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Wildcat Fireflies (Fenestra #2)

by Amber Kizer (Goodreads Author)

3.97 of 5 stars 3.97 · rating details · 1,190 ratings · 138 reviews

Meridian Sozu is a Fenestra—the half-human, half-angel link between the living and the dead. She has the dark responsibility of helping souls transition safely into the afterlife. If people die without the help of a Fenestra, their souls are left vulnerable to be stolen by the Aternocti, a dark band of forces who disrupt the balance of good and evil in the world and cause...more

Hardcover, 508 pages

Published July 12th 2011 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

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Sep 06, 2011 Arissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

You know when a book pops up in your head and you think, I wonder if the sequel is out yet? With this book it happened to me all the time but I would never see the sequel! So now I'm super relieved and it won't be bugging me anymore :)

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Jan 04, 2013 Kapri rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-reviewed

I was really looking forward to reading Meant to Be. It looked like a fun and romantic read. Meant to Be turned out to be a very cute read.

Julie was a neurotic mess. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing. She was very entertaining and I could relate to her (to a certain extent). What I didn't like about her was the way she treated people. She was an overall good person, but she did act very high and mighty sometimes. This was something that she had to grow out of, but I still didn't like it.

Meant...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Leah rated it 4 of 5 stars

I did really like this book, and the book before it in the series, Meridian. However, I did not like the setting. This book takes place in Carmel, Indiana, and that is actually a real town in Indiana, and I live right next to it in Fishers. The book describes Carmel so that it sounds like a quaint small town with really cool tea house restaurants and glass blowing studios, but it is actually pretty big and one of the richest cities in Indiana. I just did not like this because I knew when the thi...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Loring Wells rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was very excited to read the following book to her first novel, "Meridian". Because i tend to read the books that are in our school Library I found the first book to be spot on for our reader age group.
However, I have to say I am a bit disappointed with the direction the author took this second book, especially considering all the students who are going to want to read the second book!
There are two chapters and countless sentences describing in detail sometimes, Tens and Merry's mostly Merry's...more

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Dec 07, 2011 Jessi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Über ein Jahr haben wir darauf gewartet und jetzt dürfen wir sie lesen, die Fortsetzung von Meridian. Flüsternde Seele steigt direkt voll ein und der Leser wird ohne Umschweife direkt in die Geschichte geschmissen. Meridian und Tens kennen wir schon aus dem ersten Teil, den man wie ich finde gelesen haben muss um dieses Buch überhaupt verstehen zu können. Amber Kizer hält sich nicht mit einer Zusammenfassung des ersten Buches auf und geht direkt auf die neue Geschichte rund um Meridian und Julie...more Über ein Jahr haben wir darauf gewartet und jetzt dürfen wir sie lesen, die Fortsetzung von Meridian. Flüsternde Seele steigt direkt voll ein und der Leser wird ohne Umschweife direkt in die Geschichte geschmissen. Meridian und Tens kennen wir schon aus dem ersten Teil, den man wie ich finde gelesen haben muss um dieses Buch überhaupt verstehen zu können. Amber Kizer hält sich nicht mit einer Zusammenfassung des ersten Buches auf und geht direkt auf die neue Geschichte rund um Meridian und Juliet (die neue Fenestra) ein. Meridian und Tens finden Juliet die ihr ganzes Leben in einer Art Klinik verbracht hat. Dort hat sie kein gutes Leben gehabt und wirkt daher auf den Leser meist eher bedrückt und wie von Schatten umgeben. Meridian dagegen hatte immer jemanden der sie entweder beschützt oder aufgefangen hat, so wie Tens es tut. Beide Mädchen ergeben ein gutes Zusammenspiel und ergänzen sich in ihren Stärken und Schwächen. Durch die wirklich toll gestalteten Gaben der Mädchen werden selbst die Tode der liebgewonnen Menschen, fast schon schön und beruhigend gestaltet und der Tod wird nicht als das Ende aller Dinge dargestellt. Amber Kizer versteht es durch eine tolle und neugierigmachende Story, einem schweren Thema wie dem Tod, fast schon Leichtigkeit und etwas ganz besonders Fantastisches ein zu hauchen.

Neben den vielen neuen Charakteren dieses Buches bekommen wir als Leser auch wieder neue Aspekte der alten Protagonisten präsentiert. Meridan und Tens werden noch ausführlicher und greifbarer beschrieben und die neuen Charaktere konnten sich allesamt einen Platz in meinem Herzen ergattern. Denn auch wenn manche nicht oft vorkommen, so tragen sie alle ihren Teil zu der Gesamtgeschichte bei und wurden nicht willkürlich eingefügt. Amber Kizer versteht es einem zweiten Teil durch wirklich großartige Protagonisten noch mehr Tiefe und Päsenz zu geben sodass er zum Vorgängerband nicht blass sondern nur noch heller erscheint.

Um diesem Buch nicht zu viel vorweg zu nehmen und euch die Spannung nicht zu verderben, möchte ich nur noch auf die tolle Sprache des Buches aufmerksam machen. Amber Kizer hat einen Schreibstil der mich schon vor über einem Jahr sehr gefesselt hat. Sie schaffte es mich vor einem Jahr aus einer Lesefleute zu holen und diesmal hat sie es schon wieder geschafft. Ihr Schreibstil ist magisch und mitreißend und hat etwas sehr persönliches. Ich freue mich auf den nächsten Teil und wünsche mir das wir nicht wieder so lange warten müssen, denn das Ende macht neugierig und frustriert zugleich. Ich will mehr. (less)

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Aug 01, 2011 Brob rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved all of Meridian but did not quite feel the same about the latest installment. It was weird at first because I couldn’t put my finger on what exactly was out of place for me in the story. The characters were the same and the writing is the same however it just didn’t hold my interest as much as the first book. After rereading the book, I really think it was because I couldn’t get into Juliet’s story. I really enjoyed any parts that related to Meridia...more I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved all of Meridian but did not quite feel the same about the latest installment. It was weird at first because I couldn’t put my finger on what exactly was out of place for me in the story. The characters were the same and the writing is the same however it just didn’t hold my interest as much as the first book. After rereading the book, I really think it was because I couldn’t get into Juliet’s story. I really enjoyed any parts that related to Meridian and Tens but had a lot of trouble getting through the parts related to Juliet. I found it hard to relate to her situation and then trying to puzzle through what was going on in the situation also took away some of my interest. Also the change in narration between the characters was a bit different and since it was different from the first book it detracted from the story for me.

On the other hand, I couldn’t get enough of Meridian and Tens. They grow quite a bit in this story as a Protector and Fenestra and as a couple. They also mature as they are now on their own. I still feel like we don’t really know anything about Tens because his character is so guarded. While we get some insight to what’s inside of his head we don’t fully see “what makes him tick.” I am hoping to get to know more later on in the series.

We are also left wondering about the relationship between a Fenestra and her Protector. I am really curious to learn what role the Protector plays. So far we haven’t seen Tens do much other than anticipate Meridian. I am wondering what he could do against a Aternocti. I am thinking that as a Protector he likely has a role against them.

New characters are introduced to the story that are fun and make things interesting. I am hoping Meridian and Tens stay in the same area so we can see how the new characters will play into the story.

Overall, I give the book a 4/5. After reading it the second time I was able to get through more of Juliet’s story and appreciate the addition to the series. Meridian is searching for Fenestras so of course new characters have to be introduced. I am just a little more excited to see how the rest of Meridian and Tens story continues.
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Apr 03, 2011 Tracy rated it 5 of 5 stars

A couple of years ago I read a book that really threw me for a loop. It was unlike anything I had read before and I started raving about Meridian by Amber Kizer to any and everybody that would listen.
Meridian is the story of a young girl who discovers that she is a fenestra. Basically a human being with a little angel DNA, someone who helps people's souls transition into the afterlife. Of course where there's good there is evil hoping to stop this from happening. Discovering this at almost 16 m...more A couple of years ago I read a book that really threw me for a loop. It was unlike anything I had read before and I started raving about Meridian by Amber Kizer to any and everybody that would listen.
Meridian is the story of a young girl who discovers that she is a fenestra. Basically a human being with a little angel DNA, someone who helps people's souls transition into the afterlife. Of course where there's good there is evil hoping to stop this from happening. Discovering this at almost 16 means she needs both training and protecting and that's what Meridian is all about.

Which leads us to Wildcat fireflies.

I didn't think it possible but this book is better than the first. I was lucky enough to receive a preview copy and I don't mind saying that I was afraid. Afraid that I wouldn't feel the connection or enjoy the story as much. Instead, I had to force myself to read slowly, to savour the experience and not devour it in one sitting.
it was moving, disturbing and beautifully written. The stories within the main story are spectacular. I got goosebumps (of the good kind) on pages 498/499. I'm sorry that all of you have to wait until July to it. If you haven't done so read Meridian while you're waiting.

In Wildcat Fireflies we meet up with Meridian and Tens on the road looking for other fenestra and protectors to help them fight the Aternocti. Through all of this they are learning about themselves, each other and their abilities. They are unsure of who they can trust but at the same time are looking for guidance.

They find all of this and more in Indiana along the banks of the Wildcat creek. They often tell authors to 'write what you know' and you can tell that the author has connections with the setting and personal aspects of this story.
While this story could have been dreary and heavy it refrains from being so through wonderful characters like Rumi (you may need a dictionary to understand some of what he says) and the general sense of hope that flows throughout.

This is storytelling at it's best. A story that flows so smoothly that time passes unnoticed. A tale of good vs evil, love, hope, faith, friendship and family. A tale of how humans work better together and how we all need somebody sometimes.

Give it a try. I'd be surprised if you were left disappointed. (less)

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Jul 30, 2011 Megan B. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, 3-stars

Meridian and Tens are back again in Wildcat Fireflies, on the road to Indiana looking for another Fenestra, and, of all things, a cat. While searching for this Fenestra (who is a sixteen year old girl named Juliet) they unexpectedly make some great friends and learn some shocking secrets. The reader also finds out a bit more about Tens’s background. This book is written a bit differently than the first as the story is told from alternating perspectives of Meridian and Juliet.

I had such mixed fee...more Meridian and Tens are back again in Wildcat Fireflies, on the road to Indiana looking for another Fenestra, and, of all things, a cat. While searching for this Fenestra (who is a sixteen year old girl named Juliet) they unexpectedly make some great friends and learn some shocking secrets. The reader also finds out a bit more about Tens’s background. This book is written a bit differently than the first as the story is told from alternating perspectives of Meridian and Juliet.

I had such mixed feelings about this book. The first book in this series, Meridian, blew me away. It was simply amazing. So of course I expected to fall in love with the next one too. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. First off, for most of the book Juliet’s story is so completely depressing, the kind of depressing that stays with you after you put the book down. I’d be eating dinner and all of a sudden I’d think of Juliet and say “God, her life really freaking sucks!” I sometimes dreaded reading her chapters because they were always almost guaranteed to be sad and depressing. But I have to say that Juliet was a great character. I felt bad for her but I also felt like she had an indomitable spirit. I rooted for her all the way throughout the book, just waiting for her to taste happiness, true unfettered happiness. Lord knows if anyone fictious deserves it, it’s her.

Meridian and Tens did grow a bit. Tens opens up more and Meridian is more cautious and doesn’t want to be the damsel in distress, but the damsel with the sword hacking at her enemies. Some of the scenes in this book deals with Meridian wanting to have sex with Tens, and there was one or two pretty graphic (for a YA novel, at least) scenes with them together. I don’t really have an issue with that but this book might not be suitable for anyone under 15.

(On a side note, what’s with the cover? It’s almost identical to the one on Meridian. The green butterfly pattern is pretty but for some reason the girl on the cover looks kind of creepy to me.)

Okay, so wrapping it all up here, it was an okay book. At the end I had some questions like: what the HECK happened to Nicole and what was the number thing Tens and Meridian said to each other on the last page? The author didn’t explain it at all, it was completely random. Did I miss something? Though Wildcat Fireflies had its faults it wasn’t terrible. It was a page turner and worth the read. Also, there were several fantastic secondary characters that I just loved. My two favorites are Bodie and Rumi  It didn’t put me off from reading the next book in the series, but I hope the next one will be better.
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Jul 16, 2011 CorLostForWords rated it 4 of 5 stars

Source: Received from author courtesy of Teen Book Scene. Many thanks goes to Amber Kizer and Teen Book Scene for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

My rating: 4.5/5

Ever since Auntie died, Meridian and Tens have been on the road searching for more Fenestra. They are drawn to a quaint town in Indiana on their search, and they settle in there while they scour the surrounding area for any signs of the girl Meridian knows...more Source: Received from author courtesy of Teen Book Scene. Many thanks goes to Amber Kizer and Teen Book Scene for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

My rating: 4.5/5

Ever since Auntie died, Meridian and Tens have been on the road searching for more Fenestra. They are drawn to a quaint town in Indiana on their search, and they settle in there while they scour the surrounding area for any signs of the girl Meridian knows is nearby. Always on the alert for Nocti, they keep searching until they find the Fenestra. Juliet has had a hard life, living in foster care with an abusive foster mother. She takes the other children under her wing and tries to keep them out of sight of their foster mother as they work around the clock in the nursing home that they live in. With Juliet's birthday fast approaching her abilities are manifesting, and she is struggling with the exhaustion her untrained and unknown power is bringing her.
Though this is the second book in the Fenestra series it can be read as a stand-alone. I would have loved to have read the first book beforehand because I really enjoyed reading about these characters and their world. Meridian and Tens are both so believable as they are learning more about their abilities and the depth of their feelings for each other. How they approach certain topics is also endearing and so emotionally and awkwardly true.
I really enjoyed reading about these characters. Between Meridian and Tens, and the friends they make in town; along with Juliet, and the other children at the nursing home this book did not lack for memorable characters. Heartwarming and three-dimensional, they captured my heart to the point that I was hoping that all would be well for all characters in distress even when they were in the midst of danger.
Another aspect that I really loved was the history of the town. It was incredibly rich and I loved reading about it and how the town celebrated said history with reenactments, and festivities.
All in all, a well-rounded, descriptive read that will keep the reader glued to the page as they hope everything will work out for all of the characters. New characters, and questions that arise about Meridian's Fenestra heritage will also keep the reader invested as they learn more about them and the ties that bind them together. I absolutely loved the concept of Wildcat Fireflies and I cannot wait to read what Kizer has in store for these characters. I will definitely be re-reading this one, and continuing on with the series because it is just that good. (less)

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Aug 25, 2011 Angie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, snuggable-chick-lit, favorites

First off, I absolutely loved Meridian, the first installment in the Fenestra series. That being said, I think Wildcat Fireflies was better than Meridian in some aspects, and not-as-great-as the first novel in other aspects, but still greatly enjoyable.

At first, I found it hard to really get into Juliet's story because I was already so attached to Meridian and Tens from the first book--I wanted the entire novel to be told from Meridian's point of view. However, I realize why Kizer chose to writ...more First off, I absolutely loved Meridian, the first installment in the Fenestra series. That being said, I think Wildcat Fireflies was better than Meridian in some aspects, and not-as-great-as the first novel in other aspects, but still greatly enjoyable.

At first, I found it hard to really get into Juliet's story because I was already so attached to Meridian and Tens from the first book--I wanted the entire novel to be told from Meridian's point of view. However, I realize why Kizer chose to write from this new perspective, and I do feel like Juliet's POV complemented Meridian's. And it's hard not to like Juliet with all that she's going through and how devoted and caring she is toward the other orphans at DG (especially Bodie, whom by the way I adored probably as much as little Sammy).

I loved the little tidbits with Tens and Meridian (I'll try not to give too much away). While they are each other's soulmate and partners in the task each has been given, their relationship is still new and I love how Kizer played upon that. Meridian's jealousy and Tens' remoteness, and sometimes arrogance, get them both into trouble where their relationship is concerned. (view spoiler)

One of the aspects I enjoyed the most about this series is that Kizer gave us such a strong feminine heroine in Meridian, founded upon her strength and stubbornness. She refuses to let others dictate her life and continues to fight what she believes is right, even with her own life at stake. In regards to Tens, she refuses to let him outright tell her what to do with his role as her Protector as his excuse. (view spoiler)

I appreciate the original, whimsical and all-around amazing world Kizer has given to us. I cannot wait for the 3rd and 4th installments in the series, titled Speed of Light (due out in summer 2012) and Counting Tens respectively. The prospective titles alone are enough to make me infinitely impatient, but it's said that good things come to those who wait. We shall see.

I would absolutely recommend this book to readers really of all ages, especially those who enjoy supernatural/paranormal/romance fiction.(less)

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Jan 14, 2012 Miss Amby rated it 1 of 5 stars

Honestly, I was hoping that Kizer would grow as an author and not do the telling instead of showing again. Instead, she told even more and showed even less. I still got no sense of emotion from these characters. The only thing that made me read this sequel was the fact that the story is interesting. Unfortunately, the story isn't enough to make me read the next one. The emotions and fake "Native American" lore were terrible, and the fake American Indian story was disrespectful, to say the least....more Honestly, I was hoping that Kizer would grow as an author and not do the telling instead of showing again. Instead, she told even more and showed even less. I still got no sense of emotion from these characters. The only thing that made me read this sequel was the fact that the story is interesting. Unfortunately, the story isn't enough to make me read the next one. The emotions and fake "Native American" lore were terrible, and the fake American Indian story was disrespectful, to say the least. I don't think she was disrespectful toward an entire race of people on purpose, but people seldom are. Furthermore she referred to the pioneers as the first Americans, which is basically pretending that the Native Americans weren't here first. Then she went on to talk about some Native American story that, from what I could tell, was made up. Why is this the only group of people who still gets constantly disrespected? As an American Indian Studies major, that kind of thing really bothers me. Moving on before this entire review turns into a lecture on racism in the 21st Century.

The characters... They all cried at the drop of a hat. I'm assuming this was an attempt to try to show emotion, but it failed miserably. It just made all of the characters seem weak. I got so tired of people crying, but I finished this book so I could review it. I kept thinking maybe it'd get better, but it didn't. The new characters introduced in the book would have been likable had they not burst into tears constantly over nothing. They were all a bit unique and easy to relate to. I felt that Kizer tried too hard to make Rumi different though, and his "word game" thing got really old really fast. We got to learn more about Tens, and that was cool, but he ran around crying like a freaking girl half of the book. It was just obnoxious. And Meridian went from being a likable character to a whiny, jealous brat. Juliet was boring, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make myself care what happened to her. I did like Mini, however. I'm a sucker for cats.

It was obvious who the bad guys were from the start, and there was no sense of mystery or suspense in this novel. It was 500 pages of nothing. And I swear to you, the descriptions actually were longer than in the last novel. I counted the paragraphs of descriptions in one chapter. I found 8 paragraphs of descriptions, all bunched together, in two pages. I did not need to know THAT much about anything. Unless this is a textbook (which it's obviously not because it's historically inaccurate), then there is no need for that level of description. Also, the explanation of who Mistress is and what part she plays was cut short. Basically every time Kizer got to an interesting part, she sped through it , giving no details, so she could go back to describing snot (yea a lot of snot and things ingesting snot in this novel... I felt like I was reading a novel Beavis and Butthead wrote at times) or the color of grass or something. The "big reveal" which wasn't a big reveal at all was the most anti-climactic thing I'd ever read. It was just bad.

The one redeeming factor for this book is that it was told from 2 perspectives, Meridian and Juliet. Kizer actually did okay differentiating between the 2 voices, and it was believable that different people were talking. And, as I said, I did love Mini. She was the best character in my opinion. However, as juvenile as some of the book was (snot, snot, snot... and discussions of going to the toilet), it was a bit graphic in the sex department. Too graphic, if you ask me, for a YA audience. I didn't need to know about what anyone's business looked like. I thought I was reading a YA book, not smut. Just a helpful suggestion, less is more when it comes to sex and violence (and bodily fluids... just sayin'). All in all, I wouldn't recommend this novel to anyone. ever. And I certainly wouldn't give it to anyone under the age of 18 to read. Yucko.

Check out more of my reviews, along with giveaways, author interviews, and more at http://falln2books.blogspot.com (less)

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Sep 28, 2011 Regina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Pros:
-Meridian gets to use her powers more
-Tens gets more screen time
- Theres more action going on
-The new characters are interesting and likeable
-Meridian and Tens develop a deeper understanding in their relationship which is much more realistic than fall in love and happily ever after

Cons:
- Meridian doesn't handle jealousy very well and throws too many tantrums considering theres bigger problems at stake
-i liked Juliet more than Meridian in this book
-some parts of the book dragged a little

Pos...more

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Mar 12, 2012 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Finally, a “little” betters then the first. Haha, to be honest, I want to put it as a 3.5 stars, but I guess I’m just in a crappy mood and a bit to harsh so what the hell... a 4 then.
Meridian and Tens are looking for another Fenestra to join forces with them to destroy the Aternocti. They drove from Colorado to Indiana to find her. A girl named Juliet is about to turned 16. She had experience of seeing dead animal around her. But when she turned 16, will Meridian and Tens be able to reach her b...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Elas Büchertruhe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Klappentext:
Das Mädchen Meridian schwebt in größter Gefahr: Als Fenestra ist es ihre Aufgabe, den Seelen der Verstorbenen den Weg in dem Himmel zu weisen – doch sie hat dunkle Gegenspieler, die dies verhindern wollen. Auf der Flucht vor den Aternocti gelangt Meridian in eine friedlich wirkende Kleinstadt, in der sie die Gegenwart einer anderen Fenestra spürt. Kann sie diese finden, bevor die Aternocti es tun?

Meine Meinung:
Achtung, da es sich hier um den zweiten Band handelt, ist die Gefahr das S...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Libbie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: authors-a-m, paranormal-romance, young-adult, fenestra-series, abandoned-series, 2013

Life seriously got in the way of reading and reviewing this week. Between work stress, kid stress and being sick as hell...yeah. Funtimes.

Finally wrapped up the second in the Fenestra series though and while it was a fine read, I think I'll be leaving the world here. The sad part is, there isn't a real defining reason why. I just got to the end of the second book and there was absolutely nothing pushing me to hit Overdrive for the third book. It was more of a "that's done" kind of feeling instea...more Life seriously got in the way of reading and reviewing this week. Between work stress, kid stress and being sick as hell...yeah. Funtimes.

Finally wrapped up the second in the Fenestra series though and while it was a fine read, I think I'll be leaving the world here. The sad part is, there isn't a real defining reason why. I just got to the end of the second book and there was absolutely nothing pushing me to hit Overdrive for the third book. It was more of a "that's done" kind of feeling instead.

I wish I could pin it down to one thing, but I can't. The story was compelling (even though it did have more than a few holes in it) and I absolutely loved being back with Tens and Meridian agan.

I do love Tens, even more in this one than I did in the first one. I understand him a lot better than I did in the first book, and get what drives him to do the things he does...even when I want to reach through the pages and shake him for them.

The supporting characters were a little weak this time around an I think that might be what kept me from really falling in love with it. Rumi was supposed to be cute and quirky with the obscure SAT words but all that did was pull me out of the story. Joi was a little...too much, I think. Too quick to accept, to quick to jump in and give them a place to live, etc.

For Juliet and her crew - again, there wasn't a strong connection to the newest fenestra in town. Maybe I'm just over "ten years of unimaginable suffering" in a character, but I really am. It's just too hard to believe that residents went in to DG and no one ever came to see them again. it's one of those "out of reality" things that seriously keep me from accepting a story. I know I'm reading about half-angels, but I'm sorry. If there are family members paying for care, they'd be there to see the place. If they were being paid from Medicare, they'd be inspected. Someone would have noticed something. Especially in small town Indiana.

Anywho. It's a good series and strong stories, it just didn't pull at me enough to have me continuing.(less)

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Jul 22, 2011 Erika rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-books, own

First reaction:
I have been waiting for this book ever since I read and loved the first book, Meridian a few months ago. This book is in the point of view of two girls, instead of one like Meridian was. Meridian is the fist point of view, and Juliet is the second. I like how the author incorporated both of the girl's points of view instead of just Meridian's because if we did not get to hear Juliet's side this book would have been half as exciting and it would be much more confusing.

Characters:

Me...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Melodie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2011, ya-fiction

I read Meridian, the first book in this series, 2 years ago when it came out. It was a good book, but it didn't knock my socks off. This one, however, just about did that. The difference between this book and the first one is like night & day. The writing in this one is so much stronger and so is the story line. Meridian & Tens are much stronger people and have come into their own very quickly. Their relationship is growing by leaps and bounds as they are learning to deal with their plac...more

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Dec 25, 2011 Kristina rated it 4 of 5 stars

LOVED this book! I liked Meridian a lot and this book was just a next step up. It was a fantastic second book in a series...sometimes the 2nd book can fall flat, but this one served to deepen the storyline and world that was introduced in Meridian. The expansion of the story, the additional characters in the book, the way the story unfolded - all fantastic! I read it in two sittings (only because I had to travel home for Christmas) and in both reading sessions I was immediately sucked into "book...more

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Dec 07, 2010 Fenestra rated it 5 of 5 stars

A wonderful sequel to Meridian! I loved everything about this book. The characters are so well-developed. NOT MIDDLE SCHOOL APPROPRIATE!!!

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Mar 26, 2013 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved the first book in this series but I could not give this book five stars like I did with that one. I really liked the story and the addition of new characters in this book but I did not like the complete change in the character of Tens. In the first book Tens was whitty and kind of bratty. In this book he is very serious and broody. I also thought it was strange that he cried so much, he is portrayed as very guarded and yet he cries several times in the book. I also thought the "almost se...more

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Aug 20, 2010 Jenny Renee marked it as to-read

omg so excited! my mouth literally dropped when I saw this :)

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Mar 08, 2012 Debbie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, format-llibrary-ebook, 3-star

I liked this book and will read the next in series. Book blurb at goodreads accurate so not re-doing their synopsis in this review. Story at first takes point of view from Tens/Meri and Juliet (and author handles that deftly, makes sense to plot and doesn't jump around so much it gets confusing).

Pros: well, you sympathize with the characters. Tens and Meri obviously the good guys and are trying to do the right things. Juliet's story with abused orphans and seniors -- well of course we sympathize...more I liked this book and will read the next in series. Book blurb at goodreads accurate so not re-doing their synopsis in this review. Story at first takes point of view from Tens/Meri and Juliet (and author handles that deftly, makes sense to plot and doesn't jump around so much it gets confusing).

Pros: well, you sympathize with the characters. Tens and Meri obviously the good guys and are trying to do the right things. Juliet's story with abused orphans and seniors -- well of course we sympathize; but, author avoided making them cliched victims and kept them imbued with humanity. Story well-paced.

Cons: Digital prices are ridiculous (this one was $10.99 for Kindle). While less outright than in first book deus ex machina things conveniently fell into place for our characters. Tens/Meri got a job right away that came with completely flexible hours, free food, and a place to live. Juliet, despite everyone being completely confined to DG with no money, always had groceries to make chef quality meals. More divine appearances with Juliet having a guardian angel and a feline version of Tens' wolf; Josiah delivers messages; everyone always knows who they can trust (and no one gets betrayed), etc. A balance of that, I would like (too many urban fantasy/paranormal things out there have angels and the side of good pretty much not intervening so the bad guys get upper hand a lot); but, there's a danger with this series to overdo.

Oddity: I've been running into authors putting lots of weirder words in their books lately. Is there some writer's group or seminar series or publisher mandate readers don't know about? Maybe a movement against ereader abilities to look words up in a dictionary for you forcing the industry to use words not in a standard dictionary? In this case, words were in context and part of the Rumi character who supposedly spoke with an accent and was hard to understand anyway. I slammed another author's book (Touchstone) for using words she made up or adapted from a text on outmoded words -- but in that book they were rampant and not identifiable by context--made for difficult reading. I did not think this book was difficult to read, even with unfamiliar words. But if you need word definitions author notes she used these two books: Eugene Ehrlich’s The Highly Selective Thesaurus for the Extraordinarily Literate and Simon Hertnon’s From Afterwit To Zemblanity: 100 Endangered Words Brought Back To Life.(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Jule rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

„Meridian – Flüsternde Seelen“ von Amber Kizer
Auf der Suche nach einer Fenestra gelangen Meridian und Tens in eine Kleinstadt in der Nähe von Indinapolis. Doch wie sollen sie das Mädchen fast ohne Hinweise und noch vor ihrem 16. Geburtstag finden? Hilfe erhalten die beiden von ganz überraschender Seite. Doch die Suche ist sehr gefährlich, denn die Aternocti wollen das Mädchen für sich und schrecken dafür vor nichts zurück, auch nicht vor Mord...
In „Flüsternde Seelen“ dem zweiten Band der Meridi...more „Meridian – Flüsternde Seelen“ von Amber Kizer
Auf der Suche nach einer Fenestra gelangen Meridian und Tens in eine Kleinstadt in der Nähe von Indinapolis. Doch wie sollen sie das Mädchen fast ohne Hinweise und noch vor ihrem 16. Geburtstag finden? Hilfe erhalten die beiden von ganz überraschender Seite. Doch die Suche ist sehr gefährlich, denn die Aternocti wollen das Mädchen für sich und schrecken dafür vor nichts zurück, auch nicht vor Mord...
In „Flüsternde Seelen“ dem zweiten Band der Meridian-Trilogie der US-amerikanischen Autorin Amber Kizer geht die Geschichte um Fenestra und Aternocti , Gut und Böse, weiter.
Schon der Prolog baute eine düstere Atmosphäre auf, die einen großen Teil der Geschichte umfasst, denn das Leben der Fenestra Juliet und der anderen Kinder im Dunkelbarger-Sanatorium (kurz: DG) ist eines ganz sicher: düster.
„Welches Kind die Abkürzung DG anstelle von DB geprägt hatte, ist nicht überliefert. Die älteren Insassen wussten genau, wofür diese Initialen standen: Düsternis und Grauen. Dummheit und Gehässigkeit. Dahinsiechen und Gram.“
Neben Meridian ist Juliet Protagonistin in dieser Geschichte. Es wird abwechselnd aus der Ich-Perspektive beider Mädchen erzählt, wodurch viele spannende Cliffhanger entstehen. Diese animieren zum Weiterlesen, was durch den angenehm flüssigen Schreibstil eine Freude ist.
Juliets Leben ist hingegen kein Vergnügen. Trotzdem kümmert sie sich aufopfernd um die jüngeren Kinder und die alten Menschen. Mit ihren Wünschen, Ängsten und Hoffnungen wird sie sehr komplex beschrieben und ist dadurch eine interessante Figur. Sie wird einem während des Lesens schnell sympathisch und wächst ans Herz. Meridian und Tens öffnen sich dem jeweils Anderen langsam und lernen sich ganz behutsam besser kennen.
Die Geschichte ist immer wieder überraschend und unvorhersehbar, denn man weiß nicht, wer was im Schilde führt, wer Aternocti und wer „nur“ böse ist. Lichtblicke sind hingegen die Menschen, die aus reiner Nächstenliebe helfe und einem dadurch während des Lesens ein positives Gefühl geben.
Diese gegensätzlichen Figuren machen die Geschichte traurig und sehr berührend, aber nicht beklemmend. Man wird von Trauer und Verzweiflung nicht erdrückt, denn ein kleiner Funken Hoffnung bleibt immer, auch wenn die Situation noch so ausweglos erscheint.
Den krönenden Abschluss bildet ein spannendes Finale, das gespannt auf den dritten Band der Trilogie warten lässt. Zwar wurden einige Fragen aus Teil eins beantwortet, doch genauso viele neue wurden eröffnet und machen neugierig, wie es mit Meridian, Juliet und Tens ausgeht.

(less)

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Oct 26, 2012 Lawrencia Mensah rated it 3 of 5 stars

After thoroughly enjoying Amber Kizer's debut novel, Meridian, I've been looking forward to the sequel, Wildcat Fireflies, for a long time. Meridian was such an enjoyable, fun debut novel that I was completely pulled into Meridian's world of Fenestras and souls that I wanted to know more. After what felt like far too long, I was able to get my hands on Wildcat Fireflies, which continued Meridian's adventures in new and unexpected ways.

Now that Meridian knows her destiny as a Fenestra, a sort of...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Lena rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: band-2

Inhalt: Nachdem Meridian ihre Bestimmung als Fenestra erkannt und akzeptiert hat, steht sie nun vor einer großen Gefahr. Nicht nur, dass sie ihre Fähigkeit beherrschen und kontrollieren lernen muss, damit sie beim Übergang der Seelen nicht mit ins Jenseits gerissen wird, auch die die Aternocti, sind ihr dicht auf den Fersen. Die bösen Engel trachten nach den Fenestra, um sie auf die dunkle Seite zu ziehen und ihre Macht und Herrschaft über die Hölle und die verlorenen Seelen weiter auszubreiten....more Inhalt: Nachdem Meridian ihre Bestimmung als Fenestra erkannt und akzeptiert hat, steht sie nun vor einer großen Gefahr. Nicht nur, dass sie ihre Fähigkeit beherrschen und kontrollieren lernen muss, damit sie beim Übergang der Seelen nicht mit ins Jenseits gerissen wird, auch die die Aternocti, sind ihr dicht auf den Fersen. Die bösen Engel trachten nach den Fenestra, um sie auf die dunkle Seite zu ziehen und ihre Macht und Herrschaft über die Hölle und die verlorenen Seelen weiter auszubreiten.
Meridian und ihr Wächter Tens machen sich auf die Suche nach weiteren Fenestra und stoßen dabei auf Verbündete, große Rätsel und ein dunkles Kinderheim, was Geheimnisse in sich verbirgt.

Meine Meinung: Die düstere und mysteriöse Stimmung, die bereits im ersten Teil besonders überzeugen konnte, setzt sich auch im zweiten Band fort und ist sogar noch eine Nummer fesselnder. Meridian und Tens haben es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, weitere Fenestra zu finden und sie vor den Absichten der Aternocti zu schützen. Auf ihrer Reise durch Indianapolis gilt es für die beiden Jugendlichen viele Rätsel zu lösen, die die Autorin in eine eigene kleine Erzählung, mit vielen geschichtlichen Überlieferungen und neuen, nicht weniger sympathischen Charakteren verpackt hat. Ohne Unterlass bietet die Atmosphäre aufgrund der neuen Handlungsstränge eine sehr anziehende Wirkung.
Neben dem bereits bekannten spannenden und bedrückenden Elementen aus dem ersten Teil, setzt die Autorin in der Fortsetzung auch auf andere Emotionen. Neben Meridian führt Amber Kizer eine weitere Fenestra, Juliet, ein, deren eigene Geschichte für herzzerreißende und besonders dramatische Momente sorgt. Die Autorin legt in ihrem Buch viel Wert darauf, ihrer zweiten Fenestra eine eigene Stimme zu verleihen, was sie unter anderem durch den Perspektivenwechsel zwischen Meridian und Juliet wunderbar vollbringt.
Romantiker unter uns kommen auch im zweiten Teil der Reihe voll und ganz auf ihre Kosten. Die liebevollen Momente zwischen Meridian und ihrem Wächter und Freund Tens dominieren keineswegs die Geschichte, sondern werden vereinzelt, dann aber auch mit vollem gefühlvollem Ausmaß, in die Haupthandlung integriert. Jeder romantische Moment zwischen den beiden Liebenden ist in Anbetracht der emotionalen Intensität auf den Punkt gebracht und erweckt beim Leser, wie bei Meridian selbst, Sehnsucht nach mehr.

Konnten die Figuren bereits im ersten Teil aufgrund ihres Wesens von sich überzeugen, so wachsen sie dem Leser im zweiten Band noch mehr ans Herz. Amber Kizer lässt den Leser an der Entwicklung ihrer Figuren ohne Pause teilhaben. Gerade die beiden Hauptfiguren Meridian und Tens lernt man im zweiten Teil noch ausführlicher kennen. Die Autorin bietet dem Leser eine tiefe Einsicht in die Protagonistin und ihrem inneren Zwiespalt. Einerseits versucht Meridian den Erwartungen, die man ihr aufgrund ihres Fenestra-Daseins stellt, gerecht zu werden und andererseits hegt sie den tiefen Wunsch, ihre Familie wiederzusehen und endlich ein normaler amerikanischer Teenager zu sein. Auch Tens gewinnt in diesem Band deutlich an Tiefe und gibt hier endlich einen Einblick in seine traumatische Vergangenheit.
Wie bereits erwähnt bleibt es in ‘Meridian – Flüsternde Seelen’ nicht bei den altbekannten Figuren aus dem ersten Band. Amber Kizer führt viele weitere Charaktere ein, lässt dabei aber niemals deren detaillierte Darstellung aus den Augen, sodass keine der Figuren in ihrem Wesen blass bleibt.

Im Herbst 2012 erscheint auf Englisch der dritte Band der Reihe, ‘Speed of Light‘. Im Frühjahr 2013 steht dann auch der vierte Band in den Läden, der den Namen ‘Counting Tens‘ tragen wird.

Fazit: ‘Meridian – Flüsternde Seelen’ ist nicht weniger überzeugend als sein Vorgänger. Herausragende Fantasy Elemente und romantische Momente, die einem emotionalem Feuerwerk gleichen, machen die Meridian Reihe zu einem unvergesslichem Leseerlebnis.(less)

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Jan 03, 2012 Emma (BelleBooks) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved Meridian so much when I listened to it on audio that I had to pick up Widlcat Fireflies almost right away.
I listened to this one on audio as I did with Meridian.

The story picks up right where we left off at the end of Meridian, in search of other Fenestra's that the Nocti could be after. Finally Meridian and Tens run into Juliet, an orphan who lives in a dreadful Children's Home and spends her days cooking, cleaning and looking after the younger children. Juliet has no idea she is a Fene...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-to-buy-in-english

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. In this second novel, readers first meet a young girl by the name of Juliet Ambrose, who resides at the Dunklebarger Rehab Center in the middle of nowhere. Dunklebarger is literally a prison. Half of this huge, creepy building serves as the "last chance" for old people who come to Dunklebarger to die; while the other half of the institution plays home to children six to sixteen years of age, where they are made to clean, cook, take care of the elderly, get yelled at constantly.basically, they're...more In this second novel, readers first meet a young girl by the name of Juliet Ambrose, who resides at the Dunklebarger Rehab Center in the middle of nowhere. Dunklebarger is literally a prison. Half of this huge, creepy building serves as the "last chance" for old people who come to Dunklebarger to die; while the other half of the institution plays home to children six to sixteen years of age, where they are made to clean, cook, take care of the elderly, get yelled at constantly.basically, they're inmates. Juliet is frightened because she is about to turn sixteen and will be thrown out of the place, leaving her younger friends to fend for themselves against a woman who is determined to abuse them all. Feeling alone and unwanted all her life, the only thing Juliet is quite good at is helping the dying. When people are about to pass, she goes to their room and allows them to have a safe journey by leading them to their loved ones on the other side. Meridian and the love of her life, Tens, are working their way across the country trying to find this fenestra who is in danger. Meridian knows that she exists and that someone is hunting her - one of the evil Nocti. The Nocti are the nemeses of the fenestra's; their sole purpose on earth is to cause chaos and destruction - to stop the finestras and suck souls into the lightless place. When Meridian and Tens pull over on the highway to take a break from their journey, they walk into a shop where they drink tea and eat a little something before continuing on. But the ambiance of the place is strange. There are glass balls hanging from the ceiling that light up mysteriously when Meridian sits beneath them; there is an old rehab center that Meridian is drawn to for a reason she doesn't yet understand; and a town, itself, that seems to be teaming with energy. Meridian and Tens stay in a cottage behind the tea room exchanging work with the shop's owner, Joi. Things begin to go a little crazy when they meet up with Rumi, the glassblower in town, who speaks of with balls, spirit stones, and old Native American tales about fireflies that once gathered together to save a missing child. Meridian and Tens must find a way to help this unknown fenestra and discover what evil is going on within the walls of Dunklebarger, while Juliet Ambrose - a girl who is about to be taken over by a pretty evil plan - must find a way to believe in angels in order to be saved. As with the first Meridian novel, this is an excellent story that focuses on faith, friendship, thrills and chills, with a bit of romance thrown in for fun. Although the story goes on a little too long, the premise, characters, and intense quest that Meridian is on, will have readers riveted until the very last page. Quill Says: A good continuation to a strange, but entertaining story. It will be interesting to see where Meridian and Tens head next. (less)

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Jul 17, 2011 Kerry rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, romance, ya-fiction

Wildcat Fireflies was a really great follow up to Meridian. Kizer does a good job of unfolding information and you learn as Meridian and Tens learn new things about the Fenestra mythology. This is a little used mythology and that is one of my favorite things about the series. (no vampires or or werewolves here, whoo hoo!) It doesn't feel like anything else that's been written, and its a little darker and deeper than other books/series in the teen paranormal romance genre. And best of all the cha...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Let me say WOW! I love you Amber Kizer !!!! This book was outstanding. I just love Meridian and Tens. The only other thing that bothered me was she thought she was undeserving of Tens, Hell no, he's perfect for her. They complete each other in a way that's different. Tens is the strong silent type, who she doesn't really know anything about besides the fact he is her protector and soulmate. Meridian is strong, outspoken, and totally awesome. She goes through some hard times, and feels like she w...more

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May 23, 2012 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read the first book before I started blogging and really loved it. The whole world building as well as the characters capture my imagination an set me on a whole new path to discover.

What I loved most about this book is the character growth. Meri is growing in who she is and what she is meant to do. There are times where she feels so incapable of doing things that I could feel her frustration. I could see the time away from her family as well as always being on the run is taking a toll of her...more

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About Amber Kizer

Amber Kizer is not one of those authors who wrote complete books at the age of three and always knew she wanted to be a writer. When she faced a rare chronic pain disorder her freshman year of college, she knew she was going to have to learn to live outside the box. After one writing workshop, she fell in love with telling stores and she’s still going strong. Her characters tend to be opinionated,...more

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Books by Amber Kizer

One Butt Cheek at a Time (Gert Garibaldi's Rants and Raves, #1)

7 Kinds of Ordinary Catastrophes (Gert Garibaldi's Rants and Raves, #2)

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“Love conquers nothing. Love provides the motivation; the person must do the rest with their own hands, heart, and feet.” — 17 people liked it

“History teaches us things about ourselves, but you have to listen for the lessons. You have to be really still to hear the whispers.” — 10 people liked it

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Wildcat Fireflies (Fenestra #2)

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