Young Adult Review: Horde by Ann Aguirre

Horde by Ann Aguirre

Hardcover, 432 pages

Published: October 29th, 2013 by Feiwel & Friends

Source: Amazon Vine

The epic conclusion to the USA Today bestselling trilogy.

The horde is coming.

Salvation is surrounded, monsters at the gates, and this time, they're not going away. When Deuce, Fade, Stalker and Tegan set out, the odds are against them. But the odds have been stacked against Deuce from the moment she was born. She might not be a Huntress anymore, but she doesn't run. With her knives in hand and her companions at her side, she will not falter, whether fighting for her life or Fade's love.

Ahead, the battle of a lifetime awaits. Freaks are everywhere, attacking settlements, setting up scouts, perimeters, and patrols. There hasn't been a war like this in centuries, and humans have forgotten how to stand and fight. Unless Deuce can lead them.

This time, however, more than the fate of a single enclave or outpost hangs in the balance. This time, Deuce carries the banner for the survival of all humanity.

I wonder how long it'll take for this lump in my throat to go away?  When the entire last quarter of the book places it there and doesn't let up, you know it's a good book.  This isn't a series that could get away without any losses, but it's not all sad.  Actually it seems like the warm parts, the parts with hope, with the showing of goodwill and good people, make the lump in my throat even larger.  Watching it all play out and finish was... I don't know there's a word that can even say.  Stunning? It was stunning.  Some was bittersweet, but I was very, very satisfied with the conclusion of this trilogy.

It's amazing how far Deuce has come from the first book.  I loved the previous two and I loved her, but I loved her even more in this book.  We see her doubts and insecurities, but we see her step up to do what she knows she has to do.  She takes charge even when she doesn't know what she's doing, she just knows she has to do something.  And while she's doing this her heart is filling up with more and more love.  She's learning about caring for others even more and we see how it's changed her so much for the better.  She's really about as good as a person can get and still be real.  Cause she's not perfect, but she's still a hero.  And I think a lot of times it takes a person who came from a dark place to really take the chances she did.  To step up and risk themselves for others time after time.  I really admire her and what she worked to accomplish.

This book had a lot of fighting and gore, but even though I don't generally like that, I found myself completely entranced.  Not by the war, but the way Deuce tells us the story, shows us the story.  As we see Morrow's graceful fighting, and Tegan's abilities with the staff, with Fade's fighting along side her, with Stalker's determination and scouting ability.  How each person worked together and accomplished the impossible.

I just have to say- Morrow, love him!  I really, really want a story about him.

The book is pretty long, but I really wanted to just devour it at once (impossible since I had so many other things to do).  I just really needed to see them get a happy ending, and while I couldn't imagine things ever being really good, I really hoped for it.  Ann Aguirre really outdid herself though, she pulled everything off and while we may wish for every single person to live and have a HEA, that's just not a possibility here.  However, it's not a sad ending at all.  There are sad moments, but it all ends on an amazingly wonderful note. 

I highly recommend this series.  It can be dark and depressing and bloody, but all the hope and strength and determination in these characters will only warm your heart.  Stunning, brilliant and remarkable.

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes, all opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

Review: Outpost (Razorland #2) by Ann Aguirre

Outpost (Razorland #2) by Ann Aguirre

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published: Sept. 4th, 2012 by Feiwel & Friends

Source: Amazon Vine

Deuce’s whole world has changed. Down below, she was considered an adult. Now, topside in a town called Salvation, she’s a brat in need of training in the eyes of the townsfolk. She doesn’t fit in with the other girls: Deuce only knows how to fight.

To make matters worse, her Hunter partner, Fade, keeps Deuce at a distance. Her feelings for Fade haven’t changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.

Deuce signs up to serve in the summer patrols—those who make sure the planters can work the fields without danger. It should be routine, but things have been changing on the surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks have grown smarter. They’re watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don’t intend to let Salvation survive, and it may take a girl like Deuce to turn back the tide.

Enclave, book one in this amazing series, was intense.  It was almost physically hard to read, yet I couldn't pull my eyes away from the page.  I was terrified for the characters and every single horrific thing they had to endure.  Outpost was less intense, however I still had a difficult time setting the book down.  While the intense moments were less frequent, the book itself wasn't less amazing.

I felt like we finally got a chance to see the girl Deuce.  Not the huntress so much, though huntress Deuce is still there, but the more normal girl Deuce.  Deuce learns about love and family and caring about others.  She's clueless about the interactions of humans and the manners of all these 'normal' people around her.  She doesn't know what a birthday is, she doesn't know what so many things mean.  And she has so much to learn.  Also, her and Fade have a lot to figure out and it's a bumpy ride.  Mostly it's because Deuce has a lot to learn about communication and signals.  She doesn't understand certain things.  This all felt so real to me because of her past life and how she was raised and I thought it was done very well.  I also loved her relationships with others.  From her times with her new family to those she arrived with were terrific.  She relies on her new family for the love and support she never knew she craved.  But she leans on her friends for her mere survival out in the field.  Every character was brilliantly done.

Now there's a lot of other things going on as well.  The town has felt 'safe' for too long.  They don't seem to understand the danger out there.  And then planting season comes and they come across a major problem as Freaks are getting smarter and finding ways to set the town back.  Deuce's huntress abilities suddenly have become very useful and this town may not survive without her...

If you haven't read this series yet, I very highly suggest you do so!

Disclosure: I received this book for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.