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Nemesis #2
Ally
Will her nemesis become her ally? Find out in the thrilling sequel to Nemesis from Anna Banks, the New York Times-bestselling author of the Syrena Legacy
Princess Sepora of Serubel and King Tarik of Theoria have formed an uneasy truce between their kingdoms since the deadly plague began to rip through Theoria. Since their feelings for each other are entangled in politics and power, they must use their own trusted resources to find common ground.
But when traitors with powerful allies arise from unexpected places, Tarik and Sepora face challenges that will change both of their kingdoms forever. Will they learn whom to trust—including each other—in time to save their kingdoms, their relationship and even their lives?
Books by Anna Banks:
The Syrena Legacy
Of Poseidon (Book 1)
Of Triton (Book 2)
Of Neptune (Book 3)
Joyride
The Nemesis duology
Nemesis (Book 1)
Ally (Book 2)
Praise for Ally:
"Readers will be anxiously turning pages toward the end while they appreciate a few humorous moments along the way." —Booklist
Princess Sepora of Serubel and King Tarik of Theoria have formed an uneasy truce between their kingdoms since the deadly plague began to rip through Theoria. Since their feelings for each other are entangled in politics and power, they must use their own trusted resources to find common ground.
But when traitors with powerful allies arise from unexpected places, Tarik and Sepora face challenges that will change both of their kingdoms forever. Will they learn whom to trust—including each other—in time to save their kingdoms, their relationship and even their lives?
Books by Anna Banks:
The Syrena Legacy
Of Poseidon (Book 1)
Of Triton (Book 2)
Of Neptune (Book 3)
Joyride
The Nemesis duology
Nemesis (Book 1)
Ally (Book 2)
Praise for Ally:
"Readers will be anxiously turning pages toward the end while they appreciate a few humorous moments along the way." —Booklist
336 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2017
38 people are currently reading
2319 people want to read
About the author
Anna Banks
31 books3,670 followersNew York Times Bestselling author of The Syrena Legacy series.
Grew up in a town called Niceville. No, seriously. And yes, everyone from Niceville is generally nice.
Let's see, things about me....My writer's cat is a mini wiener dog named Puckdoo. I can't walk in high heels, but I'm amazing at standing still in them. I'm the only person in Florida without a tan. I stole a car when I was 12 years old and drove across three state lines with it. Yeah. That's about it.
My books:
Of Poseidon
Of Triton
Of Neptune
Joyride
How To Lose A Bachelor
Degrees of Wrong (Pen name Anna Scarlett)
Nemesis (Coming soon!)
Grew up in a town called Niceville. No, seriously. And yes, everyone from Niceville is generally nice.
Let's see, things about me....My writer's cat is a mini wiener dog named Puckdoo. I can't walk in high heels, but I'm amazing at standing still in them. I'm the only person in Florida without a tan. I stole a car when I was 12 years old and drove across three state lines with it. Yeah. That's about it.
My books:
Of Poseidon
Of Triton
Of Neptune
Joyride
How To Lose A Bachelor
Degrees of Wrong (Pen name Anna Scarlett)
Nemesis (Coming soon!)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
October 29, 2017
I really did enjoy the sequel to
Nemesis
and I do recommend both books, however,
Ally
seemed a little rushed in places and what could have been great build ups to some powerful events simply didn't happen. Some things that did happen didn't have any strength behind them and I feel these lead to mis-opportunities for the reader.
I love the characters, both Tarik and Sepora both have strength and I readily believed in their roles. I loved the story line, the worlds are amazing and the plot just as good. This would definitely have been 5 stars if some of the areas were a little more thought through.
I love the characters, both Tarik and Sepora both have strength and I readily believed in their roles. I loved the story line, the worlds are amazing and the plot just as good. This would definitely have been 5 stars if some of the areas were a little more thought through.
July 29, 2018
Rezensionsexemplar (Vielen Dank an den Verlag <3)
Vorneweg
Ich habe den ersten Band von Nemesis vor ca. einem Jahr gelesen und geliebt! Das ganze Setting, die Charaktere und die Handlung haben mich absolut gefesselt. Deswegen konnte ich Band 2 kaum erwarten und obwohl ich im Moment wirklich nicht viel Zeit habe, musste ich das Buch unbedingt lesen 😱😍.
Ab hier könnte es Spoiler zum ersten Band geben 🤔
Meine Meinung
Nachdem ich mich an die Handlung von Band 1 noch sehr gut erinnern konnte, bin ich quasi gleich in die Geschichte abgetaucht.
Wir folgen wieder den beiden Protagonisten Tarik und Sepora.
Nachdem mittlerweile einige Geheimnisse gelüftet worden sind (keine Sorge, es kommen noch mehr dazu 😂), wissen die beiden nicht, ob sie sich noch vertrauen können und wie sie mit ihrer aktuellen Situation umgehen sollen.
Sepora ist zumindest nicht sehr begeistert und versucht ihren Standpunkt auch immer wieder zu vertreten. Sie ist noch genauso stur wie wir sie kennen und treibt damit so einige Charaktere in die Verzweiflung. Gleichzeitig hat sie aber auch ein großes Herz und kämpft für das Volk.
Tarik steckt teilweise ziemlich in der Zwickmühle, denn er muss an sein Königreich denken, aber kann auch seine Gefühle nicht ignorieren.
Was mir ein bisschen gefehlt hat, war die Chemie zwischen den beiden. Ja, es gibt süße Szenen und später "spürt" man auch die Gefühle der beiden, aber sie sind einfach nicht so präsent und greifbar wie in Band 1.
Mein persönliches Highlight war wohl Sethos. Als jüngerer Bruder und Prinz hat er es ja nicht immer einfach, aber er lässt sich nichts gefallen (auch wenn es für das Volk gut wäre 😂) und ist immer für einen blöden Spruch zu haben. Trotzdem ist sein Herz am rechten Fleck :).
Die Handlung hat mir manchmal ein paar Probleme bereitet. Es geht zwar gleich spannend los, aber danach flaut die Spannung ein wenig ab und die Geschichte plätschert nur so vor sich hin. Ca. in der Mitte gab es dann aber einen Plot Twist der das Ruder für mich nochmal rumgerissen hat, denn ab dem Zeitpunkt habe ich den Rest in zwei Tagen verschlungen.
Insgesamt finde ich dieses Buch wieder mehr als gelungen und das Ende fand ich auch gut 😁. Die Reihe ist mit diesem Band übrigens abgeschlossen.
Vorneweg
Ich habe den ersten Band von Nemesis vor ca. einem Jahr gelesen und geliebt! Das ganze Setting, die Charaktere und die Handlung haben mich absolut gefesselt. Deswegen konnte ich Band 2 kaum erwarten und obwohl ich im Moment wirklich nicht viel Zeit habe, musste ich das Buch unbedingt lesen 😱😍.
Ab hier könnte es Spoiler zum ersten Band geben 🤔
Meine Meinung
Nachdem ich mich an die Handlung von Band 1 noch sehr gut erinnern konnte, bin ich quasi gleich in die Geschichte abgetaucht.
Wir folgen wieder den beiden Protagonisten Tarik und Sepora.
Nachdem mittlerweile einige Geheimnisse gelüftet worden sind (keine Sorge, es kommen noch mehr dazu 😂), wissen die beiden nicht, ob sie sich noch vertrauen können und wie sie mit ihrer aktuellen Situation umgehen sollen.
Sepora ist zumindest nicht sehr begeistert und versucht ihren Standpunkt auch immer wieder zu vertreten. Sie ist noch genauso stur wie wir sie kennen und treibt damit so einige Charaktere in die Verzweiflung. Gleichzeitig hat sie aber auch ein großes Herz und kämpft für das Volk.
Tarik steckt teilweise ziemlich in der Zwickmühle, denn er muss an sein Königreich denken, aber kann auch seine Gefühle nicht ignorieren.
Was mir ein bisschen gefehlt hat, war die Chemie zwischen den beiden. Ja, es gibt süße Szenen und später "spürt" man auch die Gefühle der beiden, aber sie sind einfach nicht so präsent und greifbar wie in Band 1.
Mein persönliches Highlight war wohl Sethos. Als jüngerer Bruder und Prinz hat er es ja nicht immer einfach, aber er lässt sich nichts gefallen (auch wenn es für das Volk gut wäre 😂) und ist immer für einen blöden Spruch zu haben. Trotzdem ist sein Herz am rechten Fleck :).
Die Handlung hat mir manchmal ein paar Probleme bereitet. Es geht zwar gleich spannend los, aber danach flaut die Spannung ein wenig ab und die Geschichte plätschert nur so vor sich hin. Ca. in der Mitte gab es dann aber einen Plot Twist der das Ruder für mich nochmal rumgerissen hat, denn ab dem Zeitpunkt habe ich den Rest in zwei Tagen verschlungen.
Insgesamt finde ich dieses Buch wieder mehr als gelungen und das Ende fand ich auch gut 😁. Die Reihe ist mit diesem Band übrigens abgeschlossen.
June 12, 2023
#1.) Nemesis: ★★★★
#2.) Ally: ★
This book was a mess. Congratulations, book, on being my worst read of 2017.
It's like we tried to follow the momentum of Nemesis's cliffhanger until the 40% mark where everyone in the writer's room decided, "Screw it -- let's finish off the shrooms, then write the rest of the book with our toes." Which leaves us with the first draft fan fiction that is Ally.
WHAT WENT WRONG
THE VERDICT
Look, this book was ridiculous. I almost wonder if I somehow got a copy of the shrooms-written draft instead of the final book...because it got wacky. Someone got waaaay too absorbed into the giddiness of this book and became blind to how all over the place the broken plot twists ran and how sloppy the treatment of time passage became. And it's ridiculous. And so bad. It jars the reader out of the believably of the fantasy world and once you slap the reader awake, there's no more going back to sleep right where you started.
I thought nothing this year could be more disappointing than Flame in the Mist ....but good gosh, this one wins the award.
And it doesn't even seem like it was good quality shrooms, either.
#2.) Ally: ★
This book was a mess. Congratulations, book, on being my worst read of 2017.
It's like we tried to follow the momentum of Nemesis's cliffhanger until the 40% mark where everyone in the writer's room decided, "Screw it -- let's finish off the shrooms, then write the rest of the book with our toes." Which leaves us with the first draft fan fiction that is Ally.
WHAT WENT WRONG
THE VERDICT
Look, this book was ridiculous. I almost wonder if I somehow got a copy of the shrooms-written draft instead of the final book...because it got wacky. Someone got waaaay too absorbed into the giddiness of this book and became blind to how all over the place the broken plot twists ran and how sloppy the treatment of time passage became. And it's ridiculous. And so bad. It jars the reader out of the believably of the fantasy world and once you slap the reader awake, there's no more going back to sleep right where you started.
I thought nothing this year could be more disappointing than Flame in the Mist ....but good gosh, this one wins the award.
And it doesn't even seem like it was good quality shrooms, either.
October 6, 2017
I always do this to myself I read the book when it first come out then I have to wait a year for the next !!!!!! Why !!!!!!
November 14, 2017
I'm sad to say this was really disappointing. I liked a lot about NEMESIS, especially the banter and tension between Sepora and Tarik. I also really loved the way the first book ended. It's such a great cliffhanger and set everything up so well for book two. I had a lot of questions about world building that I wanted to see fleshed out in the future, but for the relationships, I enjoyed it. And I was very excited for the second part of the series.
While there were some aspects of ALLY that I liked - namely many of the parts I wanted to see more of, such as a broader and richer look at this world of five kingdoms, and greater scheming between the different nations - many more things bothered me. The first issue I had, which was a problem for me in both books, is the switching between first and third person narratives. This is a huge pet peeve of mine and always slows down the book while making the flow of the story feel choppy. Sepora narrates in first person while Tarik is in third, and I always had to readjust in each chapter, and it never got better for me. Though I could have handled it more if the story had won me over more.
The romance aspect, which is what drew me to this series, fell apart for me here. It takes until nearly the last chapter for these two to finally communicate and get on the same page, and as the book went on, Sepora and Tarik's charming banter and arguments turned into something that was just frustrating. It was too much drama and not enough communicating, especially from Tarik who never seemed to grasp why Sepora was angry with him at the start of this book . The way the end plays out did not work for me at all either. I found it to be too late coming and completely unsatisfying. . This isn't the first of this author's series that hasn't held up over time and it's definitely made me wary of attempting one again.
While there were some aspects of ALLY that I liked - namely many of the parts I wanted to see more of, such as a broader and richer look at this world of five kingdoms, and greater scheming between the different nations - many more things bothered me. The first issue I had, which was a problem for me in both books, is the switching between first and third person narratives. This is a huge pet peeve of mine and always slows down the book while making the flow of the story feel choppy. Sepora narrates in first person while Tarik is in third, and I always had to readjust in each chapter, and it never got better for me. Though I could have handled it more if the story had won me over more.
The romance aspect, which is what drew me to this series, fell apart for me here. It takes until nearly the last chapter for these two to finally communicate and get on the same page, and as the book went on, Sepora and Tarik's charming banter and arguments turned into something that was just frustrating. It was too much drama and not enough communicating, especially from Tarik who never seemed to grasp why Sepora was angry with him at the start of this book . The way the end plays out did not work for me at all either. I found it to be too late coming and completely unsatisfying. . This isn't the first of this author's series that hasn't held up over time and it's definitely made me wary of attempting one again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2018
2,5*, I am a bit sorry tho!
I started this book with being sure I wouldn't like it because I didn't like the first book at all but after 100 pages I had to admit that it wasn't so bad.
Sounds good? Wait.
After another 100 pages I realised it isn't actually good. It was kinda bad because so much things happened and none of them where explained the way they should be. This book should have been way much longer and the relationship between our main characters was also pretty bad and annoying to read.
Besides that it was still better than Nemesis #1
I started this book with being sure I wouldn't like it because I didn't like the first book at all but after 100 pages I had to admit that it wasn't so bad.
Sounds good? Wait.
After another 100 pages I realised it isn't actually good. It was kinda bad because so much things happened and none of them where explained the way they should be. This book should have been way much longer and the relationship between our main characters was also pretty bad and annoying to read.
Besides that it was still better than Nemesis #1
Want to read
February 15, 2017Is it the final cover?? I can't believe it, it doesn't match the first one! Even the font is different.. very disappointed!! :-(
November 4, 2018
"Er hatte schnell begriffen, dass er zwar den ganzen Tag Befehle und Kommandos erteilt, dass es jedoch Sepora ist, die seine Welt beherrscht." (S. 64)
Meine Meinung:
Zum Glück beginnt die Geschichte nicht einfach mitten im Geschehen, was ich eigentlich bei dem Ende vom ersten Teil erwartet hätte. Jedoch finde ich es hier schön, dass der Leser noch einmal warm gemacht wird mit den Charakteren in erster Linie. Mit Sepora und Sethos fängt es an und geht über zu Tarik und all den anderen Personen. Auf Sepora und Tarik lastet nun eine ziemlich große Last, ihr beider Leben hat sich auf einen schlag gewaltig geändert und es ist auch viel zwischen den Beiden passiert. Aber nicht nur ihr Verhältnis hat sich verändert, auch sie beide als Personen haben hier bereits schon eine Entwicklung gemacht m vergleich zum Anfang des ersten Teiles. Beide sind selbstbewusster, stärker und natürlich auch mächtiger geworden, vor allem Tarik als König hat keine andere Wahl und das muss er jedes Mal beweisen, denn er muss Entscheidungen fällen, die nach seinem verstand ausgerichtet sind und nicht nach dem Herzen. Auch wenn er das Risiko damit eingeht, andere zu verletzen.
Sepora ist so stur wie eh und je, doch durch die Entwicklung der Beziehung mit Tarik macht sie das nur sympathischer und ich habe es wirklich genossen, wie sie Tarik in die Schranken wies, obwohl sie ihm deutlich unterlegen ist. Sie bringt auf jeden Fall Schwung in die ganze Geschichte zwischen ihnen, die nur allzu amüsant ist.
Und genau deshalb finde ich die Beiden unglaublich toll zusammen, sodass sie eines meiner liebsten Paare geworden sind!
Aber auch andere Personen wie Sethos habe ich unglaublich lieb gewonnen, denn die Nebenpersonen aus dem ersten Teil haben hier eine viel größere Rolle. Somit lernt der Leser viel mehr über ihn, Rashidi und sogar die ein oder andere Überraschung bezüglich Prinzessin Tulle lässt warten!
Ich hatte zu Anfang die Befürchtung, dass ich nicht in die Geschichte reinkommen würde. Denn der erste Band ist schon eine Zeit her und es geht hier schließlich um eine erfundene Welt der Autorin mit anderen Vorstellungen als man gewöhnt ist. Jedoch musste ich recht schnell feststellen, dass ich dann ziemlich schnell in der Handlung drin war und mich sofort auf die Geschichte eingelassen hatte. Das hat die Autorin jedoch auch gut gemacht, indem sie wichtige Details nochmal indirekt verriet, sodass der Leser sich wieder daran erinnerte. Das einzige, was mir schwerer fiel war die Einordnung der Nebenpersonen zu Anfang, doch das hat sich auch schnell gelegt und Erinnerungsfetzen traten ein.
Ein weiterer Grund, wieso es so gut geklappt hat, ist einfach die aufkeimende Spannung vom ersten Moment an. Ich wollte mit jeder Seite wissen, wie es weiter geht und konnte das Buch kaum weg legen. Ich habe die Dialoge, die Handlungen, das Setting, einfach alles wirklich genossen und habe mich wirklich wie ein Teil der Welt gefühlt. Was ich auch einfach unglaublich toll fand, ist, dass der Leser hier alle anderen Königreiche und alles darüber hinaus viel besser kennen lernt, ohne nur bei Theoria und Serubel zu bleiben, wo die Hauptpersonen her kommen.
Das einzige, was ich etwas schade fand ist, dass die blutige Schlacht etwas abrupt geendet hatte. Nicht, dass mir die Schlacht nicht gefallen hat, ganz im Gegenteil, deshalb hätte ich gerne gewusst, wie es zum Ende der Schlacht kam. Aber mit dem Ergebnis bin ich auch so sehr zufrieden! Und das Ende war wirklich herzerwärmend und wirklich zufriedenstellend.
Wie auch schon im ersten Teil kann ich den Schreibstil einfach nur loben, da dieser für mich auch hier sehr heraus sticht. Ich flog einfach nur so durch die Kapitel und habe kaum gemerkt, wie kurz oder lang die einzelnen Kapitel waren, denn sie haben durchaus variiert. Alles war super einfach lesbar und wirklich wundervoll beschrieben, sodass die Welt einem viel mehr offenbart wird.
Auch hier wird aus Tariks und Seporas Sicht geschrieben, wobei die aus Seporas Sicht in der Ich-Perspektive geschrieben wird und aus Tarik's in der Erzählform. Eine schöne Abwechslung und ein striktes Hinweisen darauf, wer denn die Hauptprotagonistin ist.
Fazit:
Ein wirklich toller Abschluss einer fantastischen Reihe, der mich gut unterhalten und begeistern konnte. Ein Setting, dass mich unglaublich begeistert. Eine magische Gabe, die es so noch nirgends gibt. Eine Liebesgeschichte, die sich nicht nur nach dem Verstand richtet, sondern auch nach dem Herzen.
Es bekommt dementsprechend 5 von 5 Krönchen!
October 12, 2017
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult, Fantasy
*Rating* 3.0
*Thoughts*
Ally, by author Anna Banks, is the second part of the Nemesis duology. One final time we dive back into the lives of Princess Sepora of Serubel and King Tarik of Theoria. Banks alternatives each chapter between the two characters, which pretty much means they get equal storylines. As the story picks up, Sepora has chosen not to Forge any more spectorium, but there are those who are eager for her to continue. Like her own father. Like Tarik. Both believe that with the pending war on the horizon, spectorium is necessary to win. But, that is only the tip of the iceberg.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Young Adult, Fantasy
*Rating* 3.0
*Thoughts*
Ally, by author Anna Banks, is the second part of the Nemesis duology. One final time we dive back into the lives of Princess Sepora of Serubel and King Tarik of Theoria. Banks alternatives each chapter between the two characters, which pretty much means they get equal storylines. As the story picks up, Sepora has chosen not to Forge any more spectorium, but there are those who are eager for her to continue. Like her own father. Like Tarik. Both believe that with the pending war on the horizon, spectorium is necessary to win. But, that is only the tip of the iceberg.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
January 22, 2018
3.5 stars.
Even though I extremely love the characters in this duology, I feel like a lot of things within this story-line should've been developed more since there's a lot of awesome elements presents, which isn't being talked about much so that feels kind of superficial?
It felt like a bit too much of everything put within this one final book that might've been better off being written over the expanse of at least two books I think. There's so much more I've wanted to explore; the different kingdoms and their powers/magic and a lot of in-between-moments that I kind of missed I guess.
Overall, this second book, unfortunately, didn't completely live up to its expectations but that doesn't mean it wasn't an enjoyable read, because I still immensely enjoyed it. I'd still recommend this duology because the writing is so addictive, the characters are really lovable and I connected with them instantly back in book 1 and now again in this book and I really enjoyed the presence of these magic and Egyptian elements throughout the story-line.
Even though I extremely love the characters in this duology, I feel like a lot of things within this story-line should've been developed more since there's a lot of awesome elements presents, which isn't being talked about much so that feels kind of superficial?
It felt like a bit too much of everything put within this one final book that might've been better off being written over the expanse of at least two books I think. There's so much more I've wanted to explore; the different kingdoms and their powers/magic and a lot of in-between-moments that I kind of missed I guess.
Overall, this second book, unfortunately, didn't completely live up to its expectations but that doesn't mean it wasn't an enjoyable read, because I still immensely enjoyed it. I'd still recommend this duology because the writing is so addictive, the characters are really lovable and I connected with them instantly back in book 1 and now again in this book and I really enjoyed the presence of these magic and Egyptian elements throughout the story-line.
August 31, 2020
I have very mixed feelings about this book...
October 21, 2017
Rating: 4.25/5
Review to come!
Review to come!
March 29, 2018
I want to make it very clear I feel baited by this book.
Because for at least half the book I felt like it was going to be absolute shit. It was 150 pages of rehashing the same bland, boring character who distinctly lack personality or anything interesting, melded in with a plot that seemed to be veering off course suddenly while simultaneously going no where at all, all the while the writing was as uninspired, mediocre, and predictable as usual. Oh, Anna Banks, you never fail to remind me what a subpar writer you are.
But then, but then (!) there was a glimmer of hope. Halfway through the book, (and this is where I got baited,) something interesting actually happens. SOMETHING INTERESTING, IN A SERIES THAT HAS HAD LITERALLY NOTHING INTERESTING HAPPEN, happens. I was floored, but kind of excited. The book went from an absolute chore to get through, a book I was just skimming through, to something worth getting invested in.
And I mean, let's be frank, Tarik and Sepora have basically no chemistry. They're kind of shitty people, who do nothing but doubt each other and have useless moments of conflict. There's nothing romantic about their relationship, they don't even seem to like each other, and when they get separated in this book, it gets better because of it. Sepora kind of becomes a likable character, and the reader gets to learn new things about her and her ability, and a different kingdom. I was digging the side characters that popped up, and where the plot was going. I was like, hey, this book could pull out a three. This could be a three start book, with the interjection of some decent politics, tension, and plot progression.
I was baited.
This is my problem with Anna Banks as an author, and I get suckered by her every time. She has good ideas. She has interesting plots. She has ...okay.. characters. She just doesn't know what to do with them. This book is barely 300 pages long, and it needed to be so much longer. The second half of this book starts interjecting new characters, new subplots, interesting themes, and actual plot progression ... which goes absolutely no where. Banks is an author who never goes anywhere with her characters. She just seems like she forgets about the shit she's writing, and figures her readers are too stupid to remember, too. But I remember. I 'member.
Tell me more about the science (for lack a better word) behind Sepora's abilities. Tell me more about these other characters. Tell me more about the politics, the culture, the caste system, anything. Tell me something!
Oh, no, no. Can't do that. We have to get back to will they/won't they. It must be no less than a dozen times Sepora and Tarik decide they hate each other, then they don't and they're going to get married, then they're not, then they are again, then ... please shoot me in the head. There's nothing romantic or interesting about two characters who are incapable of communicating, or having any kind of consistency with their emotions. In the span of 20 pages they go down the will they/won't they road twice. It's irritating, it's stupid. It's nonsense. It's the mark of a bad writer.
So I got baited. I expected the book to be shit, got baited that it might be decent, and then realized no, I was right, the book is shit.
The thing is, I did get interested. I did find something of worth in this book, but Banks is such a terrible writer she couldn't hold onto that magic in a bottle. She couldn't finish out her plots, evolve her characters, or even write a semi-coherent ending.
I wanted better from this book, even if I didn't expect it, and the worst part is, for a half second there, I saw it. But in the end, I just ended up with shit.
Because for at least half the book I felt like it was going to be absolute shit. It was 150 pages of rehashing the same bland, boring character who distinctly lack personality or anything interesting, melded in with a plot that seemed to be veering off course suddenly while simultaneously going no where at all, all the while the writing was as uninspired, mediocre, and predictable as usual. Oh, Anna Banks, you never fail to remind me what a subpar writer you are.
But then, but then (!) there was a glimmer of hope. Halfway through the book, (and this is where I got baited,) something interesting actually happens. SOMETHING INTERESTING, IN A SERIES THAT HAS HAD LITERALLY NOTHING INTERESTING HAPPEN, happens. I was floored, but kind of excited. The book went from an absolute chore to get through, a book I was just skimming through, to something worth getting invested in.
And I mean, let's be frank, Tarik and Sepora have basically no chemistry. They're kind of shitty people, who do nothing but doubt each other and have useless moments of conflict. There's nothing romantic about their relationship, they don't even seem to like each other, and when they get separated in this book, it gets better because of it. Sepora kind of becomes a likable character, and the reader gets to learn new things about her and her ability, and a different kingdom. I was digging the side characters that popped up, and where the plot was going. I was like, hey, this book could pull out a three. This could be a three start book, with the interjection of some decent politics, tension, and plot progression.
I was baited.
This is my problem with Anna Banks as an author, and I get suckered by her every time. She has good ideas. She has interesting plots. She has ...okay.. characters. She just doesn't know what to do with them. This book is barely 300 pages long, and it needed to be so much longer. The second half of this book starts interjecting new characters, new subplots, interesting themes, and actual plot progression ... which goes absolutely no where. Banks is an author who never goes anywhere with her characters. She just seems like she forgets about the shit she's writing, and figures her readers are too stupid to remember, too. But I remember. I 'member.
Tell me more about the science (for lack a better word) behind Sepora's abilities. Tell me more about these other characters. Tell me more about the politics, the culture, the caste system, anything. Tell me something!
Oh, no, no. Can't do that. We have to get back to will they/won't they. It must be no less than a dozen times Sepora and Tarik decide they hate each other, then they don't and they're going to get married, then they're not, then they are again, then ... please shoot me in the head. There's nothing romantic or interesting about two characters who are incapable of communicating, or having any kind of consistency with their emotions. In the span of 20 pages they go down the will they/won't they road twice. It's irritating, it's stupid. It's nonsense. It's the mark of a bad writer.
So I got baited. I expected the book to be shit, got baited that it might be decent, and then realized no, I was right, the book is shit.
The thing is, I did get interested. I did find something of worth in this book, but Banks is such a terrible writer she couldn't hold onto that magic in a bottle. She couldn't finish out her plots, evolve her characters, or even write a semi-coherent ending.
I wanted better from this book, even if I didn't expect it, and the worst part is, for a half second there, I saw it. But in the end, I just ended up with shit.
January 18, 2018
I want this book. I want it now!!
*REVIEW UPDATE*
—————————
Whooo first book I have finished this year! I hit a reading slump and I didn’t even realise that this book had been released, so i was extremely excited to begin the sequel to a book which I didn’t expect to enjoy so much.
We start off the story where nemesis ended. Sepora is now set to marry Tarik -the Falcon King- Queen Hanlyn and King Erin -Seporas parents- are now residing in Theoria, in the Palace. The quiet plague is still causing despair for the citizens of Theoria and Sethos, is still Sethos. Cheeky, charming, endearing and a character who had me hooked to find out more about him. He was such a breath of fresh air for the other characters in this story, but also for me reading it. He was witty and charming and had a hidden softness to him. He was ruthless and even though he may have caused a few problems for yhe Falcon King, his heart was always in the right place and he held sepora in the highest regard. I just wish we could have seen more of his character.
Which brings me to the character developments. Okay, this is where I felt a little dissatisfied, and one of the reasons why I could only give this book 4 stars. Tariks character, I felt, was very limited and he did not seem to develop in any way (well at least not in a positive way), throughout the story. I say this because, he was just a very demanding, indecisive, stubborn, love sick puppy, who acted very immature and needed immediate clarification (from sepora). He was extremely stubborn and unfair with Sepora and could never settle on how he truly felt for her -which irked me quite a lot . At the same time however, this stubbornness and guarded characteristic made for a truly suspensive love story.
Anna banks played this romance out teasingly and kept me on the edge every time. Although a few things where predictable, it was still enticing to read.
Sepora, I believe, is a selfless character. She has a good heart and throughout all she goes through in this story, she still sacrifices herself and lends herself to Tarik, despite how poor he treats her. She longs for peace and that is all she has ever wanted. I never regarded her as much of a heroine, however. She simply just didn’t do anything extreme to become one. She went along with a lot of what other people told her to do which let her character down a bit.
The other reason I could only give this book 4 stars was because, as soon as I finished reading it I thought, wow, this book had potential to be something AMAZING. But, it did not suffice. And I can only put that down to Anna banks lack of world building. Around the 50% - 60% mark the story becomes quite stagnant. There is little description about the other 5 kingdoms and for the small insight we do get I wish she had pushed it more. There is Wachuk; a kingdom full of female warriors, hemut; a cold and icy kingdom, pelusia; a hostile kingdom, where the people have this amazing ability to ‘cloak’ them selves (disguise) as anyone they want. Along with Serubul and Theoria. I really wanted to know more about the other Kingdoms and I believe this book had the potential to be a trilogy! In fact that is exactly how the story made me feel when I finished it. I felt as though I should be eagerly anticipating the next book, but unfortunately I am not.
All in all the story was captivating and enjoyable however, lacking in suspense and in some cases excitement.
*REVIEW UPDATE*
—————————
Whooo first book I have finished this year! I hit a reading slump and I didn’t even realise that this book had been released, so i was extremely excited to begin the sequel to a book which I didn’t expect to enjoy so much.
We start off the story where nemesis ended. Sepora is now set to marry Tarik -the Falcon King- Queen Hanlyn and King Erin -Seporas parents- are now residing in Theoria, in the Palace. The quiet plague is still causing despair for the citizens of Theoria and Sethos, is still Sethos. Cheeky, charming, endearing and a character who had me hooked to find out more about him. He was such a breath of fresh air for the other characters in this story, but also for me reading it. He was witty and charming and had a hidden softness to him. He was ruthless and even though he may have caused a few problems for yhe Falcon King, his heart was always in the right place and he held sepora in the highest regard. I just wish we could have seen more of his character.
Which brings me to the character developments. Okay, this is where I felt a little dissatisfied, and one of the reasons why I could only give this book 4 stars. Tariks character, I felt, was very limited and he did not seem to develop in any way (well at least not in a positive way), throughout the story. I say this because, he was just a very demanding, indecisive, stubborn, love sick puppy, who acted very immature and needed immediate clarification (from sepora). He was extremely stubborn and unfair with Sepora and could never settle on how he truly felt for her -which irked me quite a lot . At the same time however, this stubbornness and guarded characteristic made for a truly suspensive love story.
Anna banks played this romance out teasingly and kept me on the edge every time. Although a few things where predictable, it was still enticing to read.
Sepora, I believe, is a selfless character. She has a good heart and throughout all she goes through in this story, she still sacrifices herself and lends herself to Tarik, despite how poor he treats her. She longs for peace and that is all she has ever wanted. I never regarded her as much of a heroine, however. She simply just didn’t do anything extreme to become one. She went along with a lot of what other people told her to do which let her character down a bit.
The other reason I could only give this book 4 stars was because, as soon as I finished reading it I thought, wow, this book had potential to be something AMAZING. But, it did not suffice. And I can only put that down to Anna banks lack of world building. Around the 50% - 60% mark the story becomes quite stagnant. There is little description about the other 5 kingdoms and for the small insight we do get I wish she had pushed it more. There is Wachuk; a kingdom full of female warriors, hemut; a cold and icy kingdom, pelusia; a hostile kingdom, where the people have this amazing ability to ‘cloak’ them selves (disguise) as anyone they want. Along with Serubul and Theoria. I really wanted to know more about the other Kingdoms and I believe this book had the potential to be a trilogy! In fact that is exactly how the story made me feel when I finished it. I felt as though I should be eagerly anticipating the next book, but unfortunately I am not.
All in all the story was captivating and enjoyable however, lacking in suspense and in some cases excitement.
October 18, 2017
"Ally" was a fantastic sequel to Nemesis and wrapped up the series perfectly- I'm really sad to see how cleanly it was all completed, because I've grown to love these characters. Here, we witness the aftermath of the engagement of Sepora and Tarik and the five kingdoms on the verge of war. There are a lot of twists and turns that I did not anticipate here, so I won't say too much about the plot so as to avoid spoilers.
Sepora and Tarik both grow as characters in this book, and we again get the complimentary viewpoints in alternating chapters. This book picks up pretty much right where the first one left off, and I think you do need to have read the first one to really get into this one. There's a lot of background in the first book that you need for this second book. The plot here is really fast-paced, as a lot happens pretty quickly, so we don't get to explore the world created herein as much as we did in the first with the slower start. Together, the two books are a perfect set. The world created is so unique and involved that I wish there were more books in this series (maybe there will be?) so that we could explore it more fully! It's truly fascinating.
The side characters also really shone through this sequel- we get a better feel for Sethos as well as Sepora's parents. I actually would have really loved to see another sequel from Sethos's point-of-view and get his story. He's grown into a really interesting character, and I think he would have been a perfect choice for a future sequel (to also explore other kingdoms).
Overall, I think this is a really fantastic duology and I highly recommend to all YA fantasy lovers, especially fans of Maas and Tahir. I hope to see more from this talented author in the future (and maybe even more books set in this fascinating world)!
Sepora and Tarik both grow as characters in this book, and we again get the complimentary viewpoints in alternating chapters. This book picks up pretty much right where the first one left off, and I think you do need to have read the first one to really get into this one. There's a lot of background in the first book that you need for this second book. The plot here is really fast-paced, as a lot happens pretty quickly, so we don't get to explore the world created herein as much as we did in the first with the slower start. Together, the two books are a perfect set. The world created is so unique and involved that I wish there were more books in this series (maybe there will be?) so that we could explore it more fully! It's truly fascinating.
The side characters also really shone through this sequel- we get a better feel for Sethos as well as Sepora's parents. I actually would have really loved to see another sequel from Sethos's point-of-view and get his story. He's grown into a really interesting character, and I think he would have been a perfect choice for a future sequel (to also explore other kingdoms).
Overall, I think this is a really fantastic duology and I highly recommend to all YA fantasy lovers, especially fans of Maas and Tahir. I hope to see more from this talented author in the future (and maybe even more books set in this fascinating world)!
October 4, 2017
Ally by Anna Banks
(Nemesis, #2)
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Rating: 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of Ally for an honest review.
Ally is everything I could possibly want in a final book! It has action, magic, snark, and romance. I love all the characters and especially Sethos (can’t wait to get more from him). This book is mostly told from a rotating POV. This is a must read that is such a cool, unique, fun, fantasy book.
I will be honest when I read Nemesis it was one of my favorite books but I could not see how Anna would be able to wrap everything up in one book without it being one huge novel. Then I got Ally in the mail and I worried even more, what I thought would have to be a 5oo+ page book to satisfy everything was only around 300 pages. Let me tell you what an amazing writer Anna is, I have seen other writers take double the page count she had and leave me so unsatisfied but this book is everything I wanted! It has great world building and the pacing is spot on. I never felt it was hurried or that sections were being cut out. This is one of my favorite series and this book gave me the ending I wanted!
FULL REVIEW GO TO: https://takemeawaytoagreatread.com/20...
(Nemesis, #2)
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Rating: 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of Ally for an honest review.
Ally is everything I could possibly want in a final book! It has action, magic, snark, and romance. I love all the characters and especially Sethos (can’t wait to get more from him). This book is mostly told from a rotating POV. This is a must read that is such a cool, unique, fun, fantasy book.
I will be honest when I read Nemesis it was one of my favorite books but I could not see how Anna would be able to wrap everything up in one book without it being one huge novel. Then I got Ally in the mail and I worried even more, what I thought would have to be a 5oo+ page book to satisfy everything was only around 300 pages. Let me tell you what an amazing writer Anna is, I have seen other writers take double the page count she had and leave me so unsatisfied but this book is everything I wanted! It has great world building and the pacing is spot on. I never felt it was hurried or that sections were being cut out. This is one of my favorite series and this book gave me the ending I wanted!
FULL REVIEW GO TO: https://takemeawaytoagreatread.com/20...
April 20, 2019
I really have to stop reading books, especially firsts in a series, when the next one doesn't come out for months and months. Crap. Also, not a big fan of the cover, I was really hoping for Tarik, similar to Sepora on the first one.
August 7, 2018
*Werbung*
Verlag: cbt
Erschienen: 16.07.2018
Seitenzahl: 448
Preis: 12,99€ (Print), 9,99€ (eBook)
Genre: Highfantasy, Jugendbuch
Teil:2/2
Achtung, es handelt sich um einen zweiten Teil der Spoiler für den ersten enthält!
Klappentext: Sepora ist es gelungen, einen Waffenstillstand zwischen ihrem Vater und ihrer großen Liebe Tarik auszuhandeln, doch der Preis dafür ist hoch. Ihr Vater hat Prinz Tarik ihre Hand angeboten und Tarik hat angenommen, ohne Sepora zu fragen. Täglich lässt sie Tarik spüren, wie sehr sie ihn deshalb verachtet. Doch als Verräter von unerwarteter Seite auftauchen, müssen Tarik und Sepora lernen, zusammenzuarbeiten. Bald stehen beide Königreiche, ihre Beziehung und sogar ihr Leben auf dem Spiel.
Über die Autorin: Anna Banks ist die Autorin der New-York-Times-Bestsellerreihe Blue Secrets. Nach Joyride erscheint jetzt mit Nemesis - Verräterisches Herz das Finale ihres neuen großen romantischen Fantasy-Zweiteilers. Sie lebt mit ihrem Mann und ihrer Tochter in Crestview, Florida. Quelle: Amazon.de
Meinung: Der erste Teil hatte mir letztes Jahr richtig gut gefallen und ich habe mich sehr auf den finalen Band gefreut. Die Geschichte beginnt gleich nach dem tragischen Ende des ersten Teils. Ich hatte überraschender Weise keine Probleme, wieder in die Story reinzufinden, obwohl der erste Teil schon über ein Jahr her war. Die Story wird in der Ich- Perspektive aus Sepora's Sicht erzählt und in der Erzähler- Perspektive aus Tarik's Sicht. So hatte man einen guten Einblick in die Gedanken und Handlungen der beiden. Der Schreibstil war flüssig und gut zu lesen. Leider muss ich aber sagen, dass ich so meine Probleme mit dem zweiten Teil hatte. Ich finde, es hatte ziemliche Längen und Passagen an denen nichts passiert ist. Ich habe auch sehr lange gebraucht um das Buch zu lesen, obwohl der erste Teil mir richtig gut gefallen hat und ich den an einem Abend gelesen habe. Die Handlung hat mir an sich gut gefallen. Sepora und Tarik müssen vieles erstmal überwinden und die Liebesgeschichte kommt erst wieder am Ende des zweiten Teils stärker hervor, da Tarik Sepora hintergangen hatte. Von der Knisternden Stimmung des ersten Teils, war hier leider nicht viel übrig. Es gab einen Plot Twist mit dem ich nicht gerechnet hätte. Ein Hinterhalt gegenüber Sepora und was dahinter gesteckt hat, hat mich auch sehr überrascht! Genauso die Story über die Seuche die Tarik's Volk heimsucht. Dort war es wieder so spannend, dass man kaum aufhören konnte zu lesen. Alles in allem war es ein schwächerer zweiter Teil, der den ersten ein bisschen runter zieht. Wären die Längen in dem Buch nicht gewesen, wäre der zweite Teil gut an den ersten herangekommen. Ich gebe 3 Sterne.
*Vielen Dank an das Bloggerportal und den cbt Verlag für die Zusendung des Rezensionsexemplars!*
Achtung, es handelt sich um einen zweiten Teil der Spoiler für den ersten enthält!
Klappentext: Sepora ist es gelungen, einen Waffenstillstand zwischen ihrem Vater und ihrer großen Liebe Tarik auszuhandeln, doch der Preis dafür ist hoch. Ihr Vater hat Prinz Tarik ihre Hand angeboten und Tarik hat angenommen, ohne Sepora zu fragen. Täglich lässt sie Tarik spüren, wie sehr sie ihn deshalb verachtet. Doch als Verräter von unerwarteter Seite auftauchen, müssen Tarik und Sepora lernen, zusammenzuarbeiten. Bald stehen beide Königreiche, ihre Beziehung und sogar ihr Leben auf dem Spiel.
Über die Autorin: Anna Banks ist die Autorin der New-York-Times-Bestsellerreihe Blue Secrets. Nach Joyride erscheint jetzt mit Nemesis - Verräterisches Herz das Finale ihres neuen großen romantischen Fantasy-Zweiteilers. Sie lebt mit ihrem Mann und ihrer Tochter in Crestview, Florida. Quelle: Amazon.de
Meinung: Der erste Teil hatte mir letztes Jahr richtig gut gefallen und ich habe mich sehr auf den finalen Band gefreut. Die Geschichte beginnt gleich nach dem tragischen Ende des ersten Teils. Ich hatte überraschender Weise keine Probleme, wieder in die Story reinzufinden, obwohl der erste Teil schon über ein Jahr her war. Die Story wird in der Ich- Perspektive aus Sepora's Sicht erzählt und in der Erzähler- Perspektive aus Tarik's Sicht. So hatte man einen guten Einblick in die Gedanken und Handlungen der beiden. Der Schreibstil war flüssig und gut zu lesen. Leider muss ich aber sagen, dass ich so meine Probleme mit dem zweiten Teil hatte. Ich finde, es hatte ziemliche Längen und Passagen an denen nichts passiert ist. Ich habe auch sehr lange gebraucht um das Buch zu lesen, obwohl der erste Teil mir richtig gut gefallen hat und ich den an einem Abend gelesen habe. Die Handlung hat mir an sich gut gefallen. Sepora und Tarik müssen vieles erstmal überwinden und die Liebesgeschichte kommt erst wieder am Ende des zweiten Teils stärker hervor, da Tarik Sepora hintergangen hatte. Von der Knisternden Stimmung des ersten Teils, war hier leider nicht viel übrig. Es gab einen Plot Twist mit dem ich nicht gerechnet hätte. Ein Hinterhalt gegenüber Sepora und was dahinter gesteckt hat, hat mich auch sehr überrascht! Genauso die Story über die Seuche die Tarik's Volk heimsucht. Dort war es wieder so spannend, dass man kaum aufhören konnte zu lesen. Alles in allem war es ein schwächerer zweiter Teil, der den ersten ein bisschen runter zieht. Wären die Längen in dem Buch nicht gewesen, wäre der zweite Teil gut an den ersten herangekommen. Ich gebe 3 Sterne.
*Vielen Dank an das Bloggerportal und den cbt Verlag für die Zusendung des Rezensionsexemplars!*
September 25, 2017
I received this ARC from a fellow blogger in a fair trade. This review is completely voluntary and honest, nor was I compensated for my opinions.
While I had a hard time getting into Nemesis, that was not the case for the followup, Ally! Anna Banks starts things off with a bang and there was a nice run of action, tension, and buildup! For me it was a far more engaging read and I couldn’t get enough of it!
Sepora and Tarik are set to get married, but as Tarik was a bit deceptive and his motives not seeming as heartfelt as she would like, Sepora is none too happy with him. And the fact that her parents have come to visit the palace and have helped arrange the engagement, things aren’t looking so peachy for Sepora. Both her father and Tarik think that she will be more than willing to Forge to aid them in the looming war that is to come from the other countries, but Sepora remains steadfast in her decision not to Forge.
There’s a great deal of tension going around in this one. Sepora has mixed feelings about her engagement to Tarik. True, she has feelings for him, but can’t help but feel he wants her for what she can do. As it is, he’s still trying to find a cure for the Quiet Plague that continues to effect his people. Sepctorium is the key ingredient to the cure and with Sepora refusing to produce more, things remain tense between them as well.
And then Sepora is kidnapped and everything thereafter changes.
This book was really, really good! I liked that when it started we’re immediately thrown into the thick of things. Or close to immediately. Sepora gives Tarik a good roundabout way of the cold shoulder and he remains baffled by her behavior! At times, Tarik really drove me nuts. I get his conflicting feels for her, she lies to him easily and readily and he knows she knows that he knows when she lies (that’s a mouthful!). Sepora herself has conflicting feelings towards him as well. She can’t help but feel that he wants her for her what she can do. That it’s not love driving the desire to marry her. Of course, he was set to marry another and he pretty much breaks off the engagement as soon as it’s set.
So as you can see there’s a lot of miscommunication between these two. Yes, there are lies between them, but it seems they are both guilty of lying. And I guess it made me madder when Tarik got madder at Sepora for this and that and for not willingly Forging for him and the upcoming war. It’s like you could see how it may have possibly been for Sepora and her father when she was forced to Forge. Make it start out as something small, the desire to protect people, to heal people, and then greed takes over and soon she’s locked in a room forced to Forge all day and night. I can easily see this fear haunting Sepora and what guided her to make her decisions despite the animosity it created between her and Tarik.
I have to say that in this one, Sethos really grew on me! I had a brief worry about a love triangle but my fears were quickly put to ease. Sethos was definitely the necessary humor when it came to moments that were just rife with that dreaded tension. That he challenges his brother at every turn was kind of delightful! Being the younger sibling myself, I couldn’t help but root for him and his antics!
This one wasn’t without its feels either! Why I went through a range of emotions when it came to the hot and cold romance between Sepora and Tarik, there was one moment that had me on the verge of hysteric tears! That I was in a public place was probably my only saving grace for saving face! I won’t get into what happened that caused my near tears, but it was a doozie! That’s all I’ll say!
I was quite surprised with how things ended! There were so many shocking revelations that I didn’t see coming nor felt prepared for! My mind was blown! I have to admit, despite my initial reservations about this duology it has become one that I will look back on with good feelings! And the ending was definitely one that had me gushing with delighted feels! I truly didn’t know how things would go after all the events came to pass, but I can happily say that Anna ended things in a way that will please all readers!
Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars
Ally releases October 3, 2017
While I had a hard time getting into Nemesis, that was not the case for the followup, Ally! Anna Banks starts things off with a bang and there was a nice run of action, tension, and buildup! For me it was a far more engaging read and I couldn’t get enough of it!
Sepora and Tarik are set to get married, but as Tarik was a bit deceptive and his motives not seeming as heartfelt as she would like, Sepora is none too happy with him. And the fact that her parents have come to visit the palace and have helped arrange the engagement, things aren’t looking so peachy for Sepora. Both her father and Tarik think that she will be more than willing to Forge to aid them in the looming war that is to come from the other countries, but Sepora remains steadfast in her decision not to Forge.
There’s a great deal of tension going around in this one. Sepora has mixed feelings about her engagement to Tarik. True, she has feelings for him, but can’t help but feel he wants her for what she can do. As it is, he’s still trying to find a cure for the Quiet Plague that continues to effect his people. Sepctorium is the key ingredient to the cure and with Sepora refusing to produce more, things remain tense between them as well.
And then Sepora is kidnapped and everything thereafter changes.
This book was really, really good! I liked that when it started we’re immediately thrown into the thick of things. Or close to immediately. Sepora gives Tarik a good roundabout way of the cold shoulder and he remains baffled by her behavior! At times, Tarik really drove me nuts. I get his conflicting feels for her, she lies to him easily and readily and he knows she knows that he knows when she lies (that’s a mouthful!). Sepora herself has conflicting feelings towards him as well. She can’t help but feel that he wants her for her what she can do. That it’s not love driving the desire to marry her. Of course, he was set to marry another and he pretty much breaks off the engagement as soon as it’s set.
So as you can see there’s a lot of miscommunication between these two. Yes, there are lies between them, but it seems they are both guilty of lying. And I guess it made me madder when Tarik got madder at Sepora for this and that and for not willingly Forging for him and the upcoming war. It’s like you could see how it may have possibly been for Sepora and her father when she was forced to Forge. Make it start out as something small, the desire to protect people, to heal people, and then greed takes over and soon she’s locked in a room forced to Forge all day and night. I can easily see this fear haunting Sepora and what guided her to make her decisions despite the animosity it created between her and Tarik.
I have to say that in this one, Sethos really grew on me! I had a brief worry about a love triangle but my fears were quickly put to ease. Sethos was definitely the necessary humor when it came to moments that were just rife with that dreaded tension. That he challenges his brother at every turn was kind of delightful! Being the younger sibling myself, I couldn’t help but root for him and his antics!
This one wasn’t without its feels either! Why I went through a range of emotions when it came to the hot and cold romance between Sepora and Tarik, there was one moment that had me on the verge of hysteric tears! That I was in a public place was probably my only saving grace for saving face! I won’t get into what happened that caused my near tears, but it was a doozie! That’s all I’ll say!
I was quite surprised with how things ended! There were so many shocking revelations that I didn’t see coming nor felt prepared for! My mind was blown! I have to admit, despite my initial reservations about this duology it has become one that I will look back on with good feelings! And the ending was definitely one that had me gushing with delighted feels! I truly didn’t know how things would go after all the events came to pass, but I can happily say that Anna ended things in a way that will please all readers!
Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars
Ally releases October 3, 2017
March 28, 2018
So creative and unique!!
4.75/5 stars
Note to author:CAN THERE PLEASE BE A SPINOFF FOLLOWING OTHER KINGDOMS IN THIS SAME WORLD!!! I would specially like to see the women kingdom with dragons be featured in a spinoff, or following the weather mages or warm bloods in the kingdom of ice!! There is so much more I want to explore in this world! Please let there be more books!!
4.75/5 stars
I LOVED the first book but this definitely topped it!! It was incredible. This book is filled with more politics, more kingdoms and cultures and kickbutt women! It wasn't perfect but I still had so much fun reading it! Go read this duology guys it's so good.
Note to author:CAN THERE PLEASE BE A SPINOFF FOLLOWING OTHER KINGDOMS IN THIS SAME WORLD!!! I would specially like to see the women kingdom with dragons be featured in a spinoff, or following the weather mages or warm bloods in the kingdom of ice!! There is so much more I want to explore in this world! Please let there be more books!!
March 5, 2018
OMG!
This book! Why hadn't I read this sooner?!
So good!❤
RTC as soon as I can speak coherently😂😂😂
This book! Why hadn't I read this sooner?!
So good!❤
RTC as soon as I can speak coherently😂😂😂
July 30, 2018
Endlich konnte ich nun den Abschluss der Nemesis Dilogie lesen und da ich schon den Vorgänger richtig klasse fand, war ich wirklich gespannt auf das Buch hier.
Da es schon eine Weile her war, dass ich den Vorgänger gelesen habe, fiel mir der Einstieg nicht so leicht, da ich so einige Dinge nicht mehr wusste. Die Autorin gestaltet die Handlung hier doch recht geschickt, denn so gibt es immer wieder eine Art Rückblicke und ich konnte mich dadurch um einiges besser in die aktuelle Geschichte einfühlen.
Man merkt schon relativ schnell, dass die Beziehung zwischen Sepora und Tarik um einiges schwieriger ist, denn Tarik hat einige Taten gemacht, die Sepora nicht so wollte. Allerdings müssen die beide zusammenarbeiten, was recht interessant war zu verfolgen, ob es denn so klappen wird, wie gewünscht. Die Autorin hat nämlich so einige Überraschungen in die Geschichte eingebaut, sodass ich als Leser nicht wusste, in welche Richtung es denn nun gehen wird. Außerdem müssen die beiden Hauptcharaktere mit einigen Intrigen rumschlagen, welche ich richtig unterhaltsam fand, denn diese kamen von überraschender Stelle.
Spannend fand ich auch, dass dieses Mal mehr oder weniger alle Königreiche aktuell sind und man auch so einiges darüber erfährt. Im Vorgänger war ja das Hauptaugenmerk eigentlich nur auf Serubel und Theoria gelegen. Es gibt dadurch einiges an Abwechslung.
Die Charaktere fand ich wieder wunderbar. Alle waren toll beschrieben und wirklich glaubwürdig beschrieben. Die Entwicklungen der Personen empfand ich als gelungen. Allen voran natürlich Sepora. Ich fand sie wieder sehr sympathisch und ihre Art war sehr nett.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin war sehr flüssig und locker. Das Buch fand ich ausgesprochen angenehm zu lesen und man fliegt regelrecht durch die Geschichte. Ich wurde auch regelrecht an die Handlung gefesselt, denn es war einfach wieder wunderbar spannend. Begeistert hat mich auch, dass wieder diese interessanten Tiere erwähnt wurden. Die Geschichte wird aus wechselnder Perspektive der beiden Hauptcharaktere erzählt, was richtig amüsant war, denn man bekommt wieder sehr viele entsprechenden Eindrücke.
Das Cover finde ich sehr schön und es gefällt mir, dass es richtig gut zum Vorgänger passt.
Zur Autorin:
Anna Banks ist die Autorin der New-York-Times-Bestsellerreihe Blue Secrets. Nach Joyride erscheint jetzt mit Nemesis – Verräterisches Herz das Finale ihres neuen großen romantischen Fantasy-Zweiteilers. Sie lebt mit ihrem Mann und ihrer Tochter in Crestview, Florida.
Quelle: Verlag
Fazit:
5 von 5 Sterne. Tolles Buch. Wunderbar. Klare Kauf – und Leseempfehlung.
Da es schon eine Weile her war, dass ich den Vorgänger gelesen habe, fiel mir der Einstieg nicht so leicht, da ich so einige Dinge nicht mehr wusste. Die Autorin gestaltet die Handlung hier doch recht geschickt, denn so gibt es immer wieder eine Art Rückblicke und ich konnte mich dadurch um einiges besser in die aktuelle Geschichte einfühlen.
Man merkt schon relativ schnell, dass die Beziehung zwischen Sepora und Tarik um einiges schwieriger ist, denn Tarik hat einige Taten gemacht, die Sepora nicht so wollte. Allerdings müssen die beide zusammenarbeiten, was recht interessant war zu verfolgen, ob es denn so klappen wird, wie gewünscht. Die Autorin hat nämlich so einige Überraschungen in die Geschichte eingebaut, sodass ich als Leser nicht wusste, in welche Richtung es denn nun gehen wird. Außerdem müssen die beiden Hauptcharaktere mit einigen Intrigen rumschlagen, welche ich richtig unterhaltsam fand, denn diese kamen von überraschender Stelle.
Spannend fand ich auch, dass dieses Mal mehr oder weniger alle Königreiche aktuell sind und man auch so einiges darüber erfährt. Im Vorgänger war ja das Hauptaugenmerk eigentlich nur auf Serubel und Theoria gelegen. Es gibt dadurch einiges an Abwechslung.
Die Charaktere fand ich wieder wunderbar. Alle waren toll beschrieben und wirklich glaubwürdig beschrieben. Die Entwicklungen der Personen empfand ich als gelungen. Allen voran natürlich Sepora. Ich fand sie wieder sehr sympathisch und ihre Art war sehr nett.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin war sehr flüssig und locker. Das Buch fand ich ausgesprochen angenehm zu lesen und man fliegt regelrecht durch die Geschichte. Ich wurde auch regelrecht an die Handlung gefesselt, denn es war einfach wieder wunderbar spannend. Begeistert hat mich auch, dass wieder diese interessanten Tiere erwähnt wurden. Die Geschichte wird aus wechselnder Perspektive der beiden Hauptcharaktere erzählt, was richtig amüsant war, denn man bekommt wieder sehr viele entsprechenden Eindrücke.
Das Cover finde ich sehr schön und es gefällt mir, dass es richtig gut zum Vorgänger passt.
Zur Autorin:
Anna Banks ist die Autorin der New-York-Times-Bestsellerreihe Blue Secrets. Nach Joyride erscheint jetzt mit Nemesis – Verräterisches Herz das Finale ihres neuen großen romantischen Fantasy-Zweiteilers. Sie lebt mit ihrem Mann und ihrer Tochter in Crestview, Florida.
Quelle: Verlag
Fazit:
5 von 5 Sterne. Tolles Buch. Wunderbar. Klare Kauf – und Leseempfehlung.
Read
October 7, 2017although I’m quite satisfied with the ending. I feel like this could’ve have been a much longer book. there’re many things that happen but are just brushed over. things that maybe needed a better conclusion.
now, the tension! between Sepora and Tarik. both fighting their feelings. loving each other but simultaneously giving each other the cold shoulder. they could’ve easily sat down and talk about their doubts and concerns for 3hrs but nooooo they decided to distrust one another instead.
SPOILER↡
also I though it was out of the blue that Queen Hanlyn was the actual mastermind behind the problems happening in Theoria because we don’t really get much background on her, until it’s revealed that she’s actually a cuckoo’s nest. I’m sure that was the plot twist but it was pretty random to me. 🤷🏻♀️
now, the tension! between Sepora and Tarik. both fighting their feelings. loving each other but simultaneously giving each other the cold shoulder. they could’ve easily sat down and talk about their doubts and concerns for 3hrs but nooooo they decided to distrust one another instead.
SPOILER↡
also I though it was out of the blue that Queen Hanlyn was the actual mastermind behind the problems happening in Theoria because we don’t really get much background on her, until it’s revealed that she’s actually a cuckoo’s nest. I’m sure that was the plot twist but it was pretty random to me. 🤷🏻♀️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2021
i really liked this. i enjoyed getting to know more about the other kingdoms and the different abilities people have. my heart broke apart reading that scene of nuna and sepora tho, fuck that hurt. but the ending was so beautiful. and tarik and sepora were great in this book, i really like them together. this was a great conclusion to the story.
October 16, 2017
So let's be clear the romance was awful in this book. I like some angst and all but come on, there were both idiots at the end.
Neitherless, I really like the world building and the politic plot.
Neitherless, I really like the world building and the politic plot.
November 1, 2017
My goodness! That was a hell of a good book!
November 14, 2017
I have so many feels about this book ❤ I couldn't stop thinking about it so I read it in two days! Read it!
August 16, 2018
I loved it
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