For a Prequel Novella I think this was very well done! I wasn't sure at first what I was going to think or how this would help with the next book, but it surprised me. For being so short I knew the characters well, I fell in love with more of them, hated a few, my heart flutter at a few parts, and I felt the pain that the characters were feeling too. I didn't want to put the book down and I'm excited to see what book one has to offer!

For a Prequel Novella I think this was very well done! I wasn't sure at first what I was going to think or how this would help with the next book, but it surprised me. For being so short I knew the characters well, I fell in love with more of them, hated a few, my heart flutter at a few parts, and I felt the pain that the characters were feeling too. I didn't want to put the book down and I'm excited to see what book one has to offer!

I saw the cover first and felt immediately drawn to find out more. Upon reading the blurb I knew I didn’t just “want” to read it, I had to read it! I love the dystopian & post-apocalyptic genres so this series instantaneously had me adding it to my “must read” list!

The cover, is bright and attractive and when reading the book, you learn about the bird and its relevance to the characters and their survival. The title fits the book perfectly. Its significance is revealed in the latter part of the prequel. I love a prequel, especially for dystopian & post-apocalyptic series as you learn the basics of the society and discover the world the characters have to live in. This prequel certainly delivers everything you need to know to make you desperate to read the rest of the series.

The book is set after the world has basically gone under what I would describe as climate change. Maybe a prophetic look into the future is we don’t clean up our acts in the world we live in now.
The sea levels have risen, taken back some of the land that people lived on and it is also has become toxic for anyone unlucky enough to find themselves in it for any length of time. Also, in the sea making it even more dangerous are the animal the Aksala people call “leatherskins.”
All those that live in the Oasis have to go through a testing process that takes seven days and consists of three different tests which is called the “Proving”. After the testing is finished, they are presented with a chip that is placed into their hand. They then attend the Announcement Ceremony in front of family, friends both Bound and Unbound where it is revealed what they are, where they will be living, and what the future holds for them. They have to move their hand with the chip above a box with two compartments. Only one compartment will open, one side is empty, which means you are unbound, the other contains a ring, meaning you are bound.

All announcement ceremonies are special to those in them and their families but every twenty years the High Bound retire and hand over their responsibilities to the next generation. Anyone that has become Bound in the last twenty years can take part to see if they are destined to become High Bound.

The “Unbound” live a single life, some would say carefree life on the upper floors of the Oasis. The Unbound seem to live a carefree life, taken care of by the Bound who consider it their duty to look after them.

The “Bound” who are expected to save the earth for the future generations that they must go on to breed. If you are not a “Bound” you are not allowed to have children. Once you are Bound you are expected to pair up with someone and start having children to keep Askala populated. It is the Bound that are in charge of guarding their home perimeter and preventing violent remnants from gaining access to the Oasis.

Then there’s the highest of the society, the “High Bound” who make all the decisions for their people, from how they live, to dealing with banishments and deciding who if anyone from the outside can join their settlement. Those from outside Askala are known as “Remnants” and have to prove themselves before being allowed to join those living in Askala. However, should a remnant manage to sneak their way into Askala and step foot on their land they then have an automatic right to stay.

There’s certainly lots going on in this prequel, remnants needing to be dealt with when they become violent, remnants that throw their child into the toxic see and one bound female cannot fight the urge to attempt to rescue the child despite knowing the risks of entering the toxic ocean. On the romance front there’s one bound female caught in a love triangle between two bound brothers, one brother loves her, but she loves the other brother. Who will she end up settling down with to perform her duty of having children? There is also a couple with a rather large secret, the poor female bound feels her only option is to settle with the male as if not he will reveal her devastating secret. Someone meddles with the only source of food with nutrients with disastrous consequences.
Then we have a banishment of a member of the Askala society, something that is done with a heavy heart for all concerned.

Characters I adored were Kimina, Amity, Magnus and Thea. The character I enjoyed disliking was Ronan! I don’t think he has finished disrupting things yet. Talking of possible future disruptions or problems I am also wary of Callix and Mercy. Could they end up causing problems for the High Bound to sort out.

I knew at around 36% that I was hooked into this book, its different levels of society with its strange rules and expectations was going to be a highly addictive read for me. The traditions and rules of this society have been really well thought out. The “Proving” really fits what the whole testing is about, as it is proving your worth to society, and reveals whether you are considered worthy enough to procreate. I really had to try hard not to whizz through this prequel. I had to make a conscious effort to read it slower. It’s certainly a story worth savouring! I also enjoyed the historic elements with the beached luxury ship called Oasis being in Alaska where the climate should be cold, but had changed beyond all recognition. This luxury ship has now quite literally become the Oasis of those survivors, their chance at survival. I also thought the play on names was brilliant, with the new colony of survivors calling their settlement Askala. I kept looking at the word Askala and thinking why it looked sort of familiar.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing this prequel were
Wow! Love the great world building. Adored Magnus, who is so unassuming. He thinks all the responsibility and important roles and work will be given to his elder brother Callix. Callix is simmering when it becomes clear all that he had hoped for is going to his younger brother, even the girl he loves and wanted to have a family with.
When I finished reading the Prequel, I had a few thoughts about what may be ahead, but then saw that there were bonus chapters available to download and read, sort of like an epilogue. These bonus chapters were interesting to read and yet manage to pose more questions for you to contemplate. I liked meeting the High Bound’s children, the next generation and catching up with the relationships that were still fairly new at the end of the prequel.
Though I did finish reading it with loads of questions and thoughts about what could happen next for the different characters. I mean what a cliff hanger at the very end! What has been changed? What was about to happen? When can I read more? Will those with secrets be found out? It also made me wonder how far in advance, or how much time will have elapsed between the end of the Burning bonus chapters and the beginning of the next book in the series.
So, to sum up I loved it! And when can I read more?

This book was weird to read as everything that occurred had already been referenced to in the rest of the chronicles. As a prequel goes, I’m glad it affirmed everything we were led to believe, but it was such a short read and the characters seemed one dimensional. It fell flat in comparison to the rest of the series.

This is how the world could end up within a near future if we don't do something about our way of life - and it's a chilling image. Alaska is now called Askala, and instead of snow and cold it's more like a gigantic greenhouse, where everything grows so rapidly that there's almost no nutrition in the food. The ocean has risen and become acidic and toxic, killing almost every living thing in it.

We follow four teenagers in this dystopian world: Callix, Magnus, Amity and Mercy. The first two are brothers, where Callix has already passed the Proving and become Bound. Now it's Magnus's turn. Amity went through the Proving at the same time as Callix and they've been friends since they were small children. As Bound you have the responsability to save the people and the Earth. You're also expected to produce children in order to increase the population. Almost everyone expect Callix and Amity to pair up, including Callix, but Magnus also has his eyes set on Amity. Mercy is the girl nobody notice, but she sees everything.

I received an ARC from the authors and I'm giving my honest review. At the end of the book you can download bonus chapters and see where the characters are a year later (I did that, of course). The world building reminds me of the Divergent series, but since this is a rather short prequel to After the Thaw series I feel I've seen to little of Askala yet to make an accurent assessment. If you enjoy dystopian YA this is probably a sure thing!

This is a novella for a trilogy from what I believe, I received this book for an honest review.

This book series is about people who are bound and unbound. They are based in a place called Askala which I believe is either a misspelling of Alaska or the new dystopian version.

So either way this little village/town is trying to save the population and the existing animals in a way. So the bound have a higher ground they can have all medical treatment to extend their life, but there is one condition they have to produce children with another bound person so they can keep the population going. Where as the unbound are not allowed to have children, if they get ill they are only allowed medicine to take the pain away and make their life more comfortable not to actually extend it.

So the actual concept of this book was pretty good, I enjoyed the storyline and the introduction to the series. The characters were okay, I felt like the didn’t really develop much but maybe if they are in the main series I will find that they have developed. I think the only person that developed was Amity, but that was just because she discovered love and what it actually was. At times Magnus and Callix do get on my nerves, especially Callix. He just sort of seems that stuck up kid eventhough it’s his brother Magnus that is supposed to be stuck up. Callix is just a very jealous character and I’m not entirely sure how I actually feel about him right not. I feel some of the things he does is sweet and how he hides his feelings but then other times the things he says really annoys me.

The concept of the story is quite realistic with all this climate change talk i imagine some of the places in many years will actually be like this. I also feel like certain areas will be secluded just like Askala and people from other towns will not be allowed in.

I’m not too sure whether I will actually carry on with the series I will more than likely if I feel like I have nothing to read in the new year or if they are on special offer.