What do you think?
Rate this book
The Pack #2
The Pack: Retribution
Revenge doesn't have a name, but has chosen a victim—Shamira. But she's never been the type to lie down and let someone hurt her family or her friends. In order to find the mastermind behind the threat to all she cares about, she must give up the one person who's found his way into her guarded heart, Valens. Valens refuses to back off easily, and neither will Shamira's friends. They join forces with her in order to deal with a new enemy who seeks to kill everyone in Shamira's life that dared save the missing kids on Mars.
236 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2012
1 person is currently reading
268 people want to read
About the author
L.M. Preston
29 books646 followersLM. Preston was born and raised in Washington, DC. An avid reader, she loved to create poetry and short-stories as a young girl. With a thirst for knowledge she attended college at Bowie State University, and worked in the IT field as a Techie and Educator for over sixteen years. She started writing science fiction under the encouragement of her husband who was a Sci-Fi buff and her four kids. Her first published novel, Explorer X - Alpha was the beginning of her obsessive desire to write and create stories of young people who overcome unbelievable odds. She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, which is another passion that encouraged her writing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
June 27, 2012
This novel is set up in a different world - actually its Mars.
"The criminals in Earth that could be rehabilitated with hypnotic software that would remove the subject's desire to commit crime were released into the Mars relocation program. Others that were too violent and twisted were put to death by electrical drowning in the Waters."
Shamira and her friends were in the training program for Security Force Elite Officers. When their trainer was killed in an ambush, Shamira sets her mind to get to the killer, no matter what it takes. Once blind, Shamira had very few friends. But now, she has a sweet boyfriend and many loyal friends. This training team was one of the reasons I loved this book.
Well thought-out plot, good world building and deeper characters made this book more enjoyable. The theme is new. The action, romance, revenge and technology played good in required sequences, which gives you something to think about, when you take a break from reading.
I had trouble understanding the first few pages. But, that may be due to the fact that I am reading second book in the series, without reading its previous book. The only other problem I faced was narration. It could have been better. Creating such an idea and a plot surrounding that idea is not an easy deal. But, those efforts may not be recognized without proper narration.
*** There were a few sentence formation errors and the e-book had some bad formatting.
This is one of the very few science fiction novels I enjoyed. My lack of interest in science always made me avoid science fiction novels. But, this was easy and understandable. Thanks to that!
3.5 stars!
"The criminals in Earth that could be rehabilitated with hypnotic software that would remove the subject's desire to commit crime were released into the Mars relocation program. Others that were too violent and twisted were put to death by electrical drowning in the Waters."
Shamira and her friends were in the training program for Security Force Elite Officers. When their trainer was killed in an ambush, Shamira sets her mind to get to the killer, no matter what it takes. Once blind, Shamira had very few friends. But now, she has a sweet boyfriend and many loyal friends. This training team was one of the reasons I loved this book.
Well thought-out plot, good world building and deeper characters made this book more enjoyable. The theme is new. The action, romance, revenge and technology played good in required sequences, which gives you something to think about, when you take a break from reading.
I had trouble understanding the first few pages. But, that may be due to the fact that I am reading second book in the series, without reading its previous book. The only other problem I faced was narration. It could have been better. Creating such an idea and a plot surrounding that idea is not an easy deal. But, those efforts may not be recognized without proper narration.
*** There were a few sentence formation errors and the e-book had some bad formatting.
This is one of the very few science fiction novels I enjoyed. My lack of interest in science always made me avoid science fiction novels. But, this was easy and understandable. Thanks to that!
3.5 stars!
September 6, 2018
I was a little bit undecided how to rate this book.
First of all, because it was hard to read this book smoothly. There were parts that flew by quickly and easily, and there were also places where I struggled to keep interested and basically forced myself to read on. As a YA sci-fi, I really enjoyed the setup and I very much appreciate the creative ideas incorporated into the plot, the unique and innovative gadgets, and the background world building. I was hesitant about the characters after reading book one, not having the best of opinions about them but hoping it will get better in the second book. Well, it did not really, especially in Shamira's case, and I cannot truly enjoy a book when the heroine annoys me to unbelievable levels. Over-dramatic, immature, sometimes really acting like I-am-the-savior-here-shut-up-and-kiss-my-ass bitch. Sorry, I can't describe her with warm words if I feel little positive about her. The rest of the training team compensated for her, but even with them it was sometimes hard to distinguis who is who - this would need more in-depth character building to make them more distinguishable. The dialogues were rather good, editing needed improvement but I won't take this as too much of influence as I read an ARC (although, there were lots of errors), but the narrative was sometimes confusing and I needed to re-read some passages twice to understand what the author wanted to say. I have mixed feelings about this series, since what started as a very promising story, issues in execution dulled the reading experience in the end.
First of all, because it was hard to read this book smoothly. There were parts that flew by quickly and easily, and there were also places where I struggled to keep interested and basically forced myself to read on. As a YA sci-fi, I really enjoyed the setup and I very much appreciate the creative ideas incorporated into the plot, the unique and innovative gadgets, and the background world building. I was hesitant about the characters after reading book one, not having the best of opinions about them but hoping it will get better in the second book. Well, it did not really, especially in Shamira's case, and I cannot truly enjoy a book when the heroine annoys me to unbelievable levels. Over-dramatic, immature, sometimes really acting like I-am-the-savior-here-shut-up-and-kiss-my-ass bitch. Sorry, I can't describe her with warm words if I feel little positive about her. The rest of the training team compensated for her, but even with them it was sometimes hard to distinguis who is who - this would need more in-depth character building to make them more distinguishable. The dialogues were rather good, editing needed improvement but I won't take this as too much of influence as I read an ARC (although, there were lots of errors), but the narrative was sometimes confusing and I needed to re-read some passages twice to understand what the author wanted to say. I have mixed feelings about this series, since what started as a very promising story, issues in execution dulled the reading experience in the end.
June 15, 2012
The Pack-Retribution by L.M.Preston is a young adult science-fiction novel that centers around a team of cadets who—after loosing their leader to an unknown assassin—race to find the killer before more loved ones die. The story takes place on Mars which was been transformed into a rehabilitation center for former convicts. These criminals have been given a vaccine that combats and eliminates whatever genetic predisposition lead them to crime in the first place. With their desire to perpetrate crime removed, scientists believe that these former convicts can lead renewed lives. Of course, not all that glitters is gold. Along with beat cops, Mars and it’s rehabilitated convicts are watched over by an Elite force who are outfitted with a specially designed nano skin that render them nearly impervious to harm and gives them enhanced strength. There are many really novel ideas in this story and it’s refreshing to see imagination in a genre that I feel has been suffering from an egregious lack of creativity in recent years. Unfortunately, Preston’s panoply of creative ideas and gadgets are lost in a very confusing narrative.
I haven’t struggled this much with a book in quite some time. It was even a struggle to decide a proper rating. In some areas, the book is very good. However, the good—no matter how present—is quickly overshadowed by what I can only call sloppy execution. My chief problem with this book was that it felt a little discombobulated. The clues that lead to the real killer are too convenient and the large cast of characters can be difficult to distinguish, especially in scenes with a lot of dialogue. Now initially I had no idea that this book was actually a sequel to another(The Pack), so some of my initial confusion really can’t be blamed on Preston. Instead, I blame the way it’s marketed. Nothing in the summary claims that this book is in fact a sequel, so naturally would-be readers who are interested by the story’s premise would not think twice about purchasing/borrowing it. Once again, this really isn’t Preston’s fault and, while I was a little confused at first, the narrative is kind enough to inform any late comers to the series of the events of the previous book. Because I have not read this book’s predecessor, I cannot comment regarding its superiority or inferiority in comparison, so keep in mind while reading this review that I’m viewing this story as an independent body rather than a continuation.
A few small issues that hindered my enjoyment of this book had to do with typographical errors and formatting. In fact, The Pack is one of three e-books I’ve read to be plagued by two of the same mishaps: unnecessary hyphens and random insertions of the author’s name or story title in the middle of a paragraph. For example, words like smashing and swallowing are turned into swallow-ing and smash-ing. The page breaks, which were frustratingly frequent, read like this:
Too bad 98
The Pack-Retribution
That didn’t work out
As I’ve seen both of these errors in two other e-books, I assume that something must be going array with whatever software the authors(or their publishers) are using to transform their books into an e-book format. None the less, these errors are distracting and serve to sever the connection the reader has with the world within the story. There were also a few typos here and there, but nothing too terrible. Aside from format errors, The Pack-Retribution has a rather irritating habit of telling readers what characters feel instead of showing us through interactions. So and so loves so and so, so and so feels mad etc…The story also repeats certain statements over and over again, almost as if assuming that the readers will be too daft to remember them. For instance, I counted four separate moments in which readers are reminded that the main character Shamira has excellent hearing because she used to be blind, and even though she is no longer blind she still has excellent hearing. And readers are constantly informed about Shamira’s struggle at letting people get close—even though she seems to let quite a few people close—and how intense affection frightens her. Yes, Preseton I get it. She can hear well and has a fear of intimacy. Rather than telling readers all of these things(over and over), I’m confidant that Preston’s story would have been aided by showing readers examples of these facts instead of telling us, as well as trusting readers to remember the facts as given.
None the less, I still did enjoy parts of the story. The basic premise of a drug that can help cure criminals of their impulse to commit crime is really fascinating. Additionally, the strange power that Shamira possesses which was born out of a brush with death was very intriguing and begged for more explanation(though, never have read the first book, I have no idea if better explanation was given). The nano skins that protect elite officers is something I haven’t seen in science fiction before. Can you imagine a comic book series based around people with that technology? It sounds like it would be pretty awesome to me. I suppose part of reason why this book confused me so much might have to do with the way the story is told—which is kind of like an action comic. I’ve nothing against comics, believe me—but the writing needed to tell a story in both mediums is different. I mean, would you want to read a comic written like a book? But really I am crossing into the realm of nitpickery here, so I’ll end this review by saying that the writing could have been better but the story and the environment in which the story takes place is really interesting. I imagine that fans of the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson will probably really enjoy this book, as both stories feature strong female leads and the writing style is reminiscent of an action comic.
Rating: 3/5
I haven’t struggled this much with a book in quite some time. It was even a struggle to decide a proper rating. In some areas, the book is very good. However, the good—no matter how present—is quickly overshadowed by what I can only call sloppy execution. My chief problem with this book was that it felt a little discombobulated. The clues that lead to the real killer are too convenient and the large cast of characters can be difficult to distinguish, especially in scenes with a lot of dialogue. Now initially I had no idea that this book was actually a sequel to another(The Pack), so some of my initial confusion really can’t be blamed on Preston. Instead, I blame the way it’s marketed. Nothing in the summary claims that this book is in fact a sequel, so naturally would-be readers who are interested by the story’s premise would not think twice about purchasing/borrowing it. Once again, this really isn’t Preston’s fault and, while I was a little confused at first, the narrative is kind enough to inform any late comers to the series of the events of the previous book. Because I have not read this book’s predecessor, I cannot comment regarding its superiority or inferiority in comparison, so keep in mind while reading this review that I’m viewing this story as an independent body rather than a continuation.
A few small issues that hindered my enjoyment of this book had to do with typographical errors and formatting. In fact, The Pack is one of three e-books I’ve read to be plagued by two of the same mishaps: unnecessary hyphens and random insertions of the author’s name or story title in the middle of a paragraph. For example, words like smashing and swallowing are turned into swallow-ing and smash-ing. The page breaks, which were frustratingly frequent, read like this:
Too bad 98
The Pack-Retribution
That didn’t work out
As I’ve seen both of these errors in two other e-books, I assume that something must be going array with whatever software the authors(or their publishers) are using to transform their books into an e-book format. None the less, these errors are distracting and serve to sever the connection the reader has with the world within the story. There were also a few typos here and there, but nothing too terrible. Aside from format errors, The Pack-Retribution has a rather irritating habit of telling readers what characters feel instead of showing us through interactions. So and so loves so and so, so and so feels mad etc…The story also repeats certain statements over and over again, almost as if assuming that the readers will be too daft to remember them. For instance, I counted four separate moments in which readers are reminded that the main character Shamira has excellent hearing because she used to be blind, and even though she is no longer blind she still has excellent hearing. And readers are constantly informed about Shamira’s struggle at letting people get close—even though she seems to let quite a few people close—and how intense affection frightens her. Yes, Preseton I get it. She can hear well and has a fear of intimacy. Rather than telling readers all of these things(over and over), I’m confidant that Preston’s story would have been aided by showing readers examples of these facts instead of telling us, as well as trusting readers to remember the facts as given.
None the less, I still did enjoy parts of the story. The basic premise of a drug that can help cure criminals of their impulse to commit crime is really fascinating. Additionally, the strange power that Shamira possesses which was born out of a brush with death was very intriguing and begged for more explanation(though, never have read the first book, I have no idea if better explanation was given). The nano skins that protect elite officers is something I haven’t seen in science fiction before. Can you imagine a comic book series based around people with that technology? It sounds like it would be pretty awesome to me. I suppose part of reason why this book confused me so much might have to do with the way the story is told—which is kind of like an action comic. I’ve nothing against comics, believe me—but the writing needed to tell a story in both mediums is different. I mean, would you want to read a comic written like a book? But really I am crossing into the realm of nitpickery here, so I’ll end this review by saying that the writing could have been better but the story and the environment in which the story takes place is really interesting. I imagine that fans of the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson will probably really enjoy this book, as both stories feature strong female leads and the writing style is reminiscent of an action comic.
Rating: 3/5
August 8, 2012
Disclaimer: The ARC was provided by the publisher, Phenomenal One Press
Second in The Pack science fiction series for young adults. In this one, Shamira and her friends are in their final training at the Special Elite Force.
My Take
Oh. My. God. This was so bad. Over-dramatized with Shamira as the drama queen to end all drama queens. The worst of it is that with all this drama, I ain't feelin' it. It's all just words. The only angst I've got is having to read this. The writing is so very bad. It reads more like an early draft than a finished novel.
I think Preston has an interesting concept in her topic, but, please, please, please, get an editor!!! This is rough, awkward, and immature. I'm eighteen pages into this story and there are already over ten grammatical issues. This is SOOO not promising. I'm going to try and ignore the rest of the errors...it's a guarantee they'll be there. Poor word usage---don't use words you don't understand; lousy punctuation; no clue on how to deal with titles or past tense; missing and misused articles, prepositions, hyphens; and, when using possessives, you're supposed to use apostrophes.
What is with the mixture of contractions and no contractions in the same sentence?
Preston is so wordy in her passion and it was just annoying.
Yes, I realize this is a draft and I should expect to see typos, etc. I should not be seeing this many. Nor should the text itself be in this bad a shape.
Some Nasty Bits
"give up the struggling rebuilding of Mars"???
"Cars stopped allowing…" Yeah, cars shouldn't let anyone get away with anything.
Valens is offering up a new toy for everyone to use and then says he "wouldn't risk it"?? What? He hates his teammates that much? They're not trying to pin anything on her and her team, but they're all suspects. Huh? How is one incident of not complying to questions from Officer Dax considered riddling her file?They use body movements when they don't want the cameras to catch what they're saying...um, shouldn't that be recorders? Don't cameras record video? You know, body movement? Eeyewww, the adults had vented tops??? Oh, yeah, I'll buy that...recovering drug addicts are high paying customers in a gambling game. NOT.
Only the Elite members had suits but the other Security Force are equally protected. What does that mean??? Why is she whining because Valens is ignoring her after what she did to him? I ain't buying it that Officer Lynn can find out how her parents are doing and their own daughter can't. Oh, please. Shamira starts to ask a couple of tough questions and suddenly her teammates are running off??
Un-tensed???
You know, I had no idea that "ash drips". Drift maybe...
I find myself hoping that Shamira dies in her hunt for the killers. She is SO annoying. I was so grateful when she "dunked into darkness". I'm hoping she stays there.
The Good Bits
The dialog was reasonably well done and I loved the gadgets Valens and his dad create.
I like the backstory that Preston provides and how she delivers it. It just slips right in.
Yes! "Complement" used properly. Such a rarity.
The Story
It's a routine training session that ends up in an ambush, killing their leader. And this is just the start of a series of attacks that focus on Shamira and Team Underground. Spreading to include Shamira's family.
It seems they didn't clean up all the Monev crew and now they're coming for them.
The Characters
The formerly blind Cadet Shamira Nobles foams off at the brain about all her worries and her inadequacies and passions and desires and it's all her fault. From the day the Earth first cooled, it has always been her fault. Gag… David is her little brother. Her mother, Katherine is with the Elite Force as is her dad, Deputy Security Force Elite Leader Nelson Nobles and head of the Mars reconstruction program. Many children were left orphaned and homeless after the destruction of the Monev drug gang a year ago and were adopted by adults on Mars. Such is the case for Taren and Manny who were adopted into the Nobles family.
Shamira's crew includes Valens, the compassionate inventor and Shamira's boyfriend; Mitch and Anthony who once dealt drugs for Monev; Dion and Kurt are both former Monev assassins; and, Hedi was a Monev hacker and sexslave. Each broke away from Monev and joined Shamira in her quest to destroy Monev. Now, she and her team are in training to join the Security Force Elite based on Mars.
Security Force Elite Leader Cal Long was taking them out for their last training exercise. Officer Manuel Dax is a jerk. Internal Affairs Elite Officers Logan and Garcia question Shamira after Nan's building is destroyed. Katie works in records, wants Valens, and hates Shamira.
Nan is helping her mom recover from her addiction and, in turn, her mom is helping others.
Renu, Cal's twin brother, had been the Monev leader and was killed. Keeper is one of the top dogs in Monev and, as their top assassin, trained others; Blood trained them in fighting techniques and stealth assaults. Freaksheap is another in the top echelon and he hangs with Tiny and Snake.
Special Jason Andrews is Valens' father; Mina is his sister.
The Cover
The Shamira on the cover is a Jennifer Lopez lookalike with an elaborate sheath for her sword? (I thought she was carrying a baton from her dad?) and the sexy, one-shoulder, form-fitting outfit, I suspect there's a bearskin rug under her feet.
The title is accurate for it's all about Retribution for Shamira.
Second in The Pack science fiction series for young adults. In this one, Shamira and her friends are in their final training at the Special Elite Force.
My Take
Oh. My. God. This was so bad. Over-dramatized with Shamira as the drama queen to end all drama queens. The worst of it is that with all this drama, I ain't feelin' it. It's all just words. The only angst I've got is having to read this. The writing is so very bad. It reads more like an early draft than a finished novel.
I think Preston has an interesting concept in her topic, but, please, please, please, get an editor!!! This is rough, awkward, and immature. I'm eighteen pages into this story and there are already over ten grammatical issues. This is SOOO not promising. I'm going to try and ignore the rest of the errors...it's a guarantee they'll be there. Poor word usage---don't use words you don't understand; lousy punctuation; no clue on how to deal with titles or past tense; missing and misused articles, prepositions, hyphens; and, when using possessives, you're supposed to use apostrophes.
What is with the mixture of contractions and no contractions in the same sentence?
Preston is so wordy in her passion and it was just annoying.
Yes, I realize this is a draft and I should expect to see typos, etc. I should not be seeing this many. Nor should the text itself be in this bad a shape.
Some Nasty Bits
"give up the struggling rebuilding of Mars"???
"Cars stopped allowing…" Yeah, cars shouldn't let anyone get away with anything.
Valens is offering up a new toy for everyone to use and then says he "wouldn't risk it"?? What? He hates his teammates that much? They're not trying to pin anything on her and her team, but they're all suspects. Huh? How is one incident of not complying to questions from Officer Dax considered riddling her file?They use body movements when they don't want the cameras to catch what they're saying...um, shouldn't that be recorders? Don't cameras record video? You know, body movement? Eeyewww, the adults had vented tops??? Oh, yeah, I'll buy that...recovering drug addicts are high paying customers in a gambling game. NOT.
Only the Elite members had suits but the other Security Force are equally protected. What does that mean??? Why is she whining because Valens is ignoring her after what she did to him? I ain't buying it that Officer Lynn can find out how her parents are doing and their own daughter can't. Oh, please. Shamira starts to ask a couple of tough questions and suddenly her teammates are running off??
Un-tensed???
You know, I had no idea that "ash drips". Drift maybe...
I find myself hoping that Shamira dies in her hunt for the killers. She is SO annoying. I was so grateful when she "dunked into darkness". I'm hoping she stays there.
The Good Bits
The dialog was reasonably well done and I loved the gadgets Valens and his dad create.
I like the backstory that Preston provides and how she delivers it. It just slips right in.
Yes! "Complement" used properly. Such a rarity.
The Story
It's a routine training session that ends up in an ambush, killing their leader. And this is just the start of a series of attacks that focus on Shamira and Team Underground. Spreading to include Shamira's family.
It seems they didn't clean up all the Monev crew and now they're coming for them.
The Characters
The formerly blind Cadet Shamira Nobles foams off at the brain about all her worries and her inadequacies and passions and desires and it's all her fault. From the day the Earth first cooled, it has always been her fault. Gag… David is her little brother. Her mother, Katherine is with the Elite Force as is her dad, Deputy Security Force Elite Leader Nelson Nobles and head of the Mars reconstruction program. Many children were left orphaned and homeless after the destruction of the Monev drug gang a year ago and were adopted by adults on Mars. Such is the case for Taren and Manny who were adopted into the Nobles family.
Shamira's crew includes Valens, the compassionate inventor and Shamira's boyfriend; Mitch and Anthony who once dealt drugs for Monev; Dion and Kurt are both former Monev assassins; and, Hedi was a Monev hacker and sexslave. Each broke away from Monev and joined Shamira in her quest to destroy Monev. Now, she and her team are in training to join the Security Force Elite based on Mars.
Security Force Elite Leader Cal Long was taking them out for their last training exercise. Officer Manuel Dax is a jerk. Internal Affairs Elite Officers Logan and Garcia question Shamira after Nan's building is destroyed. Katie works in records, wants Valens, and hates Shamira.
Nan is helping her mom recover from her addiction and, in turn, her mom is helping others.
Renu, Cal's twin brother, had been the Monev leader and was killed. Keeper is one of the top dogs in Monev and, as their top assassin, trained others; Blood trained them in fighting techniques and stealth assaults. Freaksheap is another in the top echelon and he hangs with Tiny and Snake.
Special Jason Andrews is Valens' father; Mina is his sister.
The Cover
The Shamira on the cover is a Jennifer Lopez lookalike with an elaborate sheath for her sword? (I thought she was carrying a baton from her dad?) and the sexy, one-shoulder, form-fitting outfit, I suspect there's a bearskin rug under her feet.
The title is accurate for it's all about Retribution for Shamira.
August 24, 2018
I love stories that have a bit of mystery and suspense. Topped off with action and adventure. Retribution has all these with great characters and world build that is awesome. I would suggest you read the first book as it will lay a lot of ground work and you will not be lost at any point in the story. LM Preston Bravo! Can not wait for the next story in the series.
September 24, 2018
Noone but noone hurts her family and if they come after them then she will fight with all she has to keep them safe. They are after her now but she is joined by friends to help her in her fight. Will she survive? Will she keep her family safe? Follow her to see
I received an advanced copy and I enjoyed it so much that I want to review
I received an advanced copy and I enjoyed it so much that I want to review
January 22, 2018
Sweet
Just as good as, if not better than the 1st & I will admit that yes I want more, but I love the fact that it ended in a way that I’m not constantly wondering/begging for more.
Just as good as, if not better than the 1st & I will admit that yes I want more, but I love the fact that it ended in a way that I’m not constantly wondering/begging for more.
August 5, 2018
The Pack are back and somebody is after them but who? Can the keep their families safe and watch their backs?
Lies, betrayal, friendship, loss and love.
I would highly recommend this book and series.
4.5🌟
Lies, betrayal, friendship, loss and love.
I would highly recommend this book and series.
4.5🌟
August 9, 2018
This book is a worthy sequel to the series' first book. The action is more intense, the characters have more development, and the story ties/flows together much smoother than the first book.
Can't wait until book three!
Can't wait until book three!
August 10, 2018
Great book
Love this story. Not my normal read. But I love the characters. The way you can see them grow up and growing together as a team. It is a different swing on a paranormal story by adding in that it is on another planet.
Love this story. Not my normal read. But I love the characters. The way you can see them grow up and growing together as a team. It is a different swing on a paranormal story by adding in that it is on another planet.
September 6, 2018
This book is as good as the first one. It has a lot of action, adventure and mystery mixed in an interesting scifi story that kept me very interested. If you liked the first book, you will also like this one.
August 10, 2018
I enjoyed it. Shamira and Valens I just find them to be so cute. Another adventure on Mars and trying to find the bad guys. Good read.
September 28, 2018
I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the next.
September 28, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book. This is a YA sci-fi novel set on Mars. I would recommend this book to fans of sci-fi, YA literature and adventure.
August 22, 2012
“Revenge doesn’t have a name, but has chosen a victim...”
When the first part of a book blurb starts off like that you KNOW you are in for a pretty wild ride! And this book certainly doesn’t disappoint in terms of action. And considering that the author, LM Preston, was recently was voted number one downloaded free ebooks for her book Bandits, I can tell that this author is destined for good things!
Now, I have to be honest, I haven’t actually read the first The Pack book, so I was going into this one a little bit blind. The first (minor) issue that I had was that the book kinda relies on you having read the first book before this one so that you know the characters and what has gone before. As such, I did end up getting a little lost now and then – fortunately the book did fill in the blanks for me and give some back story now and then, so I was able to catch up soon enough.
The plot involves a secret organisation targeting our protagonist, Shamria, by threatening her friends and family as sort of revenge for Shamria foiling the criminal organisation in the previous installment (like I said, I don’t know the full details as I never read the first one). Because of this, she has to forsake her boyfriend as a way of protecting him – kinda like Mary Jane in Spider-Man 3. The romantic subplot is pretty standard, but it works well within the context of the story. The story has a nice few twists in it as well to keep the reader interested.
On the whole, I found Shamira a very good heroine – in the same kinda vein as Buffy the Vampire slayer. She’s not as stoic as most heroes in this type of book and she does have enough of a personality to make her likeable. I will admit that there were times when I felt she was dangerously close to being a mary-sue – but on the whole she was pretty well rounded.
There is a lot of cool action in this book as well and the action rarely seems to stop. Shamira is often confronted with several enemies that she had to take down – it almost feels like a comic book come to life. It has its fair share of violence, but no more then I’d expect from a YA story. I have to be honest thought, I wasn’t too fond of Shamira using torture on a few enemies to get information, but that’s just a personal preference of mine and in no way a comment on the character.
As this was a book that was submitted to me in paperback form, I also had a chance to give my view on the printed version – something which I rarely get a chance to do. Overall, it was pretty good, formatted quite well and with little spelling errors (though I did spot a couple here and there). The paper used to print is just very slightly floppier and not as sturdy as most other books, but that’s a minor complaint.
I can’t really say too much else as I did enjoy it and don’t have many complaints about it. I think it would have helped if I read the first book first so that I could understand the characters a little more, but from what I got from this book I did feel like they were very well put together.
I’d say this is the type of novel that those who like The Hunger Games would enjoy. It has a lot of decent action and a kick-ass heroine that I’m sure will appear to many female readers. And for those who have read the first book I’m sure they will enjoy this one just as much. This is an excellent YA novel with a very strong female lead.
When the first part of a book blurb starts off like that you KNOW you are in for a pretty wild ride! And this book certainly doesn’t disappoint in terms of action. And considering that the author, LM Preston, was recently was voted number one downloaded free ebooks for her book Bandits, I can tell that this author is destined for good things!
Now, I have to be honest, I haven’t actually read the first The Pack book, so I was going into this one a little bit blind. The first (minor) issue that I had was that the book kinda relies on you having read the first book before this one so that you know the characters and what has gone before. As such, I did end up getting a little lost now and then – fortunately the book did fill in the blanks for me and give some back story now and then, so I was able to catch up soon enough.
The plot involves a secret organisation targeting our protagonist, Shamria, by threatening her friends and family as sort of revenge for Shamria foiling the criminal organisation in the previous installment (like I said, I don’t know the full details as I never read the first one). Because of this, she has to forsake her boyfriend as a way of protecting him – kinda like Mary Jane in Spider-Man 3. The romantic subplot is pretty standard, but it works well within the context of the story. The story has a nice few twists in it as well to keep the reader interested.
On the whole, I found Shamira a very good heroine – in the same kinda vein as Buffy the Vampire slayer. She’s not as stoic as most heroes in this type of book and she does have enough of a personality to make her likeable. I will admit that there were times when I felt she was dangerously close to being a mary-sue – but on the whole she was pretty well rounded.
There is a lot of cool action in this book as well and the action rarely seems to stop. Shamira is often confronted with several enemies that she had to take down – it almost feels like a comic book come to life. It has its fair share of violence, but no more then I’d expect from a YA story. I have to be honest thought, I wasn’t too fond of Shamira using torture on a few enemies to get information, but that’s just a personal preference of mine and in no way a comment on the character.
As this was a book that was submitted to me in paperback form, I also had a chance to give my view on the printed version – something which I rarely get a chance to do. Overall, it was pretty good, formatted quite well and with little spelling errors (though I did spot a couple here and there). The paper used to print is just very slightly floppier and not as sturdy as most other books, but that’s a minor complaint.
I can’t really say too much else as I did enjoy it and don’t have many complaints about it. I think it would have helped if I read the first book first so that I could understand the characters a little more, but from what I got from this book I did feel like they were very well put together.
I’d say this is the type of novel that those who like The Hunger Games would enjoy. It has a lot of decent action and a kick-ass heroine that I’m sure will appear to many female readers. And for those who have read the first book I’m sure they will enjoy this one just as much. This is an excellent YA novel with a very strong female lead.
March 30, 2013
Originally posted at Escape Through the Pages with a 2.5 out of 5 rating.
THE PACK: RETRIBUTION by LM Preston is the follow up story to The Pack and explores Shamira, Valens and the rest of the group as they try to stop yet another conspiracy on Mars while hoping to make it through the Security Force Elites and graduate from cadets.
The book starts right off with the action, with a fire fight in the first chapter and many more following as the story continues. Shamira and the others are questioned about the shooting, and proceed to try and figure out who could be gunning for them (pun totally intended). Besides fire fights, there are some good old fashioned hand-to-hand fights, chases, explosions, computer hacking and the seedy drug underworld of Mars to contend with. Honestly, it exhausted me just reading it all. There was hardly a moment where the characters had time to just exist and breathe. The story does have a really good mystery and some wonderful suspense built up, leaving little clues along the way for the reader to decipher and put together.
While Shamira gets a bit more character exploration and depth in this second book, I still just don’t click with her. And her group of friends? Very little character development outside of how loyal they all are to each other, and how much Valens is in love with Shamira. I still enjoy the society and technology found in LM Preston’s future Mars and Earth, even though a lot of the technology was created very fast and produced some often un-believable results (and Valens has to be a genius of epic proportions to create all the tech that he does). The language and writing is a bit awkward in places with sentences that seem too abrupt, others too convoluted and a mix of swearing next to censured swears (bastard in one sentence, crud in the next), and just some different phrasing and choice of words.
Despite my quibbles with parts of the book, I do have to admit that THE PACK: RETRIBUTION by LM Preston kept me reading to find out how the twists and turns are revealed and the explanations behind why Shamira, her group of friends and her family are being targeted for death. Picking up the story not too long after the first book left off, readers can look forward to a fast-paced, shoot-em-up ride through the streets of Mars, and even some romantic hiccups as Shamira comes to gripes with her relationship with Valens. Fans of The Pack should definitely enjoy this sequel.
THE PACK: RETRIBUTION by LM Preston is the follow up story to The Pack and explores Shamira, Valens and the rest of the group as they try to stop yet another conspiracy on Mars while hoping to make it through the Security Force Elites and graduate from cadets.
The book starts right off with the action, with a fire fight in the first chapter and many more following as the story continues. Shamira and the others are questioned about the shooting, and proceed to try and figure out who could be gunning for them (pun totally intended). Besides fire fights, there are some good old fashioned hand-to-hand fights, chases, explosions, computer hacking and the seedy drug underworld of Mars to contend with. Honestly, it exhausted me just reading it all. There was hardly a moment where the characters had time to just exist and breathe. The story does have a really good mystery and some wonderful suspense built up, leaving little clues along the way for the reader to decipher and put together.
While Shamira gets a bit more character exploration and depth in this second book, I still just don’t click with her. And her group of friends? Very little character development outside of how loyal they all are to each other, and how much Valens is in love with Shamira. I still enjoy the society and technology found in LM Preston’s future Mars and Earth, even though a lot of the technology was created very fast and produced some often un-believable results (and Valens has to be a genius of epic proportions to create all the tech that he does). The language and writing is a bit awkward in places with sentences that seem too abrupt, others too convoluted and a mix of swearing next to censured swears (bastard in one sentence, crud in the next), and just some different phrasing and choice of words.
Despite my quibbles with parts of the book, I do have to admit that THE PACK: RETRIBUTION by LM Preston kept me reading to find out how the twists and turns are revealed and the explanations behind why Shamira, her group of friends and her family are being targeted for death. Picking up the story not too long after the first book left off, readers can look forward to a fast-paced, shoot-em-up ride through the streets of Mars, and even some romantic hiccups as Shamira comes to gripes with her relationship with Valens. Fans of The Pack should definitely enjoy this sequel.
September 25, 2012
Fast action and emotional depth mingle unexpected twists that engage and entice Sci Fi elements in this futuristic world.
The opening easily acclimates the reader back into the story from where Book I left off. After the first few pages, I had a good feeling who Shamira was, as well as her doubts and fears. (BTW - I'm a name freak and I still love the name Shamira!) It was obvious that she'd grown from the first book, but that lots of emotional growth was yet to come. That's what struck me most about this second book. As quickly as the story moved forward through physical action, the emotional threads of the characters changing and developing pressed the story forward even to a greater degree.
There's an inner wavering that plagues Shamira, question and doubts. During Book I, her warrior lifestyle fit her more easily, primarily because she had nothing to lose, no one she cared about risking. But this time is different. She's made friends, real friends, and the thought about putting them in harms way hurts and gives her pause. Shamira's fears about letting people 'in' is a constant pendulum accentuating the struggle between her desire for a career as a leader and her love of values, and building a future with the one boy who she would trust with anything. This added realistic tension.
Preston did a wonderful job of exploring the emotions of family life, friendships, and examining the different dynamics.
The world created is vivid with lines such as ...the large metal cylinder that rose up out of the ground... The tale climaxes with a blinding twist, so unexpected that I was unable to stop reading until the very last word.
Lastly, despite this read being Sci Fi, there is a contemporary feel that threads the emotional parts to the techy elements. I found that an appealing surprise.
The opening easily acclimates the reader back into the story from where Book I left off. After the first few pages, I had a good feeling who Shamira was, as well as her doubts and fears. (BTW - I'm a name freak and I still love the name Shamira!) It was obvious that she'd grown from the first book, but that lots of emotional growth was yet to come. That's what struck me most about this second book. As quickly as the story moved forward through physical action, the emotional threads of the characters changing and developing pressed the story forward even to a greater degree.
There's an inner wavering that plagues Shamira, question and doubts. During Book I, her warrior lifestyle fit her more easily, primarily because she had nothing to lose, no one she cared about risking. But this time is different. She's made friends, real friends, and the thought about putting them in harms way hurts and gives her pause. Shamira's fears about letting people 'in' is a constant pendulum accentuating the struggle between her desire for a career as a leader and her love of values, and building a future with the one boy who she would trust with anything. This added realistic tension.
Preston did a wonderful job of exploring the emotions of family life, friendships, and examining the different dynamics.
The world created is vivid with lines such as ...the large metal cylinder that rose up out of the ground... The tale climaxes with a blinding twist, so unexpected that I was unable to stop reading until the very last word.
Lastly, despite this read being Sci Fi, there is a contemporary feel that threads the emotional parts to the techy elements. I found that an appealing surprise.
September 27, 2012
3.5 Stars
I enjoyed the first book, The Pack, when I read it in 2010 and was really pleased to learn there was a sequel. I was keen to catch up with Shamira and Valens.
The story is set a year after the events of The Pack. Having spent that time training with her team, they about to take part in their last training mission when things don't go according to plan! Resolved to get to the bottom of what is going on Shamira starts to wonder if she is putting her teams, and new friends, at risk and is determined to keep them safe, even if it means letting them go...
This one definitely starts with a bang - we go straight into the action and I really enjoyed that. I got back into the world really quickly too and I really liked the setting. Set in the future and on Mars this has a futuristic feel but at the same time is grounded in reality - having read so much dystopian lately - this has a very similar feel.
As I said this one is actioned pack from the get go and it doesn't let up. LM Preston skillfully manages to combined this with quieter moments between the characters and both works incredibly well. It makes it exciting to read but also gives you the hook you need to stay invested in the story.
The characters are my favourite aspect of the story though and I was pleased to catch up with Shamira and Valens, as well as the rest of the characters we met in the first book. I was please to see Shamira and Valens still together, even if she was still finding it hard to open up to him. I really adore their relationship - it's sweet and he is incredibly caring towards her. I really loved it. The other characters are well fleshed out too - I loved seeing her interact with her family - especially Taren and her father (I love him!)
Definitely worth checking out - the setting makes this one stand out from other books I'm reading at the moment and I really liked the characters.
I enjoyed the first book, The Pack, when I read it in 2010 and was really pleased to learn there was a sequel. I was keen to catch up with Shamira and Valens.
The story is set a year after the events of The Pack. Having spent that time training with her team, they about to take part in their last training mission when things don't go according to plan! Resolved to get to the bottom of what is going on Shamira starts to wonder if she is putting her teams, and new friends, at risk and is determined to keep them safe, even if it means letting them go...
This one definitely starts with a bang - we go straight into the action and I really enjoyed that. I got back into the world really quickly too and I really liked the setting. Set in the future and on Mars this has a futuristic feel but at the same time is grounded in reality - having read so much dystopian lately - this has a very similar feel.
As I said this one is actioned pack from the get go and it doesn't let up. LM Preston skillfully manages to combined this with quieter moments between the characters and both works incredibly well. It makes it exciting to read but also gives you the hook you need to stay invested in the story.
The characters are my favourite aspect of the story though and I was pleased to catch up with Shamira and Valens, as well as the rest of the characters we met in the first book. I was please to see Shamira and Valens still together, even if she was still finding it hard to open up to him. I really adore their relationship - it's sweet and he is incredibly caring towards her. I really loved it. The other characters are well fleshed out too - I loved seeing her interact with her family - especially Taren and her father (I love him!)
Definitely worth checking out - the setting makes this one stand out from other books I'm reading at the moment and I really liked the characters.
August 12, 2015
I received The Pack: Retribution by LM Preston for review a few months back and this is my honest review.
The Pack: Retribution is the sequel to Preston’s first book The Pack. In the first book Shamira and her group of friends are forced to save all the children on mars from the bad guys, I won’t tell you if they succeed or not but the second book picks up with Shamira and her clan going on another mission.
I loved Shamira’s character in the first book, and I still love her character now! She’s so strong but we get to see her change and grow from the first book too the second. She has trust issues because she’s always been alone but in the second book its a little bit easier for her to change and let people in which I like. Preston did a great job making her characters dynamic.
The action in this book was phenomenal! There was never a dull moment. Shamira and the group were always fighting off the bad guys and with style too. It’s always refreshing to have all kinds of action in a book. Especially when the action is coming from a group of teenagers thats the best.
The setting of this book is on Mars. How cool is that? I liked reading how Preston described Mars I thought it was pretty interesting, and if I was to think of Mars her description of it was pretty darn close. Overall the book gets a 4 out of 5 stars. In places it was a little slow but I enjoyed the characters and the action a lot!
The Pack: Retribution is the sequel to Preston’s first book The Pack. In the first book Shamira and her group of friends are forced to save all the children on mars from the bad guys, I won’t tell you if they succeed or not but the second book picks up with Shamira and her clan going on another mission.
I loved Shamira’s character in the first book, and I still love her character now! She’s so strong but we get to see her change and grow from the first book too the second. She has trust issues because she’s always been alone but in the second book its a little bit easier for her to change and let people in which I like. Preston did a great job making her characters dynamic.
The action in this book was phenomenal! There was never a dull moment. Shamira and the group were always fighting off the bad guys and with style too. It’s always refreshing to have all kinds of action in a book. Especially when the action is coming from a group of teenagers thats the best.
The setting of this book is on Mars. How cool is that? I liked reading how Preston described Mars I thought it was pretty interesting, and if I was to think of Mars her description of it was pretty darn close. Overall the book gets a 4 out of 5 stars. In places it was a little slow but I enjoyed the characters and the action a lot!
June 27, 2012
I do not usually read YA and science fiction. It’s usually the last books I read in my TBR. But then, since I promised to be always open-minded when it comes to books, I gave this book a try. The premise is really interesting. It reads like an espionage thriller although the main difference is that the setting is on Mars.
There are a lot of interesting details and new concepts that I have discovered in this book which made me very keen to finish it. One thing is the vaccine that eliminates the genetic predisposition of people to commit crimes so that former convicts can have better lives. Another thing is the special suit, nano skin, which is impervious to damage. I always love it when authors take time to explore innovative ideas and really put an effort to make it sound credible and not forced.
The main character Shamira is very interesting because you can really see her strong character and magnetic personality. Although this book is actually a sequel, I found it easy to read it. It seems to be a stand alone novel in itself although reading the first book will definitely help me understand the universe of this book so much more. As a whole, I enjoyed the whole book. It made me want to read the first book and maybe the succeeding books that the author would write.
There are a lot of interesting details and new concepts that I have discovered in this book which made me very keen to finish it. One thing is the vaccine that eliminates the genetic predisposition of people to commit crimes so that former convicts can have better lives. Another thing is the special suit, nano skin, which is impervious to damage. I always love it when authors take time to explore innovative ideas and really put an effort to make it sound credible and not forced.
The main character Shamira is very interesting because you can really see her strong character and magnetic personality. Although this book is actually a sequel, I found it easy to read it. It seems to be a stand alone novel in itself although reading the first book will definitely help me understand the universe of this book so much more. As a whole, I enjoyed the whole book. It made me want to read the first book and maybe the succeeding books that the author would write.
October 2, 2012
10*s. I recieved a paperback copy of this book directly from the author in return for an honest review.
As I had said when reading book1, Sci-Fi is usually not in my genre but I had loved it and with that said on to my review of The Pack Retribution.
WOW.....This book started out with a bang and the hits just kept coming. This an awesomely fabulous Sci-Fi with lots of action and of course teens! I am totally in love with the the characters, they each have their own awesome personaliities that just makes the book that much more wonderful!! I totally LOVED Shamira and Valens. Those two just made the story unique. Of course, I loved to read about awesome lead female heroines, that just makes me feel like I could do anything too if it came down to protecting myself and the ones I loved!! This is MUST read YA Sci-Fi Action that will not disappoint!! Thank you, LM, for the oppportunity to read and review this wild ride and fun book!!
As I had said when reading book1, Sci-Fi is usually not in my genre but I had loved it and with that said on to my review of The Pack Retribution.
WOW.....This book started out with a bang and the hits just kept coming. This an awesomely fabulous Sci-Fi with lots of action and of course teens! I am totally in love with the the characters, they each have their own awesome personaliities that just makes the book that much more wonderful!! I totally LOVED Shamira and Valens. Those two just made the story unique. Of course, I loved to read about awesome lead female heroines, that just makes me feel like I could do anything too if it came down to protecting myself and the ones I loved!! This is MUST read YA Sci-Fi Action that will not disappoint!! Thank you, LM, for the oppportunity to read and review this wild ride and fun book!!
December 6, 2012
In this second installment, Shamira is faced with protecting her family and giving up the man she loves in order to keep her family safe. But Valens doesn't wan to loose Shamira and won't give up so easily. The Pack Retribution starts off blazing and doesn't stop till the end, With a new enemy threatening Shamira's friends and Valens must join together to defeat this enemy who doesn't want the children of Mars safe. This was a great book beginning to end. I definitely think anyone considering this book should read book one The Pack Fantasy first so that you can follow with this story line. I love this series LM Preston did a great job world building and drawing me into this story right away, Shamira and Valens relationship is again a great part of this book. This is a great series that anyone who likes Science fiction, or romance would love.
**I was given a ARC from NetGallery , Thank you**
**I was given a ARC from NetGallery , Thank you**
September 5, 2012
I could not get into this book. Poor writing and very sporadic at times. My son however, is reading it now and seems to like it okay. He said it is not one of his favorites but since he doesn't have anything else to read right now it is better than nothing.
My rating system is as follows:
5 stars - Excellent, Worth Every Penny, Made It Into My Personal Library!
4 stars - Great book, but not a classic.
3 stars - Good overall, may contain profanity or suggestive themes.
2 stars - Would not recommend based on the criteria found in my review.
1 star - Difficult to read, hard to finish, Wouldn't recommend purchasing or reading.
In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book I review was provided to me by the publisher, media group or the author for free and no financial payments were received, unless specified otherwise.
My rating system is as follows:
5 stars - Excellent, Worth Every Penny, Made It Into My Personal Library!
4 stars - Great book, but not a classic.
3 stars - Good overall, may contain profanity or suggestive themes.
2 stars - Would not recommend based on the criteria found in my review.
1 star - Difficult to read, hard to finish, Wouldn't recommend purchasing or reading.
In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book I review was provided to me by the publisher, media group or the author for free and no financial payments were received, unless specified otherwise.
September 30, 2012
This is the second book in the Pack series. My main issue is that as soon as I started reading it I felt like I picked up a book, flipped to the middle, and started reading. I am a strong proponent of each story being able to stand completely on it’s own in a series. The relationship’s and world of the book seem to have completely established, but were not explained to the new reader. So I never felt fully involved in the story. People died, got hurt, betrayed their comrades, and I didn’t really care. I like the idea of these young cadet’s, living on Mars, where addiction has been cured through technology. I also like the idea of those who resist the chip, and choose to rehab the old fashioned way even though they know they will be ridiculed. Maybe if I had read the first book I would have liked it better, but I doubt it.
October 30, 2012
I have not read the first book of this story, which probably affected my enjoyment of Retribution. LM Preston did an excellent job of providing the backstory fairly quickly, although I did not get much sense of the Mars setting. What I found lacking was character development, which may have been covered in the first volume. As it is, I had a hard time caring about any of the the kids, including Shamira. Fortunately there was plenty of action, so the plot kept my interest. I realize this is a YA story, but I still couldn't help wondering what the adults were doing to catch the bad guys except relying on Shamira and her friends to save the day. I think if I were a teenager I would have had a much more favorable reading experience.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.
September 22, 2012
I have read both books in this series and loved both of them. This is a fast-paced, High action thrill of a book. The characters are strong and likable! I Love how Shamira must overcome her trust issues and learn to rely on others to help her. Valens is just the perfect guy! He is sweet, strong and very understanding of Shamira's trust issues. He is willing to support Shamira and has no problem with her being a strong and capable leadder. Her friends in this book are loyal and true.
I like how Shamira makes mistakes and learns from them. Hope there will be a 3rd book!
Great Fun Read!
I like how Shamira makes mistakes and learns from them. Hope there will be a 3rd book!
Great Fun Read!
January 9, 2014
DNF. Read the first book after winning this one in a giveaway and didn't like it. There wasn't enough science to support the science-fiction. It bothered me that a blind girl could "see" as well as a normal girl. Might as well have made her color-blind.
Because the writing style didn't seem to improve much within the first couple chapters of this book and Shamira was still too mary-sue, I decided to DNF it.
If you liked the first book, then you'd probably like this one. This one wasn't for me.
Because the writing style didn't seem to improve much within the first couple chapters of this book and Shamira was still too mary-sue, I decided to DNF it.
If you liked the first book, then you'd probably like this one. This one wasn't for me.
August 27, 2018
Loved this book!
I really enjoyed the first book and this one was even more action packed right from the start
I really enjoyed the first book and this one was even more action packed right from the start
August 10, 2015
I hate to say bad things about people. But this book was awful. It was extremely disjointed and hard to follow. It does not feel like the authors heart was into it. I didn't see an editor listed, and it shows.
I'm glad I won this. Because if I had paid for this book a refund would be in order.
First reads review.
I'm glad I won this. Because if I had paid for this book a refund would be in order.
First reads review.
September 27, 2012
Intriguing premise set on Mars. Action packed writing with one strong female protagonist.
YA Books Central review coming soon!
YA Books Central review coming soon!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews