Review: In the End by Demitria Lunetta

Title: In the End
Author: Demitria Lunetta
Series: Book Two in the In the After Duology
Published By: Harper Teen (June 24, 2014)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Dytopian/Sci Fi
My Rating: 3.5 to 4 Stars!

Book Description:
The thrilling conclusion to In the After, the survival story of Amy and Baby, set in a near future where Earth has been overrun by vicious, predatory creatures. 

It’s been three months since Amy escaped New Hope, and she’s been surviving on her own, like she did in the After. Until one day, her former fellow Guardian’s voice rings out in her earpiece. And in a desperate tone, Kay utters the four words Amy had hoped she would never hear: Dr. Reynolds has Baby.

Now it’s a race against time, for Baby is in imminent danger, her life threatened by the malevolent doctor who had helped start the end of the world. In order to save Baby, Amy must make her way to Fort Black, a prison-turned-survivor-colony, where she will need to find Ken, Kay’s brother. He alone holds the key to Baby’s survival.

One small slip-up on this quest could spark a downward spiral that would not only cost Baby and Amy their lives, but threaten the very survival of the people in the After.

*Amazon*Barnes and Noble*

2013 for me, was full of the awesome. Those reads from debut authors that completely stole the show and swept me away with their wonderful story telling abilities and the worlds they created. Authors that made me take a step out of my comfort zone and try new genres and sub-genres that I never thought I would be interested in before. 

Authors that in fact, changed my opinions about those genres because of their mad writing skills.

Lunetta was one such author. I adored her debut novel and just couldn't get enough of it. I loved everything about it, from the monsters, to the villains and I even love the love interest, albeit how little there was of one. There was just something about the twists and turns and the desperate times that the characters lived in that I ate up and was left looking around for more. It was a nonstop adventure ride and I got an adrenaline rush from it and I wasn't ready for it to be over. 

When I had the chance to read In the End, you bet I jumped at that it. I couldn't wait to dive right in and see what adventures Amy would be on to next and how she was going to right all the wrongs from the first book.

I have so many mixed feelings about this one. I loved it and I hated it. I wanted to devour it and I wanted to take my time reading it. I couldn't wait to get to the end and yet I didn't want the end to come.

I loved Amy but I wanted to shake her for putting herself in so many dangerous situations, simply because she had to question everything around her. She knew what she was getting into and she dived head first. Sometimes it was a good thing and others, not so much and I wanted to yell at her to knock it off already. She put herself out there a little too much. A little too dangerously. She is on the run, in hiding in an already super dangerous world, the last thing you need to be doing, is getting noticed by people that are already dangerous and in a position of power. Gah! 

Who I did (unexpectedly) love throughout the story was Jacks. He saves Amy from herself (I say herself because the girl can get herself into more trouble by being impatient and stupid thank anything else, so yes, herself) more times than I can count and even though he knows nothing about her, he helps her the best he can even though he knows by doing so he is putting his own life in danger. He is softness in a hardened life and lets face it, you gotta love him for that alone.

I wasn't sure how this would end, if there would be a real ending, a real solution to all that happened in the first book and all that was occurring in this one, in fact about 80% in, I was nervous that maybe there wouldn't be an ending, that it would be left so open ended that I would be saddened and frustrated by it all and want to call it quits.

And while the ending is more of a promise of the hope that is to come, they are resolutions and there are those promises that you know will be fulfilled. 

Was I happy with the way the author brought it all together? Actually, yes, I was and I am glad that it ended realistically, with still a lot that needed to be fixed and changed and undone. It would have fetl right if it had all been packaged up in a neat and tidy package. The world and population are devastated and things are hard and still will be for years to come but it doesn't mean there won't be a happily ever after eventually and I like that it didn't show up one but rather hinted at it. It felt right. 

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*