April Buddy Read - Unknown by Rachel Caine

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Continuing on from our Outcast Season buddy read, we'll be reading the 2nd in the series on April 15th.

Go! :D

[Paris]

Yay!!

[Lis]

I'm in.... And will try to hold off until the 15th. But I'm really tempted to keep on going now.

[Jean ~ Kindle Queen]

If you're in the mood, Lis, you should keep going. Just put all your thoughts in spoilers, and we can all discuss when we catch up.

[Lis]

I should be good, next week is like march madness for me with 7 new releases in series that I'm following. I'll have plenty to read...

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Yeah, I totally know that feeling Lis! But having it later in the month always makes me look forward to it :)

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

We ready to pick this up soonish?

[Paris]

Yep. I'm ready whenever y'all are.

[Jean ~ Kindle Queen]

I started this one but had to stop after 80 pages. Sorry! I just didn't like it as much as the first one. It started to seem more like what I didn't like about the Weather Warden series. (Sorry to be vague, but I don't want to give away any spoilers.) I'll wait until you get to where I stopped and then I'll chime in.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Oh no Jean! That's a shame! I'm nearly finished my current book, will be ready for this one soon.

[Paris]

Oh no Jean that sucks. I was hopping that this one would be better for you.

Jeann I'll be ready to start tomorrow.

[Jean ~ Kindle Queen]

I'm not sure why I'm not feeling Ms. Caine's books. Usually our book tastes are so similar, Jeann.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

I know, there's few authors that I fangirl over and Caine is one of them.

[Paris]

I finished this tonight, couldn't put it down once I got home from work. I can't wait to see what it was that made you stop Jean.

These all have general book spoilers so I'd say stay away until you're done just in case. If I could read slower I would have been able to separate my thoughts based on the part of the book they're in. Now it's all just jumbled in my head.

Ma'at (view spoiler)[Although I can't really tell if they're good guys or bad guys, I like that we got more of an explanation of who/what they are. I actually understand now and I kinda only vaguely understood during the Weather Warden series. (hide spoiler)]

Cass (view spoiler)[I really like her. I like that she's badass and that she recognizes that she is becoming more human but that she still has that old Cassiel in her. I don't think any other character in either this series or the Weather Warden series would have been able to do what she did with her hand. At least not for themselves. She makes the hard decisions and she really is willing to die for this cause if it means that she doesn't have to kill all of humanity. (hide spoiler)]

Cass and Luis (view spoiler)[Part of me feels like their relationship is happening to fast and is super inappropriate given their dire straights, but then part of me loves to see it because it's helping to humanize Cass. Her love for Luis and Isabel will probably be what saves the world. (hide spoiler)]

Time frame (view spoiler)[It's crazy to realize that this world ending nonsense is happening at the same time as Jo and David's world ending cruise to hell. How are they all still standing given all of the shit that's going down? (hide spoiler)]

So great (view spoiler)[Seeing Imara again. I just adore her. (hide spoiler)]

Dire Straits (view spoiler)[I always thought that there was no way that Jo and David could overcome what was happening to them. I figured it was nearly impossible. But they did it. Now I have to keep that in mind when I read this because Cass and Luis' straits seem even more dire than Jo and David's. Pearl isn't just talking about wiping out humanity. She wants to take out the Djinn, the Oracles and even Mother Earth. Pearl is as bat shit crazy as they come. (hide spoiler)]

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Finally finished my other book and about to get down to this one. Wow, must have been great for you to read all of that quickly!

[Paris]

It doesn't help that I that every time I'm about to stop is when it's getting good. There were probably moments I could have put the book down, but I kept going cause I was at work and had nothing else to do. It's a good read though. Can't wait until you get through it.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Page 150 - (view spoiler)[Wow wow! Djinn Cass is super scary, I kind of like the human side of her. I can't believe she just chopped off her hand, detached herself of all human emotion and just did it clean cut! And how creepy was it that the hand was still moving. *shudders*

I like it how she's human but when she has enough Earth power left over, she can use it to influence things that are happening. It was funny how she stood up to those bikies lol. (hide spoiler)]

[Paris]

Jeann that was exactly how I felt about both of those situations. Cass is badass for sure.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Alright, I've just finished the book and unfortunately it didn't have the same spark to me as the weather warden series, and the first series itself. Even though the whole cruise ship scenario was random at best, maybe it's my love for David and Jo that made that book a better one for me.

I think it's just Ms Caine's love for conspiracy and the huge world-ending scenarios. Because the previous book was on a lower scale than the whole apocalypse thing, I think that's what made it better than this one. But as you said Paris, it's becoming the whole 'impossible situation' thing again.

Kids (view spoiler)[The kids and the whole twisting and abuse of them by Pearl is really disturbing, and I can't help but feel for them. Poor Isabel will be forever broken, not to mention the whole bunch of other kids and it just makes me feel all kinds of nasty thinking about that. (hide spoiler)]

I sorely missed Jo and David in this one, and even Lewis that self-serving bastard lol.

Ma'at (view spoiler)[ I'm so glad for the bigger focus on the Ma'at in this one. How creepy was it seeing Charles Orwell or whatever his name was? *shudders* Even Cass didn't detect anything strange about him, from what I remember. But basically the Ma'at are rejected wardens cos they weren't strong enough or something, right? (hide spoiler)]

Cass (view spoiler)[I have to agree with you about Cass, I like how her cold Djinn side surfaced and she was able to do what no other human or warden would ever be able to do. It really shows that she has what it takes to save the world and if anything, I predict a whole self-sacrificing thing for the good of mankind here. But we saw her and Luis in the last weather warden book so at least that's a nod to a 'happy ending' to come.

I do adore the relationship between her and Luis and how it's developing, they are both so intense and can both kick butt, just like Jo and David. If there's anything about Rachel Caine's writing, it's her ability to create really strong female characters which I really like.

However, I think I'm missing Jo's snark. It just makes things light in the face of danger, whereas this one was intense from the get go to the end. (hide spoiler)]

[Paris]

You're right about it being intense from beginning to end. This series doesn't have the lightness that Jo brought to the Weather Warden series. Plus, the whole thing with the kids just makes it even darker. I don't like this series as much as the Weather Wardens, but I'll definitely keep reading cause I'm curious as to how things will work out.

And yes you're correct about the Ma'at and where they came from.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Awesome, did you want to schedule the next book in? I have a super busy month next month, so we may have to make it in June?

[Paris]

June works for me. I'm having surgery next month so I don't know if I'd be able to get to it.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Oh no, I hope it's not anything serious and that you'll recover soon.

[Paris]

I'm having my tonsils removed finally. It's about a 2 week recovery or so. Hopefully. lol

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Oooh, does that mean you get to stay home and rest? (and read). I hope your surgery goes well!

[Paris]

Yep. Two weeks off of work Yay! I have a ton of books to read and audiobooks if I can't seem to pick up a physical book or my Kindle. I'm all set.

Thanks!

[Joy]

I never got into this series like I did the Weather Warden one. I don't know what it was that didn't draw me in like Rachel Caine's books usually do.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Yeah, the first book started off well but then this one I wasn't so sure about either. HEre's my review on it: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Sami]

Is this group going to do any more buddy reads? I notice there isn't one for May or June?

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence)]

Yup, we're going to read on June 24th. However if you're interested in doing a buddy read feel free to post in the http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8... thread to see if anyone wants to team up!

[Midu]

I liked this one much better than the first one. More violence & brutality. Yum! Agree with the whole "end of the world" thing, Jeann. It reminds me of the scene from Mummy II where the Magi tells the others that the Mummy will try to take over the world & Jonathan says: oh yeah, the ol' wipe out the world ploy, eh? hehehe

[Sami]

Jeann wrote: "Yup, we're going to read on June 24th. However if you're interested in doing a buddy read feel free to post in the http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8......"

Ahh cool thank you :D I noticed the June thread today! (sorry for going off topic)