Hello everyone!
Well, in all fairness, I've read and reviewed it on other platforms a while ago but, I had some others lined up that REALLY needed to be put up for viewing first so, here we are!
Sometimes, you just need to juggle a whole bunch of lemons altogether, and hope that you get either a lemonade or a martini out of it by the end, not just some lemon splat on the floor.
Rebecca Hefner is one of those authors I stumbled on completely by accident, and yet I've now managed to keep tabs on her for quite some time.
I'm not all that into her vampiric series BUT when she writes dystopia?
HOO BOY! She writes it BUT GOOD.
So here we go one more time, for the second book in the current dystopian tale, Scorched Redemption.
Links to previous related posts can be found at the bottom of the page, as per usual.
To sum up really quickly: The Sendaxa Chronicles tell the story of how one scientist - Dani - unfortunately created a drug that was supposed to prolong life but in the end caused billions of people to die through their addiction to it, and then to top it all off she lost her memory and keeps losing it every single night she goes to sleep.
Still, at the very least she's been hard at work looking for an antidote, and that means that there IS hope for humanity still, although perhaps not for her youngest sister Raquel, who was the one to wallop her over the head, run over to the dictator's side, and is currently a scientist with him.
This is where our story begins.
Arianna, the adopted sister of Dani and Raquel, is tasked with a mission to sneak into what used to be Washington, DC, and get her back, even if she has to do her own over-the-head walloping to do so. Helping her is one Dominic, a soldier and best friend of Maverick, who happens to be Dani's husband (Mav, that is), and he also used to think he had feeling for Dani.
Turns out, he was only hiding from the truth, which is that he's madly fond of Arianna instead.
So the two of them trek across the wilderness to the area they're going to be sneaking in through, on information from this intriguing morally grey character Tristan, who works for the dictator Luthor Cromwell but is also apparently working to take him down.
Why?
Well, his sister is addicted to EverLast, that stupid drug, and his ex-wife is now Luthor's wife so, ya know.
Anyway, he gets our duo inside the city, and he has a job for the pair of them that includes, but is not limited to, them bombing the hell out of another lab which is trying to create super soldiers.
If you're thinking Captain America, you'd probably be right.
Not only do Arianna and Dom sneak into the city, but they also sneakily attend a high society black tie event where they encounter Raquel, who's so full of vengeance and vinegar that she really couldn't care less if the people who love her live or die, so our two heroes have no choice but to go through with the bombing plan if they want to meet Tristan's requirements for him to then deliver Raquel to them.
Of course, things do NOT go smoothly, because this isn't the last book, come on, what were you expecting here?
They get caught because it was a set-up - NATURALLY - but when they're brought before Luthor things get a heck of a lot more interesting in about two seconds flat, turning everything upside down on its head.
See, Luthor's been dealing with rebellion brewing underneath the surface, like any good dictator does honestly, and it's at this point that his head of security reveals himself to be part of it, grabbing Grace - Tristan's ex - on the way out as his collateral. Unfortunately, as they attempt to take Luthor down in person, Raquel - who's finally gotten it into her head that the only reason she hasn't been on her knees sucking this evil dude off is because Tristan's been protecting her, and oh gee whiz, maybe this new world ISN'T as grand as she imagined it to be - ends up dead.
This is a massive deal, considering everything, but Arianna and Dom get her out of the city and take her with them as they return home.
At the very least, their mission to set up the compound leader with a way to communicate with Tristan was a sort of success, and said leader manages to talk down the Sendaxa forces so there isn't a bloody stand-off at the end, which is shining light into the future that might be brighter than their current predicament.
And of course, during this little tense shindig, Arianna and Dom manage to iron out their differences and get together, which is a MASSIVE step forward since he plans on getting her those babies she wants so desperately, while she's been hell-bent on just doing it on her own, so I'm keen to see how fun THAT'LL be, once the world is set to rights.
Which, it will be, and soon, because guess what? DANI'S FIGURED OUT THE ANTIDOTE.
It's only a matter of time now, and for bonus points: Tristan attempts to rescue his ex-wife from the clutches of the rebellion, only to fall flat on his ass when she rolls her eyes at him, sighs, and patiently explains that SHE'S THE LEADER.
Move over, Leia Organa-Solo, it's the era of a new dawn. One where the people take back what's theirs and hopefully shove Luthor Cromwell where the sun don't shine.
DUN DUN DUN!
MAN I LOVE THIS SO MUCH.
I was honestly on the fence about Arianna, but if this book doesn't sell you on her, then I don't know what will.
Dominic is a sweetheart and a beast, and I love the subtle undercurrents of the sub/dom dynamic in their relationship while maintaining a very healthy level of respect for the mission they're on. In short, they're perfect for each other and I feel that this book captures their journey towards one another wonderfully. He never gives up and that's something to admire.
I loved Dani and Mav popping up and showing us the progress made, and I'm warming up to Arthur Reyes as well - like Ari, I didn't trust him to begin with LOL!
And Tristan. Oh, Tristan. He can't see the forest for the trees but, I hope he manages in book 3 of the trilogy. I can't wait to see HIS road to a HEA, especially as, like with the others, it's a second chance.
Loved the ending twist, too! I had a sneaky suspicion about it when "inner circle" was first dropped, and I have to say I'm proud of myself for seeing it coming. Not an easy feat when a writer is as good as Ms Hefner!
Again, like I said before, I feel like dystopia is really her niche, and I'm itching to read about how it all unfolds in the end. The world deserves to get back on its feet again!
As for Raquel, well. I suppose it's a complicated topic. It's also not something we linger on atm, so hopefully it gets addressed a bit more after everything calms down and there's time.
But this book - and trilogy as a whole - is definitely worth the read! Absolutely recommend.
Dominic is a sweetheart and a beast, and I love the subtle undercurrents of the sub/dom dynamic in their relationship while maintaining a very healthy level of respect for the mission they're on. In short, they're perfect for each other and I feel that this book captures their journey towards one another wonderfully. He never gives up and that's something to admire.
I loved Dani and Mav popping up and showing us the progress made, and I'm warming up to Arthur Reyes as well - like Ari, I didn't trust him to begin with LOL!
And Tristan. Oh, Tristan. He can't see the forest for the trees but, I hope he manages in book 3 of the trilogy. I can't wait to see HIS road to a HEA, especially as, like with the others, it's a second chance.
Loved the ending twist, too! I had a sneaky suspicion about it when "inner circle" was first dropped, and I have to say I'm proud of myself for seeing it coming. Not an easy feat when a writer is as good as Ms Hefner!
Again, like I said before, I feel like dystopia is really her niche, and I'm itching to read about how it all unfolds in the end. The world deserves to get back on its feet again!
As for Raquel, well. I suppose it's a complicated topic. It's also not something we linger on atm, so hopefully it gets addressed a bit more after everything calms down and there's time.
But this book - and trilogy as a whole - is definitely worth the read! Absolutely recommend.
xx
*image not mine
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