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After the End #2
Until the Beginning
Amy Plum, internationally bestselling author of the Die for Me series, delivers a heart-pounding adventure perfect for fans of Michael Grant, Veronica Rossi, and Alexandra Bracken. Until the Beginning is the sequel to After the End, which Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series and the Young Elites series, called “wonderfully riveting.” In this stunning and exhilarating conclusion to the duology, Juneau has been searching for her people and for answers . . . and she is about to find both.
When Juneau’s clan disappeared, she lost so much more than her friends and family. She soon discovered everything she thought she knew about her life was a lie. Her people’s gifts were actually secret abilities that others wanted, desperately enough to kidnap an entire village.
Juneau set off on a cross-country journey with her new companion, Miles, to find her clan, which led them to a game preserve in New Mexico. Now Juneau’s people are finally within reach, and she will stop at nothing to save them. But she has a target on her back too, because unbeknownst to her she is the key to unlocking everything. To rescue her people—and herself—Juneau must discover what she and her abilities are truly capable of.
When Juneau’s clan disappeared, she lost so much more than her friends and family. She soon discovered everything she thought she knew about her life was a lie. Her people’s gifts were actually secret abilities that others wanted, desperately enough to kidnap an entire village.
Juneau set off on a cross-country journey with her new companion, Miles, to find her clan, which led them to a game preserve in New Mexico. Now Juneau’s people are finally within reach, and she will stop at nothing to save them. But she has a target on her back too, because unbeknownst to her she is the key to unlocking everything. To rescue her people—and herself—Juneau must discover what she and her abilities are truly capable of.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2015
119 people are currently reading
5479 people want to read
About the author
Amy Plum
33 books4,854 followersAmy Plum is the international bestselling author of the DIE FOR ME series (Indie Next List pick, Romance Times top pick, and recipient of a starred review from School Library Journal). The books have been translated into thirteen foreign languages. The trilogy is accompanied by three novellas entitled DIE FOR HER, DIE ONCE MORE, TO DIE FOR and a compendium entitled INSIDE THE WORLD OF DIE FOR ME.
In DREAMFALL and NEVERWAKE a radical experiment to cure chronic insomnia goes wrong, and its seven teenage test subjects are plunged into a shared coma populated by one another’s nightmares; those who die in the dream will also die in real life.
Amy's action/adventure/magic duology, AFTER THE END and UNTIL THE BEGINNING, received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, 4 1/2 stars from RT Book Reviews, and enthusiastic reviews from Kirkus, USA Today, ALA Booklist and School Library Journal.
After being raised in Birmingham, Alabama, in a rather restrictive environment, AMY PLUM escaped to Chicago to an even more restrictive environment at a university that expelled people for dancing. (And where she was called to the dean’s office for “wearing too much black”.) After all of that restrictiveness, she was forced to run far far away, specifically to Paris, France, where she only wore black and danced all she wanted.
After five years in Paris, she ventured to London, where she got an M.A. in Medieval Art History, specializing in Early Sienese Painting (1260-1348) mainly because it promised almost no hope of finding a paying job afterward.
Amy managed to find work in the world of art and antiques in New York. But after almost a decade of high-pressure lifestyle in the Big Apple, she swapped her American city for a French village of 1300 inhabitants.
After signing with HarperCollins for the DIE FOR ME series, Amy left her job as an English professor at Tours University to write full-time. She now lives in Paris with her two kids and her black lab, Oberon.
She is a huge fan of Edward Gorey and Maira Kalman (and collects both of their books/art), as well as David Sedaris, Amadeo Modigliani, and Ira Glass.
Check out videos and extras from Amy at Revenant Central.
In DREAMFALL and NEVERWAKE a radical experiment to cure chronic insomnia goes wrong, and its seven teenage test subjects are plunged into a shared coma populated by one another’s nightmares; those who die in the dream will also die in real life.
Amy's action/adventure/magic duology, AFTER THE END and UNTIL THE BEGINNING, received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, 4 1/2 stars from RT Book Reviews, and enthusiastic reviews from Kirkus, USA Today, ALA Booklist and School Library Journal.
After being raised in Birmingham, Alabama, in a rather restrictive environment, AMY PLUM escaped to Chicago to an even more restrictive environment at a university that expelled people for dancing. (And where she was called to the dean’s office for “wearing too much black”.) After all of that restrictiveness, she was forced to run far far away, specifically to Paris, France, where she only wore black and danced all she wanted.
After five years in Paris, she ventured to London, where she got an M.A. in Medieval Art History, specializing in Early Sienese Painting (1260-1348) mainly because it promised almost no hope of finding a paying job afterward.
Amy managed to find work in the world of art and antiques in New York. But after almost a decade of high-pressure lifestyle in the Big Apple, she swapped her American city for a French village of 1300 inhabitants.
After signing with HarperCollins for the DIE FOR ME series, Amy left her job as an English professor at Tours University to write full-time. She now lives in Paris with her two kids and her black lab, Oberon.
She is a huge fan of Edward Gorey and Maira Kalman (and collects both of their books/art), as well as David Sedaris, Amadeo Modigliani, and Ira Glass.
Check out videos and extras from Amy at Revenant Central.
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February 15, 2021
► Book 1 : After the End ★★★★
Edit : I just learnt that it's a duology, actually. It was the end, then? *take a breath* Okaaaay.
▨ Take away the banter
Where is the chemistry between Miles and Juneau? Their hilarious dialogues? The slow growth of their affection? If I'm being fair, I could have seen it coming at the end of book 1. Because what did I love so much in Miles and Juneau's relationship at first?
Their differences. Their banter. The hilarious complete inability for Miles to stand wildlife.
Now, I'm not saying that he morphed into some super country man, but he evolved for sure and - oh god, I can't believe what I'm going to say but - he was funnier when he was clueless. I know, I suck. Sue me. But take away the banter, and there's not quite enough sparks between them to make me interested in their relationship. Contrary to After the End where I was delighted by their interactions, I couldn't help but notice the fact that they felt forced here. In my opinion, anyway.
Moreover, as I said, it can sound weird that I complain about Miles's changes, because usually I'm all for character development but in my opinion he lost too much of his own identity, too much of what made me love him in the first place. Although some of his thoughts made me smile still, it occurred way more rarely than before. So, yes. Okay. He grew up. I'm not saying he's bad, because he's not. Yet I lost any connection I could have in After the End. I don't care anymore, and I'm the first to be sad about it, trust me.
Finally, talk about one of the most anticlimactic sex scene I ever read (for a couple I ship, let's say) : I just didn't care, like, at all, as it appeared from nowhere. Of course it's YA so everything fades into black and I'm completely okay with that but still, I'm usually more invested, while here, it didn't even make me smile. If anything, it annoyed me, because of course no protection for Juneau. Okay, they're "one with the Yara" and so can't get any disease, there's that. Anyway, what about kids? That's not like the girl could have been on the pill, living recluse the way she did and all. But OF COURSE THAT'S FANTASTIC, because everybody knows that it's always the case on the first time. Oh, wait - that's because of the Yara. Silly me.
▨ Please don't change anything, you might interest me
If the story is still fast-paced, almost nothing happens until the end, and even then I wasn't enthralled nor captivated by the story.
Basically, Juneau wants to save her clan. Miles is trailing along with her. Whit is not to be trusted. Powerful dudes try to kidnap her, because she's SO important.
Ring a bell? Oh, YES. It was the plot of After the End. Well, now, you've got the same here, without the shocking beginning and the hilarious conversations. Yikes.
To be clear, I felt like we ran round in circles, and the last development about the abilities of Juneau and her clan didn't satisfy me as I wasn't a big fan of the so-special status of Juneau it implies. In a word, if the Yara didn't convince me in the first book, my interest didn't increase here, but I sure rolled my eyes pretty often, I have to admit.
▨ Add some cartoonish villains
Indeed the villain(s)'s (lack of) characterization makes him (them) so superficial that if his (their) behavior is (are) truly awful and disrespectful (and fucking crazy), I didn't feel anything toward him (them) : while my brain was able to see how bad he is (they are), yet I never felt anything. No fear, let alone fury. My heartbeat never grew wild. Not for a second. Truth be told, their portrayal are cartoonish, as they offer no nuances. Not nearly enough anyway.
I like nuances. I'm in love with nuances. Please give me nuances.
▨ To sum up, Until the Beginning wasn't terrible, and Amy Plum knows how to write for sure, but it lost me along the way -
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April 29, 2016
4 stars!
" I wish I could talk to my mother. The same blood flowed through her veins. And she took that blood and made it into something she thought could save the world...until she realized that it had the potential to destroy it. "
***Spoilers ahead***
This is the sequel to After The End. In the first book we were introduced to Juneau and Miles. We were let in on the secret of Juneau's clan and why they are immune to disease, why they don't seem to age. It all came down to a drug called Amrit that the elders of the clan created, originally as a way to help endangered species of animals. But once they realized the side effects, having tested it on themselves, they went into hiding deep in the Alaskan wilderness. Most thought it best to keep knowledge of the drug hidden, thinking that it would ultimately be bad for the humanity of the world. So they created the lie of World War 3 and the world being a wasteland to satisfy the next generations curiosity.
Now the thing about this drug that makes it so unique? One of it's ingredients was originally a small bit of Juneau's mothers blood...and something about her mothers blood and Juneau's makes the Amrit possible. So when one of the clan elders breaks away to try to sell the Amrit and get his fame and fortune for it, we now understand why Juneau is so important. They need her blood, both to produce more Amrit and to look for possible synthetic replacements.
The end of the first book left us with Miles being shot and Juneau administering Amrit to him in an attempt to save him. Now we're left wondering if he'll live or die.
" If Miles awakes, he will be a changed person. He will have the gift of life : free of disease and aging. If he doesn't, then the one person who matters most to me - outside of my clan, of course - will be gone. Abruptly. And forever. "
So we wait to see what Miles fate will be, while at the same time Juneau continues on her quest to locate and rescue her clan.
This was a lot better than the first one, for me. It had a faster pace and more action in it. Not to mention it was nice to have an explanation for everything. I ended up liking the ending. My only issue still was the romance. This 2 book series takes place within a few weeks, so the relationship between Juneau and Miles just seemed to go from one extreme to the next. Also, I didn't like how nonchalant Juneau was about the sex thing, like losing her virginity to a guy she basically just met and disliked and didn't trust last week was the most normal thing. I mean, I probably sound so old fashioned, but seriously? Overall though, not a bad read :)
" I wish I could talk to my mother. The same blood flowed through her veins. And she took that blood and made it into something she thought could save the world...until she realized that it had the potential to destroy it. "
***Spoilers ahead***
This is the sequel to After The End. In the first book we were introduced to Juneau and Miles. We were let in on the secret of Juneau's clan and why they are immune to disease, why they don't seem to age. It all came down to a drug called Amrit that the elders of the clan created, originally as a way to help endangered species of animals. But once they realized the side effects, having tested it on themselves, they went into hiding deep in the Alaskan wilderness. Most thought it best to keep knowledge of the drug hidden, thinking that it would ultimately be bad for the humanity of the world. So they created the lie of World War 3 and the world being a wasteland to satisfy the next generations curiosity.
Now the thing about this drug that makes it so unique? One of it's ingredients was originally a small bit of Juneau's mothers blood...and something about her mothers blood and Juneau's makes the Amrit possible. So when one of the clan elders breaks away to try to sell the Amrit and get his fame and fortune for it, we now understand why Juneau is so important. They need her blood, both to produce more Amrit and to look for possible synthetic replacements.
The end of the first book left us with Miles being shot and Juneau administering Amrit to him in an attempt to save him. Now we're left wondering if he'll live or die.
" If Miles awakes, he will be a changed person. He will have the gift of life : free of disease and aging. If he doesn't, then the one person who matters most to me - outside of my clan, of course - will be gone. Abruptly. And forever. "
So we wait to see what Miles fate will be, while at the same time Juneau continues on her quest to locate and rescue her clan.
This was a lot better than the first one, for me. It had a faster pace and more action in it. Not to mention it was nice to have an explanation for everything. I ended up liking the ending. My only issue still was the romance. This 2 book series takes place within a few weeks, so the relationship between Juneau and Miles just seemed to go from one extreme to the next. Also, I didn't like how nonchalant Juneau was about the sex thing, like losing her virginity to a guy she basically just met and disliked and didn't trust last week was the most normal thing. I mean, I probably sound so old fashioned, but seriously? Overall though, not a bad read :)
January 25, 2021
1.5 Stars rounded up to 2 because the premise was good.
CW:
Well that was disappointingly non-eventful. In the the first book the slow pacing made sense because there was some scene setting to do and relationships to develop. This book had no excuse for being so slow and boring. When the action sequences did occur they lacked tension and I felt like Juneau and Miles were underutilised. I prefer my heroines to flex their powers on the battlefield a lot more than what was displayed in this book. Underwhelming.
CW:
Well that was disappointingly non-eventful. In the the first book the slow pacing made sense because there was some scene setting to do and relationships to develop. This book had no excuse for being so slow and boring. When the action sequences did occur they lacked tension and I felt like Juneau and Miles were underutilised. I prefer my heroines to flex their powers on the battlefield a lot more than what was displayed in this book. Underwhelming.
January 3, 2016
4.5 Stars
Excellent conclusion to an exciting duology! This is YA at its best! I definitely recommend the audio version. Emily Rankin and Graham Hamilton’s performance made the story come to life.
I was amazed with Juneau and Miles ability to strategize and use whatever they had available in pursuit of the ultimate goal of saving Juneau’s clan. Juneau had to sort through her beliefs to and find her own truths, but she didn’t let the questions hold her or her powers back. I have to say her father and clan trained Juneau well, in spite of the lies they told.
I loved the positive character growth Miles had through this journey, and I was pleased he caught on so quickly and became a real asset. The romance was lovely. Not so much that it took over the plot, but enough swoony moments to satisfy this romance junky.
Excellent conclusion to an exciting duology! This is YA at its best! I definitely recommend the audio version. Emily Rankin and Graham Hamilton’s performance made the story come to life.
I was amazed with Juneau and Miles ability to strategize and use whatever they had available in pursuit of the ultimate goal of saving Juneau’s clan. Juneau had to sort through her beliefs to and find her own truths, but she didn’t let the questions hold her or her powers back. I have to say her father and clan trained Juneau well, in spite of the lies they told.
I loved the positive character growth Miles had through this journey, and I was pleased he caught on so quickly and became a real asset. The romance was lovely. Not so much that it took over the plot, but enough swoony moments to satisfy this romance junky.
September 30, 2015
"It's a no-man's-land between two epic stories. After the end of one . . . until the beginning of the next."
If I'm being honest I love this book less compared to its predecessor. I don't know why but it felt like something has been lost. Something that I can't explain. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed reading this book. So much. I still adored the main characters Juneau and Miles and their chemistry. These two really clicked with each other. I giggled whenever they are teasing and throwing banters. Hahaha.
There are just some few events or actions that seemed forced and rushed between Juneau and Miles. Besides, even if the first few chapters weren't boring or a snoozefest, it felt like nothing much happened on those chapters, just the main character being angsty and such and it became, in my opinion, a way to insert some romantic scenes that weren't necessary. Or maybe it was, but anyway.
I admit, I'm rooting for some intense action; luckily, I got it. Even it wasn't that epic, I thought I still enjoyed it and gave me the jitters. And, of course, I also got answers, woo-hoo! Some clarification of the truth about the mystery in this book that I didn't get on the first book. Ah yes, it still came down to science but the author made a senseful philosophical statement about the old ways. That I found meaningful and remarkable.
As a whole, Until the Beginning fulfill my satisfaction and it brought me to a great and exhilarating adventure of unique abilities, truth-seeking, science, lies, the old ways, nature, family, love and friendship.
The question is: Is that Four and Tris on the cover?
Want to read
July 15, 2014Until the Beginning??
o m g what a flawless name.
AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO MILES?
BUT WAIT, WHAT'S THIS?
MAY 2015??????
NOOOOO
o m g what a flawless name.
AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO MILES?
BUT WAIT, WHAT'S THIS?
MAY 2015??????
NOOOOO
December 13, 2015
4-4.5 stars
Until the Beginning is everything I was hoping it would be and more! Though I didn't flat out love After the End, I knew the sequel had the potential to be all sorts of amazing, and I was right. It takes all the things I enjoyed about the first book and magnifies them brilliantly, while the few negatives I had are no longer much of an issue. The fact that the series is a duology rather than a trilogy is icing on the cake.
The story picks up exactly where we last left Juneau and Miles: he is dying from a bullet wound and to save him, she administers the rites of her clan that will give him long life. While waiting for him to recover, Juneau devises a plan to rescue her loved ones, who are being held hostage by someone who wants the rites' secret ingredients for himself. Taking action is her primary concern, but she's also still reeling from the discoveries she's made over the last few days. From everything her clan has always told her, what is truth and what is a lie? Action, romance, and personal revelations abound in Amy Plum's spellbinding sequel.
My main objection to the first book was not connecting to the fantasy aspect. It was jarring and out of place, never quite fitting into the otherwise realistic, modern story. Essentially, Juneau and her clan can connect to nature on a higher level, which gifts them with abilities like seeing into the future or through the mind of an animal. They also perform an aforementioned rite that grants each member long life, fast healing, and a greater sense of the Yara (the earth's life force). Though I still had some trouble with this part of the story in Until the Beginning, I also found that it felt more organic. Maybe that's just because it's now the second book and I was prepared for it, but I also think it's used to a much greater effect, in terms of character development. We learn new ideas about where these powers actually come from, and that's something both Miles and Juneau struggle to make sense of throughout the story.
The actual plot is extremely well-paced. Part survivalist, part action, part rescue mission, there's never a dull moment. Juneau and Miles have to rely on instinct and their own experiences to formulate any plans, and many times they're not even sure what their next steps will be. They just know that they'll do whatever it takes to save her people. What I really liked is that Juneau and Miles work together as a team. While she has undoubtedly been the leader of their duo, it's great to see Miles contribute his own skills and assets and even take the lead at various points. At the beginning of the first book, I would never have guessed these two could communicate so well, but that's exactly what they do. They listen and respect each other.
Which brings me to my favorite aspect of the story: the characters. I grew to love them so much in this sequel! Juneau, that weird, tough, resourceful girl who could survive in the wild with nothing but the clothes on her back (and apparently those aren't even needed). I like that she is never one to wallow or give up hope, despite all that she has recently faced. She has moments of vulnerability and willingly goes to Miles for comfort, but she also stays incredibly focused. I connected to her much better in this book than in the first. My favorite, though, is still Miles. My God this boy is endearingly hilarious. Amy Plum does a fantastic job with his sarcastic attitude and witty one-liners. But he's much more than a handsome face and funny guy; I love how he stepped up and grew to be (almost) as fearless as Juneau. The romance, too, is even better this time around. It's heartfelt and believable, with plenty of swoony moments. Miles and Juneau make a quirky opposites-attract pair, and their banter is some of the best. No drama or doubts, either!
If you haven't yet started this duology, I highly recommend it. Until the Beginning is now my favorite Amy Plum book, and I want everyone to read it for Miles' chapters alone. I dare you not to love that kid. This is also the second series she has avoided a love triangle, which just makes me love her more. Can't wait to see what she writes next!
***Thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!***
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
Until the Beginning is everything I was hoping it would be and more! Though I didn't flat out love After the End, I knew the sequel had the potential to be all sorts of amazing, and I was right. It takes all the things I enjoyed about the first book and magnifies them brilliantly, while the few negatives I had are no longer much of an issue. The fact that the series is a duology rather than a trilogy is icing on the cake.
The story picks up exactly where we last left Juneau and Miles: he is dying from a bullet wound and to save him, she administers the rites of her clan that will give him long life. While waiting for him to recover, Juneau devises a plan to rescue her loved ones, who are being held hostage by someone who wants the rites' secret ingredients for himself. Taking action is her primary concern, but she's also still reeling from the discoveries she's made over the last few days. From everything her clan has always told her, what is truth and what is a lie? Action, romance, and personal revelations abound in Amy Plum's spellbinding sequel.
My main objection to the first book was not connecting to the fantasy aspect. It was jarring and out of place, never quite fitting into the otherwise realistic, modern story. Essentially, Juneau and her clan can connect to nature on a higher level, which gifts them with abilities like seeing into the future or through the mind of an animal. They also perform an aforementioned rite that grants each member long life, fast healing, and a greater sense of the Yara (the earth's life force). Though I still had some trouble with this part of the story in Until the Beginning, I also found that it felt more organic. Maybe that's just because it's now the second book and I was prepared for it, but I also think it's used to a much greater effect, in terms of character development. We learn new ideas about where these powers actually come from, and that's something both Miles and Juneau struggle to make sense of throughout the story.
The actual plot is extremely well-paced. Part survivalist, part action, part rescue mission, there's never a dull moment. Juneau and Miles have to rely on instinct and their own experiences to formulate any plans, and many times they're not even sure what their next steps will be. They just know that they'll do whatever it takes to save her people. What I really liked is that Juneau and Miles work together as a team. While she has undoubtedly been the leader of their duo, it's great to see Miles contribute his own skills and assets and even take the lead at various points. At the beginning of the first book, I would never have guessed these two could communicate so well, but that's exactly what they do. They listen and respect each other.
Which brings me to my favorite aspect of the story: the characters. I grew to love them so much in this sequel! Juneau, that weird, tough, resourceful girl who could survive in the wild with nothing but the clothes on her back (and apparently those aren't even needed). I like that she is never one to wallow or give up hope, despite all that she has recently faced. She has moments of vulnerability and willingly goes to Miles for comfort, but she also stays incredibly focused. I connected to her much better in this book than in the first. My favorite, though, is still Miles. My God this boy is endearingly hilarious. Amy Plum does a fantastic job with his sarcastic attitude and witty one-liners. But he's much more than a handsome face and funny guy; I love how he stepped up and grew to be (almost) as fearless as Juneau. The romance, too, is even better this time around. It's heartfelt and believable, with plenty of swoony moments. Miles and Juneau make a quirky opposites-attract pair, and their banter is some of the best. No drama or doubts, either!
If you haven't yet started this duology, I highly recommend it. Until the Beginning is now my favorite Amy Plum book, and I want everyone to read it for Miles' chapters alone. I dare you not to love that kid. This is also the second series she has avoided a love triangle, which just makes me love her more. Can't wait to see what she writes next!
***Thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!***
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
May 6, 2016
4.5/5
Last year, I read and loved Amy Plum's After the End. It was a book that surprised me in a good way and had a heroine that I loved with every fiber of my being. I wasn't sure that it would be possible for this sequel and final book of the duology to be even better than book 1, but Amy Plum surpassed all my expectations with Until the Beginning and gifted us all with a stunning and satisfying conclusion.
Until the Beginning starts off where the cliffhanger of After the End left us with. It was a brutal ending, but one that was filled with hope. This book in general was filled with hope. As a sequel, Until the Beginning was a lot more action-packed. There was just so much going on. I felt like I was physically in the book alongside Miles and Juneau and boy was I emotionally exhausted at times because I was just so invested in the story. This is the kind of book that had me glued to my seat, flipping non-stop through the pages and even after I put down the book to go get food, my thoughts would immediately rush to this book. It was the kind of book that wholly consumed me and I have no doubt it will render other readers an emotional mess as well. I was never sure what obstacle Amy Plum was going to set in front of our protagonists and I was terrified of what was awaiting them. The great thing about books like Until the Beginning is the non-stop action. If you're an action-in-books junkie, then this is the perfect book for you because Miles and Juneau were constantly running from one dangerous situation to another. It truly was an exhilarating book and you're just left feeling breathless and thinking about what an epic ride it was! The final showdown between Miles, Juneau and the horrible villains in this book was epic in many ways. I hated the villains so much so I was ready for them to receive their dues.
Until the Beginning would not have been a perfect book without the amazing protagonists. Miles and Juneau were amazing in this book. Juneau was a character I admired from the start of After the End. She's a character that I instantly connected with, so I was ready to get back to being inside her head. She continued to impress me in this installment and she continued to awe me with her fierceness, strength and loyalty towards her loved ones. She was one amazing heroine and definitely makes my list of top 10 all time favorite protagonists. Amy Plum captured her flaws and her strengths so beautifully through her voice. The character that surprised me in this book was Miles. I had some issues with him in the previous book, but by the end he had grown on me. In this book, I downright fell in love with this boy. He has grown so much from the previous book, hardened and more mature. He no longer was that naive young boy he was and I love the strong man that he has become. He was so endearing and his devotion to Juneau was nothing short of loveable. Miles and Juneau's relationship in Until the Beginning was another strong element of this sequel. My goodness! These two were so deeply romantic and I loved how Amy Plum explored their intimate relationship so beautifully. It was sweet, romantic and gave me the butterflies. Also, can I just say how absolutely amazing the banter between these two is? Seriously, I was giggling like a little girl because of how adorable they were. What made their relationship so tight was how open they were with each other and how they were a couple that worked together. It's rare to see couples cooperate in YA books, so this book was refreshing.
Until the Beginning and the After the End duology is one that I don't hesitate even a little bit to push on you readers. It's one of those series that deserves to be read and praised by everyone. Do yourself a favor and read this and experience the beauty of these characters.
September 7, 2015
Find this and other Reviews at InToriLex
I'm a big fan of authors who are able to convey meaning into characters without it coming off as unnatural or disrupting the story's flow. Juneau is still grappling with who she is, and how she's going to handle the world now that it's no longer confined to her clan. She's trying to trust herself, while realizing the people she trusted most have lied and kept things from her, her whole life. On the run Miles and Juneau have to deal with the trauma in their lives so that they can learn from it. Miles while still a skeptic at heart starts to learn and respect Gaia and the power of the Yara.
These two teenagers have to hold it together so that they can do the right thing. The changing perspectives in the book, like in After the End made the pacing of the book fast, and also never seemed to have any awkward transitioning.The supernatural elements of the book, and the way that Juneau continues to use nature and animals as tools give this book really interesting moments, that wouldn't work well without Ms. Plum's awesome finesse. Animals play a big role and in ways that I definitely wasn't expecting in the end.
Although I really enjoyed the book, it was not without flaws, Things were explained, but nothing was resolved in terms of where these characters will end up long term. The Yara could also have been fleshed out more, its lazy to just call it deep nature connection=awesome super powers. Definitely read this if your a fan of the first, just prepare for a more introspective book. There were still some awesome and creative action scenes, and well described new characters definitely keep the story alive, This a well paced action thriller, with unique ideas about how nature rewards it's loyal followers.
"When your in a group, you offer your skills for the use and survival of the group. You don't pretend you don't have them. It's not only disingenuous. It's withholding your donation to the common good."
I'm a big fan of authors who are able to convey meaning into characters without it coming off as unnatural or disrupting the story's flow. Juneau is still grappling with who she is, and how she's going to handle the world now that it's no longer confined to her clan. She's trying to trust herself, while realizing the people she trusted most have lied and kept things from her, her whole life. On the run Miles and Juneau have to deal with the trauma in their lives so that they can learn from it. Miles while still a skeptic at heart starts to learn and respect Gaia and the power of the Yara.
These two teenagers have to hold it together so that they can do the right thing. The changing perspectives in the book, like in After the End made the pacing of the book fast, and also never seemed to have any awkward transitioning.The supernatural elements of the book, and the way that Juneau continues to use nature and animals as tools give this book really interesting moments, that wouldn't work well without Ms. Plum's awesome finesse. Animals play a big role and in ways that I definitely wasn't expecting in the end.
Although I really enjoyed the book, it was not without flaws, Things were explained, but nothing was resolved in terms of where these characters will end up long term. The Yara could also have been fleshed out more, its lazy to just call it deep nature connection=awesome super powers. Definitely read this if your a fan of the first, just prepare for a more introspective book. There were still some awesome and creative action scenes, and well described new characters definitely keep the story alive, This a well paced action thriller, with unique ideas about how nature rewards it's loyal followers.
June 7, 2015
3.5 stars
I don't know how to write a review on this one. Can I just settle on awesome? Okay, this book is awesome. You should read the duology. 'Nuff said.
I don't know how to write a review on this one. Can I just settle on awesome? Okay, this book is awesome. You should read the duology. 'Nuff said.
January 10, 2017
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: An exciting second installment about Juneau’s adventure that I enjoyed.
Opening Sentence: Miles has been dead for one hour.
The Review:
Juneau is back on the run, and this time she’s starting the journey all alone. Miles died, and although she’s fighting to bring and keep him alive with the Rite, she doesn’t know the side effects of one who is not from her clan undergoing the ceremony. She is still following leads to track down her clans, this time with a renewed belief in the Yara and her connection to it, but she will soon realize that the forces they are up against are more powerful than imagined. They have resources and motivations that could make them deadly, so Juneau must tread carefully, for she has everything to lose.
I really enjoyed Juneau’s character in this second installment. She had a determination and a confidence that she carried herself that made her fun to read about; this is not to say, however, that she was immune from the doubts and worries of having a whole clan’s future resting on her shoulders. I appreciated watching her development and adaptation to the new modern world she had been dragged into unexpectedly. As well as this, her relationship with Miles changed her in ways that I liked watching, and by the end of the novel she had found renewed courage and strength. As a reader, she was an interesting point of view, and I found her spin on everything refreshing – after all, it was through the eyes of one who had never known modern comforts.
Miles was the love interest and second point of view that I was following. In the last book, I believe I found him somewhat lazy and a deadweight, and in this novel you really see him transition both mentally and physically to a helpful force to Juneau’s cause. He also grew into himself, and developed into a character with much more confidence who was a match to Juneau. I really liked this change and how Juneau inspired it, and it gave a nice nod to how their relationship inspired each other to become better. Speaking of the relationship, I still was a fan of the love story, and I found it moved at a good pace and not the insta-love often found in young adult novels that I’ve grown to dislike.
There were new plot developments in this second installment, as well as continuations of the first book. For example, Juneau’s connection with the earth – although she seemed to redeem it by the end of the first book, new ideas brought to light in the second lead to her questioning it all over again. Juneau leading the clan was also a constant, as she felt the duty to save her people and that carried her decisions throughout the series. It seemed like an awful amount of pressure for a teenage girl, but Juneau being Juneau, she handled it admirably. New characters were revealed, and motivations of already known ones were revealed. I appreciate knowing backstories of the antagonists in novels because it gives their actions an explanation, so knowing more about Whit was a welcome addition to this second book.
Altogether, I really did enjoy this novel and this series. I think the first book had a lot more worldbuilding and was an entry to the plotline and introduction to the characters. As such, I liked the second book better than the first, as it had more action and twists. The characters were all strong and had lots of depth. It was a really easy book to follow, and very readable; both point of views were interesting, and I never felt bored or like the plot had lagged, as I remember doing in the first. There were quite a few reveals as the novel went on, and those twists were fun to read. I would definitely recommend this to fans of the first – I think you will be impressed!
Notable Scene:
My body melts away until there is nothing left but a small white ball, feathers, beak, and a flash of light. And like that, I am sprung into the air. The words of the song grow clearer, and I sense another bird keeping pace with me, just outside my vision. I flap my wings, banking steeply as we climb together, high over the endless ocean. We catch the wind and soar.
FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Until the Beginning. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: An exciting second installment about Juneau’s adventure that I enjoyed.
Opening Sentence: Miles has been dead for one hour.
The Review:
Juneau is back on the run, and this time she’s starting the journey all alone. Miles died, and although she’s fighting to bring and keep him alive with the Rite, she doesn’t know the side effects of one who is not from her clan undergoing the ceremony. She is still following leads to track down her clans, this time with a renewed belief in the Yara and her connection to it, but she will soon realize that the forces they are up against are more powerful than imagined. They have resources and motivations that could make them deadly, so Juneau must tread carefully, for she has everything to lose.
I really enjoyed Juneau’s character in this second installment. She had a determination and a confidence that she carried herself that made her fun to read about; this is not to say, however, that she was immune from the doubts and worries of having a whole clan’s future resting on her shoulders. I appreciated watching her development and adaptation to the new modern world she had been dragged into unexpectedly. As well as this, her relationship with Miles changed her in ways that I liked watching, and by the end of the novel she had found renewed courage and strength. As a reader, she was an interesting point of view, and I found her spin on everything refreshing – after all, it was through the eyes of one who had never known modern comforts.
Miles was the love interest and second point of view that I was following. In the last book, I believe I found him somewhat lazy and a deadweight, and in this novel you really see him transition both mentally and physically to a helpful force to Juneau’s cause. He also grew into himself, and developed into a character with much more confidence who was a match to Juneau. I really liked this change and how Juneau inspired it, and it gave a nice nod to how their relationship inspired each other to become better. Speaking of the relationship, I still was a fan of the love story, and I found it moved at a good pace and not the insta-love often found in young adult novels that I’ve grown to dislike.
There were new plot developments in this second installment, as well as continuations of the first book. For example, Juneau’s connection with the earth – although she seemed to redeem it by the end of the first book, new ideas brought to light in the second lead to her questioning it all over again. Juneau leading the clan was also a constant, as she felt the duty to save her people and that carried her decisions throughout the series. It seemed like an awful amount of pressure for a teenage girl, but Juneau being Juneau, she handled it admirably. New characters were revealed, and motivations of already known ones were revealed. I appreciate knowing backstories of the antagonists in novels because it gives their actions an explanation, so knowing more about Whit was a welcome addition to this second book.
Altogether, I really did enjoy this novel and this series. I think the first book had a lot more worldbuilding and was an entry to the plotline and introduction to the characters. As such, I liked the second book better than the first, as it had more action and twists. The characters were all strong and had lots of depth. It was a really easy book to follow, and very readable; both point of views were interesting, and I never felt bored or like the plot had lagged, as I remember doing in the first. There were quite a few reveals as the novel went on, and those twists were fun to read. I would definitely recommend this to fans of the first – I think you will be impressed!
Notable Scene:
My body melts away until there is nothing left but a small white ball, feathers, beak, and a flash of light. And like that, I am sprung into the air. The words of the song grow clearer, and I sense another bird keeping pace with me, just outside my vision. I flap my wings, banking steeply as we climb together, high over the endless ocean. We catch the wind and soar.
FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Until the Beginning. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
June 4, 2015
FULL REVIEW http://haraiah.blogspot.com/2015/06/r...
Ah, I don't know about you but I'm pretty sure that's Tris and Four..
I asked my sister last night who she thinks these two are and she was like, "Um, Shailene and Four...? Ha ha ha."
Confirmed.
Ah, I don't know about you but I'm pretty sure that's Tris and Four..
I asked my sister last night who she thinks these two are and she was like, "Um, Shailene and Four...? Ha ha ha."
Confirmed.
May 4, 2015
First, this is the sequel to After the End. So if you haven't read that... well, this won't make much sense to you, so probably go read that first? I will say, before we get into the actual review, that this sequel is definitely a win. I liked the first book, but this book really pulled everything together wonderfully, so if you had doubts about it being a duology, no worries there!
First, I am going to talk about the one thing I wasn't so fond of in the first book: The magic. In Until the Beginning, it is fleshed out much more, with a lot more explanation and purpose, and basically negates all of the trouble I had with it in the first book, to the point where I actually really liked it! There were a few revelations that were a tad farfetched for me, but on the whole, it was a solid attribute in the story.
Now, to the best part of the book: Juneau and Miles! I adore Juneau and Miles, and their witty banter, and their escalating romance, and trust and understandings they have come to. They have both grown tremendously during these two books, all while maintaining the best parts about their individualities. I really don't think character development gets better than that. Juneau is strong and wise and ready to do anything for her people, but Miles helps to bring out her softer side, her more vulnerable side. Miles is still level headed and realistic, making Juneau a bit more grounded. But she is able to show him what it means to be loyal and to fight for what you believe in, and Miles starts to believe in himself. Basically, Amy Plum can do character development like no other.
And there is a road trip! I do love a road trip, especially when there is a time constraint and unknown dangers. This book, of course, has both. There are secrets to be uncovered, mysteries to figure out, and the great part is, that both Juneau and Miles's strengths and resources are needed to figure out their next steps. Oh, and no worries, there are major swoons to be had as well! I don't want to talk too much about the plot, because I don't want to spoil anything, but it moved along wonderfully, I read the book quickly because I was anxious to know what was coming next!
Bottom Line: If you haven't started this series, I recommend. If you have, and liked After the End, you will probably love Until the Beginning. It has all the good parts of After the End, but expands on them and explains and reveals so, so much. And come on, it's Juneau and Miles!
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
First, I am going to talk about the one thing I wasn't so fond of in the first book: The magic. In Until the Beginning, it is fleshed out much more, with a lot more explanation and purpose, and basically negates all of the trouble I had with it in the first book, to the point where I actually really liked it! There were a few revelations that were a tad farfetched for me, but on the whole, it was a solid attribute in the story.
Now, to the best part of the book: Juneau and Miles! I adore Juneau and Miles, and their witty banter, and their escalating romance, and trust and understandings they have come to. They have both grown tremendously during these two books, all while maintaining the best parts about their individualities. I really don't think character development gets better than that. Juneau is strong and wise and ready to do anything for her people, but Miles helps to bring out her softer side, her more vulnerable side. Miles is still level headed and realistic, making Juneau a bit more grounded. But she is able to show him what it means to be loyal and to fight for what you believe in, and Miles starts to believe in himself. Basically, Amy Plum can do character development like no other.
And there is a road trip! I do love a road trip, especially when there is a time constraint and unknown dangers. This book, of course, has both. There are secrets to be uncovered, mysteries to figure out, and the great part is, that both Juneau and Miles's strengths and resources are needed to figure out their next steps. Oh, and no worries, there are major swoons to be had as well! I don't want to talk too much about the plot, because I don't want to spoil anything, but it moved along wonderfully, I read the book quickly because I was anxious to know what was coming next!
Bottom Line: If you haven't started this series, I recommend. If you have, and liked After the End, you will probably love Until the Beginning. It has all the good parts of After the End, but expands on them and explains and reveals so, so much. And come on, it's Juneau and Miles!
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
August 31, 2015
This is one of those series that I wish more readers knew about. I know it wasn't one of those super hyped books, which is sad because it's a great series. Not only that, it's one of the few YA duologies (that I know of) and I am all for more duologies. Sometimes, a story doesn't need 6 books. Not only was I fascinated by this story, but I could very well see this making a great TV show. I'm still not exactly sure what to classify this as, it's not really a dystopia but it's so much more than just a contemporary since it has some magical elements mixed in. Either way, it's a really great series!
After discovering that her whole world has been a lie (this isn't a spoiler, it's in the summary for the first book so don't worry), Juneau is on the search for her family and the rest of her clan, who have been kidnapped due to their secret abilities. With the help of Miles, whose father is responsible for her missing clan, they go on a road trip to find them and figure out why they are after her people. Of course, Juneau is still adjusting to the fact that the world is still going on normally and that it didn't end like she was led to believe. She is getting accustomed to this new life, and with the help of Miles she is learning to adapt and use her old customs with a few modern things that he has been trying to show her along the way.
Despite the fact that this is only a two book series, the author still managed to make Juneau and Miles's relationship a slow one, which I really liked. There are so many reasons why they shouldn't be together, but they stop trying to fight them. This was a very realistic and sex positive YA book, you guys know how much I love those. I really was on edge while listening to this one and I ended up listening to this in only a few short hours. I'm sad it's over because I could have had more of this world and more of Juneau and Miles (I know, even though I said I want more duologies) but I really did love the way this ended. It wrapped up nicely, but not too perfectly and with just the right amount of intrigue and 'what ifs.' A fantastic series by Amy Plum!
Audiobook Comments: I heard the first book on audio and knew this was the way for me to read this book too. I really love that we get two narrators, they both did such a great job. I especially liked Graham's portrayal of Miles and would love to listen to him narrate something else. Both he and Emily were age appropriate and really good and tones and different voices and emotions which is what I'm always looking for in audiobooks.
After discovering that her whole world has been a lie (this isn't a spoiler, it's in the summary for the first book so don't worry), Juneau is on the search for her family and the rest of her clan, who have been kidnapped due to their secret abilities. With the help of Miles, whose father is responsible for her missing clan, they go on a road trip to find them and figure out why they are after her people. Of course, Juneau is still adjusting to the fact that the world is still going on normally and that it didn't end like she was led to believe. She is getting accustomed to this new life, and with the help of Miles she is learning to adapt and use her old customs with a few modern things that he has been trying to show her along the way.
Despite the fact that this is only a two book series, the author still managed to make Juneau and Miles's relationship a slow one, which I really liked. There are so many reasons why they shouldn't be together, but they stop trying to fight them. This was a very realistic and sex positive YA book, you guys know how much I love those. I really was on edge while listening to this one and I ended up listening to this in only a few short hours. I'm sad it's over because I could have had more of this world and more of Juneau and Miles (I know, even though I said I want more duologies) but I really did love the way this ended. It wrapped up nicely, but not too perfectly and with just the right amount of intrigue and 'what ifs.' A fantastic series by Amy Plum!
Audiobook Comments: I heard the first book on audio and knew this was the way for me to read this book too. I really love that we get two narrators, they both did such a great job. I especially liked Graham's portrayal of Miles and would love to listen to him narrate something else. Both he and Emily were age appropriate and really good and tones and different voices and emotions which is what I'm always looking for in audiobooks.
July 10, 2015
3.5
I'm satisfied with the ending, but I didn't like this quite as much as the first one.
I'm satisfied with the ending, but I didn't like this quite as much as the first one.
May 29, 2015
Gone is the back-and-forth between Juneau and Miles that made After the End so enjoyable. Gone is the culture clash. What's left is a road trip with no excitement or surprises apart from some awkwardly placed intimate moments. The story is supposedly told from their separate POVs, but Juneau and Miles's voices are indistinguishable. Everything that had set them apart and made them interesting is gone. The entire cast of characters is shallow and forgettable, all the talk about the Yara and Gaia is just mumbo-jumbo, and there is no real tension at any point.
Enjoy After the End for what it is, but do yourselves a favour and stop there. It's quite obvious Miles will survive the events at the end of that book, and there's really nothing more you need to know.
Enjoy After the End for what it is, but do yourselves a favour and stop there. It's quite obvious Miles will survive the events at the end of that book, and there's really nothing more you need to know.
October 22, 2016
3.5 stars, great narration
August 19, 2020
2.5 stars
Sigh. What a disappointment this book was. I liked the first one in the series After The End a lot so I didn’t hesitate to start reading this one. Except this one was pretty awful. If it hadn’t been the second book in a duology, I probably would have quit.
There were several things fundamentally wrong with this book. For one I didn’t believe any of it anymore. Where at first Amy Plum made an effort to make things seem realistic, here it all happened way too conveniently. For example: Miles and Juneau find themselves in a small ‘forest’ and Juneau says she goes hunting. She takes her crossbow and soon after comes back with two dead rabbits. Have you ever been in a forest? Wild rabbits don’t just hop right in front of your nose, you know. It takes time and patience to see one, let alone shoot one. And although in theory this could be possible, there were tons of other stuff that made me roll my eyes, because there was just no way it would happen like that in real life.
Secondly, the characters I once loved, suddenly annoyed me to death. Juneau had always been confident, but now she became insufferable. I’d always pictured her as reasonably intelligent, but now she described herself as a prodigy and when Miles pointed out that usually people are just a tad more modest, she just said that it was the truth and that she should be allowed to say it. I like confidence, I hate bragging – which is exactly what she was doing. But what makes it worse is that I really didn’t think she was so extremely intelligent. She did things someone with such a bright head would never do. Ugh.
And Miles? He became a bit of a puppy, always following whatever Juneau said. Always lessening himself and telling himself what a worthless person he would be if it weren’t for Juneau. Which she didn’t agree with, because she kept pointing out how intelligent he really was and how fortunate it was that he knew how to game, because that made him able to give great strategic advice. And that advice was something like: “Maybe we should think of a plan instead of just storming in.” Whoa. So glad he thought of that.
Juneau and Miles were also trying to be funny all the time and I really didn’t buy it. What they found amusing just wasn’t that funny.
I don’t know, everything was just really far-fetched and unrealistic and just too much . Juneau used technology as if she’d always had, when in fact she’d only learned to use it a couple of weeks ago. And if it came in handy to know something about the modern world, then she’d read about it in some encyclopaedia et voila, another problem solved.
What also bothered me A LOT were the pop culture references, because they often came from Juneau. SHE COULD QUOTE STAR WARS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. And the Beatles. She’d been living in the wilderness of Alaska for her entire life, but she could still quote Darth Vader. “Because one of my clan members used to be a huge Star Wars/Beatles fan”. Well, isn’t that great.
The story itself lacked depth too. There shouldn’t have been two books. She should have just fit everything in one. The first half of Until The Beginning didn’t add anything to the story. It was mostly just Miles and Juneau being on some fun road trip (I mean sorry, a dangerous mission to save the clan) and swooning over each other. The only action came towards the end, but then it was really overdone, so… Amy Plum should have taken a lot more time to think things through and then maybe she could have made something from this book. Instead she was probably on a deadline and the overall feeling is one of “it’ll have to do.”
Sigh. What a disappointment this book was. I liked the first one in the series After The End a lot so I didn’t hesitate to start reading this one. Except this one was pretty awful. If it hadn’t been the second book in a duology, I probably would have quit.
There were several things fundamentally wrong with this book. For one I didn’t believe any of it anymore. Where at first Amy Plum made an effort to make things seem realistic, here it all happened way too conveniently. For example: Miles and Juneau find themselves in a small ‘forest’ and Juneau says she goes hunting. She takes her crossbow and soon after comes back with two dead rabbits. Have you ever been in a forest? Wild rabbits don’t just hop right in front of your nose, you know. It takes time and patience to see one, let alone shoot one. And although in theory this could be possible, there were tons of other stuff that made me roll my eyes, because there was just no way it would happen like that in real life.
Secondly, the characters I once loved, suddenly annoyed me to death. Juneau had always been confident, but now she became insufferable. I’d always pictured her as reasonably intelligent, but now she described herself as a prodigy and when Miles pointed out that usually people are just a tad more modest, she just said that it was the truth and that she should be allowed to say it. I like confidence, I hate bragging – which is exactly what she was doing. But what makes it worse is that I really didn’t think she was so extremely intelligent. She did things someone with such a bright head would never do. Ugh.
And Miles? He became a bit of a puppy, always following whatever Juneau said. Always lessening himself and telling himself what a worthless person he would be if it weren’t for Juneau. Which she didn’t agree with, because she kept pointing out how intelligent he really was and how fortunate it was that he knew how to game, because that made him able to give great strategic advice. And that advice was something like: “Maybe we should think of a plan instead of just storming in.” Whoa. So glad he thought of that.
Juneau and Miles were also trying to be funny all the time and I really didn’t buy it. What they found amusing just wasn’t that funny.
I don’t know, everything was just really far-fetched and unrealistic and just too much . Juneau used technology as if she’d always had, when in fact she’d only learned to use it a couple of weeks ago. And if it came in handy to know something about the modern world, then she’d read about it in some encyclopaedia et voila, another problem solved.
What also bothered me A LOT were the pop culture references, because they often came from Juneau. SHE COULD QUOTE STAR WARS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. And the Beatles. She’d been living in the wilderness of Alaska for her entire life, but she could still quote Darth Vader. “Because one of my clan members used to be a huge Star Wars/Beatles fan”. Well, isn’t that great.
The story itself lacked depth too. There shouldn’t have been two books. She should have just fit everything in one. The first half of Until The Beginning didn’t add anything to the story. It was mostly just Miles and Juneau being on some fun road trip (I mean sorry, a dangerous mission to save the clan) and swooning over each other. The only action came towards the end, but then it was really overdone, so… Amy Plum should have taken a lot more time to think things through and then maybe she could have made something from this book. Instead she was probably on a deadline and the overall feeling is one of “it’ll have to do.”
June 15, 2015
Juneau and Miles learn to manipulate the new age world. Or something like that.
In this sequel to After the End - which ended on a rather painful cliffhanger - we pick up the story immediately. Juneau is doing her best to rescue Miles and evade the bad guys, so they're on the run. There is a lot of camping out and traveling to find her clan, which involves a lot of new age stuff. This is primarily looking into a campfire and seeing what people are doing, "reading the wind," and talking to a lady who can read bones. And communicating with said lady via messages carried by the raven Poe. We have new age philosophy all over the place and even some crazy Jedi mind tricks. It is nothing if not interesting.
The characters all develop further here, but it's Miles that really stands out. He goes from being a spoiled rich kid that think life owes him to being a self-sufficient, confident guy who has the potential to be a great leader. He never tries to upstage Juneau, but he does work hard to keep up. He really redeemed this book for me because I needed his doses of realism. He was hilarious - wondering if "maybe this is hippy-dippy new age me and I'll start craving tofu and Birkenstocks." He has all kinds of lines like that, which seemed to temper the new age stuff and put it into perspective.
Juneau does her fair share of growing into herself as well, although her journey is a lot more introspective and philosophical. She's a wonderfully independent and confident in her abilities, making her a strong female lead - and can we get enough of those? She doesn't need rescuing in the least. She needs a partner and that's just what Miles becomes.
The side and secondary characters were also well done. Whit is one that was multi-faceted in a believable way. I never really hated him although there was plenty of reason there. Amy Plum was able to develop him in a way that he was very grey.
The action here pulled me in and kept me reading; it was somewhat predictable but so well paced that I didn't mind. And even with all the new age philosophy, I was able to suspend my disbelief long enough to really enjoy it. The idea that Juneau was the key to everything was a good one. I could have done without all the stuff about Gaia being something akin to God - but I did like the musings about science and spirituality. It made just enough sense for me to disagree with it.
On audio the book is narrated by Emily Rankin and Graham Hamilton. Emily Rankin is a good voice for Juneau, very measured and analytical. Her other voices were lacking, but only slightly so. Graham Hamilton put just the right spin on Miles. Both narrators gave these characters voices that were able to enhance the book and give it spirit and life.
Overall it was a good conclusion to this duology. The premise is great and Plums exploration of New Age ideas is interesting. Combined with likable characters it was a fun story well told.
In this sequel to After the End - which ended on a rather painful cliffhanger - we pick up the story immediately. Juneau is doing her best to rescue Miles and evade the bad guys, so they're on the run. There is a lot of camping out and traveling to find her clan, which involves a lot of new age stuff. This is primarily looking into a campfire and seeing what people are doing, "reading the wind," and talking to a lady who can read bones. And communicating with said lady via messages carried by the raven Poe. We have new age philosophy all over the place and even some crazy Jedi mind tricks. It is nothing if not interesting.
The characters all develop further here, but it's Miles that really stands out. He goes from being a spoiled rich kid that think life owes him to being a self-sufficient, confident guy who has the potential to be a great leader. He never tries to upstage Juneau, but he does work hard to keep up. He really redeemed this book for me because I needed his doses of realism. He was hilarious - wondering if "maybe this is hippy-dippy new age me and I'll start craving tofu and Birkenstocks." He has all kinds of lines like that, which seemed to temper the new age stuff and put it into perspective.
Juneau does her fair share of growing into herself as well, although her journey is a lot more introspective and philosophical. She's a wonderfully independent and confident in her abilities, making her a strong female lead - and can we get enough of those? She doesn't need rescuing in the least. She needs a partner and that's just what Miles becomes.
The side and secondary characters were also well done. Whit is one that was multi-faceted in a believable way. I never really hated him although there was plenty of reason there. Amy Plum was able to develop him in a way that he was very grey.
The action here pulled me in and kept me reading; it was somewhat predictable but so well paced that I didn't mind. And even with all the new age philosophy, I was able to suspend my disbelief long enough to really enjoy it. The idea that Juneau was the key to everything was a good one. I could have done without all the stuff about Gaia being something akin to God - but I did like the musings about science and spirituality. It made just enough sense for me to disagree with it.
On audio the book is narrated by Emily Rankin and Graham Hamilton. Emily Rankin is a good voice for Juneau, very measured and analytical. Her other voices were lacking, but only slightly so. Graham Hamilton put just the right spin on Miles. Both narrators gave these characters voices that were able to enhance the book and give it spirit and life.
Overall it was a good conclusion to this duology. The premise is great and Plums exploration of New Age ideas is interesting. Combined with likable characters it was a fun story well told.
April 2, 2015
Well lets say I was so happy to get this one… the ending to book one left me wanting so much and it was one of them WOW ending you just wish book two was sitting next to you!! A huge thanks to Amy for writing this story its just so different from a lot I myself have read and I enjoyed every little bit of it from start to finish and I kind of hope there might be more! I have not read much from Amy, yes smack me now, but I have to say from my daughter’s suggestions and the books I have read she is AMAZING! Until the Beginning is filled with SO much adventure and finding ones self in a world they just have never lived in. You will be hooked from page one following Juneau and Miles journey to save the people they have come to love and the people they are not sure they should love.
Ok so like wow, Miles has done all the crazy stuff to be like Juneau. She performs the rites of her clan hoping to help Miles live after he was shoot and maybe he will wake up and have that long life like Juneau and her clan. This one picks up right when the first book ended and you get to take the journey with Juneau while she tries to keep her and miles safe while he tries to recover and hopefully not die.
Juneau goal is to find her clan after they were captured and free them, find out the true story about her clan why they are being hunted and what they really want from her. She is finding out that maybe everything she was thought was a lie and things are really not what they seem to be. Miles and Juneau will take a crazy adventure to find her clan and find each other in the process and what really they might wan tin life.
I really loved this book, kind of think I liked it better then book one. I don’t know I really love Miles and Juneau’s character, I enjoyed watching them grow and I loved all the earth elements and love the way they fit into the story. I loved that Amy had more of Poe ( the crow) in this one he was a trip! This one ends a little better then the first book not a cliffy but I can see more in the future if Amy does write more but I am happy with the outcome!!!
Ok so like wow, Miles has done all the crazy stuff to be like Juneau. She performs the rites of her clan hoping to help Miles live after he was shoot and maybe he will wake up and have that long life like Juneau and her clan. This one picks up right when the first book ended and you get to take the journey with Juneau while she tries to keep her and miles safe while he tries to recover and hopefully not die.
Juneau goal is to find her clan after they were captured and free them, find out the true story about her clan why they are being hunted and what they really want from her. She is finding out that maybe everything she was thought was a lie and things are really not what they seem to be. Miles and Juneau will take a crazy adventure to find her clan and find each other in the process and what really they might wan tin life.
I really loved this book, kind of think I liked it better then book one. I don’t know I really love Miles and Juneau’s character, I enjoyed watching them grow and I loved all the earth elements and love the way they fit into the story. I loved that Amy had more of Poe ( the crow) in this one he was a trip! This one ends a little better then the first book not a cliffy but I can see more in the future if Amy does write more but I am happy with the outcome!!!
May 12, 2015
Amy Plum, one of my most trusted YA authors, has apparently reached new heights. Her Until I Die trilogy has a very special place in my heart, but After the End is in a completely different category. With its imaginative worldbuilding and heroes we can admire and adore every step of the way, this duology is really every reader’s dream come true.
In this second part, Juneau and Miles are outnumbered and outgunned. They have enemies on all sides and very few resources, but for Juneau, abandoning her clan simply isn’t an option. Plans need to be made and battles need to be fought, and Juneau’s sense of honor and responsibility through it all is stupendous.
Oddly enough, Until the Beginning is a bit slower than After the End. It is a different book, focused more on Juneau’s introspection and crisis of faith. With everything she thought she knew about her world gone, Juneau has much to consider and make some very difficult choices for herself. Miles also faces some enormous changes and although the struggles with them somewhat, he quickly takes them in stride, as is his way. Unlike Juneau, he is more ‘go with the flow’ kind of guy, which is certainly an advantage when your world shifts from one second to the next.
Their relationship develops beautifully in a very short time. There is a true friendship and companionship between these two, followed by deep and honest trust. When you have all that, love follows not far behind, and even though it happened in mere weeks, theirs was a connection I believed completely.
There’s not much to do except wholeheartedly recommend this duology to all of you. Amy has shown us that her imagination knows no bounds and that she’s an author with so much to offer. I’m willing to bet that we’ll be getting many incredible stories from her, and all those updates about her life in Paris certainly don’t hurt either.
If you have yet to meet Juneau and Miles, make sure to do so as soon as you can. From Alaska to Nevada, their adventure will leave you breathless.
In this second part, Juneau and Miles are outnumbered and outgunned. They have enemies on all sides and very few resources, but for Juneau, abandoning her clan simply isn’t an option. Plans need to be made and battles need to be fought, and Juneau’s sense of honor and responsibility through it all is stupendous.
Oddly enough, Until the Beginning is a bit slower than After the End. It is a different book, focused more on Juneau’s introspection and crisis of faith. With everything she thought she knew about her world gone, Juneau has much to consider and make some very difficult choices for herself. Miles also faces some enormous changes and although the struggles with them somewhat, he quickly takes them in stride, as is his way. Unlike Juneau, he is more ‘go with the flow’ kind of guy, which is certainly an advantage when your world shifts from one second to the next.
Their relationship develops beautifully in a very short time. There is a true friendship and companionship between these two, followed by deep and honest trust. When you have all that, love follows not far behind, and even though it happened in mere weeks, theirs was a connection I believed completely.
There’s not much to do except wholeheartedly recommend this duology to all of you. Amy has shown us that her imagination knows no bounds and that she’s an author with so much to offer. I’m willing to bet that we’ll be getting many incredible stories from her, and all those updates about her life in Paris certainly don’t hurt either.
If you have yet to meet Juneau and Miles, make sure to do so as soon as you can. From Alaska to Nevada, their adventure will leave you breathless.
May 21, 2015
I hate to say this about a book that I enjoyed at the time, but I remembered almost nothing about
After the End
when I started reading
Until the Beginning
. I recalled the premise, but I couldn't recall the character names or the whole of the situation. And unfortunately for me,
Until the Beginning
picks up right where book one leaves off.
I even considered DNFing the book because I didn't have time to reread the first book or play catchup. My fortitude paid off when, slowly, I was fed breadcrumbs that brought me back to the story. I may or may not have done some skimming because the alternating point of views were a little jarring, and not too much other than traveling happened in the first half of the book.
I know I say that I don't like a lot of tension in books, but it felt like there wasn't any in Until the Beginning . I don't know if it was my detachment or something in the writing, but I never felt like Juneau or Miles were ever in any danger. The stakes didn't seem that high, but then again, it was a long time before anything really happened other than seeing cars in the distance for so long.
If you haven't read After the End , I would highly recommend reading it and Until the Beginning back to back so you can enjoy the continuous story. I have no doubt that I would haved loved Until the Beginning even a year ago because Juneau's hippy-dippy, Yara-loving, nature-hugging ways were neat and made a lot of sense. Something was just lost for me.
To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received an advance copy of the book briefly for reviewing purposes through Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for an honest review. The book was likely provided to the tour by the publisher or author, which has in no way affected the outcome of my review. All opinions expressed are rambling, honest, and completely my own.
I even considered DNFing the book because I didn't have time to reread the first book or play catchup. My fortitude paid off when, slowly, I was fed breadcrumbs that brought me back to the story. I may or may not have done some skimming because the alternating point of views were a little jarring, and not too much other than traveling happened in the first half of the book.
I know I say that I don't like a lot of tension in books, but it felt like there wasn't any in Until the Beginning . I don't know if it was my detachment or something in the writing, but I never felt like Juneau or Miles were ever in any danger. The stakes didn't seem that high, but then again, it was a long time before anything really happened other than seeing cars in the distance for so long.
If you haven't read After the End , I would highly recommend reading it and Until the Beginning back to back so you can enjoy the continuous story. I have no doubt that I would haved loved Until the Beginning even a year ago because Juneau's hippy-dippy, Yara-loving, nature-hugging ways were neat and made a lot of sense. Something was just lost for me.
To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received an advance copy of the book briefly for reviewing purposes through Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for an honest review. The book was likely provided to the tour by the publisher or author, which has in no way affected the outcome of my review. All opinions expressed are rambling, honest, and completely my own.
March 25, 2016
I waited so much for this book (more than nine months), since I finished After the End . I found it just when I couldn't take anymore DNFs and it was definitely worth the wait.
I held my breath until chapter 7 and then sighted with relief. This is just a tiny spoiler because simply by looking at the way chapters are organised you can tell that "THAT" was not going to happen (but you never know, some authors want to shock readers and I don't know why on Earth an unhappy ending is sometimes considered to have more literary value than a happy one, though , again, this is not the case here).
One of the parts that I love about the first book is the special relationship Juneau and Miles have . The way a lost city boy and a nature goddess interact with each other .
Miles says " And let me tell you, that hug fills every inch of void inside of me left by the conversation ..... I don't want to detach." They are meant to be together.
What also attracted me was the Gaia Theory. There are no more than five skinny trees in the street where I live, which I barely look at as I am usually in a hurry. The only contact with nature I have is from the (pre packed) salads that I have in my fridge and a potted plant which has miraculously survived several years.
This book has made me think about how disconnected I feel from nature.Submerged in the daily grind ,we, or at least I forget about how good it feels to breath fresh air and to feel the soft grass on your bare feet, the grains of sand and the sea water on your toes.Although I don't think I would be able to survive in the wilderness, I believe that sometimes, specially in the cities , we are so far from this planet that is our home , that no wonder we destroy it everyday without giving it a second thought.
I would read a third book, if there was one.
www.theleisurediaries.blogspot.com
I held my breath until chapter 7 and then sighted with relief. This is just a tiny spoiler because simply by looking at the way chapters are organised you can tell that "THAT" was not going to happen (but you never know, some authors want to shock readers and I don't know why on Earth an unhappy ending is sometimes considered to have more literary value than a happy one, though , again, this is not the case here).
One of the parts that I love about the first book is the special relationship Juneau and Miles have . The way a lost city boy and a nature goddess interact with each other .
Miles says " And let me tell you, that hug fills every inch of void inside of me left by the conversation ..... I don't want to detach." They are meant to be together.
What also attracted me was the Gaia Theory. There are no more than five skinny trees in the street where I live, which I barely look at as I am usually in a hurry. The only contact with nature I have is from the (pre packed) salads that I have in my fridge and a potted plant which has miraculously survived several years.
This book has made me think about how disconnected I feel from nature.Submerged in the daily grind ,we, or at least I forget about how good it feels to breath fresh air and to feel the soft grass on your bare feet, the grains of sand and the sea water on your toes.Although I don't think I would be able to survive in the wilderness, I believe that sometimes, specially in the cities , we are so far from this planet that is our home , that no wonder we destroy it everyday without giving it a second thought.
I would read a third book, if there was one.
www.theleisurediaries.blogspot.com
July 5, 2015
3.5/5 stars
Until the Beginning is the conclusion to the After the End duology. There will be spoilers from book 1.
As with the first book this book is narrated by Juneau and Miles (they alternate chapters).
Until the Beginning picks up right where the first book left off. At the end of After the End Miles had been shot. He might be dead (he's sort of half dead). Truthfully I did not love this part of the book. I did not find it that interesting. And I was hoping that it would end soon.
At around page 130 the book started to pick up.
I actually prefer when Juneau and Miles are not together. I find the story line works better for me when there are two narrators with two different stories happening.
The main thing in the second book is that Juneau's clan is missing. And she is determined to find them.
The book reads mostly like a YA contemporary. But it has a dystopian feel to it. Basically it is contemporary, but some of Juneau's clan have powers (so it has some paranormal/psychic/spell caster elements).
I enjoyed the interesting different things about Juneau's tribe. And I liked that she was such a different narrator because of how she was raised. I think the magic elements added to the story. And I actually loved everything to do with the raven and Tallie (the lady Juneau met in the first book).
The book picked up in the last half. And there were a lot of interesting things going on. I definitely enjoyed the first book more. But the ending was satisfying and I am happy that I found out how the story ended.
Until the Beginning is the conclusion to the After the End duology. There will be spoilers from book 1.
As with the first book this book is narrated by Juneau and Miles (they alternate chapters).
Until the Beginning picks up right where the first book left off. At the end of After the End Miles had been shot. He might be dead (he's sort of half dead). Truthfully I did not love this part of the book. I did not find it that interesting. And I was hoping that it would end soon.
At around page 130 the book started to pick up.
I actually prefer when Juneau and Miles are not together. I find the story line works better for me when there are two narrators with two different stories happening.
The main thing in the second book is that Juneau's clan is missing. And she is determined to find them.
The book reads mostly like a YA contemporary. But it has a dystopian feel to it. Basically it is contemporary, but some of Juneau's clan have powers (so it has some paranormal/psychic/spell caster elements).
I enjoyed the interesting different things about Juneau's tribe. And I liked that she was such a different narrator because of how she was raised. I think the magic elements added to the story. And I actually loved everything to do with the raven and Tallie (the lady Juneau met in the first book).
The book picked up in the last half. And there were a lot of interesting things going on. I definitely enjoyed the first book more. But the ending was satisfying and I am happy that I found out how the story ended.
January 23, 2016
Ja näin saatamme tämän duologian päätökseen. Vaikka tosin minun puolestani nämä kaksi osaa oltaisi voitu liittää yhdeksi pitkäksi kirjaksi. Osiin jakaminen oli aika turhaa eikä palvellut tarinaa muuten kuin jättämällä lukija vähän roikkumaan ensimmäisen osan lopun tapahtumilla.
Mutta minä tykkäsin tästäkin osasta kovasti. Tässä ei ehkä liikuttu yhtä vikkelään paikasta toiseen, mutta viihdyin silti todella hyvin lukemani parissa ja lensin kirjan läpi todella nopeasti. Pidin myös kovasti hahmojen kehityskaaresta ja oli kiva nähdä, miten kovasti Miles muuttui tarinan aikana. Symppasin sekä häntä ja Junea (ja heitä yhdessä) alusta asti.
Tämä duologia oli erittäin hauska, koukuttava ja vauhdikas, jonka lukee läpi vauhdilla. Kevyinä välipalakirjoina nämä olivat juuri sopivia.
Neljä tähteä!
Mutta minä tykkäsin tästäkin osasta kovasti. Tässä ei ehkä liikuttu yhtä vikkelään paikasta toiseen, mutta viihdyin silti todella hyvin lukemani parissa ja lensin kirjan läpi todella nopeasti. Pidin myös kovasti hahmojen kehityskaaresta ja oli kiva nähdä, miten kovasti Miles muuttui tarinan aikana. Symppasin sekä häntä ja Junea (ja heitä yhdessä) alusta asti.
Tämä duologia oli erittäin hauska, koukuttava ja vauhdikas, jonka lukee läpi vauhdilla. Kevyinä välipalakirjoina nämä olivat juuri sopivia.
Neljä tähteä!
February 13, 2016
Well, if generic roadtripping and camping while discussing how you're gonna rescue your clan with your newly completely-out-of-nowhere found love of your life for 90% of a book is your idea of a good time, then this will be like Christmas morning for you! If you also enjoy poorly written characters (see Whit ), plot twists everyone saw coming, a few wikipedia entries on ~science-y things and a final battle almost as interesting as the one in Breaking Dawn (when they all stand around talking and it was still better than this), this will be your favorite book ever.
December 31, 2015
Ahh my last book & review of 2015. I’m so glad it ended on a high note. I really don’t know what to say about this book except that I really enjoyed it. Miles was funny as ever and made so much growth, he became a whole new person. Juneau made the right decision for herself and I’m incredibly happy she is putting herself first for once. The only think I wish is that the author would give us a little taste of her future with Miles and her clan. I would love to see what they’re like in 20, 40, 50, years from now!
May 27, 2020
While I enjoyed this sequel, I have to admit I liked the first one better. This one was more... bittersweet. I have mixed feelings about it. The first story more was run on the mystery elements...what had happened to Juneau's people and how would she find them. Well in this one a lot of that element was gone now. And I love the mystery and unknown parts of stories so that was a bit lacking. Oh and it starts right where the first book ends.
But the thing that bothered me more was towards the end of the book. The squabbling between characters, the greed, the aftermath of the lies that had been told and all of the fighting. After awhile that fighting gets kind of old. It happens in so many series. I kind of lose interest sometimes with battles.
Yet at the same time I can relate to how Juneau feels..her choice at the end. I think it's very real and believable. I think she made a good choice.
This story was very fast and easy to read. The pages flew by. I think I actually read this one faster than the first one..or is it shorter? I looked and it's just a few pages difference..
I did notice a mistake (if anyone is curious). Snakes are not poisonous. They are venomous. A thing is only poisonous if you eat it. If you get bit or stung by a creature, it's venomous. This is a common misconception. I didn't know the difference either until I started watching a bunch of reptile channels on YouTube.
But the thing that bothered me more was towards the end of the book. The squabbling between characters, the greed, the aftermath of the lies that had been told and all of the fighting. After awhile that fighting gets kind of old. It happens in so many series. I kind of lose interest sometimes with battles.
Yet at the same time I can relate to how Juneau feels..her choice at the end. I think it's very real and believable. I think she made a good choice.
This story was very fast and easy to read. The pages flew by. I think I actually read this one faster than the first one..or is it shorter? I looked and it's just a few pages difference..
I did notice a mistake (if anyone is curious). Snakes are not poisonous. They are venomous. A thing is only poisonous if you eat it. If you get bit or stung by a creature, it's venomous. This is a common misconception. I didn't know the difference either until I started watching a bunch of reptile channels on YouTube.
May 3, 2016
Yeah, no. This was extremely boring and plotless.
When I started this, I thought that it was just taking its time getting to the plot, but it turns out that was the plot.
I did not like the first book, but since it was duology I figured I would finish it, but the few things I did like about After the End were absent from this book.
Miles was one of okay parts of After The End because he was snarky and clueless. In this one he became completely devoid of personality and irrelevant to the story. I ended up skimming the majority of his chapters.
Nothing happens until almost 200 pages into the book. I found the first book boring, but so little happened in this book it was skim worthy and if I tried to read everything I would have been bored out of my mind.
I don't recommend this series at all. Extremely bland and boring.
When I started this, I thought that it was just taking its time getting to the plot, but it turns out that was the plot.
I did not like the first book, but since it was duology I figured I would finish it, but the few things I did like about After the End were absent from this book.
Miles was one of okay parts of After The End because he was snarky and clueless. In this one he became completely devoid of personality and irrelevant to the story. I ended up skimming the majority of his chapters.
Nothing happens until almost 200 pages into the book. I found the first book boring, but so little happened in this book it was skim worthy and if I tried to read everything I would have been bored out of my mind.
I don't recommend this series at all. Extremely bland and boring.
abandoned
December 31, 2015I only started this because the last ended in a cliffhanger, but I didn't like the first one enough to handle this much of the story. Also, a lot of Miles and Juneau's conversations feel a little juvenile all of a sudden.
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