Be prepared to be wowed and amazed. Book one in the Renascent series was good! It was light hearted, intriguing and engaging. There was action, tension and character development. It had everything I wanted, or so I thought. The sequel has shown me there are more layers to the story that I originally believed I knew so well. My characters are also different people after the concluding events of The Renascent World.
Cassidy in book one was very much her age. She was optimistic, impulsive, romantic and totally naive. Her romance with Eric was too easy. It was fun and sweet, but nothing tested the strength of their bonds. They didn’t have to work for their love. Due to this, I wasn’t sold on them as a couple just yet. Eric and Cassidy struggled in book two. They had to prove that it wasn’t fate or other powers forcing them together. They needed to show they actually were stronger together instead of weaker. It was thrilling to see them grow as individuals and then choose to be with one another as a couple.
In The Renascent Effect, Cassidy is a new woman. The loss of her mother, Eric’s betrayal and her close relationships have changed. She is a harder, tougher, older character. Nothing is easy and sweet for her anymore. She can’t just take things as they come. Even Cassidy’s relationship with Liam had taken on a slighter darker tint. Rather than saying “I love you” and “you are so strong” to each other, we see a bit of clashing. We see things get a little heated when Harriet isn’t there to play the calm, middleman. The crew of kids are no longer just following orders, they are questioning what they are being told and who they can trust.
Nobody beats Gina though. I know, I know. It is weird, but I totally loved her. She was just so flipping awful and evil it was amazing. I enjoyed that she taunted Cassidy and laughed at her. I loved that she could still hold the cards and show her power even from sitting in a cell. That she speaks in a “snake-like voice” and claps her hands together in glee….aaaahhhh, so creepy and yet so awesome. I was downright giddy when she was on the page. She is such a dynamic character and a really cool bad guy.
The Renascent Effect is much darker, grittier and the pressure is on. Relationships are tested and characters are pushed almost to their breaking point. I originally thought I was reading something predictable, a basic formula that I knew the end result of but was happy to be there. Instead, I found out the world Author Kerr developed is much more complex and intricate than I originally planned on. I had complaints about the instant love between the characters before and the language they used with one another. All that will be explained in this book. I am impressed, I was taken down a different road than I originally planned on, but like Robert Frost says, it has made all the difference.