The Revenants Trilogy Combined Review

Author: Amy Plum

Series: The Revenants

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Release Date: May 10, 2011

Summary: When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent. Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

Review: 

 !!THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SOME MAJOR SPOILERS!!!

Where to begin? I've been meaning to pick up this series for some time and kept on putting it off (per usual). Finally, I just sat down and forced myself to read the first page. I was hooked!! 

I first came across Plum while reading her newer series, After the End. I really enjoyed that novel and decided to give her other stuff a try. I was not disappointed! . . . with the first installment anyway. The pacing throughout the first book was spot on! There was enough to keep me reading late into the night, but not enough to make me want to tear my hair out.

However, the farther I got in this series, the more I started disliking where the plot was headed. I knew from page one that something was going to be up with Kate. She wasn't going to be just some "ordinary" girl. So when I got to the 3rd book (If I Should Die) and found out that she is the Champion . . . well, it was kind of like a 'duh' moment for me. I was waiting to this huge reveal and was not as impressed as I had previously hoped. A half-hearted applause for that one.

I really did enjoy the relationship between Kate and Vincent though. It wasn't very realistic, but I was definitely swooning whenever Vincent came on stage (in a sense). I mean, come on, he is totally DREAMY!!

Overall, the series as a whole ended up being a solid 3 stars for me. It started out with a incredible amount of potential, but kind of burned out throughout the series. It'll probably be while before I come back to it. 

Until the Beginning

Author: Amy Plum
Series: After the End #2
Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance, Contemporary, Adventure
Release Date: May 5, 2015

Summary: 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 and her new companion Miles's cross-country journey to find her clan has 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.

Review: After really enjoying the first installment; with it's witty banter, sexual tension, and original plot, I was definitely looking forward to Until the Beginning. 

But alas, disappointment set in fairly early on with this one. After the issues were solved that had been presented during the final pages of After the End the story line and plot actually took a really, really, slow turn. I didn't enjoy where Juneau and Miles' personalities and story turned. Their relationship also began to feel monotonous. Leaving me a tad bit bored.

AND THEN!! A certain character (who I will refrain from saying as to keep from spoiling any future readers) came back into our lives and I was all, "Okay, better fasten the seat belts. This is gonna get C-R-A-Z-Y!!"

And it was crazy . . . for a few chapters anyway. Then we settled back into our old rhythm and it was fairly smooth sailing for the remainder of the novel. I am still on the fence about whether or not I enjoyed the ending. Like, I liked it . . . but I didn't love it. The whole thing that happened with Juneau's clan disappointed me, but the fact that she . . . well, that may ruin the ending. Let's just say the last page, more like last line, was just adorable. Like this panda.

After the End

Author: Amy Plum
Series: After the End #1
Genre: Dystopian, Sci-Fi, Romance, Contemporary
Release Date: May 6, 2014

Summary: World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness. They've survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there. At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life. When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact. Everything was a lie. Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she's trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.

Review: My initial reaction after reading the summary for the first time went a little something like this:

 With a little some of this:

I know, you're probably thinking, "How can a book be contemporary and dystopian?? The answer to that being the first portion of the novel (about the first 30 pages) has a very dystopian feel. However, after Juneau ventures away from her home, it then moves into more of a contemporary feel since she is then in the present time/world.
With that being said! This was my first experience with Amy Plum. Let me tell you, I'm impressed. This story was so captivating, emotional, unique, and adventurous. Juneau was such an amazing main character! She was strong-willed, extremely capable, a fast learner, and quick minded. I really enjoyed that she wasn't weak or in need of assistance when it came to surviving.
The beginning of the novel reminded me of the movie The Village. The similarities between them being those of a community/clan of 40-50 people living out on their own, away from the world, and not telling the younger members of their clan about their situation. Only to have one of their members, Juneau in this case, have to travel outside and realize that the world is, in fact, not suffering from radiation and the aftermath of WWIII. However, that is where the similarities stop. Mainly because that is where The Village ends. The rest of the novel was extremely unique and well written.
After the End was set at a great pace. Leaving me with few complaints in that department. It is also written in duel POV. Juneau being one, and Miles the other. My only complaint with the POV was that I wished at certain points that Miles' POV were a little more lengthy. I was also extremely saddened, literally almost in tears, when Juneau had to leave her two huskies behind. I honestly wish that they could have gone along with her, but also realize that that would have changed the entire feel of the novel. A great piece of work. One that I'll definitely be recommending!

The second book in the series, Until the Beginning, releases on May 5, 2015