"The New Dawn" by Lorraine Thomson is a captivating dystopian novel that transports readers to a world ravaged by environmental catastrophe and societal collapse. Set in a future where humanity faces extinction, the story follows protagonist Evie as she navigates the dangerous remnants of civilization in search of hope and redemption. Thomson's writing is vivid and immersive, painting a stark and haunting portrait of a world on the brink of collapse. As Evie grapples with the harsh realities of survival and the moral dilemmas that come with it, readers are drawn into a gripping tale of resilience, sacrifice, and the enduring power of the human spirit. With its compelling characters, thought-provoking themes, and pulse-pounding suspense, "The New Dawn" is a must-read for fans of dystopian fiction.

Unfortunately this book was archived before I was even able to download it. I'm looking forward to picking it up from the library, though. It sounds really interesting!

This is the second book in the Dark times trilogy and happily it did not disappoint!
I love the characters in this series, Sorrell, the main character matures and grows as a character throughout the series.

My thoughts:
I enjoyed this sequel to The New Dark. I felt that it continued on quite nicely from the first book. I liked how we saw characters coming together and seeing them grow.
I thought that this book was slower, but with purpose. It had a lot more information to be detailed about the characters. It builds up for the finale.
One thing that I really enjoyed in the book, however, was that we were able to run into past characters. I liked that we received some resolution with Martin and I hope we get to see more.

Reviewing for NetGalley
This is the second book in the series and I found it to be an easy read to understand. I haven’t yet read the first book but I thoroughly enjoyed the second novel.

I wasn't aware this book was 2nd in a series when I requested it on Netgalley.
But because it is affecting my feedback ratio I am leaving this little note to say I have now bought the 1st book which I will be reading soon, then I will pop my review on here.

❝ She turned back to the children, and within moments they had gone, disappearing into the crowd, and suddenly Sorrel realised–she had sent them to Niven and he had used them as weapons.

Einstein was wrong–this wasn’t just a dangerous place for him–it was dangerous for them all. ❞

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own!

This was a series I was really looking forward to continuing. In The New Dark, we met some interesting characters that I was interested in seeing again although the reunion was not exactly what I was expecting. I think The New Dawn was a bit of the step down from the The New Dark in terms of pacing, plot, and romance.

To start off, I think I’d have to address the plot and pacing because The New Dawn felt very slow to me compared to the first book. It took almost halfway through the book for me to feel as if the story was actually going somewhere. Most of the book was spent going around the city it seemed with either Sorrel or David talking about how much they wanted to meet each other. It really didn’t feel like the story was moving towards something for a while and it wasn’t exactly clear. I wanted to see the rebellion progress and see Sorrel take charge, but her character felt… flimsy in this one which I guess leads into my next point.

Sorrel had opinions about what was right and wrong, but she didn’t often stand up for them. I felt like she needed to be more of a leader but it seemed like when it came down to it she just gave up on creating change and decided to just focus on what she wanted (to find her brother). It really left me wanting more because I didn’t get the strong female lead I was expecting.

❝ If Sorrel had learned anything since the destruction of her home, it was this: monsters came in many guises. ❞

And since we’re talking about characters: I spent most of the first book and this one waiting for the moment when Sorrel and David would be reunited. Although I wasn’t really invested in the romance I still wanted to see the moment when they were reunited and when it finally happened… they spent most of the book fighting. Honestly, it was just a real let down. David felt really immature and prejudiced. His character’s prejudice against Einstein/mutants was very annoying. Even after he decided to give mutants a chance and Einstein proved himself David was still cruel to him. And his decision/actions at the very end made me lose a bit of respect for him.

As for the other characters, they were really forgettable. No one else really stood out to me besides Niven and Yolanda. I felt like we needed to spend more time with them and not just jump from scene to scene. Yolanda was a character I never could figure out either. She seemed to give Sorrel warnings and kind of be on her side, but then she was always going against her as well. I just didn’t know what to make of her.

One thing that I really enjoyed in the book, however, was that we were able to run into past characters. I liked that we received some resolution with Martin and it makes me hope that we’ll get the same thing in the next book. I didn’t like how Sorrel and her friends left Dinawl without really seeing things through. Hopefully, the next book will tell us what happened after they left.

I really can’t say much else for the book except that I wanted more from it. I still thought the world was interesting and I wanted to see where the adventure went next, but I’m hoping the next book is more well-put together.

The New Dawn was released on March 1st.

Review to come on the good soon!

This picks up where we left off at the end of The New Dark. Sorrel is working with Niven and his followers, while she's still on the lookout for David and her brother. I enjoyed this book, but as with many trilogies, not as much as the first installment. It did drag in some areas, but it seemed to be setting up for the final book so hopefully it will really pick up and give us a satisfying ending!

DNF @ 38%

I have been trying to push my way through this book for several months, but I just can't care enough about the characters to keep going. I can't deal with how dumb Sorrel is. With everything she has been through she would trust Mara again? I can't stand behind a character that keeps making stupid decisions.
I am really sad because I still enjoyed the platonic friendship she has going with Einstein, and like the idea of the conflict of the movement they are creating in their society. But if she was just killed off, I honestly just wouldn't care.

Book Review
Title: The New Dawn
Author: Lorraine Thomson
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Dystopian/Romance
Rating: ****
Review: So, we left the New Dark with Sorrel running for her life, but she has found some allies, and the death of others like Clovis who was hung for killing one of the Free. Despite this David earns his freedom but the Free men’s assumption that David helped capture Clovis not knowing how he had helped Sorrel. As she tries to find a way to find her only friend Einstein, she also finds somewhere to hide but David on the other hand, has taken a bargain to find Sorrel to earn his freedom from the Free and this may work out badly for everyone involved especially considering David’s hatred of mutants and Sorrel’s newfound respect for them. At the end of the first novel I was expecting something of an opinion clash in this novel with Sorrel and David being on different sides.
We continue to follow Sorrel and Einstein after their escape from the Dregs. As the city burns riots are erupting everywhere but Sorrel is conflicted when she sees David and what has become of him. Sorrel does listen to Einstein about leaving before they end up burning too but she can’t leave behind the children and they begins to search for the tunnels they went through at the end of the previous novel. Sorrel finds the tunnel but refuses to leave without David, Einstein sees that she cannot be reasoned with and agrees to take the children but only if she meets him at the Hanging Tree at dawn with or without David and while she agrees I don’t think this will be easy for Sorrel as she sets out originally to find Eli and David and she might not be able to leave him behind.
We then jump backwards slightly to follow David before Sorrel spots him in the chaos and learn the brand he was giving is hindering more than helping him but there is no way to remove it, but he is still determined to find Sorrel. When he sees her through the flames and quickly led away by Einstein he knows he must find her again, but he is facing several problems of his own. They soon find each other and with some help manages to meet Einstein as planned but there are tensions between the pair after Sorrel learns it was David that saw Clovis killed and that he worked with the Free who tried so hard to destroy all that she was, but she manages to get him to comply and follow her despite his obvious hatred for all mutants.
The symbol of the rebellion and Sorrel’s birthmark seem to be linked but we aren’t quite sure what Niven’s objective is yet apart from starting an all-out rebellion against the Monitors. However, Sorrel and Niven disagree on many thing while she wants to help everyone she doesn’t seem to understand that the resources they have won’t last forever if they do and it would also lead to a higher chance of them being discovered. As Sorrel, Einstein and David settle back into life in the Metro the rebellion is beginning, and Sorrel is increasing confused about everything that is going on and where everyone’s loyalties lie and who she can truly trust. So now she has found one of the people she set out to find and Sorrel knows that Eli is still alive and being cared for, I was being to wonder why the hell she was getting involved in the rebellion in the first place. I mean, now she has David who knows what the mutants who have Eli look like, he knows where they were last seen, so why didn’t Sorrel, David and Einstein just clear out in search of the boy instead of hanging around. It almost seems like the author is going for a chosen one style similar to that of Katniss and her role as the Mockingjay in the Hunger Games, but it doesn’t fit Sorrel at all as she has absolutely no motivation for getting involved with the Rebellion.
David is the first to voice the thoughts I had, and Sorrel agrees that they have no real business with the Metro especially since Niven seems to covet Sorrel and doesn’t want to let her go. However, she isn’t leaving with Einstein. As David has unfinished business with Mara who turned him in, they agree that he can speak to her and then they will find Einstein and leave Metro for good and try to find Eli. Another unusual thing I have noticed is that the author introduces different perspectives almost a ¼ of the way through the novel which just make the writing feel disjointed and a little confusing to read but I am still enjoying the story. David learn that Mara is still playing innocent but when she kills Angus to save him he realises that should would do anything for him even betray a friend. Mara goes one step further when she frames Sorrel for Angus’ murder knowing that she will be hanged for it and then she can have David all to herself, it was made even easier now her “husband” is dead.
When David learns what Mara has done he calls the bailiffs to get his revenge before heading off to find Sorrel, however, Sorrel has been thrown into prison waiting to be hanged. She happens to be sharing a cell with Dwayne a man from the Metro and tries to find out about Einstein, but he isn’t giving up the information she wants but she has bigger things to worry about as her cell mates seem to be intent of making her time there hell. David doesn’t know where Sorrel has been taken so he tries to find Einstein only to learn along the way that a “trial” is being held for someone with a 3-circle marking and he immediately thinks it is Sorrel. David soon learns that he has no friends in this place as Niven sent three of his own to their deaths and Sorrel as well and with Einstein no where to be seen he isn’t sure that he will be able to save Sorrel in time.
As Sorrel is interrogated and taken to her waiting noose neither Einstein or David are anywhere to be seen. However, Martin the man Sorrel was forced to marry makes an appearance to try and get her back, but the Monitors don’t allow it although Mara sees an opening to get out of the Dregs and seizes it although she has no idea what life will be like for her in Ulbroom and I hope it is horrific. One inches away from death the rebellion begins and Einstein swoops into save Sorrel, in the madness they manage to locate David and Hemp and make for the hills away from the chaos. Sorrel learns that Einstein knows Brig the mutant who has Eli and they plan to go looking for them when they are captured by Niven’s people and taken to him. Sorrel is forced to work with him and Juno, a female monitor, or her friends will be killed. Niven does this because Juno is a sign of the old ways while Sorrel is the new and they want to end the standstill and create a new dawn. However, I felt Sorrel was too passive her considering the fire she had at the hanging tree it has all disappeared.
Despite this Sorrel is helping him and hopes that she can find a way to escape with her friends soon so that she can find Eli. With Juno’s help Sorrel and David find a way to get to Einstein who has been forced to work in the mines that the city relies on, but the real challenge is going to be escaping the city without running into Niven or getting killed along the way. Through all the horrific things the characters have seen and experienced they have changed, and during their journey to try to find Eli, David forces Sorrel to choose between him and Einstein and it isn’t much of a surprise when she picks Einstein. During their respective journeys apart and together Sorrel has realised she doesn’t love David now in the same way she did before the mutants’ attack Amat, but Einstein has been with her, helped her, never questioned her and is always at her side.
In the end Einstein and Sorrel make the journey across the wastelands alone to Brig’s home and along the way they learn more about each other and Sorrel even mentions living together once they have Eli back. However, just as they are going to get Eli the story ends but we are given a short scene afterwards to tell us what become of David, I wasn’t sure if he was going to escape or not, but it would serve him right for not putting aside his pride and looking at what was right in front of him. Obviously, given the cliff hanger at the end of this book there is going to be a 3rd entry that I can’t wait to read and see how the story concludes.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 2nd installment in the trilogy and I didn't quite enjoy it as much as the 1st one. I didn't feel the same attachment to the characters and it all seemed a bit rushed. Granted, there was a lot going on in this book, and I did read it all in one sitting but it didn't leave me with the feeling of absolutely needing to know what happens next.
I'm definitely planning on reading the final book when it becomes available and I'm hoping it will be a bit better than this one.

DIE GESCHICHTE
Auf der Suche nach ihrem kleinen Bruder und ihrem Freund ist Sorrel in der Stadt Dinawl gelandet, die von geheimnisvollen Monitoren beherrscht wird. Nachdem ihr der Anführer einer Untergrundbewegung Hilfe versprochen hat, wenn sie im Gegenzug den Rebellen hilft die Monitoren zu stürzen. Nachdem ein großer Teil der Slums niedergebrannt wird will Sorrel den Menschen helfen, doch ist schwieriger als erwartet und es wird klar, dass Freund und Feind sich nicht so einfach unterscheiden lassen.

MEINE MEINUNG
Die Welt
Auch im zweiten Teil gefällt mir die Darstellung der Welt gut. Die Informationen aus dem ersten Band werden konstant genutzt und weiter ausgebaut. Immer noch schade, finde ich, dass das Davor und die Katastrophe nicht näher beschrieben wird. Nur, dass der oberirdische Teil der Metro dazu verwendet wurde Dinawl und die Slums zu bauen. Es gibt immer wieder Hinweise auf das Davor (z.B. der Zoo), was die Welt glaubhafter macht, allerdings gibt es auch vieles was etwas seltsam erscheint. So kennt Sorrel z.B. keine Ratten, die es aber sicher auch in dem Teil der Welt gibt, wo Amat sich befunden hat, denn das Dorf war ja nur einige Tagesmärsche von Dinawl entfernt.

Die Charaktere
Sorrels Charakter unterscheidet sich kaum vom ersten Teil. Noch immer ist sie fest entschlossen den Menschen in den Slums von Dinawl zu helfen und legt sich dafür nicht nur einmal mit Niven an. Auch bringt sie sich weiterhin naiv in die verrücktesten Situationen, was für mich absolut nicht nachvollziehbar ist. Klar, ist sie in einem kleinen Dorf aufgewachsen und lernt die Welt um sich gerade erst kennen, aber sie sollte schon dazu lernen und wenn man vor nur wenigen Tagen von einer Freundin verraten wurde, dann rennt man nun mal nicht direkt in ihr Haus und lässt sich gleich nochmal von ihr übers Ohr hauen.
David als Charakter hat sich ebenfalls kaum entwickelt. Selbst nachdem er und Sorrel wieder vereint sind, kennt er kein anderes Gefühl als Hass und Abneigung. Gerade Einstein gegenüber konnte ich sein Verhalten gar nicht nachvollziehen, denn der hat sich David gegenüber mehr als einmal als Vertrauenswürdig erwiesen.
Einstein ist in dieser Buchreihe einer meiner Lieblingscharaktere. Obwohl er weiterhin kaum Fehler zu haben scheint, wenn man von der Tatsache absieht, dass er ein Mutant ist, lernt der Leser in diesem Teil sehr viel über ihn und auch seine Vergangenheit und seine Handlung sind nachvollziehbar.
Niven wird in diesem Teil sehr schnell zum Gegenspieler. Ich mochte ihn schon im ersten Teil nicht besonders, aber im zweiten Teil war direkt klar, dass er niemals die Hilfe sein wird, die Sorrel sich versprochen hat und auch dass er Sorrel niemals einfach gehen lassen wird. Etwas schade fand ich, dass er plötzlich keinerlei gute Charakterzüge mehr hatte, genauso wie Yolanda.

Die Geschichte
Ich möchte hier gar nicht näher auf die Geschichte selbst eingehen, da ich die Wendungen nicht verraten möchte. Der zweite Teil der Buchreihe fängt genau dort an, wo der erste Teil aufgehört hat und wirft den Leser direkt ins Geschehen. Der Verlauf des ersten Teils ist für mich zum Teil zu vorhersehbar gewesen. Die Rebellion hatte für meinen Geschmack zu schnell Erfolg, auch wenn die Geschichte dadurch in einem guten Tempo vorangetrieben werden konnte.
Nachdem Sorrel klar wird, dass sie keine Hilfe von Niven und seiner Untergrundbewegung erwarten kann, findet sie endlich wieder zurück zu ihrem ursprünglichen Ziel: Ihren kleinen Bruder zu finden.
Auf dem Weg zu dem Ort, an dem sich Eli befinden soll, erfahren wir auch mehr über Einstein, dessen bisherige Geschichte kaum bekannt war.
Etwas schade, fand ich, dass im zweiten Teil ein komplett neuer Weg eingeschlagen wurde, aber dieser wieder mittendrin abgeschnitten wurde.
Generell finde ich, dass man die einzelnen Bücher sinnvoller hätte unterteilen können. Die Geschichte rund um den Weg zu dem Ort, an dem sich Eli vermutlich befindet, hätte mir besser als Einstieg in ein drittes Buch gefallen. So fühlte es sich ein wenig an, als wären der Autorin die Ideen für Dinawl ausgegangen und es musste irgendwie schon weitergehen, weil das Buch sonst zu kurz wäre.

MEIN FAZIT
Nach einem mittelmäßigen Auftakt des ersten Bandes gefiel mir Band zwei schon besser. Dieses Mal bin ich wesentlich besser in die Geschichte hereingekommen, was allerdings eher daran lag, dass es direkt dort weiter ging wo Band eins aufgehört hat. Zum Teil waren mir Wendungen in der Geschichte zu vorhersehbar und Charaktere, die als ‚böse‘ dargestellt werden wurden mir eindeutig zu flach dargestellt, da diese keinerlei gute Charaktereigenschaften mehr besitzen zu scheinen.
Das Ende des zweiten Teiles kam erneut sehr plötzlich und mitten in der Geschichte. Die Unterteilung der einzelnen Bücher könnten meiner Meinung nach sinnvoller platziert werden.
Grundsätzlich hat mir der zweite Teil dieser Geschichte jedoch gut gefallen und ich werde sicher auch die restlichen Bücher dieser Reihe lesen.

I found the book to be okay. I've read a lot of Dystopian books in my time and I think a major aspect of them that needs to be focused on is world building. There were opportunities for the author to tell us more, but they were not taken. Additionally, I didn't connect with the main characters as much as I would have liked. Overall, The New Dawn is a good book with elements that could've been improved on.

Sorry but I couldn't get into the book at all. I tried though, I'm so sorry for my ADD brain.

#Netgalley #TheNewDawn #TheDarkTimesTrilogy2
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the E-Arc copy of this novel.
I read the first novel and really enjoyed it. I have also recommended it to many others. I was excited to see the second one on Netgalley. I had read several comments from different reviewers that they felt it dragged on and on. I thought that this book was slower, but with purpose. It had a lot more information to be detailed about the characters. It builds up for the finale. I gave it four stars because middle books tend to flail or fly. I thought this one flew. Trilogies in general are hard because you want to keep your reader, but not give too much away. The New Dawn is defiantly worth reading, especially if you have read the first.

#TheNewDawn #NetGalley

Publisher synopsis: Sorrel's search for her brother and her boyfriend takes her to Dinawl, a city ruled above-ground by the ruthless Monitors and below by the rebellious Metro. In a world where things are not always as they seem, where survival depends on the kindness of strangers, and close friends make the bitterest of enemies, how will Sorrel know who to trust?

I love this series! It is not like anything out there today. It explores a lot of facets of human character. How someone can be good, but that person can become jaded by life. And then that person makes a choice.. try to see the good, or let the bad take over. This book took a hard look at David and Sorrel's relationship. (Contains spoilers) They both are working to find each other, and they finally through leaps and bounds do, but they are different people now. So they both try to make it work because they fought so hard and loved so much, but they are both different now and honestly I don't think they would like each other if they happened to meet at this stage in their life. Without too many spoilers I was surprised at David and all of his anger. But the end of the book was eye opening also.

I hope you read this story, and the New Dark first.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read the first book a while ago but found it surprisingly easy to get back into the story. I neither liked or disliked the first book but was a little curious to see how the story continued and I'm glad I gave it a go as I though it was much better than the first. The character generally got more mature and although I was a little bored at some parts overall I really enjoyed it.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

This is the second book in the Dark times trilogy and happily it did not disappoint!
I love the characters in this series, Sorrell, the main character matures and grows as a character throughout the series.

This is a series that is extremely easy to read, there were some parts that dragged but overall a great read and i will be buying the next book in the series!

The New Dawn is book two of The Dark Times Trilogy. It follows the events of the first book, The New Dark. Sorrel is working with Niven and his followers in their plot to take Dinawl. Meanwhile, she's still on the lookout for David and her brother. She winds up finding David during riots that occur while the city is being taken over. Eventually, Niven takes control of Dinawl but then stabs Sorrel in the back. Sorrel and company escape the city and start on a journey to a place where Einstein believes Sorrel's brother Eli may be located. This was one marginally better than the first. I felt like the author tried to cram too much into this story in terms of characters, places, and events. There was way too much focus on the events in Dinawl and not enough on the places and events following that. This could have provided some good opportunities for world building. The main characters came across as lovesick, immature teenagers rather than people living in a post apocalyptic world populated by humans and mutants trying to survive.

Unfortunately, I requested this book without knowing that it is the second book in a triology. That being said, it is hard (impossible, almost) to review this work because of a lack of background.