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May 21, 2013

Review: Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne

Sky on Fire (Monument 14, #2)
Title: Sky on Fire (Monument 14, #2)
Author: Emmy Laybourne
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication date: May 28, 2013
Genre(s): Young Adult (Post Apocalyptic)
Source: Publisher (Raincoast)
Format: ARC
Pages: 213
The world hasn't ended...yet.

In this sequel to MONUMENT 14, the group of survivors, originally trapped together in a superstore by a series of escalating disasters, has split in two. Most of the kids are making a desperate run on their recently repaired school bus for the Denver airport where they hope to reunite with their parents, be evacuated to safety, and save their dying friend.

But the world outside is dark and filled with dangerous chemicals that turn people into bloodthirsty monsters, and not all the kids were willing to get on the bus. Left behind in a sanctuary that has already been disturbed once, the remaining kids try to rebuild the community they lost. But when the issues are life and death, love and hate, who can you really trust?
Sky on Fire is the much awaited sequel to Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne. Ever since I finished Monument 14, I've been dying to get my hands on Sky on Fire. I have to say, I wasn't disappointed in the least when it came to the sequel. My only minor complaint is that the book was a bit too short, at 213 pages. The sequel continues from the ending of Monument 14 and this time it is told from two POVs, Dean and Alex, who are brothers. I would recommend anyone who hasn't read Monument 14 to not continue with this review because it might contain minor spoilers for it. 
This book has a dual POV because there are two different settings, one in the greenway store with Dean and Astrid along with three other kids, and the other is Alex on the bus with 5+ others trying to drive 60 miles to the Denver International Airport where it seems to be a sort of safe house meet up for the surviving people. To say that this book didn't keep me on the edge of my seat is a lie. I was frantically flipping the pages trying to find out what happens next in the greenway store then back at the bus. The ending of each chapter is like a mini cliffhanger that makes you read the next chapter (which is told from the other POV) as fast as possible.. and the cycle continued. It was a vicious one that wouldn't let me put down the book at all. While some may think the greenway mall POV is repetitive, since that was the setting of the first book, but it really isn't since the circumstances changed. As for Alex and the rest of the gang, boy, did they get into a lot of crap. I felt so sorry for them at times and prayed that they would all make it back safe to the DIA. 
I know many people who read Monument 14 thought Dean was a bit too whiny and lovestruck to be a pleasant narrator, but I believe he has redeemed himself in this book. Also, I am sure people will really enjoy the chapters told from Alex's POV. Those were very thrilling! As for the way this book ended, I am not sure if there will be a sequel, the way Laybourne finished the book hints at another possible book, but if she doesn't write one, readers do get a good satisfying ending. All in all, I do recommend this series to fans of post apocalyptic and survival novels, especially fans of male POVs! Though I am not fond of male POVs, I have to say that I really enjoyed this series. 
The rest of the series:

16 comments:

  1. Okay, so I am soooo going to have pick the first and second and soon. Dean and Alex sounds like great characters and I could root for them. Wonderful review.

    Jenea @ Books Live Forever

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  2. I liked this one much better than the first one. I was happy to get the two different perspectives since I found myself bored reading the first book. Great review!

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  3. I think I'm definitely going to give this series a try. Both books sound great! Awesome review :)

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  4. I'm definitely going to read this one - I really enjoyed the first one, especially the setting and this sounds like a wild ride!

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  5. Happy to hear you enjoyed this one! I can't wait to get my hands on it! I've heard some amazing things. Great review :)

    Jasmine

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  6. This makes me so excited to read Monument 14! I have it but have been waiting to read it. Now that I know the sequel is satisfying, reading Monument 14 will be all the more enjoyable. Great review!

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  7. Glad you enjoyed it! I actually just recently finished this one and I didn't like it as much as the first. It was okay but I liked the first one better.

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  8. I'm seeing this book around lately and heard great reviews about it, including yours. I haven't read the first book but thought that I should give it a try because of how convincing your review is! haha

    Thanks for the review :)

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  9. I wasn't a huge fan of the first book, but I'm glad you enjoyed this one. Great review!

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  10. I'm not a big fan of post-apocalyptic novels so I didn't bother reading the first book in the series. But, I'm glad you enjoyed it and thought the sequel was just as good.

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  11. 4.5! Wow.... I have to read the first book. Sky on Fire sounds exciting and I do love survival stories. Thanks for the wonderful review, Juhina.

    -Dannielle

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  12. I really need to read this series. It sounds awesome. Great review.

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  13. I also think I enjoyed this one more. I liked seeing the way the two perspectives began to converge. And I assumed there would be a third book -- but maybe not…

    You can find me here: Jen @ YA Romantics

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  14. Oh, my! Almost forgot about this one!!! Awesome review, can't wait to read it. ;)

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  15. I am so obessed with this series. It's ridiculous! haha I didn't like this one, quite as much as the first, but I still loved it!!! They are short, but I kind of like that about the series. No wasted pages that slow down the story and make you bored. And your totally right about the ending! I'm honestly hoping she writes another, I really want to know what is going to happen. But if she doesn't. . . it was ended in such a way that it won't bother me. But. . . .on the other hand, I NEED MORE!!! haha

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  16. It's so great to hear that the sequel in this series is a hit and not one of those flappers. I'm glad that the Dean redeems himself -- that shows a successful character arc. Great review, can't wait to read this book :)

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