A great second book to LJ Epps series. I enjoyed it very much.

Received this from Netgalley for an honest review.

If you are into YA and sci-fi, the “Extinction of All Children” trilogy by L.J. Epps is worth into looking into. Set in a planet called Craigluy, the titular first book introduces readers to a dystopian world where the population is divided into three groups - the rich, the working class and the poor.

But while the rich and working class are allowed to have children, the poor are prohibited to have them because they do not have the means to take care of them. If by accident a poor family procreates, the child is taken away or worst, killed.

It is in this scenario that Emma Whisperer was born. Born to poor parents, she was the last 18-year old in their territory. Rebelling against the authorities of their whole planet, Emma found herself fighting her battles alone, or was she?

All three books revolve around Emma Whisperer. The second book, “Journey to Territory M” joins Emma as she tries to start a revolution while looking for her niece. But, things are not as easy as it seems. And there is more to Territory M than meets the eye.

Journey to Territory M was not as enjoyable for me as The Extinction of all Children. While I still enjoyed the writing and Emma as a character, it felt like the book had a little of “second book syndrome” and seemed more of a bridge between books 1 and 3 than having its own storyline.

Its more like 3.5 stars but I still enjoyed it enough to push to 4. The story is still following Emma and her rag tag group trying to force equality throughout the territories. This installment was more real. Emma is still infuriatingly stubborn but she seems to be starting to think about things before acting.

There is more mystery, more death, more action in this book. If you liked book one you will like book two plus some. It's entertaining, it's exciting, it makes you want to keep reading. The relationships between the characters are developing well. I still don't like the "love triangle" LJ is implying but I get it. It creates drama and jealousy.

I liked it enough to keep trucking on to book three. I need to know what is going on. Why is craigluy separated from the rest of the nation? Why is it three territories? What happened??? Why is the president such a jerk?!?! Who thinks "yes lets kill babies"?!?!

Thats my take. I think if you've made it this far you HAVE to read book three. Plus it is entertaining.

Journey To Territory M is the second installment in the Extinction of All Children Trilogy.

It picks up where the first book ended. Emma has escaped from Territory L and is hiding out with friends in Territory M. Emma is trying to find out where and what has happened to her niece.

She also wants to tear down the walls between the territories but her ideas have once again gotten her in trouble and this time she's taking friends down with her.

Emma and her friends are also on the hunt to discover the leader of Territory M but when discovered more questions than answers arise.

Emma and her friends now have to head into Territory U but will their questions be answered or are some better left unknown.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for my candid review.

This series had possibilities. But aspects of the writing style bothered me. The author repeatedly explained modern conveniences such as the automatic lights. Multiple, multiple times. The writing style was somewhat immature and unpolished.

The story line was an interesting concept about a segregated part of the country that was further subdivided by a ruthless dictactor for life who broke the country into Territory L (Lower Class), Territory M (Middle Class), and Territory U (Upper Class). The heroine is the last child permitted to be born in Territory L because the president will not allow anyone to have children in the territory. These books are her adventures into making changes to the repressive regime.
I read all three books but would only mildly recommend them to others.

I received a free copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.

This second book of the series starts where the first books ends. Emma heads to Territory M where she hopes to find her sister’s child, Abigail, and also to find the leader of Territory M, She intends to try and get help from the leader in creating a better life for all people, not just Territory M or Territory U. She wants to tear down the walls that separate the different territories and let people make their own decisions regarding their own lives, regardless of their financial situation.
But her ideas have gotten her into a lot of trouble and fulfilling her quest is not only difficult, it is extremely dangerous.

As Emma and her group attempt to find the leader, they are forced to hide out for a few days before continuing their journey. But Emma has difficulty remaining still. She is filled with worry and concern for her niece and feels compelled to move on. However, matters are taken out of her hands when patrolmen find their hideout. They are forced to move. The danger for the group intensifies.

I did enjoy this book, but honestly, it was not as good as the first. However, that doesn’t mean it was bad. The first book moved faster and was better explained. Therefore, I expected the same, or better from this one. The writing was still well executed, and the world development was still creative. But the progress of the group was slow, the action was less intense and as the group was bogged down, so was I. I, too, was getting restless for the journey to get going. So just be prepared and enjoy. There is lots more to go.

After the first failed to capture my attention I decided to see if the mild cliffhanger at the end of the first book would conclude into something exciting. But, unfortunately, it just seemed like there was so much happening just to end up no where.

This is a wild ride of emotions and suspense wrapped in a world that feels real. The world development is too notch with solid character development. The continuation from the previous book is seamless and now I can't wait to read the last.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed reading this. An interesting story with fun characters. Well written.

Journey To Territory M is the second installment in a dystopia trilogy. There's an interesting plot to this series, and a few characters that have interesting stories, but it's hard to feel like any of it really goes anywhere. Similar to the first book, I did feel that the second book in the series picked up considerably in the second half, and I did reach the point where I was reading whenever I had free time, interested to see what would happen. The story is not as fleshed out and developed as I would hope, but the premise is strong, and sometimes that strength does help the book maintain pace when it would have otherwise lagged. The characters are interesting, but don't tend to grow in any meaningful way over the course of the story. Some of the new characters fit the cast well, and the new faces are a refreshing addition. Overall, my biggest issue with this series, and specifically with Journey To Territory M, is how stilted and flat the dialogue and description can be. It makes it hard to get sucked into what is an otherwise really interesting book.

Journey to Territory M by L.J. Epps is the second in the Extinction of all Children series. It picks right up where Extinction of all Children ended. I really like the first novel. It was fun and edgy, the author picked a topic similar to Hunger Games but did it in a different way. However, this novel was not as good and I had a hard time finishing it.
The main character, Emma, should be a character you are rooting for, but in this book she becomes whiny and stupid. She doesn't listen to her friends, the people sacrificing everything to help her on her quest. She makes bad, unnecessary decisions that get her and her friends into trouble. There are scenes in the book that are very hard to believe. If a wanted criminal was located, authorities would not sit in their car and wait for said people to come out and surrender. Also, if they were sitting in their car waiting shining a flashlight around the room or three would have been like a beacon staying "we are here!" A lot of it was hard to get through because it seemed either unlikely or like Emma was a different person, I couldn't help but feel she put herself in bad situations on purpose.
It wasn't until 65% through the book that it was as if the Emma from book one emerged. So the last 35% of the book took me one night to finish, but that first 65% took over a month. The last part of the book with the old Emma was action packed, a girl you understood and could get behind, a smart girl. So I will read the next in the series, but I am hoping it is better than this one.

I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy for my honest review.
The second book in the series is darker than the first and really shows the death to the children. New characters were introduced, but little progress was made in moving the main plot forward. Instead, the group moves on to Territory U, and the final book of the series. I am looking forward to reading the final book in the series Journey to Territory U.

I was excited to read Journey to Territory M. I had enjoyed reading the Extinction of All Children. I was curious to see how Emma’s journey through Territory M would be. I was interested in knowing if she would free Abigail. I was curious to see if she would meet the mystery ruler of Territory M. Yeah, well, that excitement was misplaced. I hate to say it, but I was thrilled when this book was over.

Again, there is a trigger warning. It is the same as in the Extinction of All Children. The difference is that the author went into detail about how the babies and children were killed. The guards’ discussion made me sick. I have a daughter the age of the little girl featured in that scene. I ended up putting the Kindle down, walking over and hugging her tight. I also cried. So my trigger warning is the same. Don’t read this book if you are triggered by infanticide and graphic discussion of killing babies/children.

There was one major plotline in Journey to Territory M. That plotline is Emma and her friends’ mission to get to the mansion and talk to the mystery ruler of the Territory.

I found the plotline boring once the first couple of chapters were over. I had figured out who the mysterious leader of Territory M was way before that person was revealed. I also figured out that the newbie camp was as evil as it sounded. Even Rich’s abuse of Emma got boring. By the end of the book, I wasn’t surprised it went the way it did. I wasn’t surprised by Emma’s choice. I was not surprised by anything that was revealed.

I do want to point out that Territory M is for the middle-class. These people had the same rules as the lower-class, except they were were laxer. They could have children. But, they had to show that they were worthy of keeping them by working hard. If they didn’t live up to what Territory M’s ruler thought was hard, they got their children taken away. So, it wasn’t much better than Territory L.

Emma had zero character growth in Journey to Territory M. Her character acted like a child. There were points in the book where I wanted to shake her and say “Act like the revolutionary that you want to be.” She annoyed me too. Those eyerolls were more suitable for a 12-year-old than an 18-year-old. Plus, she couldn’t keep her mouth shut to save her life. I wanted to duct tape her mouth shut at one point. I do admire that she never forgot that she was searching for her niece. I also liked that she wanted those walls down and that she wasn’t afraid to tell President Esther where to stick it.

The secondary characters surpassed Emma in character growth, which is impressive because it is usually the main character who changes with the book. Not in this case. Emma was stuck in her rut while her companions grew. While I did like it, I thought that it showcased how immature Emma was.

I did figure out who the mysterious leader of Territory M was. I figured it out early in the book, and I wasn’t surprised when it was revealed. I didn’t like or trust this person. The whole newbie camp only underscored my dislike of that person. Actions speak louder than words, and this person’s actions spoke volumes.

Journey to Territory M did fit in with the dystopia genre. The author did a great job of portraying what the middle-class of this country was put through. They had it more comfortable than the lower-class but more stringent than the upper-class. I couldn’t imagine living like that!! Journey to Territory M was also an excellent fit for the young adult genre.

I was a little put off that there was even a hint of a love triangle. I didn’t feel that it had a place in the book. I had a “meh” reaction whenever Emma and Samuel/Eric had romantic interactions. I will say that I was happy that the author didn’t give and made her have sex with either of them.

The end of Journey to Territory M made me go “WTH am I reading?” I couldn’t believe that the President was allowing Rich to call all the shots. With Rich’s blatant hatred of Emma, it shouldn’t have been around. Also, what happened at the very end of the book. I couldn’t believe the author did what she did to some of the characters. Again, another “WTH am I reading reaction.” I want to know how everything will be resolved. I also want to understand why the President is so soft on Emma. I have a feeling I know. As much as Journey to Territory M left a bad taste in my mouth, I am going to read Journey to Territory U and finish the series.

I am going to give Journey to Territory M an Older Teen rating. There is no sex (there are a couple of kissing scenes). There is violence (including a graphic scene where guards talk about killing babies and a 6 year old). There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread Journey to Territory M. I am also on the fence if I would recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Journey to Territory M.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Another four star read. This book is a great continuation of the first book.
I liked the plot and the characters. They definitely kept me engaged. this book will go on my keeper shelf.

I really liked the first book in the series but I lost interest with Territory M. It felt like a Hunger Games knock off--but not even of the books, of the movies. I read the whole thing but I have no desire to finish with the rest.

Craigluy is a world divided according to class. Lower, middle and upper classes are separated and live totally different lives. In Territory L, Emma Whisperer is the last child to turn 18. The last baby to grow up. Lower class citizens have been deemed irresponsible and are no longer allowed to have children. Anyone who comes up pregnant is arrested, forced to bear the child and watch as the baby is taken away to be killed. It is a brutal world to live in. Those in Territory M and Territory U have other options, but President Esther controls all aspects of society no matter which class. Emma Whisperer....the last child....wants to change everything. She wants everyone to live together again...for people to be free.

The Extinction of all Children series is a trilogy. Book one introduces Emma and centers around Territory L. The storyline moves from L to the middle class area and on to the upperclass walled-in territory in the final book. I enjoyed how the characters developed throughout this series. Emma knows in the first book that she wants to see President Esther's policies destroyed...to remove the segregation from the people of Craigluy. Over the 3 books, Emma and the followers/supporters she gathers go from dreaming of freedom to actually fighting to try and make it happen. President Esther is a worthy, tricky adversary. She is wiley and wise. I found myself not able to totally hate her. Down at her very core, there is some good....at one point she actually had the best interests of the people at heart. But it got twisted inside her mind. Absolute power really does corrupt.

All in all this series is a very enjoyable read. I found the premise a bit unrealistic, but the story for me was enjoyable enough to override my sense of realism. The charcters are nicely developed over the 3 parts of the story. There is a lot of action, and the story moves along at a nice pace. There is plenty of suspense and some nice twists in the tale.

Enjoyable read! Nothing inappropriate for older teenagers, but be aware that there is discussion of abuse, death, imprisonment, murder, infanticide, torture, violence and other topics that may require a trigger warning for some students/adults reading this series.

**I voluntarily read review copies of the three books in this series by L. J. Epps via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

I felt this book, compared to the first, had a little bit more going on. I'm enjoying how the story is progressing and find myself still engaged in Emma's story. In this book, she escapes into territory M with Eric and Julian. Her niece Abigail is taken away by President Esther and Emma is hoping to find her. She meets some others along the way and her goals are to find Abigail and talk to the leader of M.

Emma was more annoying in this book. She's becoming careless and selfish. She's taking more risks in this territory and is continually putting herself and her friends in danger. I'm not sure if she is supposed to appear brave or fearless, but I just see her as reckless.

I'm curious to see how the final book wraps things up and see what Emma accomplishes. I'm not too concerned with Emma's well-being and don't really care where she ends up. I still find this alternative future fascinating and the story entertaining. I'll be completing the last book for #OWLsReadathon and plan to post my review towards the end of April. If you enjoyed the first book, I feel it's worth continuing the story.

The sequel to The Extinction of All Children, this definitely suffers from the sophomore slump.

There is so little logical action. Our intrepid group of main characters (who we barely know), flee Territory L to Territory M (for Middleclass? Mediocre? we just aren't sure). First they hide in an abandoned college and meet up with some other kids hiding out. They talk a lot. Then they leave that and go hide out at the house of one of the kids former girlfriend and her baby (whose parents are conveniently not at home). They talk a lot more. They get into some trouble (which could have easily been avoided if they weren't so naïve and, well, stupid), then have to escape THAT house to get away from some thugs following them from Territory L. The thugs are stupid too, evidently, as they stake out the front of the house, but have no one watching the back of the house, which is how our unlikely heroes are lucky enough to escape. Then there is a lot more talking.

Of course, after escaping, they run right into the arms of the baddies. And everyone talks. The writing is very odd, everyone speaks in a stilted manner, they call some things by the actual name, (limousine's, grocery market, telephones), but for some annoying reason, the television is called 'the box', or 'the information box'. The author is a master class in the first rule of writing: show don't tell. Absolutely EVERYTHING is told in excruciating detail, often more than once. We are told our heroine gets up and puts on her back pants and black t-shirt, as this is the only outfit she has. Next morning we are told she puts on her black pants and black t-shirt. Yes, we understand, she has one outfit and its black. We don't need to be told this over and over again.

Really can't recommend this book.

Emma's journey continues in this second book of the Extinction of all children series. I had not read any of LJ Epps books before picking up the first book and I'm so impressed with his writing and story building style. The books give a scary picture of what life could devolve into. The fear and hardships endured in Territory L are supposed to inspire them to work hard enough to earn their "promotion" to Territory M. But what did they earn? Emma is surprised to find that life in this territory is only marginally better than that in L. Where are the children? Many, many questions must be answered before Emma can make her journey to Territory U.