Public Enemies by Ann Aguirre: Review

Synopsis:

Learn the rules of the game…and then play better than anyone else.

Through a Faustian bargain, Edie Kramer has been pulled into the dangerous world of the Immortal Game, where belief makes your nightmares real. Hungry for sport, fears-made-flesh are always raising the stakes. To them, human lives are less than nothing, just pieces on a board.

Because of her boyfriend Kian’s sacrifice, she’s operating under the mysterious Harbinger’s aegis, but his patronage could prove as fatal as the opposition. Raw from deepest loss, she’s terrified over the deal Kian made for her. Though her very public enemies keep sending foot soldiers—mercenary monsters committed to her destruction—she’s not the one playing under a doom clock. Kian has six months…unless Edie can save him. And this is a game she can’t bear to lose.

***

Sorry I haven't been posting in a long time. Who would have thought summer vacation is even busier than normal school days?

Immortal Game is a little bit weird. The strangeness continues in Public Enemies. After the events and the sacrifice that is made at the end of the last book, Edie is trying to find a way to save her boyfriend. But with enemies - immortal, powerful, and public enemies, gunning her everywhere she goes, she has to choose wisely who she can trust. The secret organization that is trying to end the game? Previous enemies? Or an unwilling ally?

I like how everyone has an agenda other than helping the main protagonist, Edie. Other than her close friends and Kian, temporary alliances are made, and often come in a price. While you may be certain of their wanting Edie alive, you can never be 100% sure about their true intentions, and whether they may come back and haunt Edie. She herself is trying to find a way to end this game once and for all, but at a cost of humanity. Things get infinitely darker in this book. There's no air of innocence other than some certain moments. Its pace is kept at an excellent speed. No rush, but also no dragging. I love reading books like this.

Speaking of certain moments, you can see a lot of bonding sections between Edie and Kian. They remind me of normal couples in real life, which makes them relatable, but also fictional couples with fantastic chemistry. Even in dire situations like this, they can still joke and have cute conversations that never fail to make me giggle. Too bad that... okay, this is most likely a spoiler, but it seems like those moments may not appear again anytime soon. I will miss those.

The ending is most surprising. Not because Edie has discovered something that had been fermenting behind their backs and had to make an important decision, the events itself are something that you probably will never expect to read about. Edie will be on a new mission, to end this cruel game haunting her life once and for all. And I'm excited. Very excited.

Rating: 8.5/10

Mortal Danger: Review

Synopsis:

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn't imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She's not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he's impossible to forget.

In one short summer, her entire life changes, and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly... bad things are happening. It's a heady rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil's bargains, she isn't sure who—or what--she can trust. Not even her own mind...

***

It's a very complicated story. It stretches as far as the universe goes (okay maybe not). If one is not attentive enough or distracted just for a little while, it's pretty much impossible to understand the story. At least there is no information dumping. It unfurls bit by bit, so I'm curious along the way. However there are really parts that complicates the story. Mostly in a good way, but some... not.

Like the fact that there are other companies out there playing this game, and they are mentioned a lot and never once show their face. I can't stop thinking about those companies but they don't even play a small part of the first book. I know it is a set-up, but it is so distracting that I need to re-read some of the parts again and again just to understand those particular bits. 

But despite all the distraction, the story is still fascinating. It points out a very important fact that people probably won't want to admit: all the gods, no matter where the originates, are still figments that people make up. Do those stories just pop out of nowhere without people making up stories? And stories getting out of control - it's like a more messed-up (but in a good way) version of The Iron Fey. I am so in love with this concept. It's pretty original (well, they are not fey, so...).

Edie - I have to talk about Edie, because that girl is just super. I'm only half as wary and calculating as she is ,and I'm considered smart by people around me  yeah not arrogant at all. She notices things that normal people don't even recognize. I'm so envious of her because of her cleverness and just plain nerdishness. Sometimes her calculating personality goes a little far though. I know it's for the bullies in her school and she wants a payback. But she gets a little too cold and cruel some of the times, which makes her like those bullies. Good thing those moments don't last long, because it can be a serious damage to her character.

I am kinda curious about how the next book will turn out with that ending. I hope it's as good as this one, or even better.

Rating: 7.5/10