Behind the Pages

See the original review, my interview with Julianna and enter the giveaway (US+CA, ends 3 February 14)

Thanks to Hachet Group (US) for providing my with a copy for review and the giveaway copies!

Fuse is intriguing and complex, diving straight back into the story again from Pure, taking you on a whirl-wind adventure.

I kind of struggled with this book a little bit. Not in the way that is wasn't entertaining, but in the way that I was too focused on trying to remember what happened in Pure, that I didn't really focus on much else for a little ways into this book. I get why Baggott didn't really give us much of a re-cap into Pure, and you realize why after you finish Fuse. But it's because there really isn't enough room for a good re-cap of the first book, which is why you really need to read this series together! I felt lost in the beginning, and then when I remembered it all, everything started to get a whole lot more interesting! Events beyond what I even thought were possible were made reality in this book, and they take you by the hand an squeeze you until you're frantically turning the pages to find out what is in store next.

This world is so detailed and literally is dripping of pure imagination, that you don't know what will come next, you are hanging on every word, and every little thing that they all do. There was high stakes, and tension between the characters, that made me want to hold on and keep on going. The world that has been build has made way for so many possibilities that anything and everything could happen, and we won't even see it coming.

I never really liked Partridge as much as I would have liked. I like how he loves Pressia and the rest of the gang, even though they have only known each other for such a short period of time. We believe his motives for wanting to go back in the Dome, and we can see that he will be the one to make the world a better place from inside the Dome. But I still believe my original thoughts of him from the first book, he is too innocent (even though he doesn't seem so innocent when he is in the cottage with Lyda ;) ), and it doesn't do him any good in the book where everyone else is such a strong character (the only other annoyingly stupid characters are the Dome worshipers, and I wanted to just smack them in the face, seriously).

I love El Capitan and Helmud so much more in this book! We get to see so much more of them, and we see how they change as well from being OSR soldiers to the people they are today. I don't want to give anything away, but we really start to see El Capitan in a completely different light when they start the major part of their journey. We see him as just another survivor of the detonations, and we also get to see Helmud given the respect and recognition that he deserves! The two start to look out for each other a lot more in this book, and we can see them grow together and start to become more of a team, than how you first see it in Pure as just one man carrying the burden of another on his back.

I mentioned how much I love Bradwell in Pure. Well that certainly doesn't change!! I am definitely sailing on the Bradwell ship and I do not intend to ever leave :) As the book goes on, I can't help but love him even more. Even though things were tough, Bradwell and Pressia got through things together and their relationship became stronger because of it. Even though the end of the book made my eyes wide and my hand came to cover my open mouth in shock and awe at what happens, I still know that things are going to be ok, and that he is still beautiful (if you haven't read Fuse then you probably don't understand what I'm talking about, but you will if you read!!).

I love the little side characters in this book, Wilda and Finigan. Pressia seems to grow a lot more with Wilda there, and she takes care of her and is there for her, like a younger sister. Now add Finigan to the mix, as Bradwell's "best friend", and you really start to love the quirkiness that is Finigan and his flashy lights and infinite knowledge! The only side character that I didn't like was Iralene. SHE WAS SO ANNOYING!!!!!!!! SHE IS EVEN MORE STUPIDLY INNOCENT THAN PARTRIDGE! I really didn't like reading about them. Sometimes, I had hope for her. Like she was just acting that way so she can survive. But most of the time, it's like she wasn't acting like that, and was literally some typical blonde bimbo. Warning. You will get frustrated with her...

Pressia. What can you not love about this girl. She is strong, and her willpower is amazing. She will do whatever it takes to make the world better for all the people, not just for those outside the Dome. Sure, sometimes her thoughts on it all are not thought out, and we can see what is wrong with her plans of the future, and how idealistic parts of it is.

I thought that Baggott did a brilliant job with the different POV's. Even though some of the characters were together, we understood exactly what was happening, as well as getting into the current protagonists' thoughts. We didn't get lost or confused, and I really enjoyed getting to see different points of view from Pressia, Bradwell, El Capitan, Partridge and Lyda. The ending is explosive! I really can't describe it any less than that. Reading this on my eReader, I kept on looking at how many pages were left towards the end, and I was tearing myself apart, because I kept on thinking of how much more needs to happen, and the end of the book is so close! You are left with so many questions, and you wonder how everything will play out from there.