Level 2 (The Memory Chronicles, #1)

Jan 16, 2013 Mitch rated it 3 of 5 stars

It’s interesting how the tagline for Level 2 emphasizes the number two, two worlds, two lives, two loves, because I’m of two minds when it comes to this book. On one hand, I love Lenore Appelhans’s approach to the afterlife - I have to confess I’m one of those readers who read to think rather than to feel, so to get something so deeply philosophical that I was thinking about almost everything is an absolute treat. On the other hand though, despite my overwhelmingly positive response to how uniqu...more It’s interesting how the tagline for Level 2 emphasizes the number two, two worlds, two lives, two loves, because I’m of two minds when it comes to this book. On one hand, I love Lenore Appelhans’s approach to the afterlife - I have to confess I’m one of those readers who read to think rather than to feel, so to get something so deeply philosophical that I was thinking about almost everything is an absolute treat. On the other hand though, despite my overwhelmingly positive response to how uniquely high concept this was, my overall impression is that Level 2’s promise is derailed by some really sketchy execution.

So first, the good - the premise is an incredibly inspired take on a common enough theme, that place between life and whatever comes after life where people have to come to terms with the outstanding issues from their life before they can move on. I’m not just talking about Appelhans’s setup with the hives, the drones, and the futuristic setting that has people spending all their time reliving their memories and browsing other people’s memories either (with kind of a Matrix type vibe to the whole thing) - even before the first of the many, many references to Our Town, I could tell there was just something uniquely existentialist about this book. A lot of it is the way Appelhans develops Felicia’s character almost entirely through flashbacks looking at her life through her memories; between what I eventually learn about Felicia over the course of her many flashbacks, the way memories are treated like videos you can go out and rent for entertainment, the way the memories are used as learning experiences, and the whole storyline revolving around Felicia’s friend Beckah, I just got the feeling Appelhans’s ulterior motive for writing this was as an exploration of how identity is forged by human experience. And that begs so many interesting questions, like, what’s the point of accumulating all these memories after you’re dead? Or, how do you know if your feelings are genuine if there’s a chance your memories have been altered?

That said, Appelhans’s treatment of the memories is also my biggest problem. I don’t have a problem with nonlinear storytelling and using flashbacks to advance the plot, but I just didn’t feel like every single flashback served a useful purpose in the grand scheme of things. A couple of them, for example Felicia talking about the magical properties of the Lethe in the present and then flashing back to her history class when they were talking about the rivers of the underworld in Greek mythology, are directly on point, others like the development of Julian’s character via Felicia’s memories and the whole thing with Felicia’s friend Amber, work pretty well connecting the situation in Level 2 with Felicia’s experiences while she was alive, but many others, particularly Felicia’s memories of her boyfriend Neil, just weren’t all that relevant to the actual plot of Level 2, renegade angels using Level 2 as a staging ground for breaking into Level 3 aka Heaven. There was one memory in particular of Felicia playing some sort of religious themed game with Neil at their church that I really expected to play some sort of role in the plot, and the more I think about it, the more I have to conclude it was just a memory of Neil. And for a person who likes connecting the dots and figuring out how each piece of the puzzle relates to every other piece of the puzzle, the lack of clear connections, or any connection at all for that matter, between these seemingly important memories and Felicia’s predicament is rather disappointing.

Actually, Neil’s role in the story really didn’t work for me at all, because, without any connections to the Level 2 stuff, Felicia’s recollections of their time together bordered on the sickeningly sweet to the point of too good to be true. I mean, if this was a contemporary about how the perfect boyfriend helps the messed up girl deal with her tragic past, I'd be bored out of my mind. I get how Neil’s Felicia’s redemption after what happens with Amber, which is intentionally caused by Julian, who’s obviously connected to Level 2, but after I’ve pieced everything together, my reaction was more like ‘that’s it?’ because I really expected more. And perhaps not entirely coincidently, the story completely falls off a cliff towards the end, right around the same time that Neil finally shows back up. Let’s just say the climax involves much telling instead of showing, the villainous Morati being completely brushed aside as far as development goes, obvious twists being revealed but never given the opportunity to really sink in, and Neil’s reappearance being more of the ‘umm what?’ variety than ‘oh yeah this makes lots of sense given what has happened’ - it’s almost as if Appelhans ran out of creative steam once she said everything she wanted to say about the memories aspect and just decided to call it a day.

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting Level 2 to be quite this existentialist, although in retrospect maybe I should have. Either way, Lenore Appelhans certainly surprised me with her thoughtful treatment of memories, experiences, life, death, and moving on. But between the lack of connections between key aspects of the story and the rush job of an ending, I can’t say my surprise was altogether pleasant.(less)

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Jan 03, 2013 Keertana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley-and-first-reads

Rating: 3.5 Stars

For me, the biggest appeal of Level 2 was the fact that it was written by a blogger. I was so enthralled that a blogger had been able to get her book published and, best of all, who else knew best the pitfalls that most authors stumbled across better than a blogger herself? Thus, Level 2 seemed like a novel that could do no wrong. In many ways, it couldn’t (although it’s synopsis seems to think it’s going to get more readers by hinting at a love triangle when there is no love tr...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted here.

Anyone who reads my blog regularly probably already knows how much I wanted this book. It was one of my WoW posts, and has been on my wishlist from the moment I found out Lenore Appelhans, the wonderful blogger behind Presenting Lenore, had a dystopian novel coming out. I was so all over that, especially since Lenore is the creator of Dystopian August, which means she really knows her stuff. Also, oh hey, it's Dystopian August! Woo! Make sure you check out her blog as well...more Originally posted here.

Anyone who reads my blog regularly probably already knows how much I wanted this book. It was one of my WoW posts, and has been on my wishlist from the moment I found out Lenore Appelhans, the wonderful blogger behind Presenting Lenore, had a dystopian novel coming out. I was so all over that, especially since Lenore is the creator of Dystopian August, which means she really knows her stuff. Also, oh hey, it's Dystopian August! Woo! Make sure you check out her blog as well as mine for reviews, giveaways and bookish talk!

Since Lenore is one of my favorite bloggers, and definitely the one I've been following the longest, I went into this with ALL of the expectations. ALL OF THEM. From that perspective, Level 2 wasn't quite everything I was hoping for, though, if you aren't expecting instant new favorite book of all time, I suspect this won't be an issue. Lenore's book definitely is delightful and unique, though, so do not let the fact that it didn't rise to my insanely high expectations put you off at all.

The first awesome thing about Level 2 is the world building, which is multi-faceted and complex. She reveals new layers of epic awesome as you read through the book, and I have no doubt this will continue in the next book. The world building was definitely my favorite thing, and I loved how Lenore could completely surprise me or explain something that I was at first skeptical of. She makes this work like whoa.

At the beginning of Level 2, I was a bit confused, as, indeed, you're supposed to be. You join Felicia in this weird afterlife; that's about all I knew going into it, and Felicia doesn't know any more than you do. In Level 2's version of the afterlife, you hang out in a room full of pods, spending most of your time watching the afterlife equivalent of YouTube (YouDead? lol), only you're watching your memories, pulled from your mind in high definition and with better detail than you could have done on your own. I totally wrote short story like this in college, though clearly not so detailed, and I loved seeing the idea really fleshed out. Not only can they watch all of their own memories, but they can share them with others, earning currency to buy new memories when people purchase theirs.

Why would you want to watch someone else's memories? To stave off boredom, of course! One small theme running through Level 2 which I really appreciated was the Fahrenheit 451 aspect to the printed word. In the afterlife, books only exist if someone read them closely enough that every word appears in someone's memory. Otherwise, it's gone. That is just so powerful. You'll all be glad to know that I've got Level 2 tucked away in my brain, so we're good. Also, bloggers would have so much currency in the afterlife, since we read so many things!

Of course, there are also MORE things going on, like I promised. I'm not going to go into great detail about the rest of the world building, because I think it's something best left for you to find. I will just mention that there's some awesome stuff that one can do with mind power. Also, Lenore has a wholly new take on angels. I, for one, am always skeptical of angels, because RELIGION, but no worries my agnostic and atheist friends, there's no preaching, I promise.

Felicia, our main character, is not the most likable heroine you will ever meet. I suspect some readers will have difficulties connecting with her. Partly, this is caused by what spending so long constantly replaying just one's best memories will do to someone. She's definitely not a perfect person by any means. She has made serious mistakes with painful consequences, mostly involving an unfortunate attraction to the not-so-trustworthy Julian. She's also one of those people who, if you tell them to stay in the car, will never EVER stay in the car.

Though there were some things I didn't like about Felicia, she worked for me as a heroine. Felicia has spunk and sarcasm, and she's not overly trusting. She does complain, but as soon as she finishes doing that, she throws herself bodily into a task. I don't begrudge someone a 'man, this sucks,' so long as they then do what they can, and she always does. In fact, my one complaint about the pacing of the novel is that Felicia seems to come by her defensive skills too quickly and easily. In this case, I would have liked a training montage or some way to mark time passing.

In addition to Felicia, we have two other super important people I must talk about: Neil and Julian. Yes, there's a love triangle. I know, I know. It's okay, though. This love triangle is made more interesting by the fact that we have a juxtaposition between past and present, and the fact that only Julian is actually present. Though I initially hated Julian, who is definitely too cocky and bad boy-ish for my usual tastes, I'm currently in his team, because he's complex and interesting. I want to know more about him. Neil is too perfect, too high school love, too religious, to hold much appeal for me, BUT I have yet to meet him except in Felicia's favorite memories of him. At this juncture, it's in no way clear which competitor will win fair Felicia's heart, which always helps in a love triangle.

So far as the dystopian stuff goes, Level 2 is not the most dystopian novel ever, but there's obviously some creepy stuff happening because of...whoever's in charge. There will be more dystopian goodness (errr...badness) in the coming books, I am sure.

Lenore Appelhans' Level 2 is a thought provoking read that will put you into an entirely new world. The images will stick in your brain long after you finish. In fact, rewriting this review just before it's meant to publish (since I managed to accidentally delete the original, because I'm an idiot), I find myself wishing I had time to reread Level 2, so that I could catch plot threads that I missed on my first read. I will definitely need to reread before reading the next book. You definitely don't want to miss out on Level 2.(less)

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Apr 08, 2013 Scott Pilgrim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels-demons, paranormal, dystopia-post-apocalyptic, ghosts, must-read-2012, contemporary, arc

Seen at Scott Reads It
*Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC via mail*
I'll be honest I thought this book had something to do with video games and the afterlife when I picked it up. I saw the words "LEVEL 2" and that cover which instantly made me think of Street Fighter's Ryu. If you have ever played as Ryu you'll be familiar with that fire-ball move he has and that really reminded me of Level 2's cover.

Anyway I'm digressing because this is supposed to be a review of Le...more Seen at Scott Reads It
*Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC via mail*
I'll be honest I thought this book had something to do with video games and the afterlife when I picked it up. I saw the words "LEVEL 2" and that cover which instantly made me think of Street Fighter's Ryu. If you have ever played as Ryu you'll be familiar with that fire-ball move he has and that really reminded me of Level 2's cover.

Anyway I'm digressing because this is supposed to be a review of Level 2, not an analysis of Street Fighter. I'll try to explain Level 2 but I'll try to be vague to avoid posting spoilers. After Felicia dies she is transported to a place called Level 2 which is an after life. In Level 2 the dead live in pods where they can relive their memories until they reach Level 3 (a.k.a Heaven). Felicia can rent other people's memories if she has enough credits which she obtains when others rent her memories. The idea that memories could be rented or traded like something physical like a collectible was a superb idea.There are Angels called Morati who are using Level 2 as a means to rebel against Heaven and it's up to Felicia to stop them. Felicia joins up with an old acquaintance of hers to defeat the Moratis and move onto Heaven.

Level 2 is a compelling book that gives you an entirely new outlook on the afterlife and angels. Angels are no longer those sweet babies with those little halos or those mysterious love interests in a paranormal romance.

These angels are totally bad to the bone and they won't stop at anything to get what they want. Appelhan's view of the afterlife was really creatively done and developed. Unlike in most dystopias, I didn't really have any questions about how the society or it's leaders.

Part of Level 2 is Felicia's adventures in Level 2 while the other half is Felicia's life premortem. One of my favorite components of Level 2 is the memory system because it was flawless. The memory system is one of those ideas that sounds fantastic but would be difficult to execute. Luckily Appelhans really thought through and developed the memory system. The memories in Level 2 really provided a futuristic sci-fi tone that I loved. Felicia's memories before she died flowed well with the Morati plotline and were really interesting to read about. I'm sorry if my thoughts seem jumbled but it's so hard to explain everything about Level 2.

All of the characters in Level 2 are supposed to be drones like in most dystopian societies. Usually this leads to an inability to connect with the characters because they are cold and emotionless. Felicia is quite the contrary because I really connected with her and she isn't an emotionless robot. Felicia's perseverance to find her friend/ex-boyfriend Neil was really spectacular. I truly loved how dedicated and loyal Felicia was to her friends. Most characters in books would give up in a fight against Heaven but Felicia didn't even second guess her conscience. Felicia's romance with her boyfriend Neil (premortem) was a sweet love story and it really upset me that they couldn't be together. The inclusion of a contemporary romance in a Science Fiction novel worked really well to my surprise. The fact that I truly enjoyed a romance in a book is astounding because romance usually ruins a book for me. I applaud Appelhans for creating a sweet and lovely romantic angle to Level 2. I was ecstatic that there was no love triangle in Level 2 because honestly I would be so happy if I never read a love triangle again.

Level 2 is a compelling book that I didn't want to end. The plot of Level 2 was fast paced and I felt like I was there in Level 2 with the characters. Level 2 felt so real that I am bit disappointed that I won't be able to trade any of my memories away (I could use some credits!). I loved the unique Sci-Fi feel of Level 2 because it was like nothing I have read. Level 2 brought me on an adventure that I know I won't ever forget! Lenore Appelhans is a literary genius for coming up with Level 2. I am definitely going to read the sequel and I hope it is just as fantastic as Level 2 was.(less)

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Dec 30, 2012 Kevin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads-arc, reviewed

3.5 stars

My thoughts were so jumbled after reading this. I liked it, but there we're some things I just did not understand.

This book is told from the setting of an afterlife location called "Level 2." This area is basically the waiting room of a doctor's office. The whole situation is very touch and go. Many of the, which seems like MILLIONS of people at times, are trying to reach "Level 3," or what we like to call heaven.

The people living inside Level 2 are controlled by an outside source t...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: january-releases

Felicia Ward is currently located at Level 2. She lays in a device that allows her to search through and watch her favorite memories from earth. With credits she can also trade and buy more credits to view more memories. She can even organize the memories like YouTube videos with ratings and notes. Felicia has yet to watch the memory of her death but she loves to live through her memories of her true love Neil over and over. Felicia also hangs out in the hive visiting with her friends Veronica a...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Felicia's death has left her stuck in a sort of limbo. As one of the residents of her hive she has friends and she has access to her memories from her life before. Those memories, happy and sad, set the stage for the larger conflict in the afterlife. That's the beauty of the story you see, it's not easy to discern what is really what. It's not confusing, mind you, but an action-filled and fast paced story filled with unexpected moments. A kudo to Appelhans for giving those surprises as it's a ra...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Alexa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, arc, debut, 2013-reads

My review can also be found on my blog Collections.

I almost thought Björk was on the cover.

Edit:

2.5 - 3 stars

It took me awhile to finish Level 2. I received an advanced copy back in October, started reading it, but put it down at around page 80 and didn't pick it back up until two months later. Needless to say I hadn't really enjoyed what I had managed to read.

The characters were unlikeable. Felicia was the narrator, but I could not connect with her in any way. Julian was a douche and so was Fel...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Whitley Birks rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, can-t-get-more-cliched, female-hero, obvious-debut, paranormal-romance, utterly-dull, ya-fantasy

This was two books in one, and neither of them were good. The main problem is there was a disconnect between what this book wanted to be, and what it sold itself as. It was pitched to the reader as a sci-fi fantasy about a Matrix-like afterlife and a battle for Earth between rebels and evil-angels. Awesome! What it ended up being was a dull, introspective, contemporary novel about a girl sulking about how much her life sucks and how her boyfriend fixed it all for her. Um...awesome? I mean, if yo...more This was two books in one, and neither of them were good. The main problem is there was a disconnect between what this book wanted to be, and what it sold itself as. It was pitched to the reader as a sci-fi fantasy about a Matrix-like afterlife and a battle for Earth between rebels and evil-angels. Awesome! What it ended up being was a dull, introspective, contemporary novel about a girl sulking about how much her life sucks and how her boyfriend fixed it all for her. Um...awesome? I mean, if you want to write that story, that's fine. But when your book is supposed to be about evil angels, then that other stuff becomes, by default, extraneous fluff.

Seriously, the evil-angels stuff was a footnote in this book. The majority of the novel was just the main character going into a machine that lets her relive memories, and that's how she told us the story of her life. That's it. This novel is like 75% flashbacks. Everything else? The plot about the afterlife and the angels and the world-taking-over? She doesn't figure any of that out. It just gets info-dumped to her in between her memory sessions. We don't even see the 'bad guys' until the last few pages, and the 'climax' is summarized for us in a few paragraphs. Plus, the pacing of it is all over the place. No one sleeps, so it's hard to tell how much time has passed, but things happen in starts and fits. She gets 'training' that consists of...um, some unknown amount of sleepless time, and involves her basically just trying this one thing a few times and being perfect at it. They say that the place is controlled by hacking, all Matrix-style, but there's no hacking going on. She imagines things really hard, and said things appear. That's fucking magic.

Then there's the story that this book wanted to be, the story of Felicia's sad life and the horrible secret that plagued her. It's...really dull and boring. The basic gist? She was kind of a shitty friend, then in a moment of panic she did a really stupid thing, because...you know. Teenager. Freaked out. Bad decisions. And that's it. That's the whole story. She angsts endlessly about this one bad choice she made, talking about it like it's some horrible stain on her character, but it was just a moment of bad judgement when she was legitimately freaked out. Um...okay?

Furthermore, there's no point to that story. Felicia is a really selfish, shitty person throughout both stories. It could be argued that such selfishness makes her deep and flawed and relatable. And yes. If the book had decided to go that way, it could have made her a real character. But there's no character arc for Felicia. She's horrible and selfish and causes problems...and then that's it. She never has to face her past actions. She never has to change or grow or admit fault. She never has to evaluate her life and come to any form of acceptance over it. Basically, we're told about a series of events that happened and then...that's it. Boom. End. No growth or development at all.

And I'm just not on board with a selfish character if said selfish character carries right on being terrible and gets rewarded at the end with a boyfriend and heaven.

Also, sex and religion are really weird in this book. I mean, we're in the literal afterlife, here. Dealing with literal angels, set to this task by the Abrahamic God. No one bats an eye at this. No one doubts it. No one has a moment of "holy shit, so all that bible stuff was real?" It feels like the author just assumes all her readers believe the same thing she does. Then there's also a bizarre scene where Felicia, knowing that her boyfriend doesn't want to have sex before marriage, decides that she has to take all her clothes off and climb into bed with him. It's all well and good to have a sex-positive message in your book, but not if it comes at the expense of ignoring or devaluing other people's sexual decisions. If someone says they want to wait, that should be respected, too.(less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Nobonita rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Science Fiction and Dystopia

Recommended to Nobonita by: Kimberly Sabatini

Shelves: 2013-d-a-c, autographed-copy, hardback-review-copy, duet-review, reviewed-with-maliha, signed-by-author

Enter to win a copy of this book,signed postcards and LEVEL 2 nail instructions HERE.

SEVEN winners in total and the giveaway is international.

Giveaway prizes shown on the image below:

Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor! ;)

**UPDATE 1/9/2013**

That was bloody brilliant! xD Review to come...

**UPDATE 1/22/2013**

POST-READ REVIEW:

Originally posted at Daydreaming Bookworm

Duet review is a feature where I review a book along with my friend,Maliha.For more info. on this feature,check out my v...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Tara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013debut

Review originally posted on my blog http://hobbitsies.net/2013/01/level-2...

I cannot tell you guys how awesome Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans is – I mean, awesome to the point that I’m practically giddy just thinking about it.

And, okay, I’ll admit my bias straight-up – I’ve met Lenore a few times and she’s super sweet and nice. But that’s not it, I swear. Level 2 is a creative, mind-blowing story – one that I would have loved either way.

For one thing, the concept. There are some books that I just c...more

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Feb 08, 2013 Danielle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadult, 2012-favorites, books-i-own, for-review, ya-series

Short and Sweet:
Lenore Appelhans, the blogger behind Presenting Lenore, had a lot to live up to with her debut novel Level 2 but anyone that ever doubted she would write something less than incredible was so very wrong. Level 2 had me in tears within the first few pages, in love with both Neil and Julian, thrilled with the sci-fi aspects and absolutely has me wanting to read more by Lenore. There's a reason this is one of the most anticipated YA novels of the year and it's one I'll be raving ab...more Short and Sweet:
Lenore Appelhans, the blogger behind Presenting Lenore, had a lot to live up to with her debut novel Level 2 but anyone that ever doubted she would write something less than incredible was so very wrong. Level 2 had me in tears within the first few pages, in love with both Neil and Julian, thrilled with the sci-fi aspects and absolutely has me wanting to read more by Lenore. There's a reason this is one of the most anticipated YA novels of the year and it's one I'll be raving about for a long time to come.

Full Review:
Felicia Ward exists in a state of memories. Memories of her life now gone. Not knowing how long it’s been since her death or what has happened to the family and friends she loved she continues on reliving her favorite memories of each of them, Neil most of all. When suddenly she’s rescued from her existence on Level 2 by someone she long hoped to forget, Julian, she finds herself in the midst of a struggle greater than herself, but her only hope is rescuing those she truly loves. As she travels the world of Level 2 she discovers that the only way to her future is through the choices and mistakes of her past, but will it be enough? And in the end will it be Neil or Julian that is her salvation and choice?

Lenore Appelhans, the blogger turned author behind Presenting Lenore, had a lot to live up to with her debut novel Level 2 but anyone that ever doubted she would write something less than incredible was so very wrong. Level 2 had me in tears within the first few pages, in love with both Neil and Julian, thrilled with the sci-fi aspects and absolutely has me wanting to read more by Lenore. There’s a reason this is one of the most anticipated YA novels of the year and it’s one I’ll be raving about for a long time to come.

As for the specifics of Level 2, the first book in The Memory Chronicles series, let me first of all say how thrilled I am to have another science fiction YA that features strong characters and beautiful world building. Much of the story is spent with the main character, Felicia, exploring her memories which reside primarily in a typical earth environment. Where the excellent world building comes into play is in the area Felicia lives after her death, Level 2. Each person rests in their own “pod” where they can access a number of memories including those of the other inhabitants of Level 2. Once rescued by Julian they enter a strange cold world filled with robots, adversaries and fellow rebels. I found myself imagining something similar to the Machine City featured in the Matrix series. Toward the end of the book the world begins to incorporate aspects of Greek mythology, even including an entire river of lamentation before a long journey across isolation plains where some of the dead rest. With such vivid world building the news that Level 2 has also been optioned for a film is thrilling and I’m excited to see how it transfers onto the big screen.

Within the pages of Level 2 readers will not only enjoy the brilliant world building, but will also fall in love with each of the characters Lenore Appelhans has created. This is a story that could rely heavily on the world it resides in, but below the surface there is so much more to it than vivid landscapes and scientific creatures. Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans is a story about characters who make poor choices and pay the consequences of their actions. From Felicia to Julian to Autumn to Neil and even Felicia’s parents, each of them set out on their individual destinies based on the choices they make. I found myself completely heartbroken and sobbing within the first few pages of Level 2 at the thought of Felicia’s parents and how they cope with the death of their daughter. What brought further heartbreak to their situation were the choices they made surrounding their daughter and specifically her mother’s choice to send Felicia to live with her grandmother. The relationships Felicia has throughout the book bring her character as well as those around her to life and sadly, some to death. Each character brings another layer to Felicia’s overall story and makes her a person you want to hope for in the end.

Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans far exceeded my hopes and expectations. This vivid sci-fi YA story is built within a world of robots, angels, Greek mythology and brilliantly realistic characters. Throughout Felicia’s life she travels the globe with her parents and in her death she spans the full landscape of what may await her in the afterlife. As Felicia remembers the people, relationships and choices of her life on earth she becomes stronger by accepting her mistakes and moving forward to save the ones she loves. Level 2 is no doubt the start of a very successful series and career for Lenore Appelhans!

Originally reviewed and copyrighted at my site There's A Book. (less)

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Mar 14, 2013 Cass - Words on Paper marked it as wishlist-2

Shelves: debut-novels, dystopian, 2013-release

You bet I'll be reading this one. Not only is it ~DYSTOPIAN~, but the author is a standout blogger and she just straight-up rocks.

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Jan 28, 2013 Maree rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: allen-unwin, in-the-bookshelf, 2013-read, ya-paranormal, ya-future-dystopian

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Level 2 promised a thrilling new take on the wave afterlife/angel novels which are currently trending and while Appelhans’ originality in this sense was wonderful, overall the novel left me wanting so much more.

Felicia Ward is trapped in a limbo known as Level 2, forced to relive her memories of life on Earth. She spends her time revisiting the memories of time with her parents, best friends, wishing she could see her boyfriend Neil again. When Julian, a boy from a part of her l...more Rating: 3.5 Stars

Level 2 promised a thrilling new take on the wave afterlife/angel novels which are currently trending and while Appelhans’ originality in this sense was wonderful, overall the novel left me wanting so much more.

Felicia Ward is trapped in a limbo known as Level 2, forced to relive her memories of life on Earth. She spends her time revisiting the memories of time with her parents, best friends, wishing she could see her boyfriend Neil again. When Julian, a boy from a part of her life she’d rather forget, breaks into Level 2 telling Felicia he knows where Neil is, she doesn’t take much convincing to leave with him. Suddenly Felicia is part of a rebellion against the mysterious beings who control Level 2 and must relive some of her worst memories to regain the strength needed to fight.

Honestly, I loved the originality of the world Appelhans created, but it fell flat for me. One of the most intriguing elements of Level 2 was the ability to somehow magically think something into existence, yet this aspect was one of the most under-developed of the entire novel. While I eventually just went with it, I was slightly annoyed that this was never explained. At all. The monotony of Level 2, while essential to the feel of the novel, also frustrated me and if I’m being completely honest made reading the book boring at times.

However, I really enjoyed Appelhans’ writing style and I loved the use of memories in the afterlife. I loved the fact that Felicia could pick, choose and live memories again. In life our memories are segmented and we can never fully remember everything that happened in an exact moment or relive the feelings which were associated with that moment. To be honest, this may have been where I wanted more, or perhaps something completely different, from this novel. At times I felt like I wanted to be reading about Felicia’s life rather than her afterlife. Well, that was until the ending when all the memories came together and made sense.

The pacing of the novel was quite slow and, at the beginning, I was struggling to stay interested for more than a few pages. I felt like it took too long to get to the point, I mean we don’t even find out about the rebellion or the beings who run Level 2 until page 106. I thought after this revelation the pace would pick up, sadly I was wrong. To me the middle of the book kind of all mixed together – there was lots of running between hives and long corridors and it all blended in my mind. The ending, however, was extremely fast-paced, in an almost hyperactive, drinking-too-much-red-cordial kind of way. Suddenly, we went from reliving memories to a full on battle. I really liked the way the novel was wrapped up, but I just wish it had lasted longer.

Overall, Level 2 really left me with no strong feelings, either good or bad. I’m curious as to how the series will continue, but I felt like I could happily read this as a standalone. While the writing was lovely and the afterlife level concept original, I’m not sure this will stand out in my mind or a crowded YA marketplace.

Thank you to Allen & Unwin for providing a copy of the book for review.

This review and many more can be found at Maree's Musings.(less)

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Mar 09, 2013 Melanie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: gave-up-on, this-made-me-want-to-fall-asleep, why-did-i-even-read-this, no-no-no-why-the-hype

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
DNF Naturally, I don't review DNFed books, but there is something that needs to be said here.

"Don't! Just don't." How dare he? Does he think if he touches me, I'll give in? Tell him it's okay that he's a monster?
He puts his hands in a gesture of surrender and rocks back into his rigid pose. "Okay, clam down. I will not touch you unless you ask." His eyes going with mischief. "Unless you beg." page 69

*gags* I checked my friend reviews on this book, sever...more See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
DNF Naturally, I don't review DNFed books, but there is something that needs to be said here.

"Don't! Just don't." How dare he? Does he think if he touches me, I'll give in? Tell him it's okay that he's a monster?
He puts his hands in a gesture of surrender and rocks back into his rigid pose. "Okay, clam down. I will not touch you unless you ask." His eyes going with mischief. "Unless you beg." page 69

*gags* I checked my friend reviews on this book, several were positive, ranting on about it's stunning premise and idea. I DO agree. However, I think it was poorly written and executed. Stopping at page 178, I am rather irritated. I was looking for this entrap urging world that seemed so unique and original at the time, instead I got a piece of horse manure. Multiple times, I wanted to close the book and give up completely, well, eventually I did (which I'm grateful for) but it was infuriating, the flaws were literally glaring at me on each page.

Level 2, a stark white afterlife limbo, where people spend their endless days replaying their memories. Felicia Ward is one of those people. She is dead. Her memories is her reality, her home, where she can see her family, friends, boyfriend and the one that broke her heart ---- the one that broke into Level 2 to take her away. Rebellion is brewing.

Felicia is an annoying protagonist, I couldn't relate to her in any way, shape or form, her characteristics seemed like they were created for a background character.

The story begins on a bad pitch. Info dumping. My favourite. In fact, this issue reoccurs several times during the read and it was frustrating. I am in Melbourne, on a bloody hot day and I'm trying to read this book that is confusing me with this information that also happens to have holes in it. Not literally, but it doesn't make any sense when I think about it now. *faints in overuse of brain power* The world Lenore crated was fascinating at a first glance, I mean, it sounds pretty darn ingenious riiight?? Sadly, it takes a large turn into lame-old-poorly-executed-stories-that-could-have-been- so-much-better in-so-many-ways. *takes a quick breath*

Another element that worried and bored me was the plot line. There was no plot line, well not until 20 pages before I DNFed this thing. The first half was monotonous, uneventful and lacks description.

All in all, Level 2 was a large disappointment that saddens me each second I think of it. While there were flaws in Lenore's debut, her writing style and idea was well thought. Maybe more tweaking and it would be my favourite book. Recommended to people who enjoy Neal Shusterman's books.(less)

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Feb 16, 2013 Snappop rated it 1 of 5 stars

Felicia Ward is dead, but she's still living, after a fashion. Trapped in the strange "Level 2," where the deceased endlessly rewatch the memories of their lives, Felicia soon learns she's integral to both the plans of the dark and dissatisfied angels called the "Morati," and those of the rebellion. Rescued by Julian, an ex with unfortunate connections to her life on Earth, all Felicia wants is to reunite with the boy she loves. Instead, she's thrown into a war between Heaven and Level 2.

The te...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Sara Walsh rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was so excited to get my hands on an ARC of Level 2 that I just couldn’t wait to dive in and get reading. This is a wonderful debut--a fast-paced, absorbing mystery that seamlessly blends both speculative and contemporary YA.

After dying in our world, Felicia now belongs to Level 2--a kind of holding place in the afterlife where everything is calm and controlled and inhabitants spend their days reliving memories from their previous lives. But things in Level 2 are not quite as they seem…

This st...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Mandee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-release, dystopian, for-review, allen-unwin, ya-lit, sci-fi, female-pov, i-have-a-copy, january2013release, usa, review-on-the-blog

Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans is set in the afterlife and revolves around Felicia Ward. Felicia died a day before her eighteenth birthday and has been in the afterlife ever since. It’s a stark white world, made of pods where the inhabitants can access their memories, replaying them over and over again. Their peaceful existence is disturbed by a couple of odd incidents and then a boy she knew back on Earth, Julian, appears in their hive, and soon she learns the truth about Level 2.

Level 2 is a real...more Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans is set in the afterlife and revolves around Felicia Ward. Felicia died a day before her eighteenth birthday and has been in the afterlife ever since. It’s a stark white world, made of pods where the inhabitants can access their memories, replaying them over and over again. Their peaceful existence is disturbed by a couple of odd incidents and then a boy she knew back on Earth, Julian, appears in their hive, and soon she learns the truth about Level 2.

Level 2 is a really unique story in a sea full of dystopians and paranormals. I can’t think of another book I’ve read set in the afterlife and I was intrigued as to what this book would be about.

Felicia has spent what feels like years in Level 2. She has made friends with two girls, Beckah and Virginia, but most drones keep to themselves as accessing their memories is addictive. It’s clear that Felicia regrets some of her actions while alive and so she only accesses the happy memories, especially those involving her boyfriend, Neil. I was instantly curious about what had happened to her, and with each memory that she accesses, we are shown a little more about her previous life. She has travelled the world thanks to her parents and is a smart girl, who feels she wronged her best friend, Autumn, and it has something to do with Julian.

The setting was really easy for me to imagine; Level 2 is all white, and the groups of pods make up hives. Felicia’s hive is all girls, they wear white shifts and have shaved heads. They don’t need to eat or sleep to function. They have never seen a boy in their hive until the day Julian bursts in via a previously hidden door. If inhabitants can ditch their memory addiction, they have the power to make things happen just by thinking them. I especially liked that when Felicia had the chance to magic her nails done, she instead took the time to prepare and polish them herself – a girl after my own heart!

My curiosity lead me to wish that the book’s pacing was a little quicker. Felicia keeps talking about her past and something bad she did and I really wanted to know what it was. With each memory we move closer but it’s not until the end that she accesses the final memory that reveals her actions to us. I had thought it probably wasn't going to be as bad as she was making out, and in my opinion it wasn't that bad. There was an explanation for it and I don’t think she should have let it ruin her life, but I do understand why the final memory had to be held until the end so Felicia could finally accept what she did and attempt to move on.

Despite being quite interested in this story, I didn't feel a lot of emotion as I read. Usually I really enjoy books written in first person as it helps me connect with the character, but I didn't feel much for Felicia, although the ending did give me more insight into her life. I am keen to see where the sequel takes us as I want to know more about this world.

Level 2 is a unique story about a girl trying to accept her past mistakes, and find a way to save her afterlife. I’d recommend it to all fans of YA who are looking for something a little different.

Thank you to the lovely people at Allen & Unwin for my review copy.(less)

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Jan 31, 2013 Zoe Crook rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-received-for-review

Not being sure what to expect by Level 2, I was pleasantly surprised by the fantastic book. It is an original book filled with a story that is both unique and relateable. Despite having a few issues with it, I enjoyed it and am highly anticipating the sequel.

One of my favourite aspects of the book was the memories that Felicia experienced. I love the idea of going through memories like normal files on a computer. They read 'number of views' and 'rating' which I really liked because I haven't rea...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Celine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review

Review originally posted in: http://forget8me8not.blogspot.com/201...

Cover:
Looks amazing. I like how the cover gives off the feeling of this afterlife limbo because it's full of white colours. The circle dots surrounding the girl makes this light illusion and allows the focus on her too!

Story:

Stuck in the afterlife limbo, replaying memories sounds like you're still alive...right?

I've heard of Lenore Appelhans before I actually know that she has a debut novel coming out in 2013. Lenore is a lovel...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Christen *Goldilox And The Three Weres* rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs-all

Level 2 promises to be a thrilling and unique debut, an exciting ride in an unusual world. Unfortunately, I found myself less thrilled and more disappointed while reading. I did not enjoy this book at all. In fact, after roughly sixty pages, I skimmed through the rest of the book because I just couldn't sit through it anymore.

Level 2 does fulfill it's promise to be unusual, only I didn't find this such a positive thing. When the story starts, our main character Felicia is in a bizarre facility w...more Level 2 promises to be a thrilling and unique debut, an exciting ride in an unusual world. Unfortunately, I found myself less thrilled and more disappointed while reading. I did not enjoy this book at all. In fact, after roughly sixty pages, I skimmed through the rest of the book because I just couldn't sit through it anymore.

Level 2 does fulfill it's promise to be unusual, only I didn't find this such a positive thing. When the story starts, our main character Felicia is in a bizarre facility with white walls, white ceiling, and a white floor. Oh yeah, and she's bald. Everyone there is bald (don't get me started...). She has apparently been there for years (and years and years) and for some reason Felicia and her two friends are the only ones among the other girls that live there who are interested in friendship or socializing. Felicia spends most of her existence sitting in a futuristic, sci-fi style chair (which for some reason reminded me of Total Recall) that can show her memories from her own life. There is also a credit system set up in this whacky facility that the girls can use to buy and watch each other's memories.

This whole idea of these girls trapped in this mysterious place after death could have been really interesting but instead it just reads as weird.

The introduction of a mysterious and good-looking guy named Julian excited me for a short time, and I thought maybe he could turn this ship around. Felicia spends a little time watching her memories of him and we get a little of their back story from when they were both alive. He's a slightly shady character and we're not sure if he's a bad boy we're supposed to love or just a bad boy.

But even Julian couldn't keep my interest. Even after he breaks Felicia out of said bizarre facility and they go on their long adventure that leads to Felicia learning she is some kind of important piece to a rebellion against...um something, I was still bored and confused. Some of the important aspects of the plot include heaven vs. purgatory and some rebellious angels, but by the time we get around to these things I just didn't care.

With generic, puddle-deep characters and a plot based on convenience I just couldn't get into Level 2. Although others have read and enjoyed this, I would, sadly, not recommend it.

Recommended for fans of: not recommended

This review is based on an advance copy of the book.

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Oct 31, 2012 Charlotte rated it 5 of 5 stars

So, I got an advanced reader copy of this book and when I first picked it up, I was a little iffy about it. That changed pretty much as soon as I began reading. It was fantastic.
I read a lot of young adult fiction and it tends to be fairly predictable, but this wasn't and it was pretty much impossible to put down.
Felicia Ward was a compelling main character and while I didn't always agree with her and her choices, watching her life unfold was incredible. Everything was timed so well, information...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Eileen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, for-review, how-did-i-get-this, owned, physical-book, supernatural

Check out more of my reviews at ***Singing and Reading in the Rain***!

At first, I mistook Level 2 to be a dystopian novel but in fact it's an afterlife story structured in a dystopian story: learn the governing body has foul intentions, join a rebellion, find eternal peace and happiness after battle.

What I really liked about Level 2 was the fact that it was an afterlife story and you didn't feel that there was a strange absence of any presence of earlier experience. What I mean by that is you di...more Check out more of my reviews at ***Singing and Reading in the Rain***!

At first, I mistook Level 2 to be a dystopian novel but in fact it's an afterlife story structured in a dystopian story: learn the governing body has foul intentions, join a rebellion, find eternal peace and happiness after battle.

What I really liked about Level 2 was the fact that it was an afterlife story and you didn't feel that there was a strange absence of any presence of earlier experience. What I mean by that is you didn't feel there was a large gaping hole where our protagonist Felicia's life was. Level 2 is constructed so that in order to maintain energy, you have to relive your memories over and over again at your choosing. By that, we learned a lot about Felicia's previous life, about her religious and love life, her parents, etc. As a result, her valued friendships and relationships were extremely profound and particularly easy to believe.

However, the memories were fashioned in such a weird way and it wasn't in chronological order at all. And since there were only a few selected memories that Felicia chose to live through again, most of which involving Neil or Julian, it was really hard to piece together what happened in her life. She was in Germany and Ohio, but you didn't know which came first because they jumped all over the place, going from a Julian memory to a Neil memory. So while Felicia's values were very tell-tale as Level 2 went on, her life itself—the order in which she experienced certain memories—left something to be desired.

Another thing that didn't sit well with me as I read Level 2 was the ever-present idea that Felicia was like the Chosen One in this story. A lot of young adult novels feature one person as the most important character in the book, and this one was no exception. There was nothing original about the idea and I was expecting it after a while, and not because Felicia was displaying a significant amount of strength and audacity. It just seemed like after a while, the only direction Level 2 could go was into the direction of the Chosen One route, which made a majority of the rest of the plot pretty predictable.

A great afterlife story and debut with an ending that each character deserved (in both good and bad ways), Level 2 is a sure hit for fans of afterlife stories with background information that will keep you well-informed of Felicia's life before the Level 2.(less)

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Feb 15, 2013 Brie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I wish there was a 3 1/2 stars rating option because while I enjoyed the story, I felt it wrapped up a little quickly and easily for my taste.

I am sure many people will take issue with the religious aspect to the book. It is not a religious fiction book but does deal with aspects of the religious world to make the plot make sense. The characters are stuck in the waiting room of afterlife and things are not going as they had hoped or were told by religion. There are mentions of church youth grou...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Nikki (Fiction Freak) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Why hello you interestingly beautiful book.

The thing about Level 2 that surprised me was that it was balanced somewhat between fantasy and sci-fi, mythology and religion. It was...impressive, yet odd at the same time. It seemed sci-fi because of the "hives" and the gases, the reason why these rebels had had "powers", and all that, but at the same time it was fantasy because, well, angels. That is all I'm saying because you'll just have to read and find out for yourself! The religious/mythology t...more Why hello you interestingly beautiful book.

The thing about Level 2 that surprised me was that it was balanced somewhat between fantasy and sci-fi, mythology and religion. It was...impressive, yet odd at the same time. It seemed sci-fi because of the "hives" and the gases, the reason why these rebels had had "powers", and all that, but at the same time it was fantasy because, well, angels. That is all I'm saying because you'll just have to read and find out for yourself! The religious/mythology thing is because the gases? They're from the rivers of Hades which is only mentioned in Greek Mythology--the Lethe, Acheron, and some others I can't remember, while most of the memories we see with Felicia take place in a church and we contemplate if there really is a Level 3 (i.e. heaven) or...down there. So honestly? This book is almost a contradiction in itself!

Speaking of contradictions, Julian and Neil. Oh. My. Gosh. I'm not sure if I should dislike both of them, or love both of them! I mean, they were both pretty adorable love interests (Forever Team Julian. Seriously. I seem to always be pulled toward the bad boys!), but...well Julian? Oh, he's a liar. I really wanted to kick his ass sometimes and the one time he decided to be honest was when I didn't want him to (near the end, with...hmm. I can't say.), but that made me love him more if anything! I just can't believe how Julian had played Autumn and I hurt for her, I really did.
Neil, on the other hand, was perfect. Too perfect. A guy like that doesn't exist! I discovered no faults whatsoever and he always greeted everything with a smile and said the perfect things and he was just...flawless. And I really do hate when a girl thinks she's not good enough for a guy. If a guy thinks that way, then obviously he's not worth you. Oh my, did that just sound like one of those lines in a booklet?
And, I just want to say, there isn't really a love triangle at all! So anyone who was shying away from this book because of that, no fear! But I can't say why though, in case of spoilers!

I loved the memory flashbacks. Period. They were engaging and I loved how important they were to everyone in Level 2, not only because of credits. When reading them, I couldn't set the book down because I absolutely needed to know why this particular memory(ies) was important and why it was included. This is also how we mainly get a feel for Neil's character.

I loved getting more in depth with the characters, and I think the way Lenore Appelhans wrote Level 2 gives us more...feeling for Felicia's character. I can't explain it, but I felt like I understood Felicia more than I have other characters. Not to say she wasn't annoying a few times, she was! But I think that's more my fault than the book's--for some reason I've been having trouble with characters lately...

The plot was sometimes overridden by the memories and it was a bit slow in the beginning, but it was still an enticing read that I almost read in one sitting (two, only because I realized it was midnight and I had school!) and couldn't get enough of! It was fast paced after a certain point and the ending!

Oh. My. Gosh. PLOT TWIST. I did not expect that...though I realize now I really should've!
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Oct 26, 2012 Addie R. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, around-the-world-tour, dystopia, 2012-debut, came-out-2012, insanely-original, paranormal, read-in-2012, favorites

Originally posted on Bookworm Recommendationst.

--------------

Wow. I’m still trying to organize my thoughts for this review. Right when I thought dystopias were starting to get cliché, Level 2 brings in a fresh and intriguing new world, and I loved it! And along with awesome world building, Appelhans doesn’t mind developing characters that’ll pull at your heartstrings. Level 2 was one hell of an adventure and I enjoyed every second of it.

The concept of re-living your memories in a sort of afterli...more Originally posted on Bookworm Recommendationst.

--------------

Wow. I’m still trying to organize my thoughts for this review. Right when I thought dystopias were starting to get cliché, Level 2 brings in a fresh and intriguing new world, and I loved it! And along with awesome world building, Appelhans doesn’t mind developing characters that’ll pull at your heartstrings. Level 2 was one hell of an adventure and I enjoyed every second of it.

The concept of re-living your memories in a sort of afterlife called ‘Level 2’ was something totally unique and definitely piqued my interest. But there’s not only that, but something more to this world, and that’s part of the whole underlying mystery to this book. Level 2’s world turned out to be so complex and enthralling and I just wanted to know more and more about it.

Felicia is our MC and, while I wasn’t too sure what to think of her at first, I ended up really liking her. She was such an admirable character because she was determined to save the people she loved no matter what. And she sure did have a temper. There were times where I really thought she’d kill someone. :D But I could understand why. She ended up in a situation where she, and I along with her truly had no idea who to trust, and thrust into a world she barley knows anything about.

Now let’s talk about boys. There’s Neil and Julian, but Neil’s the one that’s truly in Felecia’s heart. Julian was just a total mystery to me. He and Felicia had a rocky relationship before she died, and you could just never know what his intentions were. He was entertaining and charming, but I think one of the main people where he was hard to trust. And then there’s Neil. Neil isn't really in this book physically, but we do get to know him through Felicia’s memories. And he’s probably one of the sweetest, generous and just the nicest person you’ll ever ‘meet.’ Their relationship was so cute and you could just feel their love pouring out of them whenever they were together. I’m definitely looking forward to more Neil and Julian in book two.

Overall, Level 2 will capture you from page one, and won’t let you go until the last page. You’ll be craving to know what will happen to Felicia and these characters that you just won’t be able to tear your eyes from the page. Felicia re-visiting her memories made this story so realistic for me, and I really enjoyed getting to know Felicia, Neil and Julian through them. Although I do still have a few questions, Level 2 wrapped up beautifully and I’m really looking forward to book two.

An ARC was provided by ATW Tours(less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Hilary Graham rated it 5 of 5 stars

Level 2 is the kind of book that wraps you up in its tension so seamlessly and slowly that you’re barely aware it’s even happening until you’re having heart palpitations. And just when you think you’ve gotten your bearings, Appelhans turns the plot in a way that makes it impossible to know exactly who or what to believe.

Appelhans premise taps into a primal human question—what happens after we die—and delivers the answer through a sharp and twisty plot. Told through the POV of 18-year-old Felici...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Braiden rated it 3 of 5 stars

Lenore Appelhans’s debut novel Level 2 is one not to be missed. The originality of the afterlife-limbo while waiting to enter Heaven is an aspect of Level 2 that will have paranormal-, and particularly angel-, obsessed readers reeling for more. This uniqueness stems from the slight science fiction/dystopia that Appelhans uses to characterise Level 2, the place between Earth (Level 1) and Heaven (Level 3). There are contemporary and romance elements that come from the reliving of memories, too, w...more Lenore Appelhans’s debut novel Level 2 is one not to be missed. The originality of the afterlife-limbo while waiting to enter Heaven is an aspect of Level 2 that will have paranormal-, and particularly angel-, obsessed readers reeling for more. This uniqueness stems from the slight science fiction/dystopia that Appelhans uses to characterise Level 2, the place between Earth (Level 1) and Heaven (Level 3). There are contemporary and romance elements that come from the reliving of memories, too, which find their way into Level 2 through Felica Ward, our protagonist. Level 2 is a book that will cater to many, and with the stunning cover design, it will have readers head over heels for this fresh young adult debut.

Of course, Level 2 is not all it seems. The marketing team behind Level 2 must have enjoyed twisting and shaping the book into something that it’s not. Firstly, there’s not really a love triangle as the synopsis suggests. If this was a ploy at getting the paranormal readership or just some trope-poking, then they did a good job at it – being mean is not my specialty… but they fell flat with that. Secondly, at first glance I believed Level 2 was a science fiction-dystopia novel and it seems as though it was pushed unbelievably far to reach the current market and the current, but slowly fading, trends. Upon reading, it was a disappointment to find that, even though there are elements of a sci-fi world with the pods that are able to retrieve memories and the Scanners, the mechanical guards of Level 2 you could say, it fell by the wayside and left me, an avid science fiction and fantasy reader, wanting more than what was promised. That’s what marketing is all about, isn’t it? Trying to cater to the majority. Level 2 is a hybrid, so all its elements taken from the variably different and opposing genres are balanced, but if you’re holding out for one over the other, you’ll find yourself disappointed in those elements you don’t care much for.

Although we get to see Felicia Ward’s time on Earth before Level 2 – where everything is dull and whitewashed and structured – through memories, I didn’t find myself all that invested in her story (except that I was jealous of all the places around the world she has been to). Appelhans, through the retrieval of memories, gives depth to Felicia’s character and allows the reader to observe her past – her troubling and traumatic experiences and her dear and fondest memories – that lead to her death and deposition in Level 2. This device was executed considerably well (maybe because it reminded me of Assassin’s Creed to some degree), but Felicia became annoying when all she wants to do is return to her boyfriend Neil, who, apparently, is still on Earth. Julian, somebody from her past who attempts to vie for her affections on Level 2 and who also is a member of the upcoming rebellion against the Morati, the angels, the law enforcers of Level 2, coaxes Felicia into joining them by promising that he’ll help her get back to Neil. Yes, this is young adult and a part-romance, but this was a device I found to have held no real merit except to give Felicia something to leave her pod for to make reality than just constantly replaying the memories with him. Is Felicia going to bring down the Morati or leave it all behind to just be with Neil, even after everything she learns about both? Young adult. Hah!

I hope in the sequel Level 3 that more focus is centred on the dystopia plot and rebellion against the Morati. That’s a personal taste, but I do also believe it’s what the series needs – it needs more world-building considering ‘Level 2′ was bland, but since it seems as though we will be journeying on to Heaven, Level 3, there may be just what I hope there is. A fault of the development on Level 2 may be attributed to some short cuts taken by Appelhans, such as the supposedly magical ability to just ‘think’ or ‘imagine’ what you want to see and you will see it. Appelhans has developed an engrossing new world, and although it needs more contextual and physical layers, I will certainly be back to experience the Levels again in Level 3. (Appelhans was a wonderful book blogger too before becoming a debut novelist, so of course I’m going to support this gem.)(less)

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May 03, 2013 Lauren Morrill rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm not a sci fi/fantasy person, but I couldn't put this down. It's truly unlike anything out there, with a really beautifully-written contemporary thread written as an alternate timeline. Very Matrix-meets-Inception I can't wait for the next one!

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May 17, 2013 Olivia rated it 3 of 5 stars

After reading the first page or so of Level 2 I thought to myself "How is this going to go anywhere". She is dead for one. Second she is trapped in the limbo world with seemingly no escape. And besides going over memories from her life on earth what else is there to do? Well, I have to say there is LOTS to do. The plot was a great full of twists and terns. You want to find out whats happening on level two almost as much as you want to know all about what happened in Germany and Africa.
The charac...more

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Aussie Readers: Win Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans - ends 21st Jan	2	12	Jan 07, 2013 03:38pm
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Shut Up & Read: Giveaway: Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans (AUS ONLY)	1	5	Jan 07, 2013 02:26pm

title link	preview: Level 2
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Level 2 (The Memory Chronicles #1)

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