Return to Las Anclas: Hostage and Missed Opportunities

It’s been a while since we reviewed Stranger, the first in a series set in a post-apocalyptic California desert. We really enjoyed the first book, both for its excellent story and worldbuilding, but also for its thorough and complex portrayal of a truly diverse cast. When I realized that the second book was available from my library, I jumped on the chance to learn more about the world of Las Anclas and its citizens.

Unfortunately, while Hostage delivers a compelling story with interesting new characters, I found myself disappointed by the lack of updates to the parts I found most compelling from the previous book.

Spoilers for both Stranger and Hostage below the jump!

It’s the End of the World As We Know It But I Feel Fine: Stranger, a Book Review

Not too long ago we were contacted by authors Rachel Manija Brown and Sherwood Smith about reviewing their new YA novel, Stranger, thanks to our previous interest in diverse post-apocalyptic fiction. I happily accepted the opportunity to read and review this book, but was admittedly nervous that I wouldn’t like it and then struggle with the review. My fears were utterly unfounded. What I found was an extremely exciting and well written book, with a diverse cast of characters.