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The Ward #2
The Isle
The heart-racing and thrilling sequel to The Ward about a teenage female drag racer who will do anything to save her sister—and a flooded futuristic Manhattan.
Drought season is coming....
The Ward is in trouble—its streets filled with seawater after a devastating flood and its impoverished inhabitants suffering from a deadly disease called the Blight.
Ren, with the help of her scientist friend, Callum, and her racing buddy, Derek, has discovered a cure—miraculous spring water—administering it to her sick sister, Aven. But when Aven is kidnapped by Governor Voss, the malevolent dictator of the United Metro Isles (UMI), Ren must go on a dangerous mission to save her sister, again.
The mysterious healing water is the only source of freshwater throughout the entire UMI—water that Ren had been tasked by the government to discover. Although she refuses to give up the water’s location, Governor Voss has his own selfish reasons for wanting it. And he will do anything to satisfy his thirst for unquenchable power.
But Ren and Aven have more enemies than the governor. An ancient order, the Tètai, has been guarding the magical water for hundreds of years. And they will kill to protect it. With the Ward in desperate need of freshwater and wracked by disease—and deadly enemies at every turn—the sisters face a dangerous journey, marred by mysterious secrets and horrifying truths, to save their friends and neighbors, and a city.
Drought season is coming....
The Ward is in trouble—its streets filled with seawater after a devastating flood and its impoverished inhabitants suffering from a deadly disease called the Blight.
Ren, with the help of her scientist friend, Callum, and her racing buddy, Derek, has discovered a cure—miraculous spring water—administering it to her sick sister, Aven. But when Aven is kidnapped by Governor Voss, the malevolent dictator of the United Metro Isles (UMI), Ren must go on a dangerous mission to save her sister, again.
The mysterious healing water is the only source of freshwater throughout the entire UMI—water that Ren had been tasked by the government to discover. Although she refuses to give up the water’s location, Governor Voss has his own selfish reasons for wanting it. And he will do anything to satisfy his thirst for unquenchable power.
But Ren and Aven have more enemies than the governor. An ancient order, the Tètai, has been guarding the magical water for hundreds of years. And they will kill to protect it. With the Ward in desperate need of freshwater and wracked by disease—and deadly enemies at every turn—the sisters face a dangerous journey, marred by mysterious secrets and horrifying truths, to save their friends and neighbors, and a city.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 19, 2016
About the author
Jordana Frankel
3 books120 followersJordana Frankel is a Jersey native.
She's been a camp counselor, a salesperson of diamonds, a hostess at a southwestern grill, an archivist of rare books, a yoga instructor, and a reading teacher, but her shining moment was when she got to hang out in Walmart for 12 hours a day as the AXE girl.
She received her B.A. in English from Goucher College, graduated and then went to live in Italy for a year. Afterwards she then went for her MFA in Poetry at Hollins University.
But then she graduated and she moved back to NYC.
She got her first job at The Literary Group International as a literary agency, where she'd started as an intern reading queries and then assisted editorially. At Linn Prentis Literary, also a literary agency, she handled foreign sales, picked up gems from unsolicited mail, and helped authors through the publishing process. And then it was onto The Book Report Network where she handled ads and promos for features on Teenreads.com, Kidsreads.com, and GraphicNovelReporter.com.
Jordana is currently writing a (history textbook/)novel entitled THE WARD, forthcoming from KT Books/HarperCollins in 2013. She also teaches creative writing workshops for kids ages 8 to 18 through Writopia Lab, a non-profit organization based in New York City.
She's been a camp counselor, a salesperson of diamonds, a hostess at a southwestern grill, an archivist of rare books, a yoga instructor, and a reading teacher, but her shining moment was when she got to hang out in Walmart for 12 hours a day as the AXE girl.
She received her B.A. in English from Goucher College, graduated and then went to live in Italy for a year. Afterwards she then went for her MFA in Poetry at Hollins University.
But then she graduated and she moved back to NYC.
She got her first job at The Literary Group International as a literary agency, where she'd started as an intern reading queries and then assisted editorially. At Linn Prentis Literary, also a literary agency, she handled foreign sales, picked up gems from unsolicited mail, and helped authors through the publishing process. And then it was onto The Book Report Network where she handled ads and promos for features on Teenreads.com, Kidsreads.com, and GraphicNovelReporter.com.
Jordana is currently writing a (history textbook/)novel entitled THE WARD, forthcoming from KT Books/HarperCollins in 2013. She also teaches creative writing workshops for kids ages 8 to 18 through Writopia Lab, a non-profit organization based in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 13, 2016
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was an okay sequel, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first book in the series.
Ren had a new crusade in this book – finding Aven, and it wasn’t quite as thrilling as the race to find the spring in book 1. Ren did stay strong though, and continued to look for answers to impossible problems, even when the answers cost her everything.
The storyline in this was firstly about rescuing Aven, and secondly about finding a way to keep the spring safe from Governor Voss, who went to even further extremes to try and find it. We also got a couple of twists which mixed things up a bit.
The ending to this was okay, although it seemed like things still weren’t 100% finished for Ren and Aven.
6.5 out of 10
“Tie them up,”
This was an okay sequel, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first book in the series.
Ren had a new crusade in this book – finding Aven, and it wasn’t quite as thrilling as the race to find the spring in book 1. Ren did stay strong though, and continued to look for answers to impossible problems, even when the answers cost her everything.
The storyline in this was firstly about rescuing Aven, and secondly about finding a way to keep the spring safe from Governor Voss, who went to even further extremes to try and find it. We also got a couple of twists which mixed things up a bit.
The ending to this was okay, although it seemed like things still weren’t 100% finished for Ren and Aven.
6.5 out of 10
Want to read
January 21, 2015OKAY SERIOUSLY.
It feels like it's been at least a year and a half since I read this book - to be honest, I think it has been a year and a half. Yet, there's been nothing but a promise for a second book!
Where is the cover? Where is the blurb? WHERE IS THE BOOK!?
I want it and I want it now!
It feels like it's been at least a year and a half since I read this book - to be honest, I think it has been a year and a half. Yet, there's been nothing but a promise for a second book!
Where is the cover? Where is the blurb? WHERE IS THE BOOK!?
I want it and I want it now!
January 24, 2016
It feels like forever since the first book came out, but imagine my joy when I finally saw the announcement of the sequel that it felt like I have been waiting for forever for. I almost wished I re-read the first book to brush up on what it left off because The Isle starts shortly after the events of the first and when it takes off, it really takes off.
I found the second book of the series to be pretty faced paced, because before I knew it, I have devoured it in no time. It sets the tone from page one, and it pretty much for the most part, sticks to it.
I warmed up to Ren a bit more. She is still pretty reckless, but I admired her dedication to the people she loves and cares for as well as the lengths she would go to keep them safe, even if the price is her own safety most of the time. I loved the sibling relationship that is going on between Aven and Ren, how true to form it is. This book also happens to be from the point of view of Aven and Ren together, but it was easy to follow.
The romance does take a bit of a back seat in this book, but that’s okay, I did not mind it much. Do I wish there was more? Of course I do, I always do. But, I enjoyed continue to watch Ren develop into the person she becomes at the end of the book. I enjoyed the action and the adventure, and it felt a bit final, so I am guessing this was only meant to be a duology. Sure, there were still moments that made me angry, but the tear jerking moments, and some heartwarming scenes, definitely balances the book out.
I did have a hard time with Aven at some parts. She did remind me a bit of Ren from the last book. A bit reckless, and a total kid when it comes to not getting things her way. To be fair, I believe Aven is 14 in this book, so for the most part, it makes sense. She let her feelings sway her, she made promises she probably couldn’t really keep, and she endangered Ren because of these promises. I can’t say that I didn’t want to throttle her when she asked Ren to save the people when she knew the mission is dangerous, it was like expecting your sister to give up her life for others, it just didn’t seem fair to me.
Overall, I did enjoy this one. I wished it came out quicker than it did, it seemed like a long time to wait for this sequel. I did find it worth it. I enjoyed the authors writing, imagination and the world she had created with this series. I will miss it, but I am looking forward to what else she has in store for us next.
Giveaway:
3 Finished copies of THE ISLE
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tour Schedule:
Week 1:
1/11: Night Owl Book Cafe - Review
1/12: Swoony Boys Podcast - Q&A
1/13: Live To Read - Review
1/14: Seeing Double In Neverland - Top 10
1/15: Take Me Away To A Great Read - Review
Week 2
1/18: The Cover Contessa - Review
1/19: The Irish Banana Review - Guest Post
1/20: Reads All the Books - Review
1/21: A Leisure Moment - Guest Post
1/22: Emily Reads Everything - Review
This review was originally posted on Night Owl Book Café
January 17, 2016
I'd like to thank Harper Teen for providing me with an early copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.
When I received the first book in this series to read and review, I will say I was totally intrigued. Being from NYC, a book that takes place there is always of interest to me. Add in a dystopian world and a bit of sci-fi/paranormal element and I'm hooked! So given the chance to read the next book up, I jumped at it. And, while I didn't fly through this one like I did the first, I still loved every minute of the ride.
This book picks up right where the first left off. So if you haven't read the first book, beware of potential spoilers ahead!
This book is different from the first in that it's told in two POV: Ren and Aven. For me, this was odd, only because I wasn't expecting Aven's POV. But I can see why the author chose to use it. And since we only saw Aven through Ren's eyes in The Ward, I was looking forward to seeing more of her and learning more through her eyes.
Ren is determined to save Aven. Having no other family, she feels like Aven is a sister to her and will do whatever it takes to rescue her from the hands of Governor Voss. I enjoy Ren a lot. She's prickly and snarky. She's willing to do whatever it takes to take care of those she loves. I did find that at times she seemed a bit selfish. But when you are the only person you have, thinking of others really doesn't necessarily cross your mind as often as it should.
Aven has resigned herself to never seeing those she loves again. Under the finger of the Governor, she knows the chances of her getting out of his lab are slim to none. But she doesn't stop having hope. I think this is my most favorite thing about Aven. She's young and she has hope, despite all that she's been through. Of course she faces a true test when the Governor decides to experiment on her in a way I truly was not expecting. How she overcomes this is really a test to her strength and resilience. I will say that I often found her 14 year old voice to come across as a bit older than her age. However, I can't imagine having the life she's had and not being older before your time.
We see a return of previous characters who we met in The Ward: Callum, Derek, Terrance. And we are introduced to a few new characters as well. Also, there's a return of the romance we saw between Derek and Ren in the first book, though it's not a big part of the plot. I kind of wished we would have seen more of that to solidify their relationship and commitment to one another. And there's some other romantic elements that I won't name but that I found interesting.
There's tons of action in this book that keep it moving. I didn't have a boring moment when I was reading it. It really kept me on my toes. And there are also many twists and turns in the plot I just was not expecting.
Overall the writing combined with an interesting plot line make for a fast and fun read. And the plot twist that comes towards the end really makes you understand just who Ren is and why she is so important. This book is a great wrap to this dulology, answering any and all questions you may have had from when the first book ended. If you're looking for a series with a ton of action and suspense and plot twists that have your jaw dropping, then you'll want to dive into The Ward books!
When I received the first book in this series to read and review, I will say I was totally intrigued. Being from NYC, a book that takes place there is always of interest to me. Add in a dystopian world and a bit of sci-fi/paranormal element and I'm hooked! So given the chance to read the next book up, I jumped at it. And, while I didn't fly through this one like I did the first, I still loved every minute of the ride.
This book picks up right where the first left off. So if you haven't read the first book, beware of potential spoilers ahead!
This book is different from the first in that it's told in two POV: Ren and Aven. For me, this was odd, only because I wasn't expecting Aven's POV. But I can see why the author chose to use it. And since we only saw Aven through Ren's eyes in The Ward, I was looking forward to seeing more of her and learning more through her eyes.
Ren is determined to save Aven. Having no other family, she feels like Aven is a sister to her and will do whatever it takes to rescue her from the hands of Governor Voss. I enjoy Ren a lot. She's prickly and snarky. She's willing to do whatever it takes to take care of those she loves. I did find that at times she seemed a bit selfish. But when you are the only person you have, thinking of others really doesn't necessarily cross your mind as often as it should.
Aven has resigned herself to never seeing those she loves again. Under the finger of the Governor, she knows the chances of her getting out of his lab are slim to none. But she doesn't stop having hope. I think this is my most favorite thing about Aven. She's young and she has hope, despite all that she's been through. Of course she faces a true test when the Governor decides to experiment on her in a way I truly was not expecting. How she overcomes this is really a test to her strength and resilience. I will say that I often found her 14 year old voice to come across as a bit older than her age. However, I can't imagine having the life she's had and not being older before your time.
We see a return of previous characters who we met in The Ward: Callum, Derek, Terrance. And we are introduced to a few new characters as well. Also, there's a return of the romance we saw between Derek and Ren in the first book, though it's not a big part of the plot. I kind of wished we would have seen more of that to solidify their relationship and commitment to one another. And there's some other romantic elements that I won't name but that I found interesting.
There's tons of action in this book that keep it moving. I didn't have a boring moment when I was reading it. It really kept me on my toes. And there are also many twists and turns in the plot I just was not expecting.
Overall the writing combined with an interesting plot line make for a fast and fun read. And the plot twist that comes towards the end really makes you understand just who Ren is and why she is so important. This book is a great wrap to this dulology, answering any and all questions you may have had from when the first book ended. If you're looking for a series with a ton of action and suspense and plot twists that have your jaw dropping, then you'll want to dive into The Ward books!
January 20, 2016
*Source* Publisher via Edelweiss
*Genre* Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian
*Rating* 3.5-4
*My Thoughts*
Set in a futuristic New York City where a catastrophic flood has washed out Manhattan, The Isle is the action packed, suspenseful sequel to 2013's The Ward. The Isle actually alternatives narratives between two characters this time around. 16-year old Renata (Ren) Dane, a former drag racer known as the Red Rider, and her 14-year old adopted sister Aventine (Aven) Colatura. The last time we heard from Aven, she was on her way to recovery thanks to Ren, Callum, and Derek finding a natural spring water source that can actually cure the Blight. But, then the villainous Governor Voss kidnapped her to discover the secret behind her mysterious recovery.
*Full Review Posting @ Gizmos Reviews 01/20/2016* Link to Follow*
Expected publication: January 19th 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books
*Genre* Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian
*Rating* 3.5-4
*My Thoughts*
Set in a futuristic New York City where a catastrophic flood has washed out Manhattan, The Isle is the action packed, suspenseful sequel to 2013's The Ward. The Isle actually alternatives narratives between two characters this time around. 16-year old Renata (Ren) Dane, a former drag racer known as the Red Rider, and her 14-year old adopted sister Aventine (Aven) Colatura. The last time we heard from Aven, she was on her way to recovery thanks to Ren, Callum, and Derek finding a natural spring water source that can actually cure the Blight. But, then the villainous Governor Voss kidnapped her to discover the secret behind her mysterious recovery.
*Full Review Posting @ Gizmos Reviews 01/20/2016* Link to Follow*
Expected publication: January 19th 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books
January 17, 2016
The Isle by Jordana Frankel is book two in The Ward series and I was definitely looking forward to this book. Admittedly, it had been quite a while since I read book one so jumping right into this book, I was a bit lost as to where book one left off and where we were picking back up.
Ren, with Derek and Callum, had discovered a cure for the Blight and when her sister, Aven is kidnapped, Ren must save her. This book took a bit for me to get back into but once things got moving, I found myself pulled back into this world. The chapters rotate between Ren’s and Aven’s points of view and I found that helpful as it gave me some insight into what was happening with both characters since they were separated from each other for a good portion of the book.
The characters are solid in this series. Ren is smart and willing to do anything to help Aven and Aven is the same. We get a bit more of the Tetai and also learn more about who the Governor is and why he is doing the things he is doing.
Overall I enjoyed this installment and thought Frankel did a good job of wrapping up this series. If you are looking for a well written post-apocalyptic, dystopian story that has solid characters, definitely consider checking this series out.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
Ren, with Derek and Callum, had discovered a cure for the Blight and when her sister, Aven is kidnapped, Ren must save her. This book took a bit for me to get back into but once things got moving, I found myself pulled back into this world. The chapters rotate between Ren’s and Aven’s points of view and I found that helpful as it gave me some insight into what was happening with both characters since they were separated from each other for a good portion of the book.
The characters are solid in this series. Ren is smart and willing to do anything to help Aven and Aven is the same. We get a bit more of the Tetai and also learn more about who the Governor is and why he is doing the things he is doing.
Overall I enjoyed this installment and thought Frankel did a good job of wrapping up this series. If you are looking for a well written post-apocalyptic, dystopian story that has solid characters, definitely consider checking this series out.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
February 26, 2016
I have been looking forward to THE ISLE since 2013 and I am happy to say that I enjoyed it as much as I was hoping to. The book had a nice fast pace, lots of evading danger and we got to know the characters better. I did miss the romance in THE ISLE, it was pretty much put on the back burner.
The ending made me think that the story isn't over. I hope book three will be out quicker than the time it took for book two to be released.
* This book was provided free of charge from Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The ending made me think that the story isn't over. I hope book three will be out quicker than the time it took for book two to be released.
* This book was provided free of charge from Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2023
Originally posted on City of Books
I'd been waiting so so long to read this book - The Ward was among the first ARCs I received after I started this blog. And now I finally got to read its sequel! This is a duology as far as I know, so The Isle has a clear ending with most plotlines wrapped up.
The Isle is told in two POVs - Ren's and Aven's. At first I was excited about this, because I liked Aven in The Ward. Sadly, I didn't like her much in this book, I'm not quite sure why. Maybe it was her mannerisms or her childishness or her jealousy. Either way, I looked forward to Ren's chapters but tried to get through Aven's as fast as I could.
The novel is pretty lengthy, though not as much as its predecessor. A lot happens in this - Ren and her friends come up with a plan to save Aven, and they also need to make sure the citizens of the Ward don't feel the other special effects of the cure. Oh, and they need to watch their backs for the tètai, the ancient organization determined to keep the water safe and away from humans.
There's so much action throughout, I loved it. Never a dull moment. Ren is as badass as ever, and she really shows great character and strength in this book. She's come a long way from the early times of drag racing, and she's carrying a lot on her shoulders. The other main characters we see in this book are Aven (obviously), Derek, Callum, and Terrence. They team up to fight the multiple battles they need to before the city is safe.
I wish there was more Callum in the story, because he had so much potential in the previous book. He's the brilliant scientist who comes up with the cure, but he takes a backseat in most of the action scenes since he's not a fighter. Regardless, Callum is my favourite. Despite how afraid he is, he's always there for Ren and the others to count on.
There's a teensy bit of romance, between Ren and Derek. Which I can't say I was a fan of, since I don't particularly like Derek. Yeah, he's on Ren's side, but he's also part of the tètai and that makes him kind of a wild card. I'm glad there wasn't much time for romance stuff in this book, because Ren and Derek together.. It just doesn't sit right with me. While reading The Ward, I was hoping there would be something with Ren and Callum, but unfortunately that doesn't happen.
I really liked the way the last few chapters were done. Beautiful writing, a great climax, and it was all very emotional. It was a satisfying ending to the series, and I couldn't have asked for more. So despite the issues I had with the book, I'm glad I read it and I would recommend this series to anyone who loves sci-fi and dystopia.
*Thank you to Megan at HarperCollins International for sending me an ARC for review*
I'd been waiting so so long to read this book - The Ward was among the first ARCs I received after I started this blog. And now I finally got to read its sequel! This is a duology as far as I know, so The Isle has a clear ending with most plotlines wrapped up.
The Isle is told in two POVs - Ren's and Aven's. At first I was excited about this, because I liked Aven in The Ward. Sadly, I didn't like her much in this book, I'm not quite sure why. Maybe it was her mannerisms or her childishness or her jealousy. Either way, I looked forward to Ren's chapters but tried to get through Aven's as fast as I could.
The novel is pretty lengthy, though not as much as its predecessor. A lot happens in this - Ren and her friends come up with a plan to save Aven, and they also need to make sure the citizens of the Ward don't feel the other special effects of the cure. Oh, and they need to watch their backs for the tètai, the ancient organization determined to keep the water safe and away from humans.
There's so much action throughout, I loved it. Never a dull moment. Ren is as badass as ever, and she really shows great character and strength in this book. She's come a long way from the early times of drag racing, and she's carrying a lot on her shoulders. The other main characters we see in this book are Aven (obviously), Derek, Callum, and Terrence. They team up to fight the multiple battles they need to before the city is safe.
I wish there was more Callum in the story, because he had so much potential in the previous book. He's the brilliant scientist who comes up with the cure, but he takes a backseat in most of the action scenes since he's not a fighter. Regardless, Callum is my favourite. Despite how afraid he is, he's always there for Ren and the others to count on.
There's a teensy bit of romance, between Ren and Derek. Which I can't say I was a fan of, since I don't particularly like Derek. Yeah, he's on Ren's side, but he's also part of the tètai and that makes him kind of a wild card. I'm glad there wasn't much time for romance stuff in this book, because Ren and Derek together.. It just doesn't sit right with me. While reading The Ward, I was hoping there would be something with Ren and Callum, but unfortunately that doesn't happen.
I really liked the way the last few chapters were done. Beautiful writing, a great climax, and it was all very emotional. It was a satisfying ending to the series, and I couldn't have asked for more. So despite the issues I had with the book, I'm glad I read it and I would recommend this series to anyone who loves sci-fi and dystopia.
*Thank you to Megan at HarperCollins International for sending me an ARC for review*
January 27, 2016
Really disappointed in this one.
August 21, 2018
it wasn't as good as the first one is all i gotta say
August 30, 2018
So... this was disappointing. I was trying so hard to find a series that I really liked and this just wasn't up to standard. Kind of happy there's only 2 books in this series because I'm not positive if I would like the read the next book. The overall plot was pretty good. It worked with the other one but I don't know if it's because I lack imagination or something but I can't really imagine how "The Ward" looks like. I think it was just a lot of stuff in a little amount of time and I didn't enjoy it enough to slow down and process everything.
The whole plot twist with Voss being Ren's sad was pretty good. At first I thought it was a stretch but then as it was explained, I did like it. I like that Emicle(?) told her sister to take Ren away so she wouldn't become a experiment for her father but I didn't like how it was... told. It was a bit like "SPLAT" and I was left with "What the f-, that's stupid. This book is stupid," until it was finally explained. Also, the whole thing with Aven going to upstate and discovering they had extra fresh and stuff was trash. I don't know. I just think they tried to fit everything into one novel. I think there could've been way more potential if things weren't rushed and things went on slowly from one book to another but it seemed like the author just wanted a happily ever after and just went whatever with this 2nd book.
Overall, I wouldn't say it was a bad read but I definitely didn't like it as much as the first book. It a good book but I think it's a bit childish for my taste. I'll probably hold off on reading anymore series this year. Until next time, BYE!
The whole plot twist with Voss being Ren's sad was pretty good. At first I thought it was a stretch but then as it was explained, I did like it. I like that Emicle(?) told her sister to take Ren away so she wouldn't become a experiment for her father but I didn't like how it was... told. It was a bit like "SPLAT" and I was left with "What the f-, that's stupid. This book is stupid," until it was finally explained. Also, the whole thing with Aven going to upstate and discovering they had extra fresh and stuff was trash. I don't know. I just think they tried to fit everything into one novel. I think there could've been way more potential if things weren't rushed and things went on slowly from one book to another but it seemed like the author just wanted a happily ever after and just went whatever with this 2nd book.
Overall, I wouldn't say it was a bad read but I definitely didn't like it as much as the first book. It a good book but I think it's a bit childish for my taste. I'll probably hold off on reading anymore series this year. Until next time, BYE!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2021
This was a very big step down from the first book which I really enjoyed and it had a unique concept. Everything in this book was just too easy for the characters. They seemed to have unlimited access to government high-ups and an unlimited supply of narrow escapes. Also, needing to destroy the spring didn't even make sense because Ren could have just led them somewhere else and then the Tetai could have taken care of the people who knew about it. I personally also didn't like Aven's perspective. She whined A LOT which seemed out of character for the new-to-the-world girl she would be after being healed and from how she was always described to be super sweet. She came off as spoiled and conceited. Everything felt very rushed and the characters lost basically all of the spunk that they had in the first book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2018
And the excitement continues!! I love how this book gets right to the point and it doesn't drag on. In the beginning Ren sets off right away to rescue Aven. Lots of crazy things happen after Aven is rescued. They argue about how they are going to rescue the rest of the prisoners and then they end up getting separated. I was really excited that we got to find out who Ren's parents are. I was not expecting that one!! I was starting to get worried though, the closer it got to the end... I did not want this to end badly. Thankfully it was a good ending!!! Ren had to make a huge sacrifice, but she was willing to do it no matter the cost! This was a really good series from start to finish!
November 4, 2018
I made the mistake of reading this before The Ward. Not sure if that made it "less good."
Derek and his family are immortal unless they keep drinking special water regularly. Which despite cutting each other off, risky activities and losing things never happens. The Ward is a flooded/poor NYC and the West Isle is a rich NJ. Oh and upstate has extra water and corruption.
Callum is a rich scientist who I'm not sure how they met. He figures out how to create the special water. And Ren is has special blood which makes are partially immortal?
I had to assume too much.
Derek and his family are immortal unless they keep drinking special water regularly. Which despite cutting each other off, risky activities and losing things never happens. The Ward is a flooded/poor NYC and the West Isle is a rich NJ. Oh and upstate has extra water and corruption.
Callum is a rich scientist who I'm not sure how they met. He figures out how to create the special water. And Ren is has special blood which makes are partially immortal?
I had to assume too much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2017
impressed that this was kept a 2-book series instead of a trilogy. which it could be, but I like this ending
June 21, 2018
I loved, enjoyed this book. At first I thought there wasn’t a lot of action until Miss Nale told Ren the secret that’s been kept from her all her life and that’s when I was truly hooked.
July 6, 2018
I liked this better than the first book! So thrilling <3 And am I the only one who shipped Ren and Callum? UGHHHHHH T_T
March 13, 2020
very good
August 31, 2022
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Emily Reads Everything
This book picks up right where The Ward ends. It’s not a stand alone novel. When I first picked it up, I knew I was missing something. Luckily The Ward was easily available so I was able to grab that up and read it first. This book was so engrossing. It was such a fun and easy read. Even though I suddenly had two books to read, it wasn’t a chore at all.
In the world of the Isle, water is a commodity. It is in such short supply that it has become a currency. If you can afford enough clean water, you can stay out of the sickhouses and avoid the plague. Hopefully. Especially since transmitting the plague is outlawed. They couldn’t make being sick illegal but they did outlaw transmission. Making someone else sick can send you straight to quarantine. Ren only cares about saving her sister of the heart, Aven. She’s willing to do anything, even reveal a miraculous secret fountain of youth.
I loved the premise of this book! So interesting and unique. Water is something that is taken for granted. We never think about how important it is for our life and our health. Just look at the news coming out of Flint, Michigan. Without water, you have nothing.
Also, Renata is so kickass. The best part about her is how loyal she is. She will do anything. Go to any lengths to protect Aven. Everything Ren does is for Aven. Ren and Aven’s relationship was so close. It was fantastic. However, it also was also a negative. Her greatest strength was also her greatest weakness. She is so interested in saving Aven and sheltering her from the world that she ignores everything else. She approaches life with a single minded intensity that is dangerous. She rushes head long into situations without considering the ramifications.
I really liked this book. Fantastic theme. Amazing friendships. You should read it!!
Emily Reads Everything
This book picks up right where The Ward ends. It’s not a stand alone novel. When I first picked it up, I knew I was missing something. Luckily The Ward was easily available so I was able to grab that up and read it first. This book was so engrossing. It was such a fun and easy read. Even though I suddenly had two books to read, it wasn’t a chore at all.
In the world of the Isle, water is a commodity. It is in such short supply that it has become a currency. If you can afford enough clean water, you can stay out of the sickhouses and avoid the plague. Hopefully. Especially since transmitting the plague is outlawed. They couldn’t make being sick illegal but they did outlaw transmission. Making someone else sick can send you straight to quarantine. Ren only cares about saving her sister of the heart, Aven. She’s willing to do anything, even reveal a miraculous secret fountain of youth.
I loved the premise of this book! So interesting and unique. Water is something that is taken for granted. We never think about how important it is for our life and our health. Just look at the news coming out of Flint, Michigan. Without water, you have nothing.
Also, Renata is so kickass. The best part about her is how loyal she is. She will do anything. Go to any lengths to protect Aven. Everything Ren does is for Aven. Ren and Aven’s relationship was so close. It was fantastic. However, it also was also a negative. Her greatest strength was also her greatest weakness. She is so interested in saving Aven and sheltering her from the world that she ignores everything else. She approaches life with a single minded intensity that is dangerous. She rushes head long into situations without considering the ramifications.
I really liked this book. Fantastic theme. Amazing friendships. You should read it!!
June 16, 2016
I was so excited to finally be able to read the sequel to The Ward. Granted these books are written by my good friend, but even if that was the case it would still be true, especially knowing the cliffhanger the first ended with.
This book has a bit of a different feel than the first. First there's the obvious, since instead of just being told from Ren's point of view it alternates between Ren and Aven. But it's more than that. I think a lot of it is there's more action. Yes, the first had its racing scenes, but this time what's happening is far more life and death.
Going into the book I was a bit disappointed that part of it hard already been spoiled. Not by reading a spoiler, but from a conversation with my friend, the author. While she did assure me that what she told me happened early on, it was pretty devastating to know out of context. Thankfully she was right and it did happen quite soon and didn't detract from the story.
Once aspect I love about this book is the fountain of youth subplot. Although a lot of that steams from seeing Jordana watch Tuck Everlasting (the one with Alexis Bledel) over and over our freshmen year of college. I just think the book is so her, and absolutely loved reading it.
Clearly my opinion is biased, but justifiably so, I think. These books are pretty awesome and unlike a lot of other YA, so if you haven't found this duo-logy yet, now is the time!
5/5
Disclosure: While I did purchase my copy of this book, in case you couldn't tell, I'm good friends with the author.
This book has a bit of a different feel than the first. First there's the obvious, since instead of just being told from Ren's point of view it alternates between Ren and Aven. But it's more than that. I think a lot of it is there's more action. Yes, the first had its racing scenes, but this time what's happening is far more life and death.
Going into the book I was a bit disappointed that part of it hard already been spoiled. Not by reading a spoiler, but from a conversation with my friend, the author. While she did assure me that what she told me happened early on, it was pretty devastating to know out of context. Thankfully she was right and it did happen quite soon and didn't detract from the story.
Once aspect I love about this book is the fountain of youth subplot. Although a lot of that steams from seeing Jordana watch Tuck Everlasting (the one with Alexis Bledel) over and over our freshmen year of college. I just think the book is so her, and absolutely loved reading it.
Clearly my opinion is biased, but justifiably so, I think. These books are pretty awesome and unlike a lot of other YA, so if you haven't found this duo-logy yet, now is the time!
5/5
Disclosure: While I did purchase my copy of this book, in case you couldn't tell, I'm good friends with the author.
March 8, 2016
The first book in this series came out...three years ago, I think? And for a long time, Goodreads had an entry up for this sequel, but it remained mostly empty because The Isle was just such a long time coming.
Come it did, though. And while it's been long enough that I've managed to forget huge chunks of The Ward, I also managed to remember a lot of stuff all over again while reading this book. I like how this one largely does away with the racing angle from The Ward - not that that was a bad thing, but it's definitely good that The Isle didn't just repeat that same running bit over again. Instead, there's more of a treasure-hunt kind of vibe going on, and definitely some heavy supernatural elements towards the end that I wouldn't have expected at the outset.
If there's a third book planned for this series, I hope it doesn't take another three years to get published.
Come it did, though. And while it's been long enough that I've managed to forget huge chunks of The Ward, I also managed to remember a lot of stuff all over again while reading this book. I like how this one largely does away with the racing angle from The Ward - not that that was a bad thing, but it's definitely good that The Isle didn't just repeat that same running bit over again. Instead, there's more of a treasure-hunt kind of vibe going on, and definitely some heavy supernatural elements towards the end that I wouldn't have expected at the outset.
If there's a third book planned for this series, I hope it doesn't take another three years to get published.
August 17, 2018
A buried treasure in the ocean of YA Dystopian novels.
What I liked:
Way better than I was expecting after the first book. Much more fast-paced and action-packed than your typical YA book.
Kid napping, chase scenes, fight scenes, prison breaks (sort-of), viral epidemics, human experimentation, conspiracy, self-sacrifice. There's a lot happening here, and it never lets up.
What I didn't like:
Wasn't a fan of the twist halfway through, as it pretty much came out of nowhere, wasn't foreshadowed or eluded to in any way, and at the time, seemed like a desperate attempt to keep the story interesting. But then it managed to redeem itself by being integrated into the story's resolution.
And l I felt the second half of the epilogue got a little cheesy, it should've ended on the emotional high note of the letter.
What I liked:
Way better than I was expecting after the first book. Much more fast-paced and action-packed than your typical YA book.
Kid napping, chase scenes, fight scenes, prison breaks (sort-of), viral epidemics, human experimentation, conspiracy, self-sacrifice. There's a lot happening here, and it never lets up.
What I didn't like:
Wasn't a fan of the twist halfway through, as it pretty much came out of nowhere, wasn't foreshadowed or eluded to in any way, and at the time, seemed like a desperate attempt to keep the story interesting. But then it managed to redeem itself by being integrated into the story's resolution.
And l I felt the second half of the epilogue got a little cheesy, it should've ended on the emotional high note of the letter.
August 22, 2016
I had read the The Ward some time ago and decided that I needed to re-read it before reading this sequel. I remember really liking The Ward when I read it the first time. I thought it was fresh and original. The second time, I didn't like it so much. I grew sick of Ren pretty quick.
I guess it's no surprise that the The Isle didn't really do anything for me either. I loved the story setting and I continued to enjoy the relationship between Ren and Aven. The rest of the relationships fell completely flat which was super disappointing. I also couldn't stomach the emotional roller coaster from Ren and found myself speed reading through her "episodes".
Nice originality. Not enough relationship depth. Too many emotional break downs.
I guess it's no surprise that the The Isle didn't really do anything for me either. I loved the story setting and I continued to enjoy the relationship between Ren and Aven. The rest of the relationships fell completely flat which was super disappointing. I also couldn't stomach the emotional roller coaster from Ren and found myself speed reading through her "episodes".
Nice originality. Not enough relationship depth. Too many emotional break downs.
December 4, 2015
A little sad that I came in via the second book in the series but here it goes..
Recieved A Free Copy From A Giveaway (Goodreads)
I liked this, I really did. I liked the action, and the pure sense of adventure. It was nothing short of exhausting. Find the cure for the sick and the poor...aint that the American dream? If we all sit and really think about it. But, the race is on as two sisters face off against hell with the world against them. Or at least, that is how I saw it. Having a lot of sisters, this really equated to the morning rush to the bathroom each day, so I fully appreciate this story.
Recieved A Free Copy From A Giveaway (Goodreads)
I liked this, I really did. I liked the action, and the pure sense of adventure. It was nothing short of exhausting. Find the cure for the sick and the poor...aint that the American dream? If we all sit and really think about it. But, the race is on as two sisters face off against hell with the world against them. Or at least, that is how I saw it. Having a lot of sisters, this really equated to the morning rush to the bathroom each day, so I fully appreciate this story.
September 14, 2020
2019
3.5 stars
I did like this one more than the first. For the most part I felt like the author explained things in this one better than the previous story. And I had fewer issues with technical aspects of the story.
The only part I really truly had an issue with was Ren's blood and the fountain of youth water needing to be mixed. And it being the exact amount in her body. That seemed like a hell of a coincidence to me, but....
Otherwise I didn't have an issues and I did enjoy the story and the ending. A very quick read!
3.5 stars
I did like this one more than the first. For the most part I felt like the author explained things in this one better than the previous story. And I had fewer issues with technical aspects of the story.
The only part I really truly had an issue with was Ren's blood and the fountain of youth water needing to be mixed. And it being the exact amount in her body. That seemed like a hell of a coincidence to me, but....
Otherwise I didn't have an issues and I did enjoy the story and the ending. A very quick read!
March 29, 2016
A compelling near-future dystopia with a hint of the supernatural makes this a unique and exciting read. It had been a while since the first installment, but Frankel gets the reader up to speed quickly while keeping plenty of action and suspense in the mix. I liked that we got further outside of the Ward and examined what was happening elsewhere; the plotlines were gripping and the resolution fantastic. Highly recommended.
January 15, 2016
The Isle by Jordana Frankel
The Ward, #2
Katherine Tegen Books
On Sale: January 19, 2016
Rating: 4 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy in advance for an honest review.
REVIEW TO COME
The Ward, #2
Katherine Tegen Books
On Sale: January 19, 2016
Rating: 4 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy in advance for an honest review.
REVIEW TO COME
February 5, 2016
Tiene un bonito final. Ahora es la historia contada desde el punto de vista de las dos hermanas. En capítulos alternados.
No me gustan los parientes que de pronto salen me parece muy poco original....
Las escenas se ven venir pero bueno ya se terminó la serie.
No me gustan los parientes que de pronto salen me parece muy poco original....
Las escenas se ven venir pero bueno ya se terminó la serie.
June 16, 2016
Not what I expected. Fantastic Story.
Loved the characters.
Kept me turning through the pages to see what happened next.
Intense. I was wanting more the second I started reading.
Loved the characters.
Kept me turning through the pages to see what happened next.
Intense. I was wanting more the second I started reading.
May 3, 2016
a generous 3.....more like 2.5
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