A Review for Rise (Eve #3) by Anna Carey

Posted by Donna
Release Date: April 2nd, 2013
Finished Date: April 26th, 2013

Publishers: HarperCollins
Source: Gifted

Format: Paperback 
Pages: 320  

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

In the stunning conclusion to Anna Carey's thrilling dystopian trilogy, Eve has the fate of the New America in her hands.

Ever since she escaped her boarding school on the night of her graduation, Eve has been hunted by the King. She is the Princess of the New America, and must take her rightful place by his side. When her plan to run away with Caleb, the boy she loves, backfired horribly, it seemed that Eve's fate was to be decided for her--marry Charles and be the perfect royal couple. But now Eve knows what she needs to do. For the next few months she must appear to be happy about her arranged marriage to Charles. She must be devoted to making their relationship seem as real as possible. And, when the time is right, she must kill the ruler of New America...her father.

The Review: I fell in love with Eve and Once last year, so I've been eagerly awaiting the release of Rise, excited because I couldn't wait to see what came out of the final book. And now after reading it, I'm majorly disappointed! 

 At the end of Once, something major happens in the plot that leads to a character not being present in the final book. This isn't the first time this has happened in a series like this, but what's not the same, is not seeing that character again, even though he's there. I feel really cheated! Eve and Once both had something for us to root for i.e the romance, and come Rise, it doesn't even exist! The spark that was once there is gone and yes, that can come down to just one character - I kind of feel betrayed by the author and again, I feel very cheated. In what once was one of my favourite series, I can not longer say this. Eve and Once will always hold a special place in my heart, but Rise was just a huge disappointment and I honestly believe the author should re-write the ending. It's abrupt and very unfinished, we miss out on key emotions and what I believe would have been the best part of the book. Instead we get so many unanswered questions and left unsatisfied. It was like the last few chapters were missing out of the book, and I honestly can't see any devoted reader being happy with that ending. As you can see, I'm not!

The big question now though is, would I recommend this series to anyone else? Based on Eve and Once I would, but based on Rise, no I wouldn't! I can't knock Carey's exciting plot but I think it was a huge risk for her to end the series how she did, one that you're either going to love or hate, but for me, I hated it and I certainly won't be reading it again.

A Review for Once (Eve #2) by Anna Carey

Posted by Donna

Release Date: July 3rd, 2012

Finished Date: August 12th, 2012

Publishers: HarperCollins

Source: Bought

Format: Kindle 

Pages: 368
Buy : Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

When you're being hunted, who can you trust?
For the first time since she escaped from her school many months ago, Eve can sleep soundly. She's living in Califia, a haven for women, protected from the terrifying fate that awaits orphaned girls in The New America.
But her safety came at a price: She was forced to abandon Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. When Eve gets word that Caleb is in trouble, she sets out into the wild again to rescue him, only to be captured and brought to the City of Sand, the capital of The New America.
Trapped inside the City walls, Eve uncovers a shocking secret about her past--and is forced to confront the harsh reality of her future. When she discovers Caleb is alive, Eve attempts to flee her prison so they can be together--but the consequences could be deadly. She must make a desperate choice to save the ones she loves . . . or risk losing Caleb forever.
In this breathless sequel to "Eve," Anna Carey returns to her tale of romance, adventure, and sacrifice in a world that is both wonderfully strange and chillingly familiar.

The Review: **Spoilers if you haven't read Eve**

As soon as I finished Eve late Saturday night, I picked up Once straight away because after that ending, I had to know what was going to happen straight away and I'm so pleased to say, Once is a fantastic sequel - if not even better than Eve and once again, Anna Carey leaves me completely breathless with that killer ending.

After the shocking events in Eve, Eve is now safe in the lands of Califia. Unfortunately Caleb wasn't granted access into Califia because he was a male but even though he's gone, Eve can't stop thinking of him. She loves him and she would do anything to see him again. When she hears about a stray being hurt in the wild, she knows it's Caleb and sets out to rescue him. However, once she arrives, she finds out it's a trap and she's soon on her way to meet the King. Once their Eve uncovers a shocking secret - one that changes her future forever but with Caleb still not far from her mind and the opportunity arises to see him, she takes it...putting her at risk once again.

What a great sequel. I always get nervous with sequel's because I've read so many lately that honestly, have been such a let down but not Once. Once is a heart-wrenching, jaw-dropping book, full of touching and heart-warming scenes. I didn't think it would be possible to love Eve and Caleb any more but in Once, you can't help love them more. The trials they are put through are hard and emotional and by the end of the book, I was a mess. I cried and literally screamed by the end of the book. Prepare to have tissue's with you. 

Anna Carey has done a fantastic job taking this series to a journey I never thought would come. It's shocking, thrilling and captivating and I've already told you how emotional it is but it's a series you must read! If you love Dystopia novel's then pick this series up now! 

A Review for Eve (Eve #1) by Anna Carey

Posted by Donna

Release Date: October 4th, 2011

Finished Date: August 11th, 2012

Publishers: HarperCollins 

Source: For Review

Format: Kindle

Pages: 318
Buy : Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Where do you go when nowhere is safe?
Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth's population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school's real purpose--and the horrifying fate that awaits her.
Fleeing the only home she's ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust . . . and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.
In this epic new series, Anna Carey imagines a future that is both beautiful and terrifying. Readers will revel in "Eve"'s timeless story of forbidden love and extraordinary adventure.

The Review: Before I start this review, I have a confession to make. I've had this book on my kindle - which I got for review from NetGalley over 13 months ago! I know, terrible isn't it! I don't know what was wrong with me but, even though I wanted to read it, I was just never in the mood. But now, as you can see, I was in the mood and you know what? I'm absolutely kicking myself for not reading this book sooner because it was a fantastic read! 

It's the year 2032 and the people that survived the plague sixteen years ago are still trying to rebuild lives for themselves. But it's very hard when the King want's the world run his way and his way only. Eve, an eighteen-year-old school girl has been promised a successful future when she finishes school but only to have her dream snatched away from her at the last minute, when she finds out that, producing children so the world can get their population numbers back up awaits for her. Eve knows she doesn't want that future, so she flees into the dangerous wild. She has to go against everything she's ever been taught and face the dangerous and daunting world on her own...and all the while being chased by the King, who wants her for his own purposes. 

I'm so, so surprised by the poor ratings for this book and I can't help think did I read the same book as everyone else? Eve was a dangerous adventure - one full of heart-breaking times and it was an emotional rollercoaster. I thought it was a great start to a very promising series and author Anna Carey did a fantastic job giving us vivid and harsh world. I for one wouldn't want to live in these times. Boys and girl's free will is taken away from them and it's just a sad situation for them.

I loved Eve. I thought she was brave and smart and I loved how she was so willing to defend the people that she cared about, even when they weren't that nice to her. She has a heart of gold and she see's the good in people. She's been taught to fear men all her life but she see's Caleb for who is really is. I loved their relationship. It was a slow process but it just gave me that excitement from the build up between them. Caleb and Eve have very similar personalities and I feel this is why they connect so much. 

“You can love anyone. Love is just caring about someone very deeply. Feeling like that person matters to you, like your whole world would be sadder without them in it.”- Eve

Now the ending...what a killer! The only good things about not reading this book 13 months ago was the fact that I have Once - book two in the series, ready and waiting for me. And I urge people not to judge this book by it's ratings - I for one really enjoyed it and I'm sure you will too.

A big thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book.