Cover Image: Travelers

Travelers

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This was alright, but not my favorite! I appreciate having been selected to listen but I was sadly disappointed in this. I think the tone of the writing just wasn't for me.

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I want to take the publisher and netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

All right let's get into it I did like this book a little more than the first one, with the first one my major complaint was the dialogue it still wasn't as bad in this book. For me the pacing was a little weird in this one I did like all the action and the magic I'm still very mixed on the characters I am really interested in Micah if there is another book I look forward to hopefully him going down the darker path a little more. I did appreciate that there was a non-binary character but it also left a bit of a bad taste since the character was misgendered quite a bit to show how awful certain characters are I just really don't like that personally.

I did like that there was a little romance in this one but it wasn't like a main focus it gave the characters a little more depth then the last book to see their relationships kind of grow and change.

All in all this is a very fun book and series and I will keep my eye out if there is more in the series.

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Let me start off by saying, I didn’t know this was in a sequel when I requested it. Because of this, I felt a little confused most of the time, but this was completely my fault.

Even not reading the first book, I picked up pretty quick on character development. It was amazing! I had no idea who these characters were, but I immediately grasped glimpses of their individual personalities.

ALSO, the writing! Bravo Riley for being so great with words! It makes me want to read so much more from him.

This narrator did a phenomenal job! She changed her voice several times to fit the setting/character. She made this an interesting read.

I appreciated the inclusiveness of a non-binary character. Wonderful representation.

I’m giving this one an average score of 3⭐️, which is pretty good for my ratings!

Thank you NetGalley and Imbrifex audio for the arc, in exchange for my honest review.

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That cover alone should tell you that this book will be... a big mind trip. And that it was. The narrator had a great way of giving off the spookiness of Riley's story.

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Thanks to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Travelers is the second book in the Freaks trilogy. I did not read the first book but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to understand what was going on. The author did a wonderful job balancing subtle world building with a fast paced plot. The story hit the ground running from the very beginning and did a great job grabbing my attention. I enjoyed the modern setting with a fantasy twist. The pop culture references witty and enjoyable. I loved the deep friendships and character growth the main characters shared throughout the story. The narrator's voice was very pleasant and I would love to hear more done by her.

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Brett Riley's freaks are back in Travelers. We are taken back to Quapaw City, Arkansas, where the freaks have set in motion a new adversary for the unlikely team to battle. As per the previous novel in the series, the world building is amazing but the rest of the book in a sense falls flat with me. Freaks felt new and creative but Travelers feels like it's trying to hard. It may just be that I am not a huge fan of science fiction.

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a very good start but then it decayed a bit , good in general, It had a good construction of characters but weak development, this also applies to to the ambience of the novel

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Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!
This book was the second book in the Freaks series, and I thought it was a great sequel. I liked the super power vibes, mixed with some very relatable subjects. I think this is overall a great YA read. A little on the slow end though.

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This is the second book in the Freaks series. I did not read the first one but did not affect my reading experience too much. The characters and the storyline were both enjoyable especially the ending and the fantasy elements.

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It was great to revisit these characters and see a lot of growth and maturity. They're faced with evil that must be defeated again, and their bonds are even stronger. The enemy was very interesting and creative while being appropriately creepy at the same time. I really enjoyed these books and I can't wait for more from this author.

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Doesn't touch the first, however Travelers is a great follow up to Riley's Freaks. The characters development continues to be fantastic. The plot, however, is not as strong as the first.

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Travelers by Brett Riley is the second in series after the first book, Freaks. And, this is the biggest problem as I did not knew this. The book was very difficult to understand if you have not read the first book. Although, the narrator was very good, but I could not understand that what was going on actually. The characters are young teenagers with good portrayal. And, I am feeling really bad for writing this as I have already read some books by the publisher which were so good.

I could only give 3 stars to the book. Thanks to Netgalley and Imbrifex Books for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.

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I remember reading Freaks and being on the fence about it. It was OK but there were things about it that took away from my enjoyment. Distracting issues. I don't know if it is the familiarity of the characters or that this book is just written more to my style, but I enjoyed this one much more.

The opening is the kind that makes a reader sit up and wonder what the heck is going on. I felt the characters, when they came back, were much more developed and interesting. It felt before like they were outlines. They are filling in nicely.

The mythologies brought in this time were far more interesting. There were a lot of moving pieces from the previous book as well as some new characters that only make the story more interesting.

A much improved sequel.

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Travelers A Freaks Novel by Brett Riley, narrated by P J Morgan, is the second book in the series and follows the book Freaks. Book one introduced us to the characters and the life-changing event that brings us to book 2. So the Freaks are back in school and trying to act as usual while doing counter-surveillance on the government group sent to watch/eliminate them. All the kids want to do is live their everyday lives, go to school, play video games, and date. However, there is something new and much more dangerous watching and waiting. Will the kids stay off the government radar, and will they be able to band together and fight off this new threat?
So I wasn't a huge fan of the last book, but I am glad I soldiered on and read book 2. This book was so much better. We got to see the characters beyond their cliched roles. I love how they always seem to one-up the government task force sent to watch them. The pace is much quicker in this book. Additionally, this book has a more elaborate plot where they are still trying to lay low from the government. They must also find a way to deal with the uncle, who owns the book that opened the portal and has infiltrated their lives. Finally, there is a powerful shapeshifter after them. There are some legends and myths incorporated in the story that explains the origin of the shapeshifter called Rabbit. The freaks continue to explore their powers.
I had an issue with a few things in this book. First off, not sure why the kids hid what they did from the uncle whose book they used. He knew more about the situation than them. Not that I blame them for their distrust. Also, I was not too fond of the posturing of the surveillance team and the shapeshifter. They knew what the kids were, but it was like they were playing with them. I felt like there should have been more conflict or making the others question the truth and show a little more doubt about the situation.
It was a fun and exciting read. This book was less about good vs. evil and more about power. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book for middle school and young adult readers as they could relate best to the main characters. There is some mild violence and profanity. This book reads like a comic or marvel movie where you have heroes, villains, and the worry of exposure. If you're looking for an exciting book where the underdogs become superheroes and have loyal friends willing to do anything for each other, this would be a great read!

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I liked that this has the same narrator as Freaks. She does a great job of differentiating between characters.

There is great representation in this book including a nonbinary character who is introduced in this novel. Kenneth is still working on growth and continues to show his bigotry but it is a lot quieter now. It's more an internal dialog instead of him taking it out on everyone. It seems an accurate enough portrayal, I think I can just say that I don't like that character at this point.

The relationship between Gabby and Jamie continues to grow and is one of the more pleasant sub story lines in the book.

The antagonist for this novel is the Native American trickster god, Rabbit. He is a shapeshifter and is extremely angry with the freaks for their potential to upset the natural order and because most of them are white. Christian has Native American ancestry and this plays a major role in the main plot of this book.

This book may make you uncomfortable but in a way that encourages introspection and growth. It addresses how Native Americans have been wronged throughout history. Travelers does a great job of continuing the story started in Freaks as well as setting up for the next book.

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Okay, it took me a while to get to this one because I didn't realize it was second in the series, so I had to order the first one, then read that, then read this one. And oh man. It was worth it.

This series is an absolute TRIP, in the best and weirdest and craziest way! We didn't carry the first in our store but I plan on ordering it in to hand sell both.

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The Narrator did a good job. I liked her voice and kept me engaged in the Aduiobook. The story however was fine. There was something up with that other man expically when he mind someone's father. The rabbit bad or God was cool bad guy. I didn't connect to the story nor the characters in the book as much as I liked. Not sure if I'll be continuing.

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(Thank you to NetGalley and Imbrifex Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback)


How it all began in Book 1 (Freaks):
**Four friends, relentlessly bullied, LARP (live-action role play) for fun with robes and a book found in an uncle's belongings. When a chant read from the book unlocks a portal to another dimension, all hell breaks loose.**

The books read like a comic book being spoken aloud. The first book was decent, it was fun enough to get an origin story for these 4 kids, the powers they gain, and their fights against the villain they unleashed.

The problem with this book is I felt it added nothing. It just felt like an entire book of just the same fight going on and on (this time with a new and powerful nemesis). I didn't feel any new ground was covered. I really just wanted the audiobook to be over.

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Thanks again to Netgalley for the audio book arc. I enjoyed this story overall! I hadn’t read the Freaks (The first book) but still had a strong understanding of what the characters were and how they interacted. I found the story to be in interesting and entertaining with plenty of funny moments. I didn’t feel a great amount of tension from the story but there were alot of moments that I liked overall.

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Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

I didn't realize this book was a sequel when I started it but honestly, it was enjoyable wtihout reading the first installment. The main characters are high schoolers with super powers dealing with the CIA on their backs and a god level nemesis. It didn't seem like a lot of character development within the story and I had a little trouble relating to the friends. Still a quick fun read and I reccomend!

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