Way better than the first book. Loved everything about it, the action, friendship, romance and the fantasy part. I couldn't put it down, I simply had to read it all in one sitting!

So this story is the continuation of X and Zoe’s adventures together. We see that there is another chance for them and we are taken along a journey that cannot be described as predictable!

I got to read this right after “the edge of everything” so it was all still fresh in my mind; though even if it wasn’t it would be easy to pick up and remember. The author did a brilliant job at rehashing/summarising the first book I to this one for all those new readers.

This book is by far more exciting and more fun than the first one-a very difficult feat to do but somehow it happened! I absolutely loved how the story took shape and all the characters were absolutely brilliant!

I loved this book and devoured every page forcing my eyes to stay open and my vision to remain unblurry over a number of nights. X's story is so powerful and I really hoped for his happy ending. I loved all the characters, Zoe, Ripper, Regan, the Ukranian, Plum, and enjoyed the journey that Jeff Giles took me on. I loved the world building and especially loved how strong Zoe's character was too. The writing was wonderful, the story was gripping, and I loved every single bit of it. A story of true love and strength and battling through hell to get what should have always been yours. I hope there is a third book as I need to read more of this story and find out how X and Zoe continue and what battles they have to face going forward. This book had me gripped for the first page and I felt as if I was there on the journey with these characters. I loved the dialogue and banter and found the Ukranian especially funny in such dire situations. All in all, this has been my best read of the summer so far and I've found a new author to enjoy.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

When I first picked up this book, I actually had no idea it was a sequel! Oops! And by the time I was about 20% in, I was so hooked that I knew I immediately had to go and purchase the first book so that I could read that too! Although I don't recommend reading books out of order, having done so with this has given me an interesting perspective. Mainly that it is possible to enjoy this book without having read the first one. Obviously you might miss some inside jokes and backstory, but Giles skillfully sums up the main plot points in a satisfactory way - without making it feel like the first chapter is just the cliff notes of a previous book the way it is in some cases. Really the only thing I felt unclear of was what the characters looked like!

Good
The main characters are immediately likeable. This shouldn't have to be highlighted, as of course you should like the main characters of a book, but lately I feel as though authors are trying so hard to not have their characters be considered Mary Sues, that they become outright annoying with their flaws. Some flaws = Awesome believable character. Too many flaws = Why am I rooting for you?
This is not the case with X and Zoe. Both have traits that at times make you want to shake them (X's self esteem being so low it's almost a martyr complex and Zoe's blatant disregard about the worry she's causing her family given everything they've been through being prime examples), but I never stopped rooting for them to win.

The pacing of this story is good and steady. This is not a book that jumps from fight scene to fight scene. There are plenty of instances where the characters are traveling or waiting or just having normal(ish) moments. Most of the action does take place at the end and events happen very quickly, which can make you feel slightly unprepared for the ending, but I quite liked that.

The pets! I instantly love anyone who would name their dogs Spock and Uhura. Spoiler about Uhura (view spoiler). I also really liked Vesuvius and the idea of a cat being so loyal he would follow his owner to the Lowlands, even if I'm slightly disappointed I was wrong about him being Schrodinger's cat (hey, it's a cat, in a box, that no one is allowed to open...it wasn't too far a leap!)


Bad
Most of the things I disliked about this book were very minor. Not even enough for me to knock a full star off!

I felt as though the author was trying too hard to make the teenagers sound like teenagers. Perhaps it was deliberately exaggerated to provide a contrast with the way they spoke and the way X spoke, but it really began to grate on me after a while. I never spoke like that when I was a teen, and non of the people I spent time with did either. Then again, maybe we were the strange ones!

Also, considering one of the prevailing plots of this book is the search for X's mother, very little time is spent with her when we actually find her. It's as if they only spend five minutes together before apparently being OK with being parted forever. I don't really like gooey emotional scenes, but this felt a bit too emotionless.

Finally, I have a pet hatred for prologues. I know other people like them, but to me it just feels like the author wasn't confident that their opening chapter was gripping enough so decided to put something a bit more exciting where it doesn't belong.

Interesting
I liked the speech that Sylvia gives to the Lords of the Lowlands. I don't want to give any spoilers, but it was a thought-provoking perspective that I think people need to take to heart with the current state of the world.

I think having character's whose crimes are in the grey area was a fantastic idea. Maud and Sylvia are the prime example of this. What they did was wrong by all laws and that is why they are condemned, but you can absolutely see why they did it and probably would have done the same thing in their shoes. It would make a very interesting discussion about whether horrific crimes are ever acceptable in horrific circumstances. I am actually going to recommend this book to my sister-in-law who is an RE teacher as I think it would be a good topic for her class

To Sum Up
This was a fantastic book and I am really glad to have read it. It is not a cut-and-paste format novel that you will feel like you have read a thousand times before. And while the violence and horrors of the Lowlands are glossed over enough to not upset younger readers, you are still left knowing that this is a horrific place that no one good and decent should ever be condemned to. You will love the characters and the adventure that they are on. Basically, it's time to go to the bookstore!

This had all the sharp humour, drama and subtle weirdness of the first book but delivered in a way that just resonated with me better. It didn’t go in the direction I was expecting and I really enjoyed that. I love both Zoe and X as characters now. Really interesting YA fic with deep themes. I hope there’s another book.

X and Zoe live worlds apart. That is not an exaggeration. X is a prisoner of the Lowlands for the rest of his existence. Zoe lives a normal life in Montana. But neither of them is happy as long as they aren't together. And this time, X has a plan. And it is not a very solid one.

Having been born in the equivalent of what we call hell to a dead mother and a living father, must find a way out of there and into Zoe's arms. There is one way only he sees to that: finding where his mother has been imprisoned since the day he was born. But there are entities in the Lowlands that are firmly set against it; evil, bitter beings that will not let him succeed that easily.

But he is not alone. Friends can be found, even in such a dreadful place, and Zoe has also set her mind on helping her loved one escape. The pair of them will have to fight, argue and plan their way out of hell in order to be together. Can X's plan really work?

The Brink of Darkness is a thrilling fantasy plot, walking and in hand with an exciting love story. One can only feel interested by the graphic and clever depiction of the Lowlands, the equivalent of what we nowadays call Hell. There is a variety of in-depth characters; some are cunning, some are compassionate and some plain cruel. But Jeff Giles has managed to create solid reasons for each one's character and way of acting; and that is plainly brilliant. The reader can actually find quite a few very lovable and simply relatable people in the story.

There are lots of hard scenes, but that should be expected; after all, it is a book involving... hell. However, there are also a lot of pleasant, heart-melting moments that will make you sigh in relief. There is also quite a lot of humor involved.

Jeff Giles has managed to also touch some sensitive subjects in a really gentle way: the pain of losing or growing up without a parent, anxiety and loss of loved ones. It never gets awkward. On the contrary, the reader feels that the story is gently handling these matters.

The Brink of Darkness is a sequel to The Edge of Everything, and I strongly suggest reading that as well. However, the book can stand perfectly well on its own, since the writer has successfully incorporated the basic information of the first book into the second one. Strongly recommended for fans of the fantasy genre.

4.5 stars. The Brink of Darkness is the sequel to the amazing and thrilling The Edge of Everything. As divine as it is horrid, as funny as it is touching and sad, as sweet as it is rough around the edges, The Brink of Darkness is a stunningly crafted - wild, thrilling and beautiful.

The Brink of Darkness continues the story of Zoe, a young human teenager whose life has been thrown into chaos after meeting X, a boy raised in the Lowlands, the only living person amongst thousands of damned souls. In The Edge of Everything, Zoe and X risked everything for a chance to be together, yet to save Zoe and her family, X sacrificed his freedom and was forced to return to the Lowlands. No longer allowed to walk the earth as a bounty-hunter, X doesn’t know when he will see Zoe again - but neither he nor Zoe have given up hope of a brighter future.

I instantly loved The Edge of Everything and I instantly fell back into love with everything about this story, the characters and the writing style when I started The Brink of Darkness. There is so much that I love about these two books. The Brink of Darkness continues not long after The Edge of Everything concludes, and it was easy to fall back into the rhythm of the story. I love that there are just the two books in this series. I am assuming from the ending of The Brink of Darkness that it is the conclusion of X and Zoe’s story. While I would love more of X, Zoe and their family and friends, I am so very pleased with the arch of this story and the ending they are given.

Zoe is a force of nature. Her love for those she loves, her compassion and strength are almost as fantastic as her endless wit and sense of humour. Some of the lines she comes out with are just brilliant. Her friends, Val and Dallas, are hilarious, diverse and so very loveable. Zoe’s family also bring warmth to this story, from Zoe’s caring and quirky mother to Zoe’s amazing and sweet younger brother. They are the perfect offset to the darkness of X’s life in the Lowlands.

The majority of The Brink of Darkness closely follows X and his return to the Lowlands. Remind me never to commit an act that would have me spend eternity there - no detail is spared and the horridness is at times overwhelming. Yet this perfectly captures the depravity of X’s upbringing and the desperation to free him. But even in this darkness there is friendship, humour and hope.

X and Zoe’s love story has always been epic - from the intense feelings they have for each other to the fight they must wage for X’s freedom, one that spans the worlds of both the living and the dead. I loved this continuation of their story. I commend Jeff Giles for creating such a unique world, diverse and amazing characters and a story that is compelling, heartwarming and thrilling.

I highly recommend first The Edge of Everything and its sequel The Brink of Darkness to any reader who enjoys supernatural tales of friendship, romance, humour and an epic fight for freedom.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.