Challenge Corner discussion

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

Starting this now! :)

Chapter 14: this is very fast-paced, and I'm so relieved! :P It also isn't my usual thing, and yet I'm hooked! :)

Chapter 25:

(view spoiler)[Wow, Victor is cold! He was supposed to like Angie... O_O I'm not even wondering on who's the villain here anymore, even if Eli is one, Victor definitely is. The call to Magneto is super apt. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 34: (view spoiler)[I'm loving the slow-burn to who they are resurrecting and also the time-jumps! :) It makes it interesting! (hide spoiler)]

Part 2, chapter 6: (view spoiler)[I really have to give it to the author, she does a great job in making you dislike the characters: now I keep thinking "Wow, Eli is really the worst!" (hide spoiler)]

I'll try to start this one at the end of next week.

I hope I can start one before the end of the month *fingers crossed*

I'll get back to this today. I'm really enjoying it, so if anyone wants to buddy-read the sequel some time in July or August, let me know! :)

Finished!

(view spoiler)[I liked the ending, and I thought the idea of getting Eli arrested was nice, however... Wasn't Victor supposed to have a master plan he'd developed in the last 10 years? His final plan revolved way too much on events of the last few days! What was he going to do if there hadn't been any Serena or Sydney? Just die, and call the cops? Mmmh... I did expected something more elaborate...
Also: wasn't there a problem when resurrecting EOs? Like what happened with the first one Sydney resurrected, who came back wrong, what about that? Or is Victor special, for some reason? This needed addressing... (hide spoiler)]

Just started this one!

Chapter 16 (view spoiler)[ Wow! I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. I can't believe they basically let each other die and then brought the other back to life. (hide spoiler)]

Andy wrote: "Chapter 14: this is very fast-paced, and I'm so relieved! :P It also isn't my usual thing, and yet I'm hooked! :)"

Definitely fast paced! I don't really read a lot of Sci-Fi books, but I'm liking it so far.

Through Part 1 (view spoiler)[Interesting that Sydney's ability is to bring back the dead. I can't believe Eli is just killing all the EO's like that. (hide spoiler)]

Andy wrote: "Chapter 25:

[spoilers removed]"

Yes! (view spoiler)[I thought he actually didn't deserve to go to prison at first, but he definitely did! (hide spoiler)]

Part 2 Chapter 16 (view spoiler)[ Serena being able to control what people do should be very interesting when she meets up with Victor. I wonder if she wants to save Sydney or not. I feel like Eli is finally understanding that he is not a hero. (hide spoiler)]

Andy wrote: "Part 2, chapter 6: [spoilers removed]"

HAHA same!

Finished! That was so good! (view spoiler)[I was not expecting Victor's plan be for him to die so Eli went to prison! (hide spoiler)]

Andy wrote: "Finished!

"

(view spoiler)[So I think we will get more about Victor in the next book. All we know is that his eyes opened and he has a heartbeat. But he said he didn't really have a plan, just part of a plan that fully took form in the last few days. He was probably just thinking about how the best way to get to Eli was and realized that he couldn't kill him so his only real plan was to get him to go to jail for his murder. It makes perfect sense. Also, I think Sydney bringing back the dead just made his plan even better because he knew he wouldn't stay dead then. (hide spoiler)]

Ashlyn wrote: "Andy wrote: "Finished!

"

[spoilers removed]"

You are probably right! (view spoiler)[I guess I just expected him to have a full plan! But also... What about EOs not being taken back properly by Sydney? Are we just forgetting that? (hide spoiler)]

Andy wrote: "Ashlyn wrote: "Andy wrote: "Finished!

"

[spoilers removed]"

You are probably right! [spoilers removed]"

I think we will know more about that in the next book.

Finally started my reread :D I'm only a couple of chapters in, but I'd forgotten how much I love Schwab's writing!

Are people wanting to go onto the sequel? I definitely do!

Ellen-Arwen wrote: "Finally started my reread :D I'm only a couple of chapters in, but I'd forgotten how much I love Schwab's writing!

Are people wanting to go onto the sequel? I definitely do!"

I do, but it's not on Kindle Unlimited and the ebook is like $16, so I'll have to see if I can get it from my library. I can't read it until August or September though.

Ashlyn wrote: "Ellen-Arwen wrote: "Finally started my reread :D I'm only a couple of chapters in, but I'd forgotten how much I love Schwab's writing!

Are people wanting to go onto the sequel? I definitely do!"

..."
Oh no! That's well expensive! I have the second book and I've been waiting to reread this so I can read the second one and... I don't know if I can wait! Sorry :( I'm too impatient lol. And this book is too good - I don't know why I didn't get the second one sooner!

Chapters I-XX (view spoiler)[

Literally I had totally forgotten how bloody good this is! Eli and Victor are so... vicious lol. I can't remember how Victor has his NDE but it'll be coming very soon! (hide spoiler)]

Through Part 1

(view spoiler)[
I forgot that Andy died! And Sydney was so betrayed :(
Love this book - so fast-paced and exciting! Don't wanna put it down - wish life could go on pause lol (hide spoiler)]

I've got the second book, so I can start whenever!
Wow, my book bundle of 2 costed less than that!

Andy wrote: "I've got the second book, so I can start whenever!
Wow, my book bundle of 2 costed less than that!"

I'm ready to start whenever too now I've finished - although I'm buddying ToG series starting from tomorrow lol!

Sooooo good! And I have an 'exclusive collector's edition' and it cost less than that!!

Ashlyn wrote: "Andy wrote: "Finished!

"

[spoilers removed]"

FINISHED

(view spoiler)[

Whew, I'd forgotten how intense and how GOOD this book was! Can't wait to read the next one :D
I don't know what Victor's 'plan' was - I'm sure he intended to get Eli locked away, and maybe the plan was for him to die and then be resurrected by Sydney? Because he knows that she will... Although as you said, they don't come back quite right so this'll be interesting...

Ways to kill Eli - make sure his skin can't knit together so he bleeds out? Hmmm.
Serena is/was terrifying but also really sad. Poor Sydney - she will never trust Victor again when she realises it was him who killed her.

Just SUCH a great book! Loved every second of it. FIVE STARS (I am super stingy usually lol) (hide spoiler)]

Andy wrote: "I've got the second book, so I can start whenever!
Wow, my book bundle of 2 costed less than that!"

I might pick it up the physical book if I can get a good deal on Prime Day for it.

Should we wait mid to late July? After the 14th would be best for me!

Andy wrote: "Should we wait mid to late July? After the 14th would be best for me!"

Sounds great to me :)

Can we do around the 18th so I can get the book in on time?

Ashlyn wrote: "Can we do around the 18th so I can get the book in on time?"

That's fine by me :)

Great! I will request a thread!

Here'sthe thread for the sequel!

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Thank you!

Starting this one tomorrow! Still catching up with some BRs.

Me too lol - I'm starting this this morning :)

We have a thread for the sequel, if that's what you are reading! ;)

Will join that in a few days!

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Andy wrote: "We have a thread for the sequel, if that's what you are reading! ;)

Will join that in a few days!

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."

Lol, that's what I meant. Should I start the sequel to this or City of Brass first??

Ellen-Arwen wrote: "Andy wrote: "We have a thread for the sequel, if that's what you are reading! ;)

Will join that in a few days!

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/......"

Up to you! ;)
I started City of Brass yesterday, so will probably reas a little bit into that before starting Vengeful!
It would be fun to read together! ;)

Andy wrote: "Ellen-Arwen wrote: "Andy wrote: "We have a thread for the sequel, if that's what you are reading! ;)

Will join that in a few days!

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/......"
I'll start City of Brass then :)

Starting this one tomorrow!

Yay, hope you enjoy it!

6% (view spoiler)[Ooh, I'm hooked. I've been into faster-paced books but I enjoy Schwab's atmospheric prose. Can't wait to see how this unfolds. (hide spoiler)]

Still reading! It's just taking a little longer than expected.

25% (view spoiler)[ I wonder how Eli is related to Victor going to jail.

And is there any kind of link between the manner of death and EO gift? Or maybe something else? (hide spoiler)]

35% (view spoiler)[ Oh, now, I get it. I wonder if Eli called the police on him because of an emotional reaction to Angie's death or if he just didn't want Victor interfering with his plans/experiments as an EO. (hide spoiler)]

Still in the middle of it

just downloaded from KU. debating on starting this tomorrow and trying to finish by end of the month or wait for saturday so it counts for october. either way this week!

Is this still open?? Hope you all enjoy it, it's awesome!