★★
The first book in this series showed potential. The second book fell flat for me. This can be read as a standalone because the feel of the book compared to the first one is different. In the first one, I am intrigued by Anna and the complicated Chris. In this one, I felt like I missed an entire year. Anna is sullen and annoying. Chris is irrational and a bit over the top. Are these two characters even the same as the ones I read about in the first book? I am not sure.
I didn't think this was a YA book. Unfortunately it reads as one, or at least the way that many YA books are with contrived conflicts, drama lamas, and butt hurt feelings. It seems as if the majority of the characters in this book are overly sensitive and lost their common sense. Is there no one here who uses basic logic? Due to the lack of commons sense, we see one train wreck of a situation after another. No wonder these Allies movements are not getting anywhere. With operatives like this and competing egos and un-returned sexual desires, I am surprised this entire organization has not collapsed. The project manager in me and the strategist in me is horrified at how this rag tag of a group isn't dead yet.
The plot of the story felt clunky and I am not sure I buy into it. I looked forward to this book and the experience didn't exactly turn out the way I had hoped. Recommended to YA readers who like drama and the world run by feelings.
* I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
