Actual rating: 4.5

Despite its ending, this is not a happy or light book. Please heed all content warnings provided by author (included but not limited to domestic abuse, child abuse, eating disorders, rape, alcoholism)..5
The Fever King closes on Noam saying goodbye to Dara as he sends him into the quarantine zone with the barest hope for surviving the fevermadness and Lehrer has suppressed Noam's memories of everything Dara's revealed. The Electric Heir picks up 6 months later, where Noam has slipped further into his destructive relationship with Lehrer, and into his bed as well. When he realizes that Dara is still alive, and part of a resistance movement that aims to assassinate Lehrer, he picks up the double agent mantle, hoping to help their cause while posing as a spy for Lehrer. Dara warns him of the dangers this poses, but Noam, gentle, sweet, naive, hopeful Noam, waves him off.

The relationship between Noam and Lehrer is one of the most devastatingly terrifying and well-written things I've ever read, because among the cruel, remorseless violence, are snippets of disturbing domesticity and what could, between any other two characters, be considered love. Lehrer weaves an intricate and overwhelming web around Noam, trapping him in this unhealthy relationship, masking his true intentions with fake concern and tenderness that both Noam, and the reader, are capable of falling for again and again. Contrasting this is the healing relationship between Noam and Dara, which is also punctuated with their shared history as victims of Lehrer's abuse and cruelty. They find solace and strength in each other, and Lee provides several flashbacks to their earlier relationship that now, with all the reveals of the two books, are heartbreaking in their innocence.

The Electric Heir is a character-driven book, with a dual POV between Noam and Dara, and at its core, it is a story about survival. It explores the grey areas and in-betweens when it comes to these difficult situations, and what one does, and gives up, in order to survive. The development of Noam, Dara, and Lehrer, is complex and well fleshed out. However, the side characters (Taye, Ames, Bethany, Leo...) don't receive the same treatment, and I personally longed to see more of them and their backstories, because I didn't feel as emotionally invested in them.

Unfortunately, the ending and resolution was abrupt and extremely disappointing. There was so much build up that I was expecting so much more than the single paragraph that tied everything up before we moved onto a domestic epilogue that just seemed flat. The journey between the climax to the ending seemed unnaturally short, as if whole chapters were missing from the book, rather than a conscious decision to end the story. This translated to a feeling of confusion when I finished reading because I had wanted so much more from the characters.

The Electric Heir threw me to the ground, stomped all over me and my fragile heart, then kicked me a couple times in the stomach for good measure. It was raw, gritty, broken, and wonderful.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First, I'll warn you this book contains some difficult subjects - sexual abuse, physical abuse, alcoholism, and eating disorders among others, and I appreciate that the author lists content warnings and also provides resource information at the end of the book for anyone experiencing these tragic situations.

While the first book in this series engaged me with its political intrigue and magic system, it was just an okay read for me.  But the followup reached out and grabbed me and didn't let go until the explosive ending.

I spent most of the book being angry with Noam and wanted to throttle him.  He's oblivious to the danger he's in and walks a tightrope between life and death every day.  Dara does his best to get get Noam to see reality, but he's fighting a losing battle.  As for Dara, seeing him without magic was like a stab to my heart, and his struggle to find his place in the world and battle his addictions is tough to read.  Although I found myself holding my breath numerous times over their predicaments and dreaded reading the next paragraph, their character arcs are a thing of beauty.

Lehrer uses his power and position to hide the monstrous things he does and is a compelling villain in every way - you really want karma to have its way with him.  While his political aspirations and manipulations are still an important aspect of the book, this is more of a character-driven novel compared to the first.  A few areas of the story are barely touched on, but overall, the pacing is pretty even and I found it difficult to put down the book.

At its core, The Electric Heir is truly a story about survivors of horrific circumstances, second chances, and finding your happily ever after.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Finishing this book felt like being the "I lived bitch" meme

The Electric Heir messed with my emotions in a way that The Fever King didn't. I want to make it clear before we start that I don't consider myself a survivor of the type of abuse portrayed here, and this is a duology that's especially written for survivors. So there will be things I don't get and all I can do is listen to those who see themselves in this series.

What I can say is that this book is very hard to read and I don't know if I recall many books that made me have to stop reading and take a breath because it was becoming too much. I had expectations and thoughts on how this book was going to play out, but even aware of the content warnings I was not prepared for how sudden everything was and how we were thrown in the middle of that whole emotional mess. Saying that I loved it would be inaccurate: this book gets ugly and you can't help but hate it a little, but it makes its conclusion all the more satisfying.

There isn't a lot I can talk about while reviewing a second and final book in a duology, but I loved finally getting Dara's POV and I liked his voice maybe more than Noam's. I was also under the impression that this series was going to be a trilogy but while I was reading I found out it's a duology and I have to say, I need more series to be written in this format.

This is a short review because anything I say would be spoilery both for this book and the previous book, but watch out for Victoria Lee and her ability to create unforgettable characters. I'm looking forward to reading whatever she comes up with next.


TWs: inter-generational trauma, genocide, violence, abuse, attempted rape, mental health and suicide, slut-shaming, victim-blaming, emetophobia, drug and alcohol, abuse, parental death, ableist language.

Before beginning this review, please note that Victoria Lee has a large list of content warnings for this novel - it is darker than The Fever King so please take note before reading (you can find the list on their website).

It has been almost four months since I first read The Electric Heir, as I was somehow the luckiest person ever and managed to snag a NetGalley ARC. If you’ve read other posts on this blog, you may have realised The Fever King is my favourite book in the world, and was most definitely my favourite read of 2019. It was always going to be hard to follow up what was one of the most impactful, resonant and utterly captivating novels I’ve ever read. And yet somehow, The Electric Heir stands up to the mantel of its predecessor and manages to be just as entrancing and magnificent as I ever dreamed it could be.

Following from where The Fever King leaves off, we now get both Noam and Dara’s POVs and isn’t that just a joy to behold!! Dara, fine purveyor of pineapple pizzas and goats, is coming back to Carolinia, with one goal: assassinate Calix Leher. Noam meanwhile is determined to build a better society for refugees, even if that means he’ll need to take down another government.

Where The Fever King addresses the immediacy of trauma, The Electric Heir brings a further edge to the discussions and implications of trauma: what happens after? Through both Noam and Dara’s POV, we see the different ways trauma and abuse can impact victims, We see the different behaviours that follow, the different thoughts and opinions, the different forms abuse can take. We see the subtle, mental manipulations crossing paths with the outright physical abuse. But we also see, from start to finish, a book of survival. And that makes The Electric Heir one of the most powerful books I’ve read.

I am just completely in awe of Victoria Lee.

The pacing of this novel is phenomenal. It is tense and action packed but filled with the emotional moments that feel like a knife to the chest in between. This is an extremely hard book to review, because much like The Fever King, all I want to say is THIS IS INCREDIBLE. Even sitting here, writing this review, my heart is pounding as I race to the end, and that is exactly the feeling I had reading The Electric Heir. It is everything I wanted, dreamt of and couldn’t even imagine I needed for the sequel, and end, to this destroying duology.

I'm honestly not sure how to review this without just exclaiming - I want to write an objective review, but my reading experience of this felt so personal. I assume that will be a lot of readers' experiences with The Electric Heir. Victoria Lee has provided a set of content warnings - and with good reason. This sequel is a lot darker than The Fever King - this darkness, however, is a logical progression, and enables the reader to be even more drawn in to the book's world. Despite the fantasy nature of the book, the emotions and human aspect are very real.
I was utterly gripped - sat reading with my heart pounding, and I shed a few tears as well. Having to stop reading because I was due back at work or had reached my train stop was wrenching.
In my notes to myself I wrote, "DARA <3" but honestly: all of the Level IVs deserve that heart emoticon.

** spoiler alert ** I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I can honestly say that this book tried it's best to kill me...Dear god Victoria Lee can write. I finished The Fever King a day ago and found out The Electric Heir wouldn't come out till March 17th and couldn't live with that so I immediately swept through NetGalley for an ARC. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions and was even more incredible than the first. Each story in the series is a narrative of survivors for survivors; where the Fever King focused on Dara's struggle and his eventual escape from Lehrer, the Electric Heir focuses on the more subtle abuse that Noam is subjected to and Dara's path to recovery.

This story was a lot darker than the first and a lot more frustrating at times because you just want the character's to be safe and happy and it takes a while for that to happen. Never have I ever been more frustrated than seeing Noam and Dara's relationship crack under the pressure of their current situations. It was also hard to remember that their actions were affected by their trauma because throughout the book Noam and Dara both are incredibly stubborn and manage to hurt each other a lot before they come back together. It was frustrating to see Noam falling victim to Lehrer's subtle manipulation and abuse until he doubted himself and no longer knew what to do, but at the same time Victoria Lee was showcasing that not all abuse is physical and upfront. This book was frustrating in the sense that it was able to draw out many emotions, both negative and positive, in a way that held my attention throughout the entire book - which I managed to read in a single, emotionally exhausting day. I just wanted to stick the main characters in a room and force them to talk about their emotions! Despite all the ups ad downs, this book was mainly a narrative of survival and the message of hope and happiness towards the end and the resulting love between the protagonists drowned out any doubt I had during the beginning about their relationship. This books was truly amazing and i'm glad to have had the chance to read and review it.

This book was dark, complicated, twisted, and hard to read, but these same qualities made it amazing and wrought with emotion. It's a story that everyone should read and best of all - it has a happy ending!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. So, if you read my review for the first book you’ll remember that i said I was bored for the first chunk of it. That was definitely not the case with The Electric Heir. This book felt like almost non stop action. There was so much going on that it was almost hard to follow at times.
We get two perspectives this time. One is Noams and the other is Daras. Dara is still my favorite and must be protected at all costs. I believe I mentioned in my review for the first book that I could really relate to him and that’s why I liked him so much. I too have have struggled with alcohol and still do. So the parts with Dara trying to stay away from drinking even though he literally lived above a bar hit me hard. I know what he was feeling and I really just love him. I felt betrayed by Noam when he did, I was feeling all of the things right beside him. I think he has incredible growth in this book and I’ll love him forever.
Now, Noam. Honestly...I hated him. I was just as pissed as Dara was when I found out what he’d been doing with Lehrer. He was the kind of person that thinks he knows what he’s doing and because of that won’t take advice from those that actually know more than him. He really just made me mad over and over again. I felt bad for him at times because he didn’t deserve to be going through some of the things he had to deal with but he still really made me mad.
I loved that the rest of the friends from Level IV got involved in the craziness too. They are a great found family and I adored them.
As for the ending, I’m a bit disappointed. It seemed a little rushed to me. I liked the transcripts that summed up a bit of right after the big climax, but we get a sort of summary after that and I thought it could have been more. I don’t know if I missed it or what but I didn’t see anything about the big bad losing his power or dying and that’s very disappointing to me. I did see there were some legal ramifications. But they weren’t explained.
I really enjoyed that we got to see more of this version of America and hear a bit about how the other places (Texas) run things. It was something I’d hoped for in this sequel and I’m glad that I got it.
Overall, this was a quick read because so much is happening and it’s all very high stakes. But I’m left with so many questions about the end result of the villain. While I definitely liked this series and understand why so many love it, it wasn’t anything over the top for me.

It has been six months since Noam helped get rid of the governing body of Carolinia and given the Atlantians their citizenship. Even though Lehrer, the new chancellor, seems to be a fair leader, Noam is beginning to remember the deadly things that Lehrer made him forget. Noam remembers everything now and he has made it his mission to bring down Lehrer permanently. Lehrer doesn’t know that Noam is no longer under his control and if he does figure this out, Noam will be dead. Will Noam be able to continue pretending he is Lehrer’s protégé? Will he be able to find enough of the vaccine to stop the virus?

The Electric Heir is the second book in the Feverwake series. This is a fast-paced fantasy that keeps readers guessing and turning the pages. Lee has taken the characters she created in the first book and has created villains and heroes that are easy to love (and hate). The story is enjoyable, yet I found my mind wandering at times, but I was easily brought back in with the next twist. This is a duology, has a strong ending and is a fun read for those who read the first book, The Fever King.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, so The Electric Heir was even more amazing than the first book. It doesn't matter that I read them accidentally out of order. I loved every page I read between these books. Now this one starts about 6 months or so after the first one ended. Not going to lie, I love when books in a series do that because it makes the transition between each book less painful.

After reading the first book, things definitely made more sense to me in this one. No, I didn't reread this one after it BUT if I ever get the next book I will most definitely read the books in order. Fall in love with everything all over again will make me happy.

I still loved everything about Noam and Dara. They are absolutely everything to me and I just couldn't ask for more. I mean, I could if I would and I would still be extremely happy with everything that went down.

In the end, I seriously want another book. Please, oh please Victoria - I want another one.

The Electric Heir, the sequel to The Fever King, picks up with Noam and Dara a few months after TFK ends. The resistance against Calix Lehrer continues with them at the front lines. The Electric Heir is a solid ending to a truly magical and diverse fantasy world of the future USA.

This sequel continued all the magic and action that I loved from The Fever King. The amount of diversity in this world is totally amazing and made me love it even more. The Electric Heir is jam packed with fights, political intrigue, backstabbing, and magic gone awry. There's murder and double-crossing. There's also talk of eating disorders and sexual abuse - so TW for that.

I love the characters in this book so much because they are so tragically messed up and not redeemable but in the best way. Noam and Dara are the cutest together but they have such a hard path to overcome. Ames is a complete mess but is so strong and unapologetic about anything. The camaraderie between the characters in Level IV is what you'd look for from a great team.

The Electric Heir is the conclusion to the Feverwake series and if you are a fan of the Red Queen series, you should check it out.

The Electric Heir is the second part of the duology which began with The Fever King, a fantastic book you should definitely read before this one. Please bare in mind that both books deal with some heavy themes, including but not limited to eating disorders, alcohol abuse, rape, domestic violence and child abuse.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. And honestly?

My head hurts! You know why?? Because I just read this book in one sitting, eyes glued to my tablet, on the edge of my seat. It was a tense, tense adventure from start to finish, with moments of soft reprieve which were STILL tense in their own ways because as you read them you know that danger is around the very next corner.

Whew. I mean, I was expecting great things and boy were they delivered on! This book is hard hitting and emotional in such a way that it leaves you feeling breathless. It deals with situations and topics which are very sensitive and I believe it does a good job of handling them with the honesty and care that they deserve. This duology is about survival, it's about being a survivor, and it never shies away from that, which I think is not just important, but vitally necessary.

The synopsis of Electric Heir, sequel to The Fever King, by Victoria Lee, states on GoodReads "Noam Álvaro seeks to end tyranny before he becomes a tyrant himself." And you really do see that journey. Noam is a very powerful character, both literally and emotionally, and seeing the way he's changed from the beginning of the first book is incredible. His character arc has been flawlessly executed. A lot of the changes, a lot of the experiences he's had, have been negative, and he's done things that make him feel sick, but at the heart of him, all he's doing is his best. He's a teenager who has been through so much trauma it was bound to have rubbed off on him in some negative ways.

His relationship with Dara is also incredibly well crafted and definitely one of the few positive things that Noam has going for him. Dara in his own right is a powerhouse of a character, not because of his magic, as he doesn't have access to that anymore, but because of the sheer presence he has on page. The way that he reacts, the way that he thinks, the way that he deals with his own trauma and his determination to stop Lehrer, everything about him is powerful.

And yet I still want to wrap him in a blanket with Noam and keep them safe for the rest of forever.

The one thing I will say (very slight spoilers ahead), which is probably the reason why I'm giving this a 4 star rating (although really it's more 4.5) is that I wasn't quite satisfied with the ending. After all the buildup to the final moment I glanced at the percent check at the bottom of my screen, realised I was on something like 94% and panicked because I thought I must have misread the situation and that I was heading for another cliffhanger and a wait for book 3. It wrapped itself up plot wise, we aren't left hanging, but I don't feel like the ending did the book justice. It's kind of hard to put into words exactly what I mean without spoiling it for everyone.

Despite this, however, I 100% recommend The Electric Heir. The ending might not fully live up to my expectations, but the rest of the book surpassed them. It's very dark, twisted sometimes, hard to stomach even, but if you like your dystopias gritty and diverse, with a blast of magic, then you'll love this.

Six months after Noam Álvaro helped overthrow the despotic government of Carolinia, the Atlantians have gained citizenship, and Lehrer is chancellor. But despite Lehrer's image as a progressive humanitarian leader, Noam has finally remembered the truth that Lehrer forced him to forget--that Lehrer is responsible for the deadly magic infection that ravaged Carolinia.

Now that Noam remembers the full extent of Lehrer's crimes, he's determined to use his influence with Lehrer to bring him down for good. If Lehrer realizes Noam has evaded his control--and that Noam is plotting against him--Noam's dead. So he must keep playing the role of Lehrer's protégé until he can steal enough vaccine to stop the virus.

Meanwhile Dara Shirazi returns to Carolinia, his magic stripped by the same vaccine that saved his life. But Dara's attempts to ally himself with Noam prove that their methods for defeating Lehrer are violently misaligned. Dara fears Noam has only gotten himself more deeply entangled in Lehrer's web. Sooner or later, playing double agent might cost Noam his life.

The plot was spectacular!! Full of amazing plot twists that leave you reeling in your emotions and thoughts!!
The character development was again spectacular!! I felt like they were best friends I was going to lunch with!! I loved the relatability!!
The world building was lush and vibrant!!
The storyline was easy to follow, and the multiple POV also made it easy to follow the characters thinking.
I loved the writing style and felt like I was in a movie with how detailed each verse is!! Chock full of action sequences and tough subject matter.
Speaking of tough subject matter, this book does include scenes of sexual violence, therefore if you may be triggered you may want to skip this book. For me this made the characters even more relatable. Although it is tough subject matter, it is necessary evil to talk about. I loved the sensitive nature of the writing during those scenes. The action sequences are vibrant, and fast-paced!! An amazing cliff hanger ending will have you reeling for a third book!!!!

4/5 stars

Six months after Noam Álvaro helped overthrow the despotic government of Carolinia, the Atlantians have gained citizenship, and Lehrer is chancellor. But despite Lehrer’s image as a progressive humanitarian leader, Noam has finally remembered the truth that Lehrer forced him to forget—that Lehrer is responsible for the deadly magic infection that ravaged Carolinia.

The Electric Heir is the sequel to The Fever King by Victoria Lee. This one picks up shortly after the end of the first so you have to have read the first book to understand this one.

The Electric Heir comes with a whole slew of trigger warnings because it is full of serious tribulations. You can find a complete content warning and explanation on the authors' website <<here>>. The characters face violence, abuse, attempted rape, mental health and suicide, victim-blaming, and addiction...that's just to name a few of the many heartbreaking mountains they have to climb.

So much has changed since we last saw Dara and Noam in the six months since the end of The Fever King. Noam is alive but no longer has magic flowing through his veins and is left with a lot of time to reflect on his past and try to fix the future. Dara thought Noam was gone and has found himself becoming someone he doesn't recognize. So much has changed between them and their connection has become so fragile that it's distressing to watch them try to mend it. Dara will do whatever it takes to take down Lehrer even if that means self-sacrifice.

The Electric Heir was wonderfully written. You feel the characters emotions as if they are your own. You hurt for them and fear for them, you want to hug them and shake them and just want them to find peace. I was legit pacing back and forth at times because I didn't want to read what was about to happen but I couldn't stop and it had my anxiety through the roof.

Feverwake is a five star, must read YA fantasy series. It has great character diversity and main LGBT characters. The Electric Heir was the perfect follow to The Fever King and completely exceeded all my expectations!

The plot of this series is really secondary to the three main characters, who stole the show: Noam, Dara, and Lehrer are all immensely complex and compelling both together and apart, and thorny, painful issues are handled beautifully throughout. This is a queer love story as well as a dystopian sci-fi story, yes, but it's primarily an abuse narrative – at its thematic core, it's about surviving abuse; a story about survivors for survivors. I'm so glad a YA series like this exists. Very much looking forward to reading what Victoria writes next.

I just want them to be happy, why is that so hard? Why is Lee wrecking me with this angst? It's just terrible. This book is a lot darker than the Fever King, so please be in the right mindset while reading this book. 

Even from the first few chapters, it's obvious that this book is a lot darker and it shows. There is a lot of stuff happening here especially when it concerns survivors, and I'll be addressing that when a few.

Lehrer is a disgusting excuse for a human being for hurting Dara physically & emotionally. It's just really strange to see that he somehow cares for Noam by making him pancakes and acting like a father-figure (almost). He is a charismatic man who takes advantage of young guys.  It's so hard seeing how much he doesn't care about his step-son, Dara. Dara deserves better than him!

It's also really creepy on where Noam and his relationship is. For some-odd reason, I keep imagining Lehrer as a 30-year-old-something guy who sleeps around with teenagers, leering them in with his charisma. I also really do love that Noam is using that relationship just to try and kill Lehrer.

I kinda always liked someone using their relationship just to kill the other person and their schemes. It's just really cool, and I haven't seen much about it. But I do feel like it is becoming one of my favorite tropes if it's done well like this is.

Again, Lehrer is a disgusting human being. I already hate what he does to Noam, and I could understand why Noam is giving excuses. And even though, I know what is going to happen because what Lehrer is doing-isn't giving too much warning signs until later. But it still hurts because this is a grown-man who controls minors and everyone else in this world. 

This book is a character-focused book rather than a plot-focused. I'm not really complaining because we need more books focusing on surviving horrors than plot-focus in YA books. The pacing was fine minus a few spots where I struggled with the pacing, and than the ending. 

The ending kind of left off abruptly. I wanted to know more about Texas, and the consequences. I felt like those were brushed off by the end which is the main reason why this book isn't five stars like I hoped.

As Lee mentioned, this story is for survivors-on what it means to be a survivor, and the experience of one. Being a survivor is something very different from what everyone thinks we are. There isn't one way of being a survivor. We're constantly being ridiculed because we don't fit in the mold of being one, because we're not crying or even saying it happened because we're afraid. We're afraid that we're not going to be believed. That we we probably did something to provoke them. 

That's how it is, unfortunately. And than you get the prying ones that they want all the information you lived through so they could fucking treat you like you're broken. You're simply walking on eggshells and don't want to respect victim's thoughts or anything. Those are people I can NOT stand, and unfortunately I already met those people because all they say that I was a victim of sexual assault and wanted to know everything.

Everything??? I was six when it happened. I had to rebuild myself because of that incident. I'm not broken. I healed the best I could from that trauma-but I'm who I was. I'm not ever because I personally still have a hard time trusting people. I didn't let it define me, but it's who I was.

But never ever fucking as why. I do NOT EVER WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. I want to say something on MY TERMS. Not yours, MINE. It's my trauma. I'm still sensitive about it, but just for once-RESPECT OUR BOUNDARIES. Those people were my counselors and my English teacher and that was two steps too far. And on top of that, they even called my mom because they were fucking worried.

I hope they're happy now. I can NEVER FORGIVE them, and will no longer go there to ask for help- especially with my issues. They betrayed the very little trust, and now think I'm broken because I opened up my past.

Moving on from that trauma is always so difficult. Everything you have ever known was taken away from you after that very moment. Everyone usually pities and starts treating you like you're broken even if you're trying to heal from that. Months even years later, is where you finally healed from it-but scars still remained.

And I love how different being a survivor is. Dara is struggling to survive after coming to terms about his abuse when he was with Lehrer. And goes through a lot of stages of trying to survive. It was so heartbreaking as we learn so many things about him, that I haven't realized he had those issues.

Noam is just so heartbreaking. He believed that Dara was dead after the events of The Fever King. He was just so heartbreaking, and he realizes how much Lehrer is an evil man. He's such a wonderful protagonist, and the fact that he plays a double agent was really cool.

And also it's just pains me to see Noam and Dara is separated. They're MY OTP AND THEIR IS LIKE NO SIGN for them to be back together. 😭😭😭. I just want them to be happy with each other. Please don't let me suffer like this, Lee. This is really evil. And it happens constantly, and I seriously wonder what happened to their relationship after the events of the first book.

This book starts 6 months after the ending of The Fever King after Noam sends Dara out the quarantine zone. Noam is both working for and working against Lehrer. He is trying to find a way to stop Lehrer from continuing to poison the citizen of Carolina. When Noam discovers that Dara is alive, they team up with the Black Magnolia to try and stop Lehrer once and for all.

The Good.
Noam and Dara. I just love them. I was hoping for more of them together in this book, but I also understand why they couldn’t be. Dara was away from his abuser and healing from the abuse he sustained from Lehrer. Where Noam was right in the middle of it. They both had things they were dealing with and life took them away from each other. I appreciate however, that there was no doubt that they loved each other. That even though they fought there was no one else they were going to be with once the were successful in stopping Lehrer but each other.

Dara. Poor sweet Dara. My heart aches for this boy. All the pain that he has suffered in his life. Then to be without his magic. I liked that we got to be apart of his healing. The readers though his perspective, which we didn’t get in the first book, get to go through the healing process with him. To be there as he comes to terms with his alcohol abuse and eating disorder and why he started doing those things in the first place. I love so much that even with all his fear he was the one to finally stop Lehrer.

The world. I liked the mix of dystopian and fantasy. I love that magic is a virus that is caught but can also be dangerous. It’s a new twist in both genres. There are so many things that parallel our world today. It’s not hard to imagine that or government could go in the same direction as Noam’s world.

Lehrer as the villain. This is the best villain or person in a story that I have come across where the villain is exactly like a person you would meet on the street. He is the person that you’d fall in love with, or idolize. He’s charming and kind and has a way of getting you to trust him when you shouldn’t. even without using his persuasion magic. He’s the perfect example of an abuser. He can abuse his victims but also make sure they come back to him time and time again.

The Bad.
The story was a bit slow. It seemed like nothing happened until well over halfway through and then picked up fast and the end was rushed. It jumps around quite a bit. One minute they were in Dara’s apartment then the next minute they were at war with Texas. Then they are back in Carolinia like the war never happened. It was slightly confusing and disjointed at times.

Noam- He was frustrating in this book, which I understand is part of the abuse that he went through. He mad some bad decisions and did some things that got on my nerves.

What surprised me.
At some point Electric Heir because a story about surviving abuse and healing from a traumatic past and less they dystopian/fantasy I was expecting it to be. It’s not a bad thing, It was interesting to read about. It was a surprise because I went into this book thinking that they were going to overthrow the government and stop Lehrer. That there would be battles and action. There were some of those things it just didn’t happen the way I expected it to. I appreciated the turn it took.

This book handles the trauma of rape, and abuse, drug abuse, eating disorders wonderfully. It really puts you into to the headspace of someone who has gone though all those things. It shows the stages that someone who is in an abusive relationship of any kind. Dara is further out from his abuse from Lehrer then Noam, but he is still dealing with that trauma, he has started to accept what has happened to him. He sees the truth of it,. by that he is slowly starting to heal. Noam is in the middle of it. It takes him the whole of the story to fully see that Lehrer doesn’t care about him the way he thought. That he just wants to control him. Dara and Noam both handle their abuse very differently. Dara with drug use and Noam by pushing everything aside “for the greater good”. He keeps going back to Lehrer because he wants the affection and praise from Lehrer. Until it becomes too much and he finally sees and accepts the truth, that he is being abused by Lehrer.

I would recommend this book and this series. I think it does a great job handling the trauma of war and what people go through when they are abused by someone who they believe loves and cares about them. It is more on the adult side of the young adult genre and it should be noted that there are many things that can trigger someone (rape, violence, abuse, eating disorders, alcoholism) I believe there are trigger warnings at the beginning.

CW: depictions of sexual assault and child abuse, domestic violence, references to suicide, and depictions of eating disorders and substance abuse. For more detailed information, please see the author’s website: http://victorialeewrites.com.

As soon as I finished The Fever King, I knew I had to read this sequel because that was a great ending. Even though I’ve gotten used to waiting an year for every sequel, I won’t deny that binging a series is always more fun. And this one was both fun and intense af, and I really wasn’t expecting it.

I thought I knew where the author was going to take this story but wow was I wrong. They managed to surprise me at every turn, both with an interesting plot that kept me engaged and with the sheer brutality of everything. The world is expanded upon a little, and we get to know more about life outside Carolinia, but I kept wanting more - not that it in anyway lessened my enjoyment of the story itself. We also get two POVs this time, so it was finally good to be in Dara’s head. There are also many instances in the story where the author makes us question if there are any good sides in this conflict, forcing us to realize that war and conflict is usually much more messy and even people with good intentions end up having to do destructive things. However, it was their decision to end the story in the way they did that really surprised me but upon reflection, I think it was just the right choice.

But it was the depiction of abuse and domestic violence, the perpetrators and the survivors that was most impactful about this book. I don’t think I can talk more about it and do justice, but the author’s note about how this book is for survivors who have been gaslighted incessantly into believing that somehow it’s their fault, and that there’s a right and wrong way for “victims” to act, really felt right. We get to read about different kinds of survivors, how they cope and behave and just try to get through one day after another - and it’s a lesson to us all to not judge anyone in real life for doing the best they can.

Noam... I really don’t know what to say about him. He is still brave and strong but he is also stubborn in a way that prevents him from realizing how much of a deep shit he is in. But being in an abusive environment, trying to play both sides, figuring out constantly what is true and what is manipulated takes a lot of toll on him and I frankly kept waiting for the book to be over so that he could get some reprieve. He suffers a lot throughout the book and it just pained me that he was going on a path that he might come back from.

Dara on the other hand is the clear headed one this time around, constrained by other factors but more or less in control of his thoughts and actions. Distance has given him a new perspective on the kind of abuse he has suffered and how he was a destructive path using his addiction and eating disorder as coping mechanism, but he is trying to be better now and I admired him.

Noam and Dara’s relationship is very fraught in this book - Dara pleading Noam to open his eyes and see the truth about his abusive situation, while Noam insisting that he had everything under control. Even when they couldn’t see eye to eye, it was obvious that they were agonizing over each other’s safety, and it really pained me to see them be so painfully in love but unable to truly articulate their feelings. This is a couple who’ve been through immense suffering and all I wanted was for them to finally be able to escape it all.

We also get to meet some new and old characters and I enjoyed all of them, though my slight complaint from book one remains that we don’t get to know most of them that well. It’s Lehrer instead who gets more time, both on the page as well as in the characters’ heads and I think the author’s depiction of this highly intelligent, charismatic, powerful and manipulative abuser was just perfect and maybe a cautionary tale to all of us that unfortunately many such people exist in real life.

In the end, all I have to say is that I’m very impressed sans affected by this story. It’s a dark and brutal but ultimately hopeful story of survival, fighting back and reclaiming your life. If you enjoyed The Fever King, I promise this will impress you even more. And if you haven’t read this series but enjoy YA sci-fi stories about young people fighting back against systems of oppression, charismatic villains as well as the demons in their heads, this is the perfect choice for you. This book really is for survivors and I hope, just like the author, that someone out there feels seen and understood within these pages.

This was even better than the first book. This was more character-driving and intense than The Fever King was. Before reading, I would highly suggest checking trigger warnings for this book as it does also get more intense in that regard. But it was absolutely amazing to read.

I have fallen so in love with this story and these characters and the world that was created. I’m incredibly thankful to have been given an arc of the book, but now I’m sad that it’s over.