I was approved for this one, hoping I'd have the first book on hand before I could read it, but it's proven to be difficult to find in North America, so I'm going into this one blind. I find this world really fascinating and engaging and look forward to reading the series in full!

I clicked this before I knew it was the second book in a series.

This topic is no longer of interest to me and I will not be finishing this book.

This series seems really over complicated, so I don't think I will be continuing this series

Slow to start and a little jarring, especially for someone who hadn't read the first book, but over all a good book that stars a great main character desperate to survive. I'll definitely be looking into the first book.

I will start this review off by saying that I majored in Criminal Justice and am incredibly interested in prisons and prison reform. I find this series to be very insightful when it comes to different methods of reform that may or may not be possible or helpful.

The Australia represents one type of prison, the type that seems to have gained the most ground in recent years: based on a more punitive and deterrent system. That just putting people away and out of society long enough that the others will not wish to follow in their example.

Pine City represents another version: actually trying to reform criminals and mold them into productive citizens by educating and giving them jobs for when they leave. In most cases, this would seem to be the better option as most prisoners won't be able to find opportunities on their own and will most likely continue to reoffend. However, Pine City's problem is that they take the reforming a little too far, by taking the people's past away from them. And, as Chan proves, the chemicals used to make them forget are only a bandaid on the problem that simply is far too easy to rip off. It also doesn't work because it had taken away the trial and innocent until proven guilty features so many of the inmates shouldn't even be there.

I absolutely love that this is all addressed and I can't wait to see what else Smythe's final installment will bring.

Aside from all that, I love the little mentions of the technological advances that are taken for granted in this future after the apocalypse and near extinction of humanity. It makes me a little sad, really because all of those things would be so wonderful and back before dystopians really took off, many visions of the future focused more on that. The good advances in technology and how it would make life better. But that's not how we see it anymore. The advances are there, but they don't really make it better. Not for everyone at least like we would have hoped.

Okay, I'm done gushing. I really, really enjoyed this book.

It was okay, but sort of unmemorable. Nothing really stood out to me and at times, it just felt like a drag to continue.

Long Dark Dusk delivers every bit as much as Way Down Dark does. And that first book blew me out of the water. I was enthralled by the world J.P. Smythe created. There is a completely new setting in the sequel and it is awesome. Don't get me wrong, I loved the spaceship setting in the first book. This world is just as exciting to explore. There is a lot of character evolution throughout and plenty of jaw-dropping twists. The ending once again is the biggest cliffhanger leaving us in need of the final book in the trilogy. The story is set up perfectly. If you enjoy fast-paced, exciting YA dystopian novels, I highly recommend you check this series out. You don't know what you've been missing!

I apologize, but due to extenuating circumstances I will unfortunately not have the time to read and review this title. I thank you for the opportunity; however, my current life situation does not allow a whole lot of time to read + review.