Review: Relentless

The Hero Agenda: Relentless | Tera Lynn Childs & Tracy Deebs

Published by: Sourcebooks Fire, June 7th 2016

Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Superhero+villain

Pages: 288

Format: Ebook

Source: Sourcebooks Fire, via Netgalley

Revenge is easy, but justice is worth fighting for…

Kenna is tired of being lied to—and hunted by the very allies she once trusted. Unearthing the dark secrets of the superhero world has not only endangered her life, now her boyfriend faces execution for crimes he didn’t commit and her mother is being held captive in a secret governmental prison.

Kenna is determined to stand up for what’s right and save those she loves from unspeakable fates. It’s time for the betrayal to end. It’s time for the real criminals to face justice.

But the truth is even more terrifying than Kenna could imagine. A conspiracy threatens the fate of heroes, villains, and all of humanity. If Kenna’s going to survive, she must draw on her deepest strength: her resilience. Because when Kenna’s pushed to the limit, she doesn’t break down. She fights back.

Every bit as awesome and epic and driven as the first book.

This series is so heartfelt and heartbreaking and compelling, and it's just fun, despite all the pain and trauma. The beating heart of this book is really the friendships - not the romance. I love the way the group works together, their dialogue, their complex and trusting bonds. I just love them all. Not to say I don't adore the romance because I so do - Draven, more like Bae-ven - and I FREAKING LOVED Nitro and Riley. They could not be cuter. And gay side pairing - thank you very much, book gods!

I just loved everything - the secrets, the reveals, the evolution of all the powers and Kenna's abilities. The danger and tension ramped up even higher in this book and it was AWESOME. The characters shine, the plot is fast, and the world is just so cool.

You have to read this series.

Characters ★★★★☆
Setting/World ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

Powerless (ARC Review, blitz + giveaway)

The Hero Agenda: Powerless | Tera Lynn Childs & Tracy Deebs

Published by: Sourcebooks Fire, June 2nd 2015

Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Thriller

Pages: 308

Format: Ebook

Source: Soucebooks Fire, via Netgalley

Kenna is tired of being "normal". The only thing special about her is that she isn't special at all. Which is frustrating in a world of absolutes. Villains, like the one who killed her father, are bad. Heroes, like her mother and best friend, are good. And Kenna, unlike everyone else around her, is completely ordinary— which she hates.

She’s secretly working on an experiment that will land her a place among the Heroes, but when a Villain saves her life during a break-in at her lab, Kenna discovers there’s a whole lot of gray area when it comes to good and evil and who she can trust.. After all…not all strength comes from superpowers.

Powerless isn't what I expected at all. I thought I'd like the main character, but I expected her to be a lot more affected by her lack of powers. I thought maybe she'd whine a lot, worry about having no powers and nothing would get done, and I thought there'd be a whole lot of self pity. And I expected that to stunt my enjoyment. Boy was I wrong.

From the first page it's pretty clear Kenna is not a person to mess with. She may be powerless but she isn't helpless, not by half. She's a scientist, and she's brave and determined. I admired her a whole lot, and her drive and determination made this book awesome. I loved almost every other character too, especially Draven, the typical brooding villain with a heart. Their bickering brought a layer of passion I hadn't expected from the romance, and it took my like of this book up to a screaming love. (So much that the ending KILLED me. Why would you do that to my precious Draven? How could you do that?)

The story of this book is pretty epic, too. Instead of the drama coming from villains, it's heroes that are the bad guys (and they are The Worst). Heroes have taken Kenna's mom, and this guy called Deacon who's important to a lot of people, and the heroes are secretly torturing everyone they don't like, while painting villains as the ... well, villains. Kenna and her best friend and her technopath ex-boyfriend and a bunch of villains join together to save them, and it is the best group dynamic I have read in a LONG time, 

I liked Powerless a lot, and it felt really original. I didn't see any of the story coming, and it made it exciting. Coupled with the awesome gang of characters, the high stakes, the tension between Kenna and Draven, and a shocker of a plot twist, this book isn't one I'll forget in a hurry.

Can I have the second book now?

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

Buy Links

Amazon: http://bit.ly/PowerlessAmazon

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/PowerlessBN

iBooks: http://bit.ly/PowerlessiBooks

Indie Bound: http://bit.ly/PowerlessIndieBound

Author Biographies

One fateful summer, Tera Lynn Childs and Tracy Deebs embarked on a nine hour (each way!) road trip to Santa Fe that ended with a flaming samurai, an enduring friendship, and the kernel of an idea that would eventually become Powerless. On their own, they have written YA tales about mermaids (Forgive My Fins, Tempest Rising), mythology (Doomed, Oh. My Gods., Sweet Venom), smooching (International Kissing Club), and fae princes (When Magic Sleeps). Between them, they have three boys (all Tracy), three dogs (mostly TLC), and almost fifty published books. Find TLC and the #TeamHillain headquarters at teralynnchilds.com. Check out Tracy and the #TeamVero lair at tracydeebs.com. Hang out with all the heroes, villains, ordinaries, and none-of-the-aboves at heroagenda.com. 

http://heroagenda.com/

https://www.facebook.com/heroagenda

https://twitter.com/heroagenda

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read on for an excerpt of Powerless!!

Reading round up (76)

Reading round up is a weekly journal where I record my daily reading progress, my thoughts on each book as I read it, and any books I've acquired during the week. 

18th May

This week I'm reading The Girl At Midnight by Melissa Grey and Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield. Today I read 229 pages of Chantress, and I went from liking it to horribly invested Real Quick.

19th May

Had a crappy day today, so I only read 12% of The Girl At Midnight. I'm pretty astounded by the fact it's adding a love triangle and instalove 50% through the book. WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE? It was So Good without it!

20th May

I've got a bit disillusioned with The Girl At Midnight - it's going somewhere I'm not interested in At All. I LOVE the fantasy of it but hate the romance it's gonna force. So I started The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell and read 50%. It's magical and wonderful and makes my heart full of feelings. 

21st May

It's that time of the week when my reading goes all over the place. I didn't read anything during the day, which is when I'd have picked up The Wolf Wilder. But I did read 13% of Powerless by Tera Lynn Childs and Tracy Deebs, which is pretty great already. However, it does mean I'm currently reading 3 books at once :(


22nd May

Today I read 34% of Powerless, and I'm really enjoying this. Nitro has a fucked up accent and I can't figure out his voice, but I'm liking the arguments between the MC and her villainous love interest. (Also LOVING the gaping lack of instalove.)

23rd May

I wanted to finish Powerless today but I just didn't find the time. I did read 30%, though, which is A LOT for Saturday reading!

24th May

Finished Powerless, which was SO GOOD that I want the next book right the heck now. And because I'm in a mood with The Girl At Midnight, I started In The Air Tonight by Lori Handeland, and I dunno, I'm just not impressed so far. It switches from 1st person to 3rd in the same chapter, and the writing style is FULL of american stuff I don't know.

Books finished this week: 2
Books DNF'd this week: 0

For review:

 

The Wolf Wilder | Katherine Rundell
Eden's Wish | M. Tara. Crowl

A Thousand Nights | E. K. Johnston

Spinning Starlight | R. C. Lewis

I am so exited for ALL of these!!! Especially, not gonna lie, Spinning Starlight. I LOVED Stitching Snow, so I'm expecting greatness. I've already started The Wolf Wilder, so I know that's awesome, and I can't wait to read the rest of it as soon as I find time!!

The Fog Diver (4 STARS)