This was a hard one for me to review - objectively, the author is quite talented; her characters leap off the page, there's a ton of action and adventure, this alternate reality she's crafted is amazingly original and the plot had me hooked. BUT I found the lead character so frustrating and some of her reactions and decisions were borderline nonsensical, so it was painful to read some parts and resist the urge to hurl my phone across the room and scream.

It’s a testament to the skill of the author that despite my profound irritation with Cas, I couldn’t put the book down, I simply HAD to keep reading and find out how she’d get out of this mess. I found her journey to be gripping, as the uncertain treacherous path she chose had very high-stakes and created a breathless adrenaline-rush of a reading experience.

Some books telegraph their ending a mile away in blazing ten-foot high neon signs, but I didn’t know what Cas would do or where she would end up from one chapter to the next, it was completely unpredictable. I never could’ve seen the ending coming if I had a thousand years to brainstorm possible outcomes, and yet when I look back over the journey, there was no other way it could’ve ended and the author chose a beautifully poetic and fitting way to conclude the duology.

But MY GOD, did I want to knock some sense into Cas’s thick head sometimes! The romantic arc was my main investment in the series as I adore LGBT+ relationship and the hook of lesbian pirates was irresistible. But the way Cas treated her love interest seriously vexed me – I understand that this person had committed an unforgivable sin in her eyes, and that’s fine, but then Cas would fall into her arms and passionately make out with her one moment, only to recoil and throw her out or run off the next. I can understand having conflicting emotions, but as a reader, this repetitive hot-cold-hot-cold situation was boring and made me roll my eyes when Cas threw a fit YET AGAIN and stormed off.

It made me feel so much sympathy to the love interest and wish that she could invest her affection in someone else instead of a person who would jerk her around like this. Perhaps the author was going for some irony as the love interest was in a position of power over Cas in the first book and didn’t treat her very well, but flipping the power dynamics this strongly in the reverse direction served to diminish her character as she was basically a doormat that let Cas walk all over her when she was in one of her moods. I did enjoy the parts of the book where they got to be happy with each other and there were some very sweet parts that made me grin, but it didn't last long before the drama started up again.

In summary, I had serious issues with the protagonist’s wildly vacillating emotional responses and questionable morals (killing innocents in the first book was something she did not get called out for and she never really reflected on it enough to justify it as an in-character action). However, the exciting story arc was strong enough to compensate for this and kept me turning the page, no matter how fierce my frustration and occasional desire to give up. This is a wonderfully complex and outstandingly original story that will be rewarding for those who don’t have the same issues with Cas as I do.

I think part of the reason I enjoyed this sligthly less than its predecessor was because I was sick while I was reading it. Not that it was necessarily any worse. My head was foggy, which made it harder to follow, so I guess my rating and review reflect that.

When Santa Elena’s ship, The Minnow, is attacked by a Reckoner without any trainer or companion ship, Cas Leung realises that it is another of Fabian Murphy’s beasts, sold to pirates who were unable to train it and turned it loose. Realising that this is just one of many, Santa Elena convenes The Salt, a network of pirates, to try to take back the oceans. But that’s going to be harder than it looks, and with Cas’s skills, she’s going to be right on the front line.

One thing I particularly enjoyed about this book that wasn’t really dealt with in the previous one was that Cas had to face up to how her disappearance affected her family. Some of my favourite scenes where those where she was trying to process that, and an eventual conversation she has with her brother, just before the climax.

As with the previous book, the plot is tight and the writing is solid. Cas’s relationship with Swift devleops at a good pace now that they are on equal footing, and I liked how complicated it got at times. There was just something that left me feeling a bit disengaged, though. As I said above, that may have been more on my end than Skrutskie’s. While I could see that technically, the book hit all the right boxes, I just wasn’t feeling it.

I love, love LOVE the concept of this series. The execution – maybe not so much. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, the US is now comprised of small independent territories, and the oceans are havens for pirates. Without citizenship on the land, people on the sea are forced to live in flotillas and floating islands. They depend on pirates for the goods needed to survive, so piracy flourishes. In order to combat them, Reckoners, huge water beasts, are bred and trained to defend a ship that they have been bonded with. What happens when the pirates try to harness the power and brutality of the Reckoners for themselves? Mass chaos and a threat that puts the ocean biosphere at risk.

The Edge of the Abyss picks up a month after The Abyss Surrounds Us. Cas is a trainee on Santa Elena’s ship, Minnow, and she’s being groomed to take over command of the ship from Santa Elena. There are five trainees vying for the coveted role of Elena’s heir, including Swift, the girl Cas has a love-hate relationship with. When Cas realizes that there are more untrained water beasts in the sea, she feels even more guilt at abandoning Elena’s pup, Bao. When she realizes that many of the other pirate ship captains also abandoned Reckoners, she fears that they will destroy the oceans. Suddenly, the petty bickering between the other trainees seems insignificant. Convincing Santa Elena that her livelihood is at sake, as well as the livelihood of every single person who relies on the ocean for a living, Cas must undertake her greatest challenge – track down the beasts and wipe them out.

As long as the story focused on the monsters, this was hard to put down. The back and forth squabbles between Swift and Cas, though, soon got irritating. Like in the first book, their relationship is not an easy thing. Swift killed Cas’ Reckoner, Durga, in the most horrific way possible, and she was also responsible for Cas’ capture by the pirates. Now that Cas is one of Elena’s trainees, they have even more friction between them. The see-saw romance got on my nerves. One minute they would work out their differences, and the next day – BOOM! Something else happened to put them at odds again, and frankly, it got old after the second or third time. Then I would hope for some monster action, to get things back on track again.

The battles with the Hellbeasts were well done. They were exciting and vividly described. I loved them. I wish there had been more of them. The ending resolution to all of the story threads was convincing and satisfying, and I’d even like to follow Cas, Swift, and Bao on more adventures, though with fewer personal upheavals.

Like the first book in this duology, The Edge of the Abyss is a solid read with a lot of appealing elements: pirates! weaponized giant sea creatures! queer ladies!

The Edge of the Abyss advances the conflict established in The Abyss Surrounds Us, as Cas reorients her life around what she now knows about the corrupt system in which she was complicit as a Reckoner trainer. Though Cas feels she’s made the right decision in joining the pirates, her new situation isn’t without its own moral quandaries. Can adjusts to life aboard the ship, and her relationships with other crew members develop. Soon, the task they face becomes clear: the unregulated sale of Reckoners to pirates has led to many creatures wild in the water, and unless they’re stopped, the ocean’s ecosystem will be catastrophically damaged. Because of her knowledge as a trainer, Cas is pressed to find solutions and, in the process, prove her standing among the crew. Thanks to the precise world-building of the first book, this book has strong legs to stand on, and it’s really enjoyable when the scope expands to include a network of pirates that exists throughout the neo-Pacific. Cas’s struggle in this book lies in determining her boundaries in relation to those around her, especially as she learns more about the intricacies of bad-ass pirate captain Santa Elena's manipulation of her crew members in the context of larger piratical negotiations. The narrative reaches a satisfying resolution without wrapping everything up tidily, which fits its overall focus on the complexity of morality and interpersonal relationships.

Since I'm guessing this book will most likely draw readers for its wlw relationship, I’ll note that while in The Abyss Surrounds Us I thought the romantic tension between Cas and Swift felt underwritten, I appreciated how it developed here (complicatedly, and with sex).

Notable too is the fact that differences of race, gender, and sexuality don’t seem to make much of an impact in this imagined future—while socioeconomic disparity for sure does.

I’d recommend this one readily to readers who like their books fast-paced, action-oriented, and cinematic and to anyone seeking queer, diverse sci-fi.

Guh! I love this duology so much! In a way, I want MOAR of the characters and the world, but I know it's totally the perfect length. So, I'm so conflicted.

I still love Cas and Swift. I love how brave they both are, how selfless and determine, especially for pirates. I love how bad they both are at expressing their feelings and I love how cute they are together. I love that they're still not totally-in-love, hearts-and-flowers at the end.

There are even more action and fight-sequences in this book than the last, culminating in a battle scene worthy of the biggest budget Hollywood blockbuster (I want it, btw). It was amazing to see all the different new Reckoners, and nothing could be cooler than pirates vs sea monsters. I was relieved to see Bao again and I felt even more justified in loving my 'little shit' this time around.

I love that the ending stays true to the world that author has created. There are consequences for Cas' actions in and it manages to give a realistic ending balancing out the relationship resolution (yay for no kill-your-gays/ our-love-can-never-be) with allowing for the fact that Cas' life can never go back to what it once was.

... Maybe just a sequel or two? Please?

This review will go up on my blog on 29 April
https://foxesfairytale.wordpress.com/2017/04/29/review-the-edge-of-the-abyss

RATING: ★★★★☆

The Edge of the Abyss by Emily Skrutskie follows the events in the previous books. Cassandra Leung has pledged her allegiance to the ruthless pirate queen Santa Elena, rather than return to the safety of her home. The Reckoner she was training, Bao, has been released free into the vast ocean. Cas is now training, she’s in the running to take over Santa Elena in being the captain of the ship. However, that is the least of her problems. The Neo-pacific and the whole eco-system is in danger. Bao isn’t the only Reckoner roaming free, there are many other illegal Reckoners sold to pirates that have escaped their captors and are wrecking havoc in the ocean. It’s up to Cas and her fellow crew members to stop it.

There are so many things I love about this duology. It is a futuristic science fiction book, a fantastic one at that. It has pirates! Sea monsters! A f/f romance! And just a lot of badass ladies.

The world building is fabulous as usual. I really liked the introduction of the pirate alliance and expansion of the pirate world, that was a really interesting aspect. This series is very action packed, which I also really enjoyed. Skrutskie has a really good writing style which makes this a very easy and quick, fun read.

I was a massive fan of Swift and Cassandra’s relationship in The Abyss Surrounds Us and I loved the further development in this instalment. They are truly a great power couple. In The Edge of the Abyss, there was a lot of conflict in their relationship between them following the revelation in the previous book, but also due to Santa Elena showing a lot more interest in Cas and her role in potentially taking over the ship. This led to some really surprising development with Swift. We find out what really motivates her. We explore her internal conflicts, her wants and wishes, and I really loved that.

Santa Elena is also another favourite of mine. She’s intelligent, brave, fearsome, manipulative, and ruthless – she’s a true pirate queen. I’m a little disappointed in how it all ends for her. The rest of the supporting cast were also great, which came as no surprise.

Overall, though, this is a great ending to a fantastic duology. A duology that I’ll forever be recommending.

I’ll definitely be reading more from Emily Skrutskie because I love her writing – I’m especially excited her next novel Hullmetal Girls, pitched as a YA Battlestar Galactica ‘in which two girls risk everything they have for new lives as mechanically enhanced soldiers; after a rebellion against the governing body forces dark secrets to the surface, the fate of the entire fleet is left in their hands.’ HOW AWESOME DOES THAT SOUND?!?

Thank you to Flux Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for review! All opinions are my own.

This book was everything I wanted it to be and then some. I honestly could not have asked for anything better and the wait was absolutely worth it. I read The Abyss Surrounds Us back in December 2015, so the wait for a sequel has been long and hard indeed. But I absolutely loved every single page in The Edge of the Abyss and I think it was a wonderful ending to a fantastic duology!

"It's got more monsters, more pirates, more salty pirate language, and way more "equal footing" than the first book." -Emily Skrutskie

Plot:
Three weeks have passed since Cas Leung fled the shore and everything she knew, pledged her allegiance to the pirate queen, Santa Elena, and let loose the Reckoner, Bao, she was forced to train. Being a pirate trainee is difficult, but not as difficult as being forced to work with the pirate girl who broke her heart. But bigger problems arise when Cas realizes that Bao isn't the only Reckoner swimming free. Illegally sold Reckoners have broken free from their captors and are attacking ships in the NeoPacific and destroying the biosystem. As a Reckoner trainer, Cas may be the only one that can stop them and save the waters, but can she harm the creatures she's always loved and protected?

I knew going into this book that it was going to be amazing, but it absolutely blew all of my expectations out of the water. There was so much more to this book and I couldn't believe that there was so much packed into 320 pages. You get amazing character development from Cas, relationship development with Cas and Swift, more world building, more monsters, more pirates, just plain more. I really enjoyed the internal struggle that Cas went through when it came to having to fight the Reckoners (or Hellbeasts as they named them as they were not trained like Reckoners were) because it basically came down to where her loyalties were- with Santa Elena on the ship or back on the shore with her family and what had been basically her whole life. The relationship between Cas and Swift was, once again, not the main focal point, but still a big part of the story. There was a lot of back and forth between them, but it really helped drive the plot forwards, especially when it came to character development for Cas. A new element of this story that was really interesting to read about was the Salt system and just how many other pirate ships there were. It's not something that's really touched on in the first one, but you're introduced to several different pirate captains that are so different in so many ways. I loved that the world was expanded on with this element, and it was great to see that even pirates will work together when it comes to saving their ocean. The rogue monsters that show up were so incredibly scary to read about, because I was so used to the trained Reckoners. Hellbeasts are assumed to be the stolen and sold Reckoners that have escaped from their pirate ships and now occupy the NeoPacific. It was really terrifying to think that there were these literal giant monsters living out in the ocean and basically destroying everything in their path! Going from trained killing machines to rogue killing machines was such a wild ride, but it was so much fun at the same time. With this being the concluding book, you get all of the resolution you could have wanted when it comes to relationships and life choices, and an ending that closes things up with a beautiful bow on top but could also leave an opening for future books. Everything flowed so well and there was never a time where I felt bored or like there wasn't anything happening when it came to the story and as I said above, I couldn't have asked for anything better. It's fast paced and action packed with tons of monsters and a beautiful but still rocky romance that you can't help but ship.

I really hope someone appreciates these subtle (but not really) sea/ocean/ship jokes I'm tossing in.

Characters:
There was so much character development with Cas in this book and I could not get enough of it. I said above that I enjoyed the internal struggle that Cas was experiencing with where her loyalties lied, and I absolutely meant it. Of course it was hard seeing her trying to deal with that, but I loved how it helped shape her character as a whole. She was constantly fighting against all of the training and the way she had been raised in order to please Santa Elena and try to more adequately adapt to her new life at sea. She was constantly up and down and trying to figure out where she needed to be as a person throughout the entire book, but she finally found her place at the end and I could not be more happy with the path she took and the choices she made. Cas has completely evolved from the shore girl she used to be into an amazing person who knows what (and who!) she wants and isn't afraid to go for it. It's silly, but I felt like such a proud momma watching her essentially grow up throughout not only this book, but book one as well. Cas holds such a special place in my heart and I will forever consider her one of my all-time favorite book characters.

The relationship between Cas and Swift also got some serious attention in the book. But just like with the first one, it wasn't the main focal point, and that was something I really appreciated. Not only is the relationship between two females, but it's written in such a beautiful way that never feels like it's being forced down your throat. As you read about what these two characters are going through, you find yourself wanting them to be together and wanting them to work things out because they're just so darn good for one another. Sure, they don't always agree or get alone, and they definitely don't have the most perfect relationship ever, but they're always willing to try to work things out or work towards a solution that works for the both of them. This is such a healthy relationship and I love that it's not perfect, because it just feels right. I mean, let's be real, they're pirates that are on a ship for long periods of time and, not only that, but they're both fighting to eventually take over for the captain. There's going to be stress and conflict, of course, but it's handled so well and so realistically that you just find yourself shipping the two of them so hard from start to finish.

Seriously, anyone laughing at these awesome puns?

I also really enjoyed the side characters, Lemon, Varma, Chuck, and Santa Elena. They were all so perfectly pirate-y and I loved the way that each of them interacted with Cas. Of course, Santa Elena is ruthless and tough to be around, and she does kind of blackmail Cas at one point, but I respected her a lot. We got some backstory on how she became the captain of the Minnow, and I couldn't help but admire her and some of the choices she had to make in order to get where she was at. Lemon, Varma, and Chuck were just really great friends for Cas to kind of lean on, however temporary it may have been. But they all looked out for each other no matter what and that's definitely something that Cas needed with all that she was having to go through in this book.

Writing:
I can honestly say that I've never read a book about giant sea monsters and pirates before. The Abyss Surrounds Us and The Edge of the Abyss are so unique and fantastic and unlike anything you've ever encountered with a young adult book series before. The world itself is so beautiful, with giant sea monsters and floating cities, and then you have these pirates that are strong yet still caring and funny. There's such an eclectic mix of so many different things all wrapped up in this one book that all add up to making it a huge success. I think the fact that it's so different from other YA books out there is what makes it stronger. There's so much gorgeous description of the ships, monsters, the Flotilla, and even the ocean. You really get a sense that you're on the ship looking for Hellbeasts or celebrating the New Year with fireworks and food on the Flotilla and it's such a unique experience to just sit down and get lost in the world that Emily Skrutskie has created. There's nothing else like it out there and definitely a duology that no one should miss.

If you're looking for a duology filled with pirates, sea monsters, an LGBT romance, and an incredible story line, then these are the books for you. The Abyss Surrounds Us starts off the series with a cannonball bang and The Edge of the Abyss will sail straight into your heart and wrap things up nice and neat.

I couldn't wait for this sequel, and it didn't disappoint!

The stakes are higher than ever as untrained Reckoners - hell beasts - start turning up in the ocean. This means we both get to see more battles with hell beasts and more pirates. Which, to be clear, is amazing. I love the whole system of the Neo Pacific that is more developed in this book.

I also love Skrutskie's exploration of what it means to be a good person and how morally culpable people are for different actions they take. Especially because this exploration happens in 3 female characters - Cas, Swift, and Santa Elena. I particularly enjoyed how Cas dealt with her brother's reactions, and the repercussions of that plot line.)

Cas and Swift's romance continues to be real and central to the story, even as its complicated by circumstance and manipulation.

Spoilers -
There was one thing that happened towards the end that I wasn't the most thrilled with. It served a clear narrative purpose, in raising the physical stakes but I think it perhaps was an easy way out of a moral dilemma/stakes that had been building for the whole story. But still, the ending had the perfect tone and outcome.

The Edge of the Abyss was a great, action packed follow up to The Abyss Surrounds Us! It starts three weeks later and Cas is officially part of Santa Elena's crew. She's still struggling with previous events, particularly those involving Swift, but she's getting by. But then their ship is attacked by a rogue Reckoner. Where did it come from? Why did it attack without signals? Apparently there's been several sightings, and that can only mean bad things for the oceans, pirates, and civilians.

I want to start with the romance, because I loved how it was developed in the first book and I loved how it continued to be a source of tension in The Edge of the Abyss. Clearly, Cas is not going to be forgiving Swift any time soon, but she's still attracted to her. How do you deal with hating someone, yet wanting to rip their clothes off? I'll just say that there are sexy times, but Cas doesn't do a 180 with her feelings. It felt very realistic that she wanted her space, but didn't want Swift totally out of the picture. Then the Captain throws another wrench into the mix, and it all makes so much sense!

As for the plot, The Edge of the Abyss kept me flipping pages! It was so interesting to see all of these pirate groups come together for a single purpose. It shows that pirates aren't all pillaging and plundering and murder. They have a code of ethics, and they care about the state of the ocean which they make home. Of course, there are some shady moments, since they are pirates after all! I was just a bit disappointed that the bad guy is dealt with so easily. He's there, and then he's not. At least the sea monsters needed a lot more action to get rid of!

In the end, I really enjoyed The Edge of the Abyss. It's fast paced, fun, and exciting. The romance is handled realistically, and the ending was very believable, if open. It's easy to imagine where everyone is heading though even with out it being said explicitly. Although I certainly wouldn't be opposed to a third book!

The Edge of the Abyss opens three weeks after the end of The Abyss Surrounds Us when Cassandra Lung became a pirate captain in training. Her routine is grueling, but not as painful as seeing her fellow trainee Swift every day and reliving her betrayal. Or perhaps struggling not to see it as a betrayal would be more accurate. One of the things I liked about the first book is that the romance plot was a very small part of the story. It’s much more prominent in this second book, and full of angst, which is my least favorite thing about YA.

But I can excuse some of the teen angst because there’s also pirate politics. We get to meet several other pirate captains and learn about the way their society functions when Captain Santa Elena calls them all together to deal with the smuggled Reckoners that Cas uncovered in book one.

The crime is much more serious than she originally thought. Not only do the rogue sea monsters attack ships, but there are so many of them they are depleting the ocean’s fish supply and causing a worldwide food shortage. I thought this was an interesting (and non-preachy) way to address environmental issues which look a little different in this world with its larger percentage of water, but are still quite recognizable.

My favorite thing about The Edge of the Abyss though is the action. I’m even more convinced that these books should be on the big screen than I was after book one. I defy anyone to read Santa Elena’s “Independence Day speech” and not envision an action movie. Cas and her fellow trainees take on sea monsters on what are essentially jet skis and it is epic. But it gets even better after she reunites with Bao, the Reckoner she trained. Even though she’s done it once before, I love the image her riding into battle on a giant turtle. That is, a genetically-engineered badass monster turtle. There are new types of Reckoners as well – I was definitely surprised by the sea ape.

Amidst all of that, Cas works to reconcile her old life with her new one, struggling to bridge the gap between land and sea and discovering who she really wants to be. Where she winds up is not exactly where I expected, but was satisfying nonetheless. I believe that the series is a duology, but there’s room to return the world in the future. I, for one, would be happy to.

I still really like the idea of this duology (genetically engineered sea monsters! pirates!) Anyway. Onto the actual review-y bits of the review, rather than just me talking about sea monsters. This was quite a quick read, and an enjoyable conclusion to the story that started in The Abyss Surrounds Us. When we left Cas, she'd just sworn her loyalty to a fairly ruthless pirate, released Bao, and found out that Swift was responsible for Durga's death. She's just trying to get her feet under her- between her new duties and avoiding Swift, she's got enough work cut out for her.

Cas was a kind of confusing character for me this time around, it took me at least 50% of the book to really get back into her head space. I'm not really sure why, it might just have been my mood, but her thought and decision-making processes weren't really something I followed. Part of it, I think was that this was such a quick read and it took me a while to start connecting with her again... so by the time that happened, it felt like the book was almost over. She works through a lot (shifting loyalties, Santa Elena making things difficult, Swift, the whole ocean being in danger...), and I overall found myself really appreciating her character arc, especially once I did succeed in getting back into her head!

Her relationship with Swift was complicated in this book, and not in a way I particularly enjoyed... I'm not a fan of back-and-forth, hot-and-cold kind of relationships so it was for me frustrating to read, even though I understood why it was the way it was. Swift wasn't someone that I always liked, and I wish we'd been able to see her grow a bit more as a person (not that she's not allowed to be flawed... I just wish that we'd seen her do a little bit of work on those flaws). I think that their relationship was another thing that might have benefited from having a bit more time (ex. 100 more pages) to develop.

I did really appreciate the action in this one- there's pretty much always something going on! For such a short book, there are a lot of settings and characters that the readers are introduced to, which lends the book a slightly rushed feeling (something that fits well with the fact that things are a little frantic a lot of the time). All of this leads to a pretty fantastic and high-stakes climax (one that felt pretty cinematic, if that makes sense).

Overall, I really enjoyed this conclusion! The plot was strong and the action was great, though I feel that more character-driven aspects of the story would have benefited from a little more time to develop.

Sitting down to read this book was like stepping into a familiar room and being greeted by old friends - it’s been over a year since I read The Abyss Surrounds Us, but within the first few pages I was reminded of why I loved Skrutskie’s world and her characters. Set three weeks after the end of book one, The Edge of the Abyss opens on a shocking discovery: Reckoners illegally sold to pirates have escaped their captors and are taking the NeoPacific by storm, attacking ships at random and ruining the ocean ecosystem. Cas realises that as a Reckoner trainer, she might be the only one who can stop them. But how can she take up arms against the creatures she used to care for and protect?

This might be Cas’ story, but looking back on this duology, what really stands out to me is how strong the entire supporting cast is. Santa Elena shines once again as the fearsome and manipulative pirate queen Cas has sworn her allegiance to, while Swift is given some surprising character development. Cas’ fellow trainees are also given more page-time in this instalment, and I especially loved the friendship that forms between Cas and Varma.

Honestly, if I have one criticism, it’s that I was a little let down by the love story in The Edge of the Abyss. The slow-burning romance between Cas and Swift was one of my favourite parts of The Abyss Surrounds Us, but the constant antagonism between the two in this instalment was a bit of a chore to get through. Don’t get me wrong, Cas and Swift had plenty of reasons to be confused about their feelings for each other after the bombshell at the end of book one, but some of their many fights seemed unnecessary and caused the plot to drag. Nevertheless, there are some wonderfully light, romantic moments between the two girls towards the end of the novel, and I did love how Cas and Swift’s story came to a close.

Many thanks to Flux for providing a copy of The Edge of the Abyss. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Edge of the Abyss will be released on April 18th.

Publisher: Flux
Rating: 4 stars | ★★★★✰
Review originally posted to Paperback'd Reviews

The Abyss Surrounds Us ended with Cas turning her back on her shore life and joining up with the pirate crew of Santa Elena. At the start of this one, she starts having buyer's remorse over her decision to change the trajectory of her life. Once dedicated to protecting the seas from pirates, she is herself one now - a position that leaves her feeling guilty and sad. Guilty because of the lives she took to protect the one she loves, and sad because she has wholly given up on her future as a Reckoner trainer. And her relationship with Swift is on the rocks since a major reveal at the end of TASU, of the latter being complicit in the death of Durga, the Reckoner Cas had known from childhood. Moreover, she can't go back to her old life now because of the things she has done and the fear of facing her family with that.

But amidst this life that Cas has sought, so that she can gather proof (I'll come back to that in a bit), a crisis arises in the form of rogue Reckoners out in the sea, released by pirates who didn't know how to train them. Since Reckoners are genetically engineered, their populations are strictly regulated so as not to harm the ecosystem, but these free Reckoners, with no trainers to control them, are a danger to the fragile balance of life in the Neo Pacific. Now, Cas has to figure out a way to get rid of these Reckoners, some of which are starting to attack ships unprovoked.

The plotline of this novel was a bit of a disappointment compared to TASU. Mainly because I didn't agree with Cas' decision to join the pirates in the end of the last one, as it really doesn't make sense from the point of gathering evidence. She would have had much better luck back in her town, and besides it is not something she even pursues atop the Minnow. In the first half of the book, I couldn't even get why Cas decided to hang around, especially because she hates being a pirate. She doesn't have a clear motive for being there, and this arc exists only to keep the romantic couple within reach of each other. And then later on, towards the end, when they are all gathering for the big showdown, Cas could have easily asked for help from the shore cities, considering they do have Reckoners that she needed to take down the Hellbeasts. Don't get me wrong, the action and final battle scenes were thrilling, but it felt like an unnecessary arc when there was a much easier solution. Ecosystem takes priority over personal guilt, yo.

Besides the obvious plot holes, the book is otherwise pretty good. I loved the different natures of relationships explored in the book -the hate-respect she has for the Captain, her feelings of resentment and love towards Swift, even her grudging friendship with Varma and Chuck - they all are given importance. And the writing is quite good - expending enough detail over the Reckoners and the action scenes, and still keeping a good pace. Overall, though I loved the way the book was written and the style, I felt the plot ought to have been better planned. Even so, as a finale, it gave a good resolution to the story and had a nice ending.

The Edge of the Abyss is full of danger and tension, a mission of survival. A story of pirates, of an ocean that now feels like home, and the monsters that lurk beneath the waves.

Cas is full of conflict. Now on the pirate ship Minnow, under the rule of Santa Elena, she's hard at work proving herself. Proving that she has skills beyond those of a Reckoner trainer, because that's not what's needed anymore. For his own safety, Cas left Bao on his own, making sure he'd never be used as a pirate's weapon again. But is it really the life she wants to lead now? She's also struggling with her feelings for Swift, the rough and tumble pirate girl who's saved her life but also ruined it, poisoning the Reckoner Cas had been with for most of her life. She's not sure what to do, how to act, except follow Santa Elena's commands so she can stay alive.

I love how this book was made up of so many morally grey areas. Cas has to confront a number of things, especially pirate things, that she doesn't quite agree with. Like the raising of Reckoners by pirates. Like the underhandedness and thievery of pirates. Like the doublespeak that Santa Elena deals in when teaching her trainees. Like her feelings for Cas that don't always weigh as much as her fury at knowing Cas was behind the events that first brought her to the Minnow. But now comes the biggest conflict of all for Cas. Either stand with the pirates and destroy the illegal Reckoners that broke free and grew up feral in the NeoPacific, or stand by as they tear every single ship apart. And Cas now has to make those decisions.

This duology is dark and deadly and complicated. It's tense and brutal, all about survival and morals. All about a girl trying to stay alive and the girl she has feelings for. But what are those feelings? Love? Hatred? A combination of the two? I was satisfied both by the ending and that it was left slightly open. The world-building here, a mixture of futuristic and impossible sea monsters and piracy, has left a world that feels believable, and so of course Cas's story would continue on. But I feel like I was left with a good ending here. I would definitely recommend this duology if you're looking for something different with a slight Pacific Rim vibe to it.

I absolutely loved this book. Really the only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because I feel like it had some pacing issues. Don't get me wrong, it was great and I finished it in two days, but at one point I realized I was about 2/3rds of the way through the book and I didn't really feel like a lot had happened plot-wise, then the last few chapters felt a bit rushed, like she ran out of time and was just trying to tie up all the loose ends.

But it was still a really great book, and I absolutely love Cas and Swift's relationship. I just feel like it's a very complex relationship that you don't often see in YA, or really in any literature. I again want to say how happy I am that the first book dealt with them not being on equal footing and how Cas couldn't really consent to anything when she was still a prisoner. And I liked their development in this book too. It's clear they both really care about each other and they've got the other's back when it really matters, but they have problems and they fight sometimes and it all just felt very real. I'm glad they got their happy ending too!

And like I said before, the plot seemed a bit unbalanced in this book. It's like she tried to up the stakes by having a whole herd of rogue reckoners but it doesn't even really become an issue until like 3/4ths of the way through the book. I mean they don't even decide to go get Bao again until past the halfway point. I would have probably liked a bit more monster fighting throughout, as it all felt pretty squished in there at the end. But I did like the ending and I'm glad everyone got their closure. I've seen some people say that Cas abandoned her family but I don't think that's really true. I mean she's going to visit them still and her dad doesn't even want to see her at all at this point so why would she want to move back home. Plus she has a job to do right now!

But really overall this was just such a great series. I feel so blessed that 'lesbian pirates fight / train giant sea monsters' is a book that exists during my lifetime. Definitely recommend!

Swashbuckling adventure and expertly weilded conflict. The romantic subplot is just enough to keep the tension crackling in the relationships between the central characters.

With just these two monster-centric books, new author Emily Skrutskie has already made quite an impression. Though her novels are rather on the short side for science fiction at less than three hundred pages each, both contain so much plot and action and character development that not a page feels wasted or more needed. With its ambitious, clever imagination, complex and morally-grey characters, and the detailed world-building needed to back up a world balanced by seamonster fights, Skrutskie's ecologically-impaired version of the future is dynamic and original while still being a high-stakes and action-packed read.

Sea monsters and pirates and the battles between comprise the bulk of the series' action, plotting, and attention across the two books in this series. Through the main character of Cas, a headstrong teen girl first on the legit side of the monster vs pirates lines that define her world, and later on the lawless side, the book uses a first-person viewpoint to explore both sides of the central conflict. Cas's role over the course of both books is pivotal and evolves along the way, from the Reckoner trainer initially introduced in The Abyss Surrounds Us to the crewmember of the Minnow in The Edge of the Abyss. It's not an easy transition to handle and remain believable: from hostage to outsider to pirate, but Skrutskie's characterization has depth and takes the time to make Cas' changes feel organic for the character.

It's not only martial conflict that plagues Cas over the course of this duology. She has to contend with a barrage of emotional damage in a relatively short amount of time: distance from her family, living among a hostile crew, training a "little shit" of a Reckoner in stressful environs, a Captain who likes to play deadly mind games, and a love interest that may or may not betray her depending on the given day of the week. The romance between Cas and Swift is long-gestating and complicated. The seeds of their attraction are authentic and planted in the first novel, but thanks to a severe imbalance in power between the two, it is never cemented. By the events of the the second book, the girls are on more even terms but their relationship is now troubled by the actions of Swift in the past, her future as a pirate, and by Cas's own actions.

Outside of the characters and character interactions, the world-building of The Abyss Surrounds Us as a series remains a high point. There's cool tech invented for the world's necessities and in-depth thought given to crafting the eco-systems of the NeoPacific. Skrutskie's premise and imagination are strong and she uses scientific principles to create additional suspense and tension. The plotting reflects the author's knowledge, and while both books are mostly well-developed, they can also fall prey to tropes and conveniences on occasion. This is particularly noticeable in book two when Santa Elena needs other pirates to recognize the danger of a Hellbeast and hark! ONE APPEARS JUST THEN and attacking CIVILIANS! The series may go for the easy answer from time to time to tie plotlines or characters together, but its the exception rather than the rule.

The Abyss Surrounds Us was an excellent introduction to the world of Cas, Swift, Santa Elena and the Reckoners; short but impactful, and very memorable. The Edge of the Abyss continued those good traits and then builds a new, relevant plot to end the duology. The effortlessly diverse cast is worth noting and commending as well. This post-apocalyptic tale has f/f relationships, women of color in positions of power, Cas herself is of an unspecified Asian descent, aaaand The main human villain is a mediocre white failed businessman. Very much recommended.

4.5/5 Stars

Making a stunning sequel was no easy task, but Emily Skrutskie does an excellent job of taking Cas and Swift to new heights in The Edge of the Abyss. A new threat has emerged from the depths, putting the entire population at risk, and Cas' Reckoner training experience is desperately needed as she tries to reconcile her new pirate life to the old. With emotional turmoil and mad monsters, there was no way I wasn't going to love this book. Check out five reasons you must pick up this sequel:

Top 5 Reasons The Edge of the Abyss Soars

Facing Consequences: This one was all about owning up to mistakes, making things right, and asking for forgiveness. For Cas and Swift that meant coming to terms with Reckoner deaths and competing against one another on the ship. For the wider world, it meant taking on illegal monsters that would decimate the ecosystem sustaining both land and sea.
All the Feels! Now that Cas and Swift are on equal footing and are dealing with their issues, the two of them were able to explore their relationship. There was plenty of turmoil, believe me, but both women together made my soul happy. Be still my rapidly beating heart!
Don't Forget Your Roots: Cas can only force down the betrayal of her family for so long, so when she checks in with the world it brings all the repercussions of her actions to the surface. Faced with her brother's sadness, hurt, and anger, Cas must open up and tell him the whole truth of her saga.
Pirates, Pirates Everywhere! The Edge of the Abyss opens up even more of the pirate world in this one. Readers are introduced to The Salt, where crews will ban together in times of crises, as well as how debts play out between captains. Plus, there's even more in regards to the recruits vying for captain and Varma particularly shined with his easygoing happiness.
Bao's Back: Honestly one of the best parts of this world are the Reckoners. Sea monsters are so freaking cool and to discover even more species and how they live was especially thrilling. Plus I'm glad TASU wasn't the last time we got to see Bao. My jerk of a terrapoid deserves all the page time!

Overall The Edge of the Abyss by Emily Skrutskie was an extremely enjoyable read. With plenty of battles, both emotional and physical, as well as vivid descriptions, this sequel was just as great as the first. Cas and Swift have claimed a piece of my heart and I will not be forgetting them anytime soon. I highly recommend this series to everyone and hope that you pick up The Abyss Surrounds Us soon so you can experience this brilliant story and world for yourself.

This book left me wanting a further installment, but mostly because I wanted it not because it needed it. There's character and relationship development and overall a solid conclusion.

After the end of The Abyss Surrounds Us, I knew I had to read the sequel immediately. Luckily for me, The Edge of the Abyss started off right where the last novel ended and I loved being back in Cas's world again.

This review will be short and sweet because I don't want to spoil the plot for those who haven't read the first book, but if you're a fan of Pacific Rim and pirates, you'll definitely love this fantastic duology.

The stakes in The Edge of the Abyss are higher, and the relationships between characters are getting more and more complicated. The Edge of the Abyss was an intense sequel, and definitely was a perfect end to one of my favourite duologies. If you loved the first book, you're in for a phenomenal sequel. And if you haven't read this series yet, you need to read it!