Neville is getting better!
587682
I've read several of Stuart Neville's Belfast novels and have enjoyed them all.  The best thing though is that his books have gotten progressively better and more enjoyable in my opinion.  These are police/mystery stories set in Ireland.  So Say the Fallen is a fast paced, engaging, quick read.  I made it through the book in about two days and found it to be a great summer read.

This is the second book featuring Serena Flanagan.  I would say a reader could easily jump into this book without having read the previous, but Neville has gotten so good you might want to find that book and some of his others first.

Recommended reading!
2219241
Again, not a fan of serials, but was very pleased with this installment as it was an overall good read.  Good story, more growth and maturity for Elise and more back story (specifically for Remy, but also for Elise and Lou), and a lot of movement forward.  At the very end of Book 2, a new character is introduced, but as all the other characters know her (or know about her), apparently she is a character from the Awakening Cycle books, so I'll probably breakdown and buy them for the background information.

Looking forward to the next installment!

I received this copy in exchange for an honest review.
4960378
After reading the first 2 books, often things will slow down or I might start getting tired of the characters but this series seems to get better. Seeing how all the characters develop is great and the battles are varied and often complex. If you are checking this review and wondering if book 3 is worth it then if you liked book 2 then grab this one now.

I am not going to talk about the plot as it is in many ways a continuation and expansion of book 2 so you know or can guess what is coming and you will probably still be surprised especially some of the twists. This books answers some of my questions like how come the Romans have elves etc and other twists I wondered about. at the same time more twists will be added but in a good way I believe

For me, the literal cliffhanger ending is a bit disappointing as even the author agrees that his readers will 'gobble' up a book in 2-3 days while it takes 6-12 months to complete.

As long as the author understand we readers will then be even more impatient for Book 4 then be prepared for us to keep asking :)
291082
His development of characters and his writing is improving. It is drawing the reader in and is not as obvious.
3643922
The story is clearer in this second volume, and Kazzie's writing seems crisper and cleaner in this installment.  The addition of new characters also improve the flow and increases the reader's interest.  Volumes 3 & 4 are eagerly awaited!
72913
Even better than the first! Smoother and more sophisticated, we learn more about Jamie and her search for her father too. The first book is a good draw and this one is a good hook. The end is quite a clincher! I'd write more but I already started the next one and I want to get back to it :)
1947308
After reading many of the reviews for this book, and after rereading the previous book, I had low expectations for this one. And when I started reading, I was completely annoyed with the chaos present, between Betsy's ADD and narcissistic worldview and the storyline. It truly was difficult at first to keep up with what was going on. But I was hooked in the second half. It was tricky at first to realize that, after 12 previous books, was suddenly writing from Sinclair's perspective. What I got caught up in, though, was the maturing and growth both Betsy and Sinclair were experiencing. I felt relieved that Betsy was finally growing up some and taking responsibility for herself as well as setting her needs aside for others. I was also quite surprised, and pleasantly so, at Sinclair's return to God's light and the resulting playfulness and joy he experienced. How cool! Unlike the ending of the previous book, I am excited to see where Betsy and co. go next.
1030623
Lost Magic by Evelyn M. Byrne has done it again, the books just keep getting better and better. In this installment the story and characters keep growing in density and strength.  I love the new characters brought in and think that it lends further depth to the upcoming books. In this book I very much enjoyed having new perspectives brought in. I just have a weakness for how the author is able to slowly revel plots and answers to the over arching pot line while keeping great tension without making it seem overly drawn-out and artificial.  I just have to put a side note in here for some people that may look at the cover of the books and decide to skip over them. I will say that some people have said that the covers look too "harlequin" and have not picked up the books due to this fact. I must stress here that it is not the case this series is not your harlequin novels! If you read the story the covers will make sense but don't let them stop you from reading these great books.
1223149
When I picked up the latest Harry Potter book, I was determined not to like it.  Surely J.K. Rowling was running out of steam by now, surely she was just grasping for plot lines and new characters wherever she could get them.  After the first few chapters, though, I was hooked, much to my chagrin.  Rather than running out of steam, Rowling is hitting her stride.  Although the book is perhaps a bit too long, Rowling wisely uses the pages to develop characters that we already know, rounding them out into people, not just stereotypes.  Some have, and will continue to complain that this new installment does not advance the plot of the series enough, but I think it's about time we stopped moving at breakneck speed through Harry's life and took some time to look around and get acquainted with his world and the people in it.
4045771
This book has improved immensely since the rough and awkward start of the first book.  That first awkward chapter of the first book is worth slogging through to get to here.  The writer improves with each chapter of this series he writes.  The last part of this book (no spoilers) has a powerful haunting scene.  The story doesn't flinch away from it at all which I very much appreciate.  Some things I had been skeptical about pays off because the characters start to question it as well.  Some of the secondary characters get a lot more depth here as well.  One of the kids sole character trait still seems to be "Elf Aficionado" though...  I will be the next book the day it comes out.
4743814
Book two was just as exciting (actually more so) than the first, in terms of the main plot! I felt that I comprehended more even with seven or so new character involvement. All in all, I rank this a 4/5 stars.

Gah, I ought not to spoil anything, so I will do my best to steer clear. Despite the exciting plot twist, I thought it took a bit long to arrive. While I appreciated JK Rowling reviving characters from book one, I felt that some scenes were drawn out/unnecessary between Harry/his crew and said characters. In particular, Harry conversing with Nearly Headless Nick.

As I've said, I liked the action of the central plot scene better, and I loved that everything connected to  finding out who was petrifying the students. It made it feel a bit like a mystery/suspense book as well.
I must say that I was surprised by the point we learn who is the culprit! I didn't expect it, but in a way, I did. I loved meeting the Weasley family, and they truly are lovely folks! Lastly, I most admired Hermione's role in Chambers of Secrets. She stepped out of her comfort zone and *that* change was what impressed merather it was her growth in character.
269259
I am not going to write a long review.  I just wanted to say that I am glad to see that the story is finally moving again.  The last few books have been very slow, kind of like watching paint dry (not that is a bad thing, just not something that is for everyone)...  Egwene has been my favorite character since early on and I was very satisfied with her section of this story.  She still has some loose ends to tie up for sure so that story line should continue to evolve.  Also nice to see Rand finally figure out a little what he needs to do and let go a bit on how high strung and tough as nails he has been...  Looking forward to the next two books !!!
469787
The previous book in the series was a little bit of a let down for me, but this one really gets it back on track.  I'm wasn't a fan of not following through with the Cormack romance, but she redeems things with the fast paced action and development in this new addition. A new story arc is introduced as well, a vampire cabal, that promises to add excitement down the road.
3894565
While 14 Shades of Grey is considered to be not quite as "hard" as their previous releases ("Dysfunction" and "Break The Cycle") it shows quite a bit of growth for the band........ Not only for Lead Singer Aaron Lewis but for Staind as a whole. The album shows how far the band has come since 1996 and their ability to adapt, while not afraid to try new things.
14 Shades Of Grey is a much more "down-beat" yet I give the album 4 stars as it shows Staind has Matured along the way on the raod of success!
1392619
I wasn't at first going to order this book, as it no longer contained his earlier main characters.  Purchased it anyway, and am SO HAPPY I did!  The new character, an accidental vampire, former worker in a large bank, now a civil servant with Laundry is engaging.  His life, his family and wow ... the so called monsters are not exactly complete bad guys.  Won't ruin the ending, but think you will like it.
1944430
Excellent Book.  I think it is one of Neville's best!  I refer to it a lot for inspiration.
1398940
MINOR SPOILERS

I feel like Crouch's writing has improved after I read Incite! Thinking back I think that Ignite was more of a set up for Incite which explains a little bit of the plot. The main conflict is different than the previous books, it is no longer the demon virus but something bigger.

My excitement for this book might have to do with the more intricate plot or series of events because I felt myself flying through these pages much quicker than the previous books. Not that the others didn't interest me but I felt the conflicts had higher stakes in this book which had me hooked. I wasn't able to predict what happened in this book which I enjoyed.

This book is told from dual point of views, Pen and Azael, which I didn't expect since Ignite was told solely from Pen's point of view. I enjoyed it though, I liked seeing how dark and conflicted Azael was although it would have been nice to see it in the first book as well.

I am happy to see that Pen and Michael take more initiative in their actions in this book. As with the first book I liked how conflicted they were but this time they are torn about their past and future. I like how they are learning, communicating, and trying to find themselves and where they belong. Even now, it's something people struggle with everyday. I found both of them more relatable in this book than the first book based on the choices they had to make including how they felt about their siblings.

The characters are still intriguing and growing after each experience. I especially liked some of the newer characters but I won't mention them lest they spoil you. They made me chuckle and most of all I enjoyed how they were not too black or white in their choices or appearances. In my opinion, the pacing of the writing in this book is better than the first book. The writing is still lyrical but also has taken a slightly darker path which may have to do with Azael's point of view.

I'm excited for the next installment of books! If you've been following Erica Crouch you'd know that Ignite was supposed to be the end of the story but there are two more to come!

3.7 out of 5 rating for me!

For full disclosure, copies of this series were provided by the publisher for an honest review. I was not compensated in any other way.