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Wildcard (Warcross, #2)

Marie Lu

Start date: March 1, 2019

Finish date: March 31, 2019

Discussion: Series

Why we're reading this: Won the poll for the series in progress BOTM
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Series

* Continuing Series- Nightbane
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last updated Aug 12, 2025 07:32AM

* New Series- The Princess Trials
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What Members Thought

Jan 03, 2019 Katerina rated it really liked it

✭✭✭.5/5 Stars

After reading Warcross, I was desperate to get my hands on Wildcard. I absolutely loved our main protagonist Emiko and the world that Marie Lu built.

Wildcard takes place in a high technology world where you are able to enter into the virtual world. A place where this is a game that is highly regarded called the "Warcross" games. I am usually one for fantasy more than sci-fi, however, this duology had me wrapped around its bookish "fingers" barely into the 1st book.

Going into Wildc ✭✭✭.5/5 Stars

After reading Warcross, I was desperate to get my hands on Wildcard. I absolutely loved our main protagonist Emiko and the world that Marie Lu built.

Wildcard takes place in a high technology world where you are able to enter into the virtual world. A place where this is a game that is highly regarded called the "Warcross" games. I am usually one for fantasy more than sci-fi, however, this duology had me wrapped around its bookish "fingers" barely into the 1st book.

Going into Wildcard I was very expectant on what I wanted to see - I wanted there to be a definite conclusion and my questions answered. While I was not disappointed with the ending, it just was not what I expected it to be. There were some faults and unanswered questions that were left. Things that were revealed, that in all honesty were heart wrenching, and a lack of certain characters.

While I find that focus should be on the protagonist, I felt that a lot of the secondary characters were pushed aside and lost within the second installment. As if their presence was not important or needed. While I understand it is not the best to introduce new characters into such a short series, I found it lacking in the building of second characters - who tended to help out our main protagonist quite a bit. They are given to us straight and narrow, and it was as if there only job in the book was to give the main character information.

I was very happy, however, with the world building once again. Marie Lu never goes wrong with her world building. I always find myself so involved and visually stimulated by her words and writing style. The world building still captures the readers attention until the very end of Wildcard. This world is based off a simulation and a virtual reality, which is constantly changing, and the world building is constantly staying in sync with those changes. Overall the world building was on par.

Now to what you all are wanting to hear about (that is, if you read the first installment Warcross) - the romance. Yah, it was...how to put this... dull and dead. Sorry folks, this definitely was not the romance that I was expecting. I wish there was more of a build there due to the first book being all hot and steamy. Although, it is the most realistic romance that I have read in any sci-fi/fantasy novel as of far. I mean if we are thinking clearly, would you want to be with someone that, although is trying to do good, is doing harm to others. Mmm, maybe not. However, I was pleasantly pleased and surprised with how it ended up.

I definitely recommend you to read Wildcard. It was very addictive, electrifying, and in all honesty made me wish that we had these special contacts to connect to the world wide web! The writing is gorgeous and the world building is absolutely worth reading.

XOXO,
Kat
(ACOURTOFBOOKSANCOFFEE) ...more

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Oct 03, 2018 Caitie (caitiegirlreads) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018-reads, acquired-in-2018

Think Badass Thoughts! To say I loved WarCross is a bit of an understatement. I still haven’t written my official review for it 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ I definitely had high expectations going into Wild Card.

Wild Card let us get a deeper look at some of the other supporting characters and their backstory/motivations which was cool. (I ❤️ Tremaine 😢) The plot thickens swirling around Emika, Zero and Hideo with greater danger and intrigue. I definitely felt like more was at stake and I was terrified for ...more

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