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Brokenhearted #2
The Invisible
In the riveting sequel to the reimagined superhero story The Brokenhearted, Anthem Fleet takes on a powerful new villain and makes some startling discoveries about her family and her past that will forever change her.
Taking up where The Brokenhearted ended, the sequel finds Anthem Fleet attempting to return to a normal life after an experimental surgery that left her with a bionic hummingbird heart and a terrifying new strength. But she can’t shake her suspicions about her father’s connection to the Syndicate and she can’t ignore the cries of help in the crime-ridden city of Bedlam. She finds new promise in her relationship with Ford, but after his lifesaving surgery, the Ford Anthem knew slips away.
When a mysterious new group called “The Invisible” starts attacking the privileged North Siders, Anthem has to step up and be the New Hope that Bedlam needs, or Bedlam will fall…once and for all.
Publishers Weekly called The Brokenhearted an “atmospheric, adventure-laced debut” with “graceful world-building, strong characterizations, and an enveloping plot.”
Taking up where The Brokenhearted ended, the sequel finds Anthem Fleet attempting to return to a normal life after an experimental surgery that left her with a bionic hummingbird heart and a terrifying new strength. But she can’t shake her suspicions about her father’s connection to the Syndicate and she can’t ignore the cries of help in the crime-ridden city of Bedlam. She finds new promise in her relationship with Ford, but after his lifesaving surgery, the Ford Anthem knew slips away.
When a mysterious new group called “The Invisible” starts attacking the privileged North Siders, Anthem has to step up and be the New Hope that Bedlam needs, or Bedlam will fall…once and for all.
Publishers Weekly called The Brokenhearted an “atmospheric, adventure-laced debut” with “graceful world-building, strong characterizations, and an enveloping plot.”
304 pages, Hardcover
First published October 7, 2014
About the author
Amelia Kahaney
6 books149 followersAmelia Kahaney is the author of All the Best Liars and The Brokenhearted series. Her short fiction has appeared in Best American Nonrequired Reading, One Story, and Crazyhorse, among other publications. She teaches writing in New York City, where she lives with her husband and son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
July 28, 2022
I will say the overall feeling of this book is.......meh. didn't hate it but certainly didn't love it
April 26, 2019
Really enjoyed reading this book again, we learned more about these characters, things that they didn't know themselves, and Anthem faces a new threat!
*First read November 10th, 2014*
Wow, I so enjoyed this book! The stakes are higher, we get a few POV's from the past, and that explain more of this world, and yeah, I'd really love a 3rd book and more!
*First read November 10th, 2014*
Wow, I so enjoyed this book! The stakes are higher, we get a few POV's from the past, and that explain more of this world, and yeah, I'd really love a 3rd book and more!
Shelved as 'not-interested'
January 25, 2014Note to Self: The first book was a wannabe Batman who's intellect wasn't even a tenth of Bats' intellect. TSTL is a very, very accurate description. The research on ballet consisted of watching Black Swan one too many times and nothing else. Avoid at all costs unless there's a library copy that plays mind games on you and then immediate regret checking it out.
September 18, 2017
NOTE: I first published this on Speculative Chic.
Amelia Kahaney's The Invisible does what you hope all sequels will do: improve upon the predecessor. If The Brokenhearted is the origin story, then The Invisible is where the series-proper starts. (Unfortunately, a third novel wasn't contracted.)
Anthem Fleet's chimerical heart and ballet skills are well needed to defeat The Invisible, a secret organisation kidnapping children from rich families in order to raise money for the poor part of Bedlam. The wealthy side of town was built to literally raise them above the damaged side, so that flooding wouldn't inconvenience the cashed-up.
The Invisible sees Anthem confronting her own economic privilege. The well-off have to actually lose something, such as a child, before they'll consider donating half their fortune to aid worthy causes low down.
Amelia Kahaney writes The Invisible with stunning imagery. The scene where Anthem watches skyscrapers collapse, not knowing if her Tower will fall next, is genuinely thrilling.
I was surprised to discover that I'd rated the first book in the series only two stars. The Invisible is worth double that.
*****
WRITTEN BEFORE DRAFTING A REVIEW:
Some ableist language.
Is it possible to build a city on top of landfill? Is that structurally sound?
Even though I remembered almost nothing from Book 1, I enjoyed this. Haven't heard news on any upcoming book from the author, though I'd like to read more from her.
Amelia Kahaney's The Invisible does what you hope all sequels will do: improve upon the predecessor. If The Brokenhearted is the origin story, then The Invisible is where the series-proper starts. (Unfortunately, a third novel wasn't contracted.)
Anthem Fleet's chimerical heart and ballet skills are well needed to defeat The Invisible, a secret organisation kidnapping children from rich families in order to raise money for the poor part of Bedlam. The wealthy side of town was built to literally raise them above the damaged side, so that flooding wouldn't inconvenience the cashed-up.
The Invisible sees Anthem confronting her own economic privilege. The well-off have to actually lose something, such as a child, before they'll consider donating half their fortune to aid worthy causes low down.
Amelia Kahaney writes The Invisible with stunning imagery. The scene where Anthem watches skyscrapers collapse, not knowing if her Tower will fall next, is genuinely thrilling.
I was surprised to discover that I'd rated the first book in the series only two stars. The Invisible is worth double that.
*****
WRITTEN BEFORE DRAFTING A REVIEW:
Some ableist language.
Is it possible to build a city on top of landfill? Is that structurally sound?
Even though I remembered almost nothing from Book 1, I enjoyed this. Haven't heard news on any upcoming book from the author, though I'd like to read more from her.
August 18, 2014
First off I want to say a huge THANK YOU to HarperTeen and Edelweiss for allowing me to read and review this book early. I first was introduced to Amelia Kahaney last year when I read the first book in this series, Brokenhearted. Even though it wasn't my favorite YA book, I still really enjoyed it. I mean come on guys a female version of Batman kicking ass and taking names with a hummingbird heart. Hell yes sign me up. My problems with the first book were definitely not visible in book two. Making this book be the first one in a long time where the sequel is better than the original.
My main problem with the first book was Anthem, our main female heroine. It drove me crazy how naive she was to the things and people going on around her city. But in The Invisible the readers get to see a whole new side of Anthem. Yes she is broken, but not beaten. The events that occurred made her stronger and more enjoyable character to follow. I loved Anthem as a "superhero" she is brave and selfless but also still vulnerable. She cares so deeply for the people in the city and takes it very harshly when she falters. The only thing that kept me from giving this book a five star was the fact that Anthem is running around being a vigilante, yet Once again she has no definitive disguise of any kind. Plus she is relying on random people to conceal her identify, and she is literally leaving evidence everywhere. I mean come on girlie this is superhero training 101.
The storyline was so much better than book one. There was more action and drama around every flip of the page. I literally read this book in one night because I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed all the twists and turns, this book contained so many events that I just didn't see coming. Especially that shocker we got at the end, BRILLIANT! Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the series as a whole. I really hope Amelia writes a third book because this series has become a definite guilty pleasure read. I highly recommend this to any and everyone especially to those that are superhero fans.
Original review posted on my blog:
http://lexiereviewscorner.blogspot.co...
My main problem with the first book was Anthem, our main female heroine. It drove me crazy how naive she was to the things and people going on around her city. But in The Invisible the readers get to see a whole new side of Anthem. Yes she is broken, but not beaten. The events that occurred made her stronger and more enjoyable character to follow. I loved Anthem as a "superhero" she is brave and selfless but also still vulnerable. She cares so deeply for the people in the city and takes it very harshly when she falters. The only thing that kept me from giving this book a five star was the fact that Anthem is running around being a vigilante, yet Once again she has no definitive disguise of any kind. Plus she is relying on random people to conceal her identify, and she is literally leaving evidence everywhere. I mean come on girlie this is superhero training 101.
The storyline was so much better than book one. There was more action and drama around every flip of the page. I literally read this book in one night because I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed all the twists and turns, this book contained so many events that I just didn't see coming. Especially that shocker we got at the end, BRILLIANT! Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the series as a whole. I really hope Amelia writes a third book because this series has become a definite guilty pleasure read. I highly recommend this to any and everyone especially to those that are superhero fans.
Original review posted on my blog:
http://lexiereviewscorner.blogspot.co...
November 27, 2014
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
While it didn't manage to pack quite the emotional punch as THE BROKENHEARTED, THE INVISIBLE has it's own way of twisting the reader's heartstrings. A thrilling and action-packed follow-up to THE BROKENHEARTED, THE INVISIBLE will grab readers from the beginning and remind them why they loved book one so much.
Kahaney has created a world that manages to be both terrifyingly similar to our world, yet so dysfunctional. The physical world-building was again a bit weak, and I had a hard time not super-imposing Bedlam over Chicago, again. It's hard to get a sense of Anthem's surroundings beyond the South Side/North Side dichotomy. I also would have liked if Anthem had explored her father's connection to the Syndicate a little more, instead of taking his flimsy explanation at face value.
However, I can see how those things fell by the wayside, because THE INVISIBLE manages to be fast-paced and breath-taking. Anthem manages to continuously find herself in situations that the reader can't help but wonder if she'll make it out. The villain is creepy and brilliant, but with enough weakness that allows it to be believable that Anthem can take him fair and square. Like in THE BROKENHEARTED, Kahaney has no problem killing off characters, and jerking the reader's emotions, making THE INVISIBLE an experience you won't forget.
All in all, the Brokenhearted series is one that I'm completely, totally taken with. With the subtle twists and turns, to the flat out action movie-esque sequences, it's a reading experience that lends itself to feeling more like you're watching something unfold before you, rather than reading words on a page. It's easy to get engrossed in the story, and any little complaints I may have definitely don't detract from the overall enjoyment. This is one I would recommend to any reader of young adult fiction, from actual young adults, to adults who don't know what they're missing!
Sexual content: Kissing.
While it didn't manage to pack quite the emotional punch as THE BROKENHEARTED, THE INVISIBLE has it's own way of twisting the reader's heartstrings. A thrilling and action-packed follow-up to THE BROKENHEARTED, THE INVISIBLE will grab readers from the beginning and remind them why they loved book one so much.
Kahaney has created a world that manages to be both terrifyingly similar to our world, yet so dysfunctional. The physical world-building was again a bit weak, and I had a hard time not super-imposing Bedlam over Chicago, again. It's hard to get a sense of Anthem's surroundings beyond the South Side/North Side dichotomy. I also would have liked if Anthem had explored her father's connection to the Syndicate a little more, instead of taking his flimsy explanation at face value.
However, I can see how those things fell by the wayside, because THE INVISIBLE manages to be fast-paced and breath-taking. Anthem manages to continuously find herself in situations that the reader can't help but wonder if she'll make it out. The villain is creepy and brilliant, but with enough weakness that allows it to be believable that Anthem can take him fair and square. Like in THE BROKENHEARTED, Kahaney has no problem killing off characters, and jerking the reader's emotions, making THE INVISIBLE an experience you won't forget.
All in all, the Brokenhearted series is one that I'm completely, totally taken with. With the subtle twists and turns, to the flat out action movie-esque sequences, it's a reading experience that lends itself to feeling more like you're watching something unfold before you, rather than reading words on a page. It's easy to get engrossed in the story, and any little complaints I may have definitely don't detract from the overall enjoyment. This is one I would recommend to any reader of young adult fiction, from actual young adults, to adults who don't know what they're missing!
Sexual content: Kissing.
November 3, 2019
They're out in an instant, their white albino bodies no more than blurs as they speed across the table, onto the floor. Following the floorboards along the walls, they make their way to the door and are gone.
First of all, this series was AWESOME!!
Sorry! I had to put Felix in there!
I only had one problem. Anthem didn't have much training for fighting, yet she is somehow able to defeat her enemies all the time. A couple of people would have probably got to punch her at least once or twice. They have trained to fight a lot longer than Anthem has. Also, the fact that she knows exactly what to do like she has been a General for many years.
Overall, this book has lots of suspense and action. I loved it!
First of all, this series was AWESOME!!
Sorry! I had to put Felix in there!
I only had one problem. Anthem didn't have much training for fighting, yet she is somehow able to defeat her enemies all the time. A couple of people would have probably got to punch her at least once or twice. They have trained to fight a lot longer than Anthem has. Also, the fact that she knows exactly what to do like she has been a General for many years.
Overall, this book has lots of suspense and action. I loved it!
October 10, 2014
3.25 stars
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This is the second book in the ‘Brokenhearted’ series.
This was an okay story, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one.
Anthem was an okay character in this, but she still made some very silly decisions. Once again she was running around playing super-hero with no disguise of any kind, relying on random people to conceal her identify, and having no problems leaving video evidence, DNA, and fingerprints at crime scenes. Will she never learn?
The storyline in this was okay, although I felt like it didn’t really get interesting until the 40% mark. There were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming, and I was quite shocked by one twist that we got at the end, but between the twists and action scenes, the rest of the story was a little dull.
There wasn’t really much romance in this one to be honest.
The ending was okay, and again, I liked the twist that we discovered. I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first though, it just felt a bit lacking for me.
Overall; okay story, but not as good as the first.
6.5 out of 10.
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This is the second book in the ‘Brokenhearted’ series.
This was an okay story, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one.
Anthem was an okay character in this, but she still made some very silly decisions. Once again she was running around playing super-hero with no disguise of any kind, relying on random people to conceal her identify, and having no problems leaving video evidence, DNA, and fingerprints at crime scenes. Will she never learn?
The storyline in this was okay, although I felt like it didn’t really get interesting until the 40% mark. There were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming, and I was quite shocked by one twist that we got at the end, but between the twists and action scenes, the rest of the story was a little dull.
There wasn’t really much romance in this one to be honest.
The ending was okay, and again, I liked the twist that we discovered. I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first though, it just felt a bit lacking for me.
Overall; okay story, but not as good as the first.
6.5 out of 10.
January 16, 2016
The Invisible is the amazing sequel to The Brokenhearted. It’s full of awesome and kind of feels like The Dark Knight meets The Black Swan. Anthem has gone all vigilante, much like Bruce Wayne of Oliver Queen, but unlike them she’s had her heart modified and now she’s super fast and has enhanced senses.
Something bad goes down at a horse show and group that calls themselves the Invisible makes threats. They release videos urging the rich North siders to give their money to the South side. If not, bad stuff will happen. Then don’t take it seriously and someone gets killed. Despite her speed, Anthem was too late. Her and Ford want to find this Invisible just as much as the authorizes. Worse thing happen, and the North side finally does give some money. People now know that the New Hope is out there, but they don’t know it’s Anthem.
Also, we discover things about Anthem’s dead sister Regina.
I originally thought this was set in Chicago. It’s actually set in Bedlam, a city that is based off on Chicago. It’s an alternate reality version of Chicago that’s like Gotham from Batman. It may be a mixed of Detroit and Chicago. Like Chicago, it’s buy a lake, but Lake Morris, not Lake Michigan. There’s a river, like the Chicago River, and a North and South side. The poverty line it much more exaggerated. It’s much more dystopian-like.
If you’re a YA reader who enjoys Gotham (on Fox) or the Batman movies, then you’ll love The Brokenhearted series. Also if you love Arrow on the CW or this older show called Dark Angel. It’s very reminiscent of comic books and graphic novels. There’s so many book I can compare it too, not just TV, movies and superhero stuff. If you liked Divergent, Shatter Me, Die For Me, Cinder, Dark Star, Mila 2.0, False Memory. It’s very much like urban fantasy, minus anything paranormal. It’s action sci-fi, not steam punk. People have cell phones and dye their hair in punky colors and other modern things. I’m note sure if there will be a third book. I want there to be one, but I’m okay with this being the final book. If that sound like something you’d like to read, then give this series a read.
Cover Art Review: Lovely metal hummingbird. It’s very awesome! And also, the cityscape below is infact Chicago. I checked. That oval roofed building I recognize.
~Haley G
My blog:
http://breathlessbookreviews.blogspot...
Something bad goes down at a horse show and group that calls themselves the Invisible makes threats. They release videos urging the rich North siders to give their money to the South side. If not, bad stuff will happen. Then don’t take it seriously and someone gets killed. Despite her speed, Anthem was too late. Her and Ford want to find this Invisible just as much as the authorizes. Worse thing happen, and the North side finally does give some money. People now know that the New Hope is out there, but they don’t know it’s Anthem.
Also, we discover things about Anthem’s dead sister Regina.
I originally thought this was set in Chicago. It’s actually set in Bedlam, a city that is based off on Chicago. It’s an alternate reality version of Chicago that’s like Gotham from Batman. It may be a mixed of Detroit and Chicago. Like Chicago, it’s buy a lake, but Lake Morris, not Lake Michigan. There’s a river, like the Chicago River, and a North and South side. The poverty line it much more exaggerated. It’s much more dystopian-like.
If you’re a YA reader who enjoys Gotham (on Fox) or the Batman movies, then you’ll love The Brokenhearted series. Also if you love Arrow on the CW or this older show called Dark Angel. It’s very reminiscent of comic books and graphic novels. There’s so many book I can compare it too, not just TV, movies and superhero stuff. If you liked Divergent, Shatter Me, Die For Me, Cinder, Dark Star, Mila 2.0, False Memory. It’s very much like urban fantasy, minus anything paranormal. It’s action sci-fi, not steam punk. People have cell phones and dye their hair in punky colors and other modern things. I’m note sure if there will be a third book. I want there to be one, but I’m okay with this being the final book. If that sound like something you’d like to read, then give this series a read.
Cover Art Review: Lovely metal hummingbird. It’s very awesome! And also, the cityscape below is infact Chicago. I checked. That oval roofed building I recognize.
~Haley G
My blog:
http://breathlessbookreviews.blogspot...
December 22, 2014
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A unique YA story that features one of my favorite things: Superheroes!!! While I didn’t love everything about this one it was still a really fun read and I would highly recommend it!
Opening Sentence: Spring has finally come in Bedlam, and the air in the arena smells like newly blooming roses, popcorn, and manure.
The Review:
Anthem Fleet is trying to get used to her new life. After an experimental surgery that left her with superhuman powers, she has become an unidentified hero in the dangerous city of Bedlam. The gap between the wealthy and the poor continues to grow every single day. The privileged people live in the North side while the poor live in the South side. The crime is at an all time high and then a new group called “The Invisible” start attacking the wealthy. They are ruthless and don’t care what or who the causalities are in their venture to fulfill their goal of making the two sides of the city more equal. The mysterious leader of “The Invisible” continues to wreak havoc and leave cryptic messages to all those rich enough to live on the North Side. The only hope left for the city to survive is Anthem. Her new abilities will be tested and if she isn’t strong enough then all of Bedlam will be destroyed including everyone Anthem loves.
Anthem is an amazing heroine and I actually liked her much better in this book versus the first one. She has really grown into someone that I felt could be a true hero. She lost the whiny/vengeful attitude that she previously had and she is just more about protecting the innocent. She is a smart, beautiful girl that grew up in a privileged home. She’s not perfect and like all great characters she has flaws that make her feel more realistic. I was so glad that I was able to connect with her much better and I am excited to see where her story goes next.
Ford was easily one of my favorite characters in the first book. He is such a great guy with a heroic heart. The bravery he shows is very admirable and I just couldn’t help but love him. But I was really disappointed with his character in this installment. Honestly, he is hardly in the book at all and I felt that the only reason he was even included was so that there would be some kind of romance in the story. Speaking of the romance I thought that it felt very rushed. It was really hot and cold which didn’t make sense to me. Anthem and Ford had an amazing connection in the first book and instead of expounding on that I felt that the author tried to force the romance instead of letting it develop naturally. It’s not that I don’t love these two together because I do, but all the things I loved about them in the first book were missing in this one. I was truly disappointed with the way Ford’s character was developed and I really hope that we can get back to the Ford I loved in the first book.
Invisible is a fast paced story with engaging characters, intense action, and a just overall entertaining. There were moments throughout the story where I did get a little confused as to what was going on, but for the most part everything flowed really well. There were some great plot twists that I wasn’t expecting, which is always a huge plus for me. The villain was a huge plus for me, not only was he totally creepy but he was very well done. Obviously I unfortunately wasn’t a fan of the romance but I think there is hope that it will get better in the next book. While I feel like I am being pretty negative about this book, overall it really was a great read. It obviously had some serious flaws but the one thing it really has going for it is that it is memorable. Even thought I didn’t love the first book, I can still recall pretty much everything that happened a year after reading it and I feel that it will be the same for the second book. Personally, I haven’t read hardly any young adult books that feature superheroes, and I honestly don’t know why because I love them. Because it is unique and very entertaining, I still would highly recommend this series — even with all its flaws!!!
Notable Scene:
Just then, something white passes in front of my face and lands on my knee, between the folds of my plaid Cathedral uniform skirt. A flower. I pick it up and examine it. It’s a cut daisy, the stem about an inch long. I look up at the ceiling. There’s a black tarp hanging there, in the very center of the chapel, fastened at three corners. A few more daisies spill from one of the corners.
It isn’t like Cathedral to do something like this. Especially not inside the chapel, which is reserved for solemn morning masses and dignified graduations and award ceremonies.
Was this Principal Bang’s idea? I turn to Z and point upward, rolling my eyes. But then another corner of the tarp comes undone, and we’re all doused in daisies. And along with the daisies, tiny slips of paper.
Debbie is still making her speech, but I’m not listening until she stops and screams out, “WHAT IS THIS?”
She waves a slip of paper in her hand. Everyone is picking daisies out of their hair, rumbles of conversation growing louder.
“Is this a prank?” Debbie yells. “It’s not funny, you guys!”
I pick up one of the slips from the ground and my blood freezes in my veins when I read the words, hand-scrawled in blue ballpoint: Like the humble daisy, The Invisible grow every time it rains. Expect us, children. We are everywhere.
FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of The Invisible. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A unique YA story that features one of my favorite things: Superheroes!!! While I didn’t love everything about this one it was still a really fun read and I would highly recommend it!
Opening Sentence: Spring has finally come in Bedlam, and the air in the arena smells like newly blooming roses, popcorn, and manure.
The Review:
Anthem Fleet is trying to get used to her new life. After an experimental surgery that left her with superhuman powers, she has become an unidentified hero in the dangerous city of Bedlam. The gap between the wealthy and the poor continues to grow every single day. The privileged people live in the North side while the poor live in the South side. The crime is at an all time high and then a new group called “The Invisible” start attacking the wealthy. They are ruthless and don’t care what or who the causalities are in their venture to fulfill their goal of making the two sides of the city more equal. The mysterious leader of “The Invisible” continues to wreak havoc and leave cryptic messages to all those rich enough to live on the North Side. The only hope left for the city to survive is Anthem. Her new abilities will be tested and if she isn’t strong enough then all of Bedlam will be destroyed including everyone Anthem loves.
Anthem is an amazing heroine and I actually liked her much better in this book versus the first one. She has really grown into someone that I felt could be a true hero. She lost the whiny/vengeful attitude that she previously had and she is just more about protecting the innocent. She is a smart, beautiful girl that grew up in a privileged home. She’s not perfect and like all great characters she has flaws that make her feel more realistic. I was so glad that I was able to connect with her much better and I am excited to see where her story goes next.
Ford was easily one of my favorite characters in the first book. He is such a great guy with a heroic heart. The bravery he shows is very admirable and I just couldn’t help but love him. But I was really disappointed with his character in this installment. Honestly, he is hardly in the book at all and I felt that the only reason he was even included was so that there would be some kind of romance in the story. Speaking of the romance I thought that it felt very rushed. It was really hot and cold which didn’t make sense to me. Anthem and Ford had an amazing connection in the first book and instead of expounding on that I felt that the author tried to force the romance instead of letting it develop naturally. It’s not that I don’t love these two together because I do, but all the things I loved about them in the first book were missing in this one. I was truly disappointed with the way Ford’s character was developed and I really hope that we can get back to the Ford I loved in the first book.
Invisible is a fast paced story with engaging characters, intense action, and a just overall entertaining. There were moments throughout the story where I did get a little confused as to what was going on, but for the most part everything flowed really well. There were some great plot twists that I wasn’t expecting, which is always a huge plus for me. The villain was a huge plus for me, not only was he totally creepy but he was very well done. Obviously I unfortunately wasn’t a fan of the romance but I think there is hope that it will get better in the next book. While I feel like I am being pretty negative about this book, overall it really was a great read. It obviously had some serious flaws but the one thing it really has going for it is that it is memorable. Even thought I didn’t love the first book, I can still recall pretty much everything that happened a year after reading it and I feel that it will be the same for the second book. Personally, I haven’t read hardly any young adult books that feature superheroes, and I honestly don’t know why because I love them. Because it is unique and very entertaining, I still would highly recommend this series — even with all its flaws!!!
Notable Scene:
Just then, something white passes in front of my face and lands on my knee, between the folds of my plaid Cathedral uniform skirt. A flower. I pick it up and examine it. It’s a cut daisy, the stem about an inch long. I look up at the ceiling. There’s a black tarp hanging there, in the very center of the chapel, fastened at three corners. A few more daisies spill from one of the corners.
It isn’t like Cathedral to do something like this. Especially not inside the chapel, which is reserved for solemn morning masses and dignified graduations and award ceremonies.
Was this Principal Bang’s idea? I turn to Z and point upward, rolling my eyes. But then another corner of the tarp comes undone, and we’re all doused in daisies. And along with the daisies, tiny slips of paper.
Debbie is still making her speech, but I’m not listening until she stops and screams out, “WHAT IS THIS?”
She waves a slip of paper in her hand. Everyone is picking daisies out of their hair, rumbles of conversation growing louder.
“Is this a prank?” Debbie yells. “It’s not funny, you guys!”
I pick up one of the slips from the ground and my blood freezes in my veins when I read the words, hand-scrawled in blue ballpoint: Like the humble daisy, The Invisible grow every time it rains. Expect us, children. We are everywhere.
FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of The Invisible. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
October 19, 2014
Original Link to the review at my blog Le' Grande Codex - here
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Following the events of the first book. Anthem Fleet is finally growing into her abilities. In the first book she had lost her human heart in an accident and got an experimental "chimera" heart transplanted by by Jax, the black market scientist. Her supposed boyfriend of last season, Gavin is very much dead. The syndicate is lying low after loosing their highest player (in the form of Gavin) and bidding their time. But Bedlam City is still a great cesspool of activity and another enemy rears their ugly head.
A group called "The Invisible" (coincidentally the title of the book) are the enemy number 1 and they seem to hold an iron-clad grudge against the Northsiders, and are engaging in 'deadly pranks' to met out their judgement. Flash-backs provide a look into Bedlam during the time of the "Hope", connecting the dots between that person and the "New Hope". How Bedlam City became so divided and the syndicate came into power.
Reading the first book had made me think of this series as nothing but a Gotham/Starling City spoof, and Anthem Fleet taking up the mantle of the heroine as nothing but the rip-off off Batman/Arrow. But since then the characters have grown on me. Anthem Fleet felt rather stupid first time round with her reasons of becoming the "New Hope" but not anymore. While she still relies on her speed to keep her identity a secret, she still trusts too readily. Well Rome wasn't built in a day so changes will be gradual.
The plot for the sequel is also well structured. The first time round it felt more like an experiment. A trial run. But "The Invisible" boosts a great plot, much better layered background development, evil villains, great action and better character development. And I must point out that the romance between Anthem and Ford was well done. Much better than how it was with Gavin. Come on can't even remember what happened then, details are still sketchy to me. Thus, out with the old, in with the new. But yes i'd say it again, I was hesitant about it at first but the sequel was a much better read than the first.
"A much better action packed sequel and even meaner villains to tackle"
February 17, 2015
The romance was way less saccharine in this as compared to Brokenhearted. This is good, though it still produces too much angst in the protagonist
The mood that got me through the first book (that of the hardboiled urban poverty) is still present. This is also good, though this mood is undoubtedly done better in other books.
However, it is in this book that the vague representation of the outside world comes to head. In Brokenhearted, the lack of worldbuilding lent an atmosphere that suggested a post-apocalyptic setting. However, in this book, we are aware that the outside world both exists and is better off than Bedlam, leading to continued unrealistic interactions with the rest of the world that detract from the book. This is bad.
The twist(s) that come(s) near the end of the book were endlessly tired and cliched. They were not surprises; they were seen from miles away. This, too, is bad.
I have a few other minor gripes with the book: the Invisible, namely, and the realistic-ness of the strategies that are supposed to be used by him (them?).
Overall, this book is firmly mediocre. If you just need something to pass the time, this is entirely suitable, but don't come to this book expecting a literary masterpiece or a subtle narrative about the effects of poverty. It's not going to happen.
The mood that got me through the first book (that of the hardboiled urban poverty) is still present. This is also good, though this mood is undoubtedly done better in other books.
However, it is in this book that the vague representation of the outside world comes to head. In Brokenhearted, the lack of worldbuilding lent an atmosphere that suggested a post-apocalyptic setting. However, in this book, we are aware that the outside world both exists and is better off than Bedlam, leading to continued unrealistic interactions with the rest of the world that detract from the book. This is bad.
The twist(s) that come(s) near the end of the book were endlessly tired and cliched. They were not surprises; they were seen from miles away. This, too, is bad.
I have a few other minor gripes with the book: the Invisible, namely, and the realistic-ness of the strategies that are supposed to be used by him (them?).
Overall, this book is firmly mediocre. If you just need something to pass the time, this is entirely suitable, but don't come to this book expecting a literary masterpiece or a subtle narrative about the effects of poverty. It's not going to happen.
March 1, 2015
I guess this is not the kind of book for me, especially seeing all the four and five star reviews, but...
It just didn't make sense to me, even in the world that Kahaney created. I understand, I really do, that one must suspend disbelief to firmly immerse oneself into a fantasy or sci-fi or any sort of alternative world. I can do this. I read Dune when it first came out and went WHAT? But I loved it.
I can also accept The Wizard of Oz, read when I was about ten, and Alice in Wonderland is my all-time favorite book. From an early age I could read anything - and believe it.
But this book - my mind wandered as I read it - and I had to suspend my suspension of disbelief because there was just no way that one thing would happen on top of another thing and another thing and then there were too many 'things' to keep suspended.
However, this is the kind of book that, possibly, if read in sequence might make more sense - in the 'sense' that the author has created for the reader.
Anyhow, just couldn't finish and I tried and I wanted to like it. I really did.
I received a copy of this book through the goodreads giveaway program.
It just didn't make sense to me, even in the world that Kahaney created. I understand, I really do, that one must suspend disbelief to firmly immerse oneself into a fantasy or sci-fi or any sort of alternative world. I can do this. I read Dune when it first came out and went WHAT? But I loved it.
I can also accept The Wizard of Oz, read when I was about ten, and Alice in Wonderland is my all-time favorite book. From an early age I could read anything - and believe it.
But this book - my mind wandered as I read it - and I had to suspend my suspension of disbelief because there was just no way that one thing would happen on top of another thing and another thing and then there were too many 'things' to keep suspended.
However, this is the kind of book that, possibly, if read in sequence might make more sense - in the 'sense' that the author has created for the reader.
Anyhow, just couldn't finish and I tried and I wanted to like it. I really did.
I received a copy of this book through the goodreads giveaway program.
October 10, 2014
**I received this book for free from HarperTeen via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
*Genre* Young Adult, Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
Would be super-heroine Anthem Fleet is back in this sequel to the Brokenhearted. Anthem is the girl with the bionic hummingbird heart that gives her enhanced speed, strength, and sonic hearing. Anthem has definitely become someone Bedlam can root for. In fact, she's affectionately called The New Hope. Having made a major dent in the operations of the Syndicate, Anthem still searches for the so called MONEY man behind the Syndicates operations, and doesn't exclude the fact that her father may be involved.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews* Link to Follow
*Recvd 04/29/2014 via Edelweiss* Published: October 7th 2014 by HarperTeen
*Genre* Young Adult, Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.0
*My Thoughts*
Would be super-heroine Anthem Fleet is back in this sequel to the Brokenhearted. Anthem is the girl with the bionic hummingbird heart that gives her enhanced speed, strength, and sonic hearing. Anthem has definitely become someone Bedlam can root for. In fact, she's affectionately called The New Hope. Having made a major dent in the operations of the Syndicate, Anthem still searches for the so called MONEY man behind the Syndicates operations, and doesn't exclude the fact that her father may be involved.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews* Link to Follow
*Recvd 04/29/2014 via Edelweiss* Published: October 7th 2014 by HarperTeen
October 26, 2014
3.5
Why you should read it: The premise behind this series is interesting, and I enjoyed reading The Brokenhearted and The Invisible. Granted, the heroine does really dumb things often (don't leave video evidence or a trail behind you!) and doesn't get a disguise (classic Superhero 101), but the story is fun. I like Anthem a lot better in this book than the first. She is a little more hesitant when it comes to Ford (thank you!) and a little bit smarter. You'll either love this book or not. If you suspend disbelief, you can have fun with Anthem. The villains are obvious, but I enjoyed the break from reality.
Head over to the HEA Blog to see what Amelia wants as her super powers :-)
http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyev...
Why you should read it: The premise behind this series is interesting, and I enjoyed reading The Brokenhearted and The Invisible. Granted, the heroine does really dumb things often (don't leave video evidence or a trail behind you!) and doesn't get a disguise (classic Superhero 101), but the story is fun. I like Anthem a lot better in this book than the first. She is a little more hesitant when it comes to Ford (thank you!) and a little bit smarter. You'll either love this book or not. If you suspend disbelief, you can have fun with Anthem. The villains are obvious, but I enjoyed the break from reality.
Head over to the HEA Blog to see what Amelia wants as her super powers :-)
http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyev...
November 12, 2015
16/20
En bref, ce second et dernier tome ne nous laisse pas souffler une seule seconde. J'ai adoré l'évolution d'Anthem, sa façon de gérer les évènements qui semblent lui tomber dessus et de réagir. Certaines choses sont un peu faciles mais globalement l'intrigue nous apporte toutes les réponses que l'on en attendait et on quitte les personnages avec un beau sourire aux lèvres malgré les évènements dramatiques qu'ils traversent. On espère que le futur leur sera plus favorable.
http://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/20...
En bref, ce second et dernier tome ne nous laisse pas souffler une seule seconde. J'ai adoré l'évolution d'Anthem, sa façon de gérer les évènements qui semblent lui tomber dessus et de réagir. Certaines choses sont un peu faciles mais globalement l'intrigue nous apporte toutes les réponses que l'on en attendait et on quitte les personnages avec un beau sourire aux lèvres malgré les évènements dramatiques qu'ils traversent. On espère que le futur leur sera plus favorable.
http://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/20...
February 9, 2022
Before I get into the full review, I have a question for anyone who has read the series and/or this book in particular. Scroll down to the bottom if you're interested or perhaps have a possible answer.
My review. I actually enjoyed this one more than the first one. The lack of high school drama compared to the first was a nice change of pace, I've never been a huge fan of the high school scenes in fantasy (especially mean girl drama) but it's young adult, so I deal. This book in particular really held my interest more than the prequel. There was a lot of action and Anthem seemed more with it despite everything kind of falling apart around her. That's actually mostly the reason I gave this three stars. I thought about it outside of reading it, which is always a good sign.
There was a lot more escalation to the dark side in this. Anthem was never really about "oh, I'm going to kill this guy" so much as she was murderously lucky when killing off the two characters in The Broken Hearted. But like I said, she's a bit more sure of herself and she unfortunately gets herself caught up in quite a few intense situations. She's reckless and impulsive, but she's got it in her mechanical heart to do the right thing.
Also, the escalation with her and Ford went from zero to sixty real quickly. I'm not quite sure I feel for the romance because it's a bit off. Anthem still resents having a mechanical heart in this book, so I feel like she would still hold a bit of resentment towards Ford for basically being the cause of it? I don't know. It doesn't feel forced but it doesn't feel absolutely believable at times either. It's a weird contradiction.
The bad guys in this were a hurricane of mixed feels. I actually kind of recommend this to fans of Arrow because it has the same vigilante feels, same season one vibes with the earthquake machine destroying the bad parts of town. The Invisible feels absolutely like a villain, because he does have hate and he does have drive to why he does what he does. The story sets up with a rich versus poor, which is also similar to Arrow, with there being these criminals on both sides of the line. The people Anthem assumes are good are the ones she finds out she can't trust.
Two things I didn't quite get from the story - at the end of Broken Hearted, Anthem discovers her father went to "Gavin's" funeral. But his real name is never mentioned. And it's never confirmed that this is actually Gavin that he went to mourn. We do uncover things about Harris but it isn't what you'd expect, especially after the end of Broken Hearted made me think Anthem was going to tear down a corporation of the rich, not a terrorist from the South Side. I feel like this kind of got lost in everything else going on. The other is the question I had and it's listed at the bottom of the review due to spoilery things.
All in all, this was really a nice duology. I liked the world building and mostly liked the characters, I enjoyed that they were flawed and realistic despite the vigilante/superhero feels. Still would recommend this to fans of Arrow!
** Question - SPOILER: What does Aaron have to do with Anthem's family drama? I know that Aaron and Regina were friends in high school, they confirmed that with the yearbook scene. And we are told that he's been on the South Side for a while now due to his own family drama. But I don't get the connection besides that? How does Aaron know all these things about Anthem and Regina? Where did he get the information about what her father did? I'm so confused at how he knows all this, and if someone could point me to where this correlates in the book, I would really appreciate it. Because I have missed a connection somewhere to what and why and who. For a while, I honestly thought Aaron was her father and not Jakob.
My review. I actually enjoyed this one more than the first one. The lack of high school drama compared to the first was a nice change of pace, I've never been a huge fan of the high school scenes in fantasy (especially mean girl drama) but it's young adult, so I deal. This book in particular really held my interest more than the prequel. There was a lot of action and Anthem seemed more with it despite everything kind of falling apart around her. That's actually mostly the reason I gave this three stars. I thought about it outside of reading it, which is always a good sign.
There was a lot more escalation to the dark side in this. Anthem was never really about "oh, I'm going to kill this guy" so much as she was murderously lucky when killing off the two characters in The Broken Hearted. But like I said, she's a bit more sure of herself and she unfortunately gets herself caught up in quite a few intense situations. She's reckless and impulsive, but she's got it in her mechanical heart to do the right thing.
Also, the escalation with her and Ford went from zero to sixty real quickly. I'm not quite sure I feel for the romance because it's a bit off. Anthem still resents having a mechanical heart in this book, so I feel like she would still hold a bit of resentment towards Ford for basically being the cause of it? I don't know. It doesn't feel forced but it doesn't feel absolutely believable at times either. It's a weird contradiction.
The bad guys in this were a hurricane of mixed feels. I actually kind of recommend this to fans of Arrow because it has the same vigilante feels, same season one vibes with the earthquake machine destroying the bad parts of town. The Invisible feels absolutely like a villain, because he does have hate and he does have drive to why he does what he does. The story sets up with a rich versus poor, which is also similar to Arrow, with there being these criminals on both sides of the line. The people Anthem assumes are good are the ones she finds out she can't trust.
Two things I didn't quite get from the story - at the end of Broken Hearted, Anthem discovers her father went to "Gavin's" funeral. But his real name is never mentioned. And it's never confirmed that this is actually Gavin that he went to mourn. We do uncover things about Harris but it isn't what you'd expect, especially after the end of Broken Hearted made me think Anthem was going to tear down a corporation of the rich, not a terrorist from the South Side. I feel like this kind of got lost in everything else going on. The other is the question I had and it's listed at the bottom of the review due to spoilery things.
All in all, this was really a nice duology. I liked the world building and mostly liked the characters, I enjoyed that they were flawed and realistic despite the vigilante/superhero feels. Still would recommend this to fans of Arrow!
** Question - SPOILER: What does Aaron have to do with Anthem's family drama? I know that Aaron and Regina were friends in high school, they confirmed that with the yearbook scene. And we are told that he's been on the South Side for a while now due to his own family drama. But I don't get the connection besides that? How does Aaron know all these things about Anthem and Regina? Where did he get the information about what her father did? I'm so confused at how he knows all this, and if someone could point me to where this correlates in the book, I would really appreciate it. Because I have missed a connection somewhere to what and why and who. For a while, I honestly thought Aaron was her father and not Jakob.
June 21, 2017
Ayant dévoré le précédent tome, c’est dans la seconde même que j’ai commencé celui-ci. J’avais hâte de connaître les réponses à mes questions. Cependant, du fait qu’il s’agisse d’une duologie, je craignais une fin assez survolée. Heureusement pour moi, l’auteure offre une conclusion à la hauteur de mes attentes et que j’ai adoré découvrir.
En effet, bien que l’histoire soit déjà intense, Amelia Kahaney est parvenue à ajouter encore plus de suspens et d’action à son œuvre en ajoutant le groupe des ‘Invisibles’. Sous leurs airs de terroristes, ces trouble-fêtes ajoutent une dimension totalement réaliste à l’univers de l’auteure, qui n’est dès lors pas sans rappeler le nôtre malheureusement. J’ai vraiment apprécié cette nouvelle enquête que notre héroïne mènera afin de sauver à nouveau sa précieuse ville, ainsi que ses habitants. Malgré ses défauts, j’ai ressenti, moi aussi, un fort attachement pour les lieux présents dans Les Cœurs Brisés. De plus, les nombreuses révélations, déjà entamées précédemment, qui ponctuent ce second tome sont déroutantes et réellement percutantes. Je ne m’attendais pas à être autant surpris, surtout en ce qui concerne certains personnages… Par conséquent, j’ai de nouveau apprécié les suivre et par moments, les redécouvrir. L’évolution de chacun est conséquente. Notre héroïne ne cessera de se mettre en danger pour mon plus grand plaisir. Pas que je sois sadique, mais les nombreuses scènes d’action m’ont largement régalé. Anthem ne sera jamais seule dans son combat pour la paix et elle pourra compter sur son fidèle allié, Ford. J’ai encore plus apprécié ce personnage et ses secrets que par le passé. La relation qui les unit évoluera dans le sens amorcé par l’auteure, ce qui donnera naissance à une romance discrète et sincère, contrastant totalement avec la noirceur de cette nouvelle aventure et offrant quelques moments de répit au lecteur.
En ce qui concerne la plume d’Amelia Kahaney, je n’ai rien à ajouter de plus que ce que j’ai déjà dit. Je l’ai de nouveau trouvée totalement fluide et facile à lire. Une fois au cœur de l’histoire, les pages défilent à une vitesse vertigineuse. Elle est parvenue à conclure sa saga avec simplicité et efficacité. Toutefois, les derniers chapitres apportent d’importantes découvertes sur les origines d’Anthem qui m’ont laissé sans voix. C’est rageant de quitter cette saga sur de telles révélations. Sans pour autant être totalement ouverte, la finalité laisse entrevoir la possibilité d’une suite. Mon imagination n’a donc pas fini de travailler.
Ce second tome est donc dans la lignée de son prédécesseur. Amelia Kahaney étoffe encore plus son sombre univers et le rend encore plus haletant et addictif ! J’ai parcouru chaque chapitre avec intérêt et entrain, et ce jusqu’à la dernière page.
En effet, bien que l’histoire soit déjà intense, Amelia Kahaney est parvenue à ajouter encore plus de suspens et d’action à son œuvre en ajoutant le groupe des ‘Invisibles’. Sous leurs airs de terroristes, ces trouble-fêtes ajoutent une dimension totalement réaliste à l’univers de l’auteure, qui n’est dès lors pas sans rappeler le nôtre malheureusement. J’ai vraiment apprécié cette nouvelle enquête que notre héroïne mènera afin de sauver à nouveau sa précieuse ville, ainsi que ses habitants. Malgré ses défauts, j’ai ressenti, moi aussi, un fort attachement pour les lieux présents dans Les Cœurs Brisés. De plus, les nombreuses révélations, déjà entamées précédemment, qui ponctuent ce second tome sont déroutantes et réellement percutantes. Je ne m’attendais pas à être autant surpris, surtout en ce qui concerne certains personnages… Par conséquent, j’ai de nouveau apprécié les suivre et par moments, les redécouvrir. L’évolution de chacun est conséquente. Notre héroïne ne cessera de se mettre en danger pour mon plus grand plaisir. Pas que je sois sadique, mais les nombreuses scènes d’action m’ont largement régalé. Anthem ne sera jamais seule dans son combat pour la paix et elle pourra compter sur son fidèle allié, Ford. J’ai encore plus apprécié ce personnage et ses secrets que par le passé. La relation qui les unit évoluera dans le sens amorcé par l’auteure, ce qui donnera naissance à une romance discrète et sincère, contrastant totalement avec la noirceur de cette nouvelle aventure et offrant quelques moments de répit au lecteur.
En ce qui concerne la plume d’Amelia Kahaney, je n’ai rien à ajouter de plus que ce que j’ai déjà dit. Je l’ai de nouveau trouvée totalement fluide et facile à lire. Une fois au cœur de l’histoire, les pages défilent à une vitesse vertigineuse. Elle est parvenue à conclure sa saga avec simplicité et efficacité. Toutefois, les derniers chapitres apportent d’importantes découvertes sur les origines d’Anthem qui m’ont laissé sans voix. C’est rageant de quitter cette saga sur de telles révélations. Sans pour autant être totalement ouverte, la finalité laisse entrevoir la possibilité d’une suite. Mon imagination n’a donc pas fini de travailler.
Ce second tome est donc dans la lignée de son prédécesseur. Amelia Kahaney étoffe encore plus son sombre univers et le rend encore plus haletant et addictif ! J’ai parcouru chaque chapitre avec intérêt et entrain, et ce jusqu’à la dernière page.
February 16, 2020
Je ne sais pas si certains détails sont dus à la traduction, mais si oui, lisez la version originale parce que la version française n’en vaut pas la peine.
Ce n’est pas horriblement mauvais, mais je crois que l’on peut trouver mieux dans le même genre.
Une grande faiblesse pour moi ce sont les personnages. Je me suis peu attachée à Anthem, le personnage principal, et que dire de tous les personnages secondaires...particulièrement Gavin et Ford, je crois que le but était de me faire vivre de plus grandes émotions face à leur situation et ça n’est pas arrivé. Le personnage pour qui j’ai eu le plus gros pincement est Jax.
L’histoire. On est dans une histoire de super héroïne avec des pouvoirs extraordinaires qui veut sauver sa ville. On nage dans un univers connexe au Batman, Robin des bois, name it, de ce monde. Ce qui est quand même intéressant parce que nous sommes davantage habitué de connaître ces univers à la télévision et BD plus que dans un roman.
Malgré de bons filons, je trouvais que ça n’allait pas assez vite. J’ai skippé des passages de descriptions en allant droit aux dialogues pour savoir ce qui se passait parce que ça lambinait. Il y a vraiment quelque chose dans le rythme ou dans l’écriture qui n’était pas à point.
Finalement, les romances ne sont pas le principal élément de ces livres, mais des 2 romances instantanées c’est vraiment pas dans mes goûts
Malgré tout, un bon revirement à la fin.
Ce n’est pas horriblement mauvais, mais je crois que l’on peut trouver mieux dans le même genre.
Une grande faiblesse pour moi ce sont les personnages. Je me suis peu attachée à Anthem, le personnage principal, et que dire de tous les personnages secondaires...particulièrement Gavin et Ford, je crois que le but était de me faire vivre de plus grandes émotions face à leur situation et ça n’est pas arrivé. Le personnage pour qui j’ai eu le plus gros pincement est Jax.
L’histoire. On est dans une histoire de super héroïne avec des pouvoirs extraordinaires qui veut sauver sa ville. On nage dans un univers connexe au Batman, Robin des bois, name it, de ce monde. Ce qui est quand même intéressant parce que nous sommes davantage habitué de connaître ces univers à la télévision et BD plus que dans un roman.
Malgré de bons filons, je trouvais que ça n’allait pas assez vite. J’ai skippé des passages de descriptions en allant droit aux dialogues pour savoir ce qui se passait parce que ça lambinait. Il y a vraiment quelque chose dans le rythme ou dans l’écriture qui n’était pas à point.
Finalement, les romances ne sont pas le principal élément de ces livres, mais des 2 romances instantanées c’est vraiment pas dans mes goûts
Malgré tout, un bon revirement à la fin.
July 22, 2019
The first book was really bad, I almost didn’t pick the second one, but since I already had it in my bookshelves I was like: why not. I am surprise with this one, it was so much better. Anthem still make some bad decisions but at least this time she have Ford by her side.
Talking about Ford, I like the romance between him & Anthem it wasn't too pushy or overly sweet. It was easy to see they care about each other. There was also some sort of built up, so no stupid insta love like the first book. Guess Anthem learn from her mistake with Gavin.
There was a lot more action, the villain plan was cool, and he seems to had a reason for his evils actions. This was a huge step from the cartoony guy in Brokenhearted.
I also didn't see the plot twist at the end coming at all and though this was quite good.
It sad that the first book was bad, a lot of person won’t give The Invisible a chance.
Talking about Ford, I like the romance between him & Anthem it wasn't too pushy or overly sweet. It was easy to see they care about each other. There was also some sort of built up, so no stupid insta love like the first book. Guess Anthem learn from her mistake with Gavin.
There was a lot more action, the villain plan was cool, and he seems to had a reason for his evils actions. This was a huge step from the cartoony guy in Brokenhearted.
I also didn't see the plot twist at the end coming at all and though this was quite good.
It sad that the first book was bad, a lot of person won’t give The Invisible a chance.
May 11, 2018
This was a lot shorter than the first, but I also think it was more cohesive and read a lot better! Plus, there were more reveals (Ones I actually didn't see coming, unlike the 'big' reveal of the first book) and a lot of political intrigue and machinations between people from the North and South. And there were deaths. As in, real deaths. Now, most of them elicited an 'ehh' reaction from me, but there was one that got to me.
This book is also unlike the first in that there are a few short sections where it tells a story about people in the past, and at first I totally didn't get it. I didn't understand why they were in the book---then at the end, it all wraps together perfectly and I was flying through pages shocked. I wish every book I read could make me feel so invested.
In other words, this. This is what the first book should've been.
This book is also unlike the first in that there are a few short sections where it tells a story about people in the past, and at first I totally didn't get it. I didn't understand why they were in the book---then at the end, it all wraps together perfectly and I was flying through pages shocked. I wish every book I read could make me feel so invested.
In other words, this. This is what the first book should've been.
February 12, 2021
Honestly this one was worse than the first. I'm not going to tear it apart because I had fun reading it, but if you're going into this series expecting quality and good plot and all that, maybe don't. It was still an ok book, though it went a little further off the rails than the first one. I'd say just read the first one, this one was almost fun, but it doesn't add anything, not that the first one had a lot to add to. But, you know, if you want something dumb to read, this story, didn't have anything too outlandishly terrible.
March 25, 2021
CAWPILE Rating: 6.57
I was very excited to dive back into this world as the ending of the first book left me intrigued. I really enjoyed reading more about Anthem and how the events of the first book have impacted her life. Although I didn't enjoy this as much as the first one, it was still good and I'm glad I read it. There were some interesting plot twists and I'm happy with how the book ended.
I was very excited to dive back into this world as the ending of the first book left me intrigued. I really enjoyed reading more about Anthem and how the events of the first book have impacted her life. Although I didn't enjoy this as much as the first one, it was still good and I'm glad I read it. There were some interesting plot twists and I'm happy with how the book ended.
February 16, 2022
💜💜💜Like one of the reviews on the back says "A Ripping.... page-turner." I didn't want it to end. But I wanted to know what happened. I love YA books! And this one is up in my top picks. I love this kind of superhero reinvented. And the twists, I did not expect one of the plot twists. Ugh, just so good. 11/10 would recommend to anyone. You have to read the first book though!
September 26, 2021
Just like the first one it has a lot of potential to be better. This had some plot holes. This wasn't very good. The ending was blah and poorly done. I hope someday this series is rewritten. It has so much potential to be fantastic. Just doesn't hit that mark with me.
November 6, 2018
This is a teen+ book, and is better than a lot of adult reads. I would have given it 5* but for the slow start.
February 4, 2019
I enjoyed this series, I wish it were longer.
April 13, 2020
Not as good as the first but still very enjoyable.
July 12, 2016
Okay. I’m just going to get it out.
Honestly guys, my eyes were brimming with tears at the end of this book and I couldn’t stop saying, “Holy crap--holy crap!” as I struggled through the climax--and when I say “struggled” I mean my emotions were at serious war with each other. The only time a book has ever made me so emotional I just want to throw the book out the window was whenever I read Karen Traviss, specifically her Republic Commando series. Traviss has been the only author to play with my emotions with calculated carelessness to a point where the only sound I can form out of my mouth is “NO!” and a lot of screaming. Not anymore.
Like I said about the first book, Amelia Kahaney is one smart woman. She is literarily intelligent and patient with the story and characters. You can tell that she’s got the Brokenhearted series well planned out and has much more in store for her superhero The Hope. One thing I would like more of in this series is Batman-esque villain/friend scenarios. No, this is not Batman, but it would be so awesome if certain characters we are acquainted with weren’t just altered slightly, but greatly and have their relationship dually changed with Anthem. I’m not going to spoil anything, but let’s just say that Ford has a new role that isn’t fully explained by the time this book is over and I wish they showed more of that. This makes me think that the next book will concentrate on Ford more. I’d like to get a flashback into Ford’s point of view in the third book to recap what he was going through when he briefly left the city in this book. I’d also like to get more insight into Harris Fleet(Anthem’s Dad)’s past. It is briefly mentioned toward the end but I would love to see more of what he had to go through before .
Unlike the first book, there is much more at stake with the new villain, The Invisible, making threats to the city and the lives of the people in it. I thought his reveal was creative and his back story and involvement with Anthem even more so. As well as before, Kahaney just SMACKED me in the face with those twists and turns--especially in the conclusion. Right when I thought, “Whoa, that was some reveal--” BAM! there’s another one around the next chapter. Because Kahaney has got a good head on her shoulders these kickers are 100% vital to the plot. Good God, I can’t even absorb everything that played out in the end! Every time I think about it my heart chokes, stopping the flow of oxygen to my brain, and then I suffer short term memory until I flip through the pages and it happens all over again. This book seriously effected me. No joke.
Now I have an actually NEW series to be anticipated for and I cannot wait!! Kahaney, please tell me you have the next one ready to rev once you’re done copyrighting it because I need the next one--like, now.
Honestly guys, my eyes were brimming with tears at the end of this book and I couldn’t stop saying, “Holy crap--holy crap!” as I struggled through the climax--and when I say “struggled” I mean my emotions were at serious war with each other. The only time a book has ever made me so emotional I just want to throw the book out the window was whenever I read Karen Traviss, specifically her Republic Commando series. Traviss has been the only author to play with my emotions with calculated carelessness to a point where the only sound I can form out of my mouth is “NO!” and a lot of screaming. Not anymore.
Like I said about the first book, Amelia Kahaney is one smart woman. She is literarily intelligent and patient with the story and characters. You can tell that she’s got the Brokenhearted series well planned out and has much more in store for her superhero The Hope. One thing I would like more of in this series is Batman-esque villain/friend scenarios. No, this is not Batman, but it would be so awesome if certain characters we are acquainted with weren’t just altered slightly, but greatly and have their relationship dually changed with Anthem. I’m not going to spoil anything, but let’s just say that Ford has a new role that isn’t fully explained by the time this book is over and I wish they showed more of that. This makes me think that the next book will concentrate on Ford more. I’d like to get a flashback into Ford’s point of view in the third book to recap what he was going through when he briefly left the city in this book. I’d also like to get more insight into Harris Fleet(Anthem’s Dad)’s past. It is briefly mentioned toward the end but I would love to see more of what he had to go through before .
Unlike the first book, there is much more at stake with the new villain, The Invisible, making threats to the city and the lives of the people in it. I thought his reveal was creative and his back story and involvement with Anthem even more so. As well as before, Kahaney just SMACKED me in the face with those twists and turns--especially in the conclusion. Right when I thought, “Whoa, that was some reveal--” BAM! there’s another one around the next chapter. Because Kahaney has got a good head on her shoulders these kickers are 100% vital to the plot. Good God, I can’t even absorb everything that played out in the end! Every time I think about it my heart chokes, stopping the flow of oxygen to my brain, and then I suffer short term memory until I flip through the pages and it happens all over again. This book seriously effected me. No joke.
Now I have an actually NEW series to be anticipated for and I cannot wait!! Kahaney, please tell me you have the next one ready to rev once you’re done copyrighting it because I need the next one--like, now.
February 4, 2016
I almost didn't read this, and then I almost gave up a short way in. I'm glad I stuck with it, as it was far better than the first book, The Brokenhearted. Plus now I know the ending.
It still felt a little bit like Batman in Gotham City, but this time I didn't feel like I was reading a text-only comic book (best way I could describe the first book). The pacing was better, and I liked Anthem more than I previously had. She seemed more mature and less . . . I don't know, she was just better. She accepted her responsibilities and wasn't so self centered. She wasn't mopey when things went wrong. This time it was easier for me to suspend my belief in the abilities her new heart gave her, possibly because I knew going into it what to expect from her. Invisible was also less melodramatic of a villain--at times he felt a little bit like Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker, mostly just from his actions. As a person, I felt bad for him--though that didn't excuse his choices. And I really like Ford. He's not in this book nearly enough, but his appearances matter. I like him and Anthem together, and I appreciate their lack of petty drama.
We get a lot more information about the Hope and Anthem's sister, Regina. Very interesting.
The ending was a little bit short, but it got the point across. I guess there might be room for another book, but there doesn't need to be.
How it ends:
Note: A little language.
It still felt a little bit like Batman in Gotham City, but this time I didn't feel like I was reading a text-only comic book (best way I could describe the first book). The pacing was better, and I liked Anthem more than I previously had. She seemed more mature and less . . . I don't know, she was just better. She accepted her responsibilities and wasn't so self centered. She wasn't mopey when things went wrong. This time it was easier for me to suspend my belief in the abilities her new heart gave her, possibly because I knew going into it what to expect from her. Invisible was also less melodramatic of a villain--at times he felt a little bit like Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker, mostly just from his actions. As a person, I felt bad for him--though that didn't excuse his choices. And I really like Ford. He's not in this book nearly enough, but his appearances matter. I like him and Anthem together, and I appreciate their lack of petty drama.
We get a lot more information about the Hope and Anthem's sister, Regina. Very interesting.
The ending was a little bit short, but it got the point across. I guess there might be room for another book, but there doesn't need to be.
How it ends:
Note: A little language.
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