Thursday, March 8, 2012

Review: Forsaken Harbor by Laura Kreitzer


Release Date: February 15, 2012
Publisher: Revolution Publishing
Available Formats: Paperback and eBook
My Shelf: Own eBook
The Secret Clock Society has infiltrated every aspect of the government. You can’t hide from them, you can’t out run them—the only choice is to surrender or die fighting. Well, Summer’s found her voice and her confidence. She’ll fight if necessary, but for now she’s on the run. And the only place that can offer her refuge is the one city that’s been devastated with disease and death. Full of savages, Forsaken Harbor holds her life on the edge of a knife. Is there still hope to be found here after all? Or will survival mean savagery?
Review:

Forsaken Harbor picks up almost immediately where Phantom Universe left off. Readers are thrust back into Summer’s story and a future world filled with danger and intrigue. Summer’s life becomes more complex and perilous when Julian enters the mix, and he helps Summer better understand her power and who she is while still trying to escape the clutches of The Secret Clock Society. The story is fast-paced and intense, chocked full of action and emotional turmoil, and one that you should not miss out on.  

A note of warning before you proceed: I hope you are all prepared for a bias review. It is going to be Julian-centric, so please be ready.

I think this book was better than the first one (and no, not just because Julian was in it). There is more action, crazier plot twists, and even more emotional moments. Summer has rediscovered her voice after all these years, and she puts it to good use. She is stronger than before, actually bringing down some enemies herself, and she is also slowly developing her power (courtesy of Julian’s masterful teaching). She is definitely becoming a force to be reckoned with, and I like how she grew stronger, both emotionally and physically. Gage is also present with his flowery words (get it? FLOWER-y? hehe) and love declarations, and he is just as protective and strong as before. Some old and new faces also enter the fray, and the insertion of these awesome characters made me enjoy this book that much more!

And now, for the moment I am sure you were all waiting for. Let’s talk about Julian, shall we? I like to think of myself as a loyal person. In the first book, I liked Gage and thought that his and Summer’s relationship was golden. Even when Julian made an appearance, I never thought that my loyalty to Gage would be called into question! Well, Julian has stolen that loyalty. Wait, forget stolen! He shattered, decimated, completely eradicated all the loyalty I had for Gage. I am 100%+ Team Julian! (Are there teams for Gage and Julian? If not, then they have just been created!) Oh, Julian, you who goes against the grain, what have you done to me? I now find myself unable and unwilling to be content with Gage and Summer’s relationship! Do not get me wrong, I still love Gage, but I would definitely prefer seeing Julian and Summer together.

Alright, now it is time for me to defend myself. Why do I like Julian more than Gage, you ask? Gage is perfect, which is something I liked about him in the beginning. Everything he did was right and just, and everything he said was what everyone wanted to hear. While this is not a problem, necessarily, once Julian was introduced, I realized that Gage was too perfect. Compared to Gage, Julian is a little rougher around the edges, a little more fierce, and a little more warrior like. He could care less what others think or say of him, and he will tell people the truth, regardless of whether they want to hear it or not. Gage treats Summer like she is a porcelain doll, whereas Julian wants her to learn how to fight and use her powers. Summer even admits (multiple times) that Julian lets her be who she is, and he does not hide things from her or treat her like she is delicate, which Gage does. With Summer and Julian having somewhat similar pasts, he is better able to understand her desire for power and strength, and he gives it to her. Again, Gage is not a bad guy from wanting to protect Summer from all bad things, but I like how straight and direct Julian was, believing that Summer could deal with everything. Julian has flaws and weaknesses, and that makes his character seem more real than Gage’s. I will say this one last time: I LIKE Gage, but I LOVE Julian, and I’m completely, inescapably, irrevocably on the side of Team Julian (and my loyalty shall not be broken this time).

Needless to say, I really enjoyed this book! With the story being told from both Summer and Julian’s point of view, there is a deeper understanding of more of the characters with even more action and plot twists being thrown in. There will be two more books published to complete the series, and they have already been entitled Burning Falls and Silent Forest, respectively. I am excited to see how this series will progress, and I cannot wait for another (heavy) dose of Julian! 
A Great Escape

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