survivors split into two groups. The larger group, lead by Nico, decided to try to reach Denver International Airport by bus. The second group stayed behind, mostly because of their blood type and the danger they can easily become to others. The two brothers we’ve been following from the beginning, Alex and Dean, got separated, with Dean staying in the Monument shopping mall, and Alex leaving to seek help.
Things did not get easier for our group in this installment. If anything, Sky on Fire is darker and more violent than its predecessor – not that Laybourne ever shied away from harsh realities of a world in shambles. The difference is that by now, our teen survivors learned what they must do to survive, and their hands aren’t clean anymore. They are ready to threaten, drug or kill people in order to save themselves and their friends. In other words, they have adapted, even if they hate themselves for it.
While the addition of Alex’s point of view was absolutely necessary, being inside Dean’s head was far more enjoyable. There’s just something about Dean’s simple honesty that would melt even the hardest of hearts, and his love for Astrid, open and undemanding, no matter the circumstances, endeared him to me even further. Those who have read Monument 14 will remember that Astrid, Dean’s long-time crush, is pregnant with another boy’s baby, but our Dean takes it all in stride, willing to accept this and anything else she might throw his way, just to be with her.
Emmy Laybourne still excels at building characters, but her skill is somewhat less pronounced in this sequel, probably because of the rapid pacing. With so many things going on, it’s hard to focus on anyone except the POV characters. But while I felt a tiny bit detached from some of the secondary characters’ issues, I did get to know Dean even better and learned to appreciate him a lot more.
Sky on Fire has a nice, satisfactory ending with just enough issues left open to make me more than interested in reading the next book. Not every middle book has to end with a cliffhanger, and in fact, if it were up to me, I’d ban them from existence altogether. Thankfully, things like cliffhanger endings and middle book syndrome aren’t part of Emmy Laybourne’s repertoire.
In Sky of Fire, our small group of young survivors split into two groups. The larger group, lead by Nico, decided to try to reach Denver International Airport by bus. The second group stayed behind, mostly because of their blood type and the danger they can easily become to others. The two brothers we’ve been following from the beginning, Alex and Dean, got separated, with Dean staying in the Monument shopping mall, and Alex leaving to seek help.
Things did not get easier for our group in this installment. If anything, Sky on Fire is darker and more violent than its predecessor – not that Laybourne ever shied away from harsh realities of a world in shambles. The difference is that by now, our teen survivors learned what they must do to survive, and their hands aren’t clean anymore. They are ready to threaten, drug or kill people in order to save themselves and their friends. In other words, they have adapted, even if they hate themselves for it.
While the addition of Alex’s point of view was absolutely necessary, being inside Dean’s head was far more enjoyable. There’s just something about Dean’s simple honesty that would melt even the hardest of hearts, and his love for Astrid, open and undemanding, no matter the circumstances, endeared him to me even further. Those who have read Monument 14 will remember that Astrid, Dean’s long-time crush, is pregnant with another boy’s baby, but our Dean takes it all in stride, willing to accept this and anything else she might throw his way, just to be with her.
Emmy Laybourne still excels at building characters, but her skill is somewhat less pronounced in this sequel, probably because of the rapid pacing. With so many things going on, it’s hard to focus on anyone except the POV characters. But while I felt a tiny bit detached from some of the secondary characters’ issues, I did get to know Dean even better and learned to appreciate him a lot more.
Sky on Fire has a nice, satisfactory ending with just enough issues left open to make me more than interested in reading the next book. Not every middle book has to end with a cliffhanger, and in fact, if it were up to me, I’d ban them from existence altogether. Thankfully, things like cliffhanger endings and middle book syndrome aren’t part of Emmy Laybourne’s repertoire.
October 3, 2016
When we left off in Monument 14, half of the kids left on a bus to get help and the other stayed behind in the Greenway. This time we see more of the rotting world and how truly desperate humans are to survive.
Reading this felt so real. That something as horrible as the end of the world could happen. What these characters went through are too realistic. Especially when they encounter other groups of people who want nothing but their resources and will leave them for dead. Not only did Emmy Laybourne show a different but violent side but also wrote with an emotional intensity that could only be found when people have lost hope. I also found it incredibly sad that the characters were just kids. Having to grow up in a world like the book’s setting can’t be easy. There were bright points in the book, such as the companionship of their little dog Luna who protected her family.
The book is told in dual perspectives of Dean and Alex. Each story ends up fused together in the end and I enjoyed how everything was unraveled in the end. It also hinted at another book so I’m also keen to know what happens to them all. The pacing was just right, wasn’t bored at all. And it was also a fast read.
Characters
Liked the two brother’s points of views!!
Pacing/Length
Fast-paced and a short read!
Cover/Design
Loved the cover showing the bus and the moss.
Plot
Definitely a realistic plot!
Overall, the ending kept me excited for the next book!
Reading this felt so real. That something as horrible as the end of the world could happen. What these characters went through are too realistic. Especially when they encounter other groups of people who want nothing but their resources and will leave them for dead. Not only did Emmy Laybourne show a different but violent side but also wrote with an emotional intensity that could only be found when people have lost hope. I also found it incredibly sad that the characters were just kids. Having to grow up in a world like the book’s setting can’t be easy. There were bright points in the book, such as the companionship of their little dog Luna who protected her family.
The book is told in dual perspectives of Dean and Alex. Each story ends up fused together in the end and I enjoyed how everything was unraveled in the end. It also hinted at another book so I’m also keen to know what happens to them all. The pacing was just right, wasn’t bored at all. And it was also a fast read.
Characters
Liked the two brother’s points of views!!
Pacing/Length
Fast-paced and a short read!
Cover/Design
Loved the cover showing the bus and the moss.
Plot
Definitely a realistic plot!
Overall, the ending kept me excited for the next book!
July 1, 2013
It's not very often that a sequel is just as if not better than the first book. But this one totally delivered!
"Sky on Fire" picks up right where "Monument 14" left off. We alternate between brothers Dean and Alex's POV.
Half of the kids have left the safety of the Greenway to seek help at the Denver Airport. The bus is running and stocked. Faced with unimaginable obstacles, the kids slowly make their way through what are now nothing but wastelands. Will they make it?
The other half are still inside the Greenway waiting for rescue. But trouble comes knocking, and of course being kids, they let it in. Now Dean and the others must outsmart these intruders before it's too late.
This sequel is action packed from beginning to end. I still think the kids are unnaturally mature for their ages (especially the 5 and 6 year olds) but fortunately the story moved at such a fast pace, that I couldn't dwell on it for long.
The best part?? There is going to be a book 3!!!! Let the countdown begin.....
"Sky on Fire" picks up right where "Monument 14" left off. We alternate between brothers Dean and Alex's POV.
Half of the kids have left the safety of the Greenway to seek help at the Denver Airport. The bus is running and stocked. Faced with unimaginable obstacles, the kids slowly make their way through what are now nothing but wastelands. Will they make it?
The other half are still inside the Greenway waiting for rescue. But trouble comes knocking, and of course being kids, they let it in. Now Dean and the others must outsmart these intruders before it's too late.
This sequel is action packed from beginning to end. I still think the kids are unnaturally mature for their ages (especially the 5 and 6 year olds) but fortunately the story moved at such a fast pace, that I couldn't dwell on it for long.
The best part?? There is going to be a book 3!!!! Let the countdown begin.....
December 7, 2013
Tahle kniha si minimálně zaslouží body za to, že se čte neuvěřitelně rychle. Přečetla jsem ji za necelé 4 hodinky a to jsem ještě dělala jiné věci. Jen jsem chvilku byla zmatené, jestli je to konec nebo bude ještě pokráčko.
Musím říct, že v jeden okamžik jsem s tím chtěla seknout; Alex i Dean mi přišli strašně dětinští. A jak pochodovali, tak mi to připomínalo
.
Musím říct, že v jeden okamžik jsem s tím chtěla seknout; Alex i Dean mi přišli strašně dětinští. A jak pochodovali, tak mi to připomínalo
.
August 16, 2015
This was a fantastic follow up to Monument 14! Full of non stop action and suspense. I read it all in one sitting!
September 24, 2016
A nice continuation to the series.
January 9, 2017
I like it. This second book doesn't have that 2nd-book-bad-luck to me. Most of all, because I got to know what happen to them. They survived! Yayyy! Alex and Niko lived! Dean too!
But Josie tho. Next book is gonna be all about her. Somebody has to rescue her. After all she has done and Mario too! They would not have made it if it weren't for them both.
Brayden died tho. The stupid cadet gang killed him. It was so tense when Alex was coming to rescue Dean. Godd thank God they made it. You see, in this second book, it shows to reader like me that having those kids around paid off. I meant like dealing with their whining and whatnot paid off cos Max's Aunty Jean saved them and then the twins' dad saved the kids left in Greenway.
I'm so so happy that Batiste found her mom and Uleyss too. And the scene where the twins met their mom almost got me teared up. I suppose the rest will find their parents in the next book.
The book is just how I like it, fast-pace. No wasting time thinking and wondering and playing love or other stupid things. That's how it should be when everyone is in survival mode. Really, hands down to Niko. He's the man.
When I first Alex's POV, I couldn't differentiate it with Dean's. It's like they're a same person only one is older. But in actual fact, they have a totally different characters like an opposite kind of different but you can't see that in their thoughts. That's where I feel the author could improve on. And then towards the end, Alex was no longer writing to Dean and just had his POV straight out like that..IDK. His POV supposed to be his letters to Dean right? And when he transcribed what Batiste said in Korean like in full romanization >.> so unreal. There's no way he could jot that down first hand. He's a genius I give him that but not with that kind of memory.
But Josie tho. Next book is gonna be all about her. Somebody has to rescue her. After all she has done and Mario too! They would not have made it if it weren't for them both.
Brayden died tho. The stupid cadet gang killed him. It was so tense when Alex was coming to rescue Dean. Godd thank God they made it. You see, in this second book, it shows to reader like me that having those kids around paid off. I meant like dealing with their whining and whatnot paid off cos Max's Aunty Jean saved them and then the twins' dad saved the kids left in Greenway.
I'm so so happy that Batiste found her mom and Uleyss too. And the scene where the twins met their mom almost got me teared up. I suppose the rest will find their parents in the next book.
The book is just how I like it, fast-pace. No wasting time thinking and wondering and playing love or other stupid things. That's how it should be when everyone is in survival mode. Really, hands down to Niko. He's the man.
When I first Alex's POV, I couldn't differentiate it with Dean's. It's like they're a same person only one is older. But in actual fact, they have a totally different characters like an opposite kind of different but you can't see that in their thoughts. That's where I feel the author could improve on. And then towards the end, Alex was no longer writing to Dean and just had his POV straight out like that..IDK. His POV supposed to be his letters to Dean right? And when he transcribed what Batiste said in Korean like in full romanization >.> so unreal. There's no way he could jot that down first hand. He's a genius I give him that but not with that kind of memory.
March 22, 2018
Intrappolati in un supermercato, i fratelli Dean e Alex hanno dovuto imparare a sopravvivere. Insieme ad altri dodici ragazzi hanno costruito un rifugio sicuro, lontano dal caos circostante. Ma questa fragile pace non è destinata a durare.
Sapendo che le armi chimiche hanno reso tossica l’aria all’esterno, in grado di trasformare gli esseri umani in creature assetate di sangue, Dean decide di rimanere nel covo insieme con Astrid e alcuni dei ragazzi più piccoli, mentre Alex è determinato a uscire per ritrovare i genitori.
Un piccolo gruppo si avventura così nell’oscurità e nella devastazione, approfittando del riparo temporaneo di uno scuolabus. Se riuscissero a raggiungere l’aeroporto di Denver, potrebbero forse ottenere una via per la salvezza.
Ho iniziato questo libro non sapendo che fosse il secondo di una trilogia. Quando l’ho scoperto era ormai “troppo tardi” per tirarmi indietro ed è stata una fortuna.
Pur non avendo letto il primo volume la comprensione di Cielo in fiamme è avvenuta tranquillamente probabilmente anche grazie all’introduzione iniziale in cui l’autrice ha fatto una sorta di riassunto del libro precedente.
Ci ritroviamo nel bel mezzo di un’apocalisse, la fine del mondo sembra alle porte. Delle sostanze chimiche e tossiche (che non so come siano finite nell’aria e questo probabilmente è stato spiegato nel primo volume) fanno sì che gli uomini manifestino dei problemi fisici, psicologici o comportamentali a seconda del gruppo sanguigno. C’è chi può “semplicemente” diventare sterile, chi diventa paranoico, chi si riempie di vesciche e chi perde il controllo aumentando la forza fisica e diventando violento. Questo è un aspetto che ho trovato non solo molto interessante ma anche molto originale. Tra l’altro io faccio moltissima fatica a ricordarmi il mio gruppo sanguigno, ho cercato di impararlo non so nemmeno quante volte, e inutile dire che quando ho scoperto cosa succedeva alle persone di questo libro ho subito pensato “chissà cosa sarebbe successo a me, se solo mi ricordassi il mio gruppo sanguigno!“.
Emmy Laybourne ha utilizzato diversi punti di vista per narrare le vicende del gruppo di ragazzi rimasti all’interno del supermercato e quello del gruppo di ragazzi che si sono avventurati all’esterno alla guida di uno scuolabus con l’obiettivo di raggiungere Denver e con la speranza di riuscire a salvare anche i ragazzi rimasti nel grande magazzino. Entrambi i pov sono stati molto interessanti e bilanciati correttamente: l’autrice interrompeva la narrazione sempre al punto giusto, invogliando il lettore a continuare sia con l’uno sia con l’altro perché la curiosità era veramente elevata.
Non ho mai vissuto momenti di noia ma anzi ero sempre sul filo del rasoio, rischiavo di scattare sul divano ad ogni minimo rumore tanta era la tensione provata. Addirittura nelle ultime pagine, prima dell’epilogo, mi sono trovata letteralmente a trattenere il fiato a causa del ritmo incalzante e serrante.
Mi dispiace non aver letto il primo volume ma sicuramente se avrò l’occasione di leggere il terzo ed ultimo lo farò molto volentieri perché Cielo in fiamme mi è piaciuto molto quindi è sicuramente una serie che vi consiglio!
Sapendo che le armi chimiche hanno reso tossica l’aria all’esterno, in grado di trasformare gli esseri umani in creature assetate di sangue, Dean decide di rimanere nel covo insieme con Astrid e alcuni dei ragazzi più piccoli, mentre Alex è determinato a uscire per ritrovare i genitori.
Un piccolo gruppo si avventura così nell’oscurità e nella devastazione, approfittando del riparo temporaneo di uno scuolabus. Se riuscissero a raggiungere l’aeroporto di Denver, potrebbero forse ottenere una via per la salvezza.
Ho iniziato questo libro non sapendo che fosse il secondo di una trilogia. Quando l’ho scoperto era ormai “troppo tardi” per tirarmi indietro ed è stata una fortuna.
Pur non avendo letto il primo volume la comprensione di Cielo in fiamme è avvenuta tranquillamente probabilmente anche grazie all’introduzione iniziale in cui l’autrice ha fatto una sorta di riassunto del libro precedente.
Ci ritroviamo nel bel mezzo di un’apocalisse, la fine del mondo sembra alle porte. Delle sostanze chimiche e tossiche (che non so come siano finite nell’aria e questo probabilmente è stato spiegato nel primo volume) fanno sì che gli uomini manifestino dei problemi fisici, psicologici o comportamentali a seconda del gruppo sanguigno. C’è chi può “semplicemente” diventare sterile, chi diventa paranoico, chi si riempie di vesciche e chi perde il controllo aumentando la forza fisica e diventando violento. Questo è un aspetto che ho trovato non solo molto interessante ma anche molto originale. Tra l’altro io faccio moltissima fatica a ricordarmi il mio gruppo sanguigno, ho cercato di impararlo non so nemmeno quante volte, e inutile dire che quando ho scoperto cosa succedeva alle persone di questo libro ho subito pensato “chissà cosa sarebbe successo a me, se solo mi ricordassi il mio gruppo sanguigno!“.
Emmy Laybourne ha utilizzato diversi punti di vista per narrare le vicende del gruppo di ragazzi rimasti all’interno del supermercato e quello del gruppo di ragazzi che si sono avventurati all’esterno alla guida di uno scuolabus con l’obiettivo di raggiungere Denver e con la speranza di riuscire a salvare anche i ragazzi rimasti nel grande magazzino. Entrambi i pov sono stati molto interessanti e bilanciati correttamente: l’autrice interrompeva la narrazione sempre al punto giusto, invogliando il lettore a continuare sia con l’uno sia con l’altro perché la curiosità era veramente elevata.
Non ho mai vissuto momenti di noia ma anzi ero sempre sul filo del rasoio, rischiavo di scattare sul divano ad ogni minimo rumore tanta era la tensione provata. Addirittura nelle ultime pagine, prima dell’epilogo, mi sono trovata letteralmente a trattenere il fiato a causa del ritmo incalzante e serrante.
Mi dispiace non aver letto il primo volume ma sicuramente se avrò l’occasione di leggere il terzo ed ultimo lo farò molto volentieri perché Cielo in fiamme mi è piaciuto molto quindi è sicuramente una serie che vi consiglio!
July 14, 2014
Increíble. Sencillamente increíble.
Si me encantó Monument 14, puedo decir que Sky on Fire me ha enamorado. Es grandioso.
El libro está narrado ésta vez no sólo por Dean si no también por su hermano, Alex. Ellos están separados buscando sobrevivir y se enfrentan a el triple de peligros y desgracias que antes. No se imaginan todo lo que tienen que pasar estos chicos para seguir con vida. A pesar de que el libro es muy sencillo en cuanto a su narración eso no impide engancharse con la historia y encariñarse con los personajes. Es ligero, fácil de entender y con unos escenarios extraordinarios.
Algo bueno, también, es que lo acabas en un suspiro. La verdad se me ha pasado demasiado rápido. No me parece que le sobrara o faltara algo, pero si se me hizo muy muy corto.
Los personajes: vale, en el primer libro no todos me agraraban, pero en éste logré conectar con todos, sin embargo sigo teniendo preferencia por algunos. Son demasiado reales estos chicos, tienen muchísimos miedos pero también se atreven a cualquier cosa por salvar a los que quieren o a ellos mismos. Aunque pasan cosas bastante crueles me encontraba leyendo con una sonrisa en la cara en muchas páginas. Sólo puedo decir que todo me ha gustado.
Es totalmente recomendable.
Si me encantó Monument 14, puedo decir que Sky on Fire me ha enamorado. Es grandioso.
El libro está narrado ésta vez no sólo por Dean si no también por su hermano, Alex. Ellos están separados buscando sobrevivir y se enfrentan a el triple de peligros y desgracias que antes. No se imaginan todo lo que tienen que pasar estos chicos para seguir con vida. A pesar de que el libro es muy sencillo en cuanto a su narración eso no impide engancharse con la historia y encariñarse con los personajes. Es ligero, fácil de entender y con unos escenarios extraordinarios.
Algo bueno, también, es que lo acabas en un suspiro. La verdad se me ha pasado demasiado rápido. No me parece que le sobrara o faltara algo, pero si se me hizo muy muy corto.
Los personajes: vale, en el primer libro no todos me agraraban, pero en éste logré conectar con todos, sin embargo sigo teniendo preferencia por algunos. Son demasiado reales estos chicos, tienen muchísimos miedos pero también se atreven a cualquier cosa por salvar a los que quieren o a ellos mismos. Aunque pasan cosas bastante crueles me encontraba leyendo con una sonrisa en la cara en muchas páginas. Sólo puedo decir que todo me ha gustado.
Es totalmente recomendable.
November 29, 2015
Čím sa líši táto časť od jednotky?
1)Bolo to akčnejšie! Oveľa akčnejšie! Veľa krvi, mŕtvych a motorové píly!
2)Tým pádom to bolo aj zaujímavejšie a desivejšie!
3)Niektoré postavy by som najradšej na začiatku alebo prvých sto strán prizabila (že Dean?)
4)Ak tretia časť sa skončí zánikom ľudského života, tak možno trojke dám 5* alebo aspoň 4,5*, pretože táto séria má rozhodne potenciál a ja nutne potrebujem poslednú časť!
1)Bolo to akčnejšie! Oveľa akčnejšie! Veľa krvi, mŕtvych a motorové píly!
2)Tým pádom to bolo aj zaujímavejšie a desivejšie!
3)Niektoré postavy by som najradšej na začiatku alebo prvých sto strán prizabila (že Dean?)
4)Ak tretia časť sa skončí zánikom ľudského života, tak možno trojke dám 5* alebo aspoň 4,5*, pretože táto séria má rozhodne potenciál a ja nutne potrebujem poslednú časť!
February 16, 2014
AMAZING! Great sequel ! :D
October 21, 2017
Loved it.
I can't wait to read the next one!
I can't wait to read the next one!
June 5, 2023
Read this in less than a week. Absolutely riveting from cover to cover; the last pages before the epilogue had me flipping pages like I was trying to get to the right page of a math textbook. I would rate it five stars if it weren't for the ending; I feel like the (timeline of the) series could've ended with this book and Jake and the Other Girl or Dress Your Marines in White could've wrapped up Monument 14 as a three-part series. I'm definitely still reading the next book, though.
July 22, 2023
Tohle je teprv to pořádný napětí
June 14, 2025
The first part and the end are good, the middle is okish. Felt a little bit slow and it was sad too. Probably won’t continue the rest of the series.
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