This was an okay continuation of the story we got in book 1. We got to see an evolution of the relationship between Saige and Avi, which was enjoyable to read. Thankfully, the pacing also kept a similar beat as the first book. In a surprising turn of events, Saige evolved into a very likable character, and I found myself rooting for her throughout this installment. I just wanted her to gain her freedom, move to the north, and get away from all these selfish, entitled, lunatics. I wished I could have felt the same about Avi, but unfortunately, she wasn't developed as much as I had hoped.

There's something that happens around 70% into this book, the absence of which could have impacted the story so much better.

If you like action-packed dystopian Society's that are divided by race and class, then give this one a try.

Thanks to Netgalley and 47North for gifting me this this e-Arc!!!!

Like "The Union," this sequel was thrilling, heartbreaking and such a great read. Vernon has created a truly horrifying vision of a future of humanity where the people are again divided by skin color. After the first book, I couldn't wait to return to these characters to see how everything played out. I was not disappointed.

I had high hopes for this book and I'm delighted to share that it won me over. While there were initial challenges connecting with the story and some perceived disjointedness in pacing and character growth, I found that as the narrative unfolded, these elements came together seamlessly. The occasional shifts in writing style added an unexpected layer of intrigue, keeping me engaged.
Despite my initial reservations, the thematic depth became more apparent, and I discovered a renewed appreciation for the storyline. While there were moments of frustration, I chose to embrace the journey, and I'm glad I did. In the end, the book proved to be a rewarding and fulfilling read, leaving me with a positive overall impression.

The Dissent is book 2 in the The Union series by Leah Vernon.
This action-packed second installment in the Union series is about a young woman’s battle for power in a racially divided futuristic world.
I really enjoyed this fantastic sci-fi dystopian series.
This was a well written story with compelling characters who I really enjoyed reading their journey. The world building in this book is great I was captivated by it and thought it was written very well. The setting was really engaging and felt eerily believable and relevant.

I would like to thank NetGalley and 47North for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

I'm sorry at this point. I wanted to read it, but sadly, multiple POVs are not my thing. I will try to read as much as possible, but I don't know if I'll write a proper review.

Much like the first book, the pacing and world building for the book felt rushed. It seemed like a lot of events needed to be thrown into a set number of pages and so everything felt disjointed. The premise for the book remains interesting despite all this.

The Dissent is a story with potential that was killed by sophomoric writing. The actions in the book occur with no lead up and very little setting development. Avi comes across as a weak leaf in the wind who only chooses peace because she is virtually encapable of choosing otherwise. The other characters were written in a way that was so paper-thin, I was not even able to see why they cared for each other, let alone why I as the reader should care for them. All in all this could have been a good and engaging story if it had not been written like a teenager dutifully recounting what they did over the summer in essay form. At best, to enjoy this book, the reader must think of it as a vaguely written journal of past events, not a novel to be actively engaged with.

This sequel starts off after the first book. It felt repetitive in most parts of the book but I enjoyed this read.

As much as I wanted to love this book, I couldn’t connect to the story and found the pacing and character growth disjointed. At times, it felt as if the writing style suddenly changed and it seemed abrupt. There’s a lot to discuss about the themes, but I found myself so frustrated with the writing that I just wanted to get through it.

This book was really hard to follow and felt a bit all over the place.

The flow of the story was confusing because each POV was in first person and it was unclear who was on what side - the Union, the workers, or the rebellion.

Some of the action was only explained in a sentence or two, meaning it was easy to overlook.

The story was also repetitive - Saige gets upset, goes off, gets knocked out, over and over again. The same is true for most of the other main characters.

I didn't love the first book and was hoping the sequel would have enhanced the story.

I enjoyed the first book in this series and was happy to see this 2nd book. The story starts where we left off and I enjoyed it. The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

This was a great sequel in the Union series, it does a great job in keeping the magic of this world. I enjoyed how good everything that a good superhero novel should. Leah Vernon does a great job in creating this world and it was written perfectly.

A great sequel to the first book. The book has a lot of action pack and violence . Avi, Saige. and Liyo have grown so much in different ways . Avi has grown from a naive girl who couldn't fight to a determined woman with a vision . Saige and Liyo are surviving in the cave but eventually stumble upon a unknown colony. Everything snowballs from there. This book was fast paced and emotional. They
reunite but they are put to the test . I enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it.

I read "The Union" as an Amazon Prime Read First Pick way back and it became a forgotten gem until I saw this ARC. I was so thrilled to return back to the world created by Leah Vernon and pick up where I left off.