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Spoiler-free description: With the truth finally revealed, Kress and Render lead the Seventeens on a dangerous journey. But nothing is ever quite as it seems, and danger lurks behind every corner...
296 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2019
2320 people are currently reading
2137 people want to read
About the author
K.A. Riley
66 books597 followersK. A. Riley is a writer of speculative and science fiction, dedicated to creating worlds just different enough from our own to be entertaining, intriguing and a little frightening all at once. For Riley, writing isn't a job. It's a laboratory where readers can wander into a land of ideas; it's a playground where they can scamper around, giggling, gasping, and freaking out to their hearts' content.
Riley is the top-secret pen-name of a NYT and USA Today best-selling author.
Riley is the top-secret pen-name of a NYT and USA Today best-selling author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
May 16, 2019
Much better
This one is loads better than the first one! Tons of action, answers and adventures! I’m really looking forward to reading the next one and I hope it’s more geared towards mature audiences because I’m a sap like that.
This one is loads better than the first one! Tons of action, answers and adventures! I’m really looking forward to reading the next one and I hope it’s more geared towards mature audiences because I’m a sap like that.
May 7, 2020
Two big issues with this book.
1. The author makes it seem like the entire Southwest US is all red except for in the mountains. It’s not. At all. They leave the west gate of Salt Lake City and it’s just red as far as they can see? No. Not for hundred of miles south. Reno? No. It’s brown along with most of the desert. And it’s only 20 years in the future, there’s no way all of the desert became red.
2. NO WAY is a 13 year old running some rebellion takeover. She sounds like she’s 40. I get that situations like this could age you faster than normal but that’s just too much for me.
Ok three things. Canadians are flooding the northern border because of climate change in the southern provinces. Really? The southern ones? Not the ones in the north that are actually being affected? And why are the southern provinces affected but not the northern states they’re flooding in to?
I take back that 2.5. It’s just 2 for me.
1. The author makes it seem like the entire Southwest US is all red except for in the mountains. It’s not. At all. They leave the west gate of Salt Lake City and it’s just red as far as they can see? No. Not for hundred of miles south. Reno? No. It’s brown along with most of the desert. And it’s only 20 years in the future, there’s no way all of the desert became red.
2. NO WAY is a 13 year old running some rebellion takeover. She sounds like she’s 40. I get that situations like this could age you faster than normal but that’s just too much for me.
Ok three things. Canadians are flooding the northern border because of climate change in the southern provinces. Really? The southern ones? Not the ones in the north that are actually being affected? And why are the southern provinces affected but not the northern states they’re flooding in to?
I take back that 2.5. It’s just 2 for me.
September 10, 2019
Dnf 67% bored to tears. I skipped ahead to the last chapter & read a major twist but tbh I just don’t care to continue the series. 1 star.
August 29, 2019
3.75⭐️
This book was enjoyable! I loved reading about their adventures to San Fransico. Few things I would critique...
1. I feel like it was TOO easy to get to San Fransico. I think there should have been a little more action/problems that happened along the way.
2. Sometimes, I’m the story, the author went a few days or weeks without explaining what happened between them, which I personally don’t like. I always feel like I miss something.
3. I wish the author would have written more about Brohn and Kress’s relationship. I want them to really connect, but I feel it is just all surface level. And what they have been through, I think they should be connected more than they are.
4. Slight text errors, but nothing too distracting.
However, Despite my personal critiques, I do like reading this series, and it’s worth the read. I am excited to see how the third book goes! Let do this!😍
This book was enjoyable! I loved reading about their adventures to San Fransico. Few things I would critique...
1. I feel like it was TOO easy to get to San Fransico. I think there should have been a little more action/problems that happened along the way.
2. Sometimes, I’m the story, the author went a few days or weeks without explaining what happened between them, which I personally don’t like. I always feel like I miss something.
3. I wish the author would have written more about Brohn and Kress’s relationship. I want them to really connect, but I feel it is just all surface level. And what they have been through, I think they should be connected more than they are.
4. Slight text errors, but nothing too distracting.
However, Despite my personal critiques, I do like reading this series, and it’s worth the read. I am excited to see how the third book goes! Let do this!😍
September 21, 2024
Book 2 of the Resistance trilogy - we see what happens when our heroes world falls apart, torn apart by the lies they had been told their whole life. We see the Conspiracy of Kress, Brohn, Cardyn, Manthy, Kella and Render try to pick up the pieces and fight back. I love seeing how the author develops all their personalities and they all have their skills. Yes, the book is centered around Kress and Render, but it also highlights how much she needs her whole team with her. The pace is good, some slower parts with all their travelling, but overall it was a good read, looking forward to finishing the series with Rebellion. Also massive pros that this is a Canadian author and the whole series is on kindle unlimited.
July 5, 2019
Wonderful read!
I'm hooked on this series, things always take an interesting turn that keeps you interested. This book was a wonderful read!
I'm hooked on this series, things always take an interesting turn that keeps you interested. This book was a wonderful read!
January 16, 2026
Awesome story!
It took me a while to bond with these characters and now that I have, it’s hard to stop reading. I’m onto the third book now and dying to find out what happens.
It took me a while to bond with these characters and now that I have, it’s hard to stop reading. I’m onto the third book now and dying to find out what happens.
August 5, 2022
Not as good as the first one, even if I enjoyed that we found out more about their abilities. Some parts are just carelessly/recklessly written, seemingly not caring enough about giving proper shape to the ideas.
Even ignoring the unlikely distances they walked or covered in such short time, the first thing off was the chips/Biscuits. Nobody even mentioned them anymore (I kept waiting for someone to remember they had tracking devices implanted, but I don't seem to recall them ever being mentioned in this book.) this is a pretty huge slip, no matter the lazy explanation that the insiders managed to convince all the other soldiers that them and Grenden all died without any body to prove it.
The second slip i found annoying was at about 41% in the book. It is made obvious that the author doesn't know what to do with Rain anymore as she is suddenly in 2 places at once. Returning from Valta, she is mentioned as both going with Manthy and Cardyn to help gather wood, and joining Kress and Brohn checking in on Kella. She is literally thrown in and out of both scenes at the same time.
And lastly, the Wisp plot twist... It was really really bad. Had she just been PART of the resistance it would have already been a stretch. That scared little girl the lone survivor that made it all the way to San Francisco would already be too obvious that's just for Brohn's sake. She had no ability whatsoever and it would have been a bit better if she was a part of a group of survivors helping each other at least. The Major twist was just... WHY?!? It doesn't make sense, it's so disappointing it made me reconsider all the times I ignored other "faults" and mistakes in the book.
I really hope the next book will be better but I wish all this Wisp part could disappear and never be mentioned again...
Even ignoring the unlikely distances they walked or covered in such short time, the first thing off was the chips/Biscuits. Nobody even mentioned them anymore (I kept waiting for someone to remember they had tracking devices implanted, but I don't seem to recall them ever being mentioned in this book.) this is a pretty huge slip, no matter the lazy explanation that the insiders managed to convince all the other soldiers that them and Grenden all died without any body to prove it.
The second slip i found annoying was at about 41% in the book. It is made obvious that the author doesn't know what to do with Rain anymore as she is suddenly in 2 places at once. Returning from Valta, she is mentioned as both going with Manthy and Cardyn to help gather wood, and joining Kress and Brohn checking in on Kella. She is literally thrown in and out of both scenes at the same time.
And lastly, the Wisp plot twist... It was really really bad. Had she just been PART of the resistance it would have already been a stretch. That scared little girl the lone survivor that made it all the way to San Francisco would already be too obvious that's just for Brohn's sake. She had no ability whatsoever and it would have been a bit better if she was a part of a group of survivors helping each other at least. The Major twist was just... WHY?!? It doesn't make sense, it's so disappointing it made me reconsider all the times I ignored other "faults" and mistakes in the book.
I really hope the next book will be better but I wish all this Wisp part could disappear and never be mentioned again...
March 21, 2021
Wildly slow
I loved the first book of this series. Like read it in a day loved it. However, this book followed the fate of most second books in a series, or most middle books in general. It was a lot of recap, a lot of slow progress toward the finale. In a 280 page book, recap and slow progress takes up the bulk of that allotment.
Somehow the seventeen year old kids managed to survive on a couple protein bars while walking from Missouri to Utah? Nah. Little too out there for me.
On top of it all, you have a thirteen year old leading the resistance to the war effort? Also nah. I see that the author was trying to find a way to have that character come back, but a better way would have been to work her into the resistance....not make her commander in chief.
Speaking of which, I think the author used real world events, names, and titles a little too much. Also, to say all of this starts in 2028......I’m thinking that’s a little too close to present day to say that dystopia has hit. In addition......the migration of Canadians???
I think I’ll have to take a break before tackling book three because the last bit of this book was painful to get through.
I loved the first book of this series. Like read it in a day loved it. However, this book followed the fate of most second books in a series, or most middle books in general. It was a lot of recap, a lot of slow progress toward the finale. In a 280 page book, recap and slow progress takes up the bulk of that allotment.
Somehow the seventeen year old kids managed to survive on a couple protein bars while walking from Missouri to Utah? Nah. Little too out there for me.
On top of it all, you have a thirteen year old leading the resistance to the war effort? Also nah. I see that the author was trying to find a way to have that character come back, but a better way would have been to work her into the resistance....not make her commander in chief.
Speaking of which, I think the author used real world events, names, and titles a little too much. Also, to say all of this starts in 2028......I’m thinking that’s a little too close to present day to say that dystopia has hit. In addition......the migration of Canadians???
I think I’ll have to take a break before tackling book three because the last bit of this book was painful to get through.
November 16, 2019
I liked the first book and loved this one. It has the same appeal as the Hunger Games trilogy. I love the voice of this author, the characters are rich and developed - even those that have bit parts. There are strings of really great prose at times. I struggled with a couple of small plot gaps and twists/timelines that didn’t seem too plausible. The characters don’t experience much value-change but the dialogue is great and there is good action. Overall, this book was good enough to convince me to suspend my disbelief. Despite a couple of flaws I’m giving this 5 stars because it was a book I couldn’t put down. Can’t wait to read book 3!
June 15, 2019
Whoa!
Talk about twists and turns. This book keeps you on your toes. You have a notion of what is going to happen and bam the author hits you with a whole new level! Heck yeah. A great read learning more about Brohn, Kress, Rain, Card, Manthy, and the rest of the seventeens!
Talk about twists and turns. This book keeps you on your toes. You have a notion of what is going to happen and bam the author hits you with a whole new level! Heck yeah. A great read learning more about Brohn, Kress, Rain, Card, Manthy, and the rest of the seventeens!
June 11, 2023
The plot was very interesting! The plot twists are so unexpected, and even though the book was basically a narration of a long journey, the Conspiracy was able to clear up a lot of the obscurities and questions from the previous book. The character development was okay…more forced in certain areas than others, but it was there. As far as the writing style, I felt like I was told what was happening instead of feeling what was happening. Instead of using action and dialogue to create a terrifying image in your mind, the author just tells you that something is scary and you have to come up with the emotion yourself. However, I thought the world-building was unique and well developed. Was it the best book ever written? No. But was it a classic dystopian with a group of rebels and an oppressive government? Yes, yes it was.
June 2, 2024
I was a little nervous that the second book in this series would fall flat and boring. I've read other sequels that were more of a bridge to the ending and I struggled to get through them. I was pleasantly surprised with this one though. I read it just a quickly as I read the first book. I don't usually read books with romance as a subplot rather than the main focus but I actually really like how the author wrote it. Is a five star for me? No, but I'd give it a good 4.5.
April 4, 2022
So many questions!
Another easy and entertaining read. The characters are developing nicely, and the story is keeping a good pace.
Dystopian. Fighting for freedom. Friends that are family. And a wholesome budding romance, or two?
I hope we learn more about the “abilities” and the why to everything.
I am not sure how this will stretch to 9 books, but I look forward to finding out.
Another easy and entertaining read. The characters are developing nicely, and the story is keeping a good pace.
Dystopian. Fighting for freedom. Friends that are family. And a wholesome budding romance, or two?
I hope we learn more about the “abilities” and the why to everything.
I am not sure how this will stretch to 9 books, but I look forward to finding out.
May 7, 2022
I find the middle books of a trilogy tend to be about the journey and boy what a journey these kids went on!
I'm still mad at the author for what she did. She knows what she did.
I enjoyed the growth of the characters and the hardships they an endured. It's definitely a great set up for the third book. Can't wait to see what secrets are revealed.
I'm still mad at the author for what she did. She knows what she did.
I enjoyed the growth of the characters and the hardships they an endured. It's definitely a great set up for the third book. Can't wait to see what secrets are revealed.
March 24, 2024
Great second installment! We get more answers from the first book and the plot moves along nicely! I have enjoyed this series immensely so far and diving into the third book immediately! This dystopian world is so interesting and the books are hard to put down!
December 27, 2024
Better than #1
Dystopian YA is apparently my sweet spot. This book was better than book 1 but still predictable and slow in places. A little repetitive but I clearly didn't hate it. Honestly any book I can get through is probably going to be at least 4 stars ..
Dystopian YA is apparently my sweet spot. This book was better than book 1 but still predictable and slow in places. A little repetitive but I clearly didn't hate it. Honestly any book I can get through is probably going to be at least 4 stars ..
May 17, 2024
Ok so this was WAYYYY better than the first, as far as writing goes. I’m still a bit confused but that’s ok, we have 7 more books left to go 🫣😃
January 24, 2021
I am going to be honest with you guys, I normally do not like the second book in a dystopian series, but I loved to Render a lot more than Recruitment! I love all of the twists and turns and I could not at all put this book down! I finished it in a couple of hours because I felt like I was apart of the Conspiracy. When they were mourning I right alongside them mourning.
I thought that Kress would be my favorite character because in many ways we are alike, but I think that Wisp was my favorite character in this book. I love the way that we were able to see her grow so much from the girl who was thrown from her brother to a girl who is now leading the resistance. She has grown so much and I know that Brohn is so proud of her.
This book was so much better than the first because it does not have a prolonged beginning. The book starts right after the Conspiracy has escaped. As you read this book you really start to connect with each person. You start to see them grow into people they never thought possible. While the recruitment of the seventeens was not a great thing, I feel as though each character was able to grow so much because of it. They were able to figure out who they were. They were also able to grow closer together.
I thought that Kress would be my favorite character because in many ways we are alike, but I think that Wisp was my favorite character in this book. I love the way that we were able to see her grow so much from the girl who was thrown from her brother to a girl who is now leading the resistance. She has grown so much and I know that Brohn is so proud of her.
This book was so much better than the first because it does not have a prolonged beginning. The book starts right after the Conspiracy has escaped. As you read this book you really start to connect with each person. You start to see them grow into people they never thought possible. While the recruitment of the seventeens was not a great thing, I feel as though each character was able to grow so much because of it. They were able to figure out who they were. They were also able to grow closer together.
August 18, 2019
The Dystopia and Adventure Continues
I will be honest, second books in trilogies are not my favorites. I didn’t like Render as much as Recruitment, either. But I kept in mind that it’s a second. Authors are forced to recap and set up for the showdown simultaneously. But Riley does give us meat, and the last 25% of the book lives up to the excellence of Recruitment. I loved that readers get to see and learn more about Kress’s connection with Render. Manthy is reluctantly heroic, as she uses her gift, and I believe Brohn’s gift is a little more than hinted at. Secrets are revealed. And the past comes back to help lead to the future.
I will be honest, second books in trilogies are not my favorites. I didn’t like Render as much as Recruitment, either. But I kept in mind that it’s a second. Authors are forced to recap and set up for the showdown simultaneously. But Riley does give us meat, and the last 25% of the book lives up to the excellence of Recruitment. I loved that readers get to see and learn more about Kress’s connection with Render. Manthy is reluctantly heroic, as she uses her gift, and I believe Brohn’s gift is a little more than hinted at. Secrets are revealed. And the past comes back to help lead to the future.
September 22, 2020
The second book in The Resistance trilogy.
Kress and her friends, having escaped the Processor, set off on a journey to spread the shocking truth about the war.
The story picks up nicely where it left off. It was an entertaining read, and I enjoyed it more than the first book.
However, I found it really implausible that a little 13-year old girl could turn into a confident leader within a few months. I also think that the relationship between Kress and Brohn lacked spark.
Overall though, it was an enjoyable follow-up to the story, and I'm really curious to see how the rest of Kress' journey will pan out.
Kress and her friends, having escaped the Processor, set off on a journey to spread the shocking truth about the war.
The story picks up nicely where it left off. It was an entertaining read, and I enjoyed it more than the first book.
However, I found it really implausible that a little 13-year old girl could turn into a confident leader within a few months. I also think that the relationship between Kress and Brohn lacked spark.
Overall though, it was an enjoyable follow-up to the story, and I'm really curious to see how the rest of Kress' journey will pan out.
July 3, 2021
This book is very interesting. It picked up shortly after the last book with the Conspiracy on the run. However as they ventured their journey throughout the book, it wasn't as adventures and full of action as the last book. This book, for a while, followed their journey through desert and woods with not much happening but only a few twists in their journey. The action really started only a little more than halfway through the book. Once the action started, it was much easier to get immersed into the story. The plot twist towards the end, did however, bring me almost to tears. Ending this book with a cliffhanger leaves me heavily wanting to read the next, and final book, of the series.
February 4, 2020
This book was almost unbearable to read. I read the first book which was okay but SLOW. Hoped for better in the second because I read some dumb review saying it was amazing and had some answers. LOL some answers after 85 percent finished with the book. And the plot twist at the end was so dumb I wanted to stop reading right there. I skipped so many paragraphs here and there because they were so detailed for absolutely no reason. I can’t even finish the series after that dumb plot twist. Not reading the last book.
May 5, 2020
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
In a world fractured by lies and misinformation, a young woman and her “conspiracy” may be the only hope. YA Dystopian by K.A. Riley
Kress and her friends have survived a lot in their 17 years. But their battle is far from over. With hearts of gold, rock-solid relationships and even some confusing but cool af abilities surfacing, they will take on their greatest enemy.
Looking forward to book 3!
In a world fractured by lies and misinformation, a young woman and her “conspiracy” may be the only hope. YA Dystopian by K.A. Riley
Kress and her friends have survived a lot in their 17 years. But their battle is far from over. With hearts of gold, rock-solid relationships and even some confusing but cool af abilities surfacing, they will take on their greatest enemy.
Looking forward to book 3!
July 23, 2020
For smart teenagers these kids are horribly dumb sometimes. This book was too long on some unnecessary parts of their journey and way too short on details of what's actually going on. Rain and Cardyn are useless characters, no idea why they're still even around. And yes I understand the teenage romance angle that has to exist (for some stupid reason) in every YA but for God's sake, dial it back a bit.
August 13, 2020
Slow and uneventful
I wasn't impressed with this sequel. There was no edge of your seat material or anything fast paced to want you to keep turning the pages. I'm not one to not finish a book, and as I've read the first two I will give the third in the series a read. I just hope, as I did with this one, that there is more action that encourages you to root for the remaining seventeens.
I wasn't impressed with this sequel. There was no edge of your seat material or anything fast paced to want you to keep turning the pages. I'm not one to not finish a book, and as I've read the first two I will give the third in the series a read. I just hope, as I did with this one, that there is more action that encourages you to root for the remaining seventeens.
February 4, 2025
She at least managed to make this more bearable than the first one, but it’s just so stupid and the writing is terrible. Very wordy, I was just genuinely bored. SO much stuff just doesn’t make sense. A tiny 13 year old girl can now someone run a revolution? Don’t waste your time, it seems like the author is more intent on releasing a bunch of books rather than one that is actually good.
January 13, 2024
Following the Seventeen has been a wild ride. The plot thickens, so much action. I feel like I know these characters as my friends.
November 20, 2023
Riley has fixed some things from their previous book in this trilogy. It doesn't seem so much like just a 1:1 of The Hunger Games anymore, although there are some parts where it still clings to the THG format seemingly just to do it and it makes the book seem insincere. For example, Brohn and Kress still really don't seem like they're actually interested in each other but every so often Riley will bring it up as if they've forgotten they want a Gale/Katniss romance and are trying to shoehorn it in before we forget that these two characters are supposed to be into each other.
I feel like the book/series would be a LOT more interesting if Render wasn't a normal bird. So far it seems like he's just an exceptionally intelligent raven, and I feel like I would be sucked in a lot more if he was able to communicate besides just an empathy link to Kress. Not that I'm adamant this is the direction the series should've been taken but it would have captured my attention a lot more.
Character development seems pretty nonexistent here, tbh. In the first book everyone had a pretty dynamic personality; in this book, it feels like everyone is just there to be a different name to add to some non-specific dialogue that doesn't show any personality. The only one who seems like they have anything going on is Manthy, who the rest of the characters treat pretty badly when they find out that she really does have techno-empathy/technokinesis-adjacent powers. They're always demanding she do this or that with tech even when she begs them not to make her because it hurts her to do it, which makes the rest of the Conspiracy seem cruel... not a good look for people who are supposed to be protagonists and people who can't serve in a fascist army specifically because of their high levels of empathy.
I agree that there's no way Wisp should be heading anything at thirteen years old. She very much sounds like a forty-year-old and it hasn't even been six months since everything from the first book, so not sure why she is able to be in the position she's in especially as just some person from a town far away from San Francisco with no connections or anything else of the sort. Though I did like Olivia. She's got a really cool character design. If Riley's characters could all be as interesting as that, I would have a much easier time reading their work.
That all being said, it's not a terrible book. I feel like Riley can be much better than this and is just stuck in a rut. Nothing to be ashamed of. I've dealt with the same several times throughout my writing career and I feel like if Riley reads a lot of other types of books (ones that aren't YA dystopia), they'll continue to get better and figure out how to make an engaging story with unique and interesting characters. They're already doing a pretty good job. It's just shy of being where it needs to be to really capture people.
I feel like the book/series would be a LOT more interesting if Render wasn't a normal bird. So far it seems like he's just an exceptionally intelligent raven, and I feel like I would be sucked in a lot more if he was able to communicate besides just an empathy link to Kress. Not that I'm adamant this is the direction the series should've been taken but it would have captured my attention a lot more.
Character development seems pretty nonexistent here, tbh. In the first book everyone had a pretty dynamic personality; in this book, it feels like everyone is just there to be a different name to add to some non-specific dialogue that doesn't show any personality. The only one who seems like they have anything going on is Manthy, who the rest of the characters treat pretty badly when they find out that she really does have techno-empathy/technokinesis-adjacent powers. They're always demanding she do this or that with tech even when she begs them not to make her because it hurts her to do it, which makes the rest of the Conspiracy seem cruel... not a good look for people who are supposed to be protagonists and people who can't serve in a fascist army specifically because of their high levels of empathy.
I agree that there's no way Wisp should be heading anything at thirteen years old. She very much sounds like a forty-year-old and it hasn't even been six months since everything from the first book, so not sure why she is able to be in the position she's in especially as just some person from a town far away from San Francisco with no connections or anything else of the sort. Though I did like Olivia. She's got a really cool character design. If Riley's characters could all be as interesting as that, I would have a much easier time reading their work.
That all being said, it's not a terrible book. I feel like Riley can be much better than this and is just stuck in a rut. Nothing to be ashamed of. I've dealt with the same several times throughout my writing career and I feel like if Riley reads a lot of other types of books (ones that aren't YA dystopia), they'll continue to get better and figure out how to make an engaging story with unique and interesting characters. They're already doing a pretty good job. It's just shy of being where it needs to be to really capture people.
May 7, 2024
I feel like the entirety of this book could have been written into the beginning of the third book and skipped all of the extra monotonous details and it would have made for a better (now) second book in the series. There was so much time covered in the book with so much detail for all of these little things that really had no bearing on the overall story line. In reality it could have been like 10 chapters max covering the same highlights that did matter to the story line in just as much detail without being a whole book. Also, there’s so much of this that’s unrealistic. The 6 of them travel most of the way together with basically no food or water, even after dropping one person off with the group of children they still have basically no food or water and have already traveled like half way. There was so little interaction with military or whatever along the way. Not to mention the abandoned out post that happens to have a truck that works???? I absolutely love bringing Wisp back into the story alive and well but her actually LEADING the resistance was the most unrealistic part of it all. I will say there were some things I didn’t expect in the end like the guy who trained them being the presidents son and I’m glad at least we finally have gotten a mostly complete image of the history to where we are now. Although I’m incredibly annoyed that we still haven’t gotten more answers on these kids ‘super powers’. I’ll read the last book hoping that with as much foreplay as there has been in this series for ultimately whatever will happen in the last novel to happen that the climax will be sublime. Not holding out too much hope though tbh.
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