this was about to be a very depressed rating

The sequel picks up where the first book left off and you're thrown into a world where there's war, politics, greed, and corruption. The first sister sets off to weed out the corruption within the sisterhood, Hiro and Lito are separated still but they work with the Aster's rebellion to expose what the Icarii are doing at the labs, and a new POV is introduced.

The human race has split off into 2 different humanoid races and have colonized other planets and moons in the solar system. The Asters are peaceful and harmonious while the Icarii seek to use Asters for testing and control to advance their science and technology without risking lives of other Icarii. There are Icarii who have sided with the Asters to help. As always there are good and bad people on all sides of a war. There are sacrifices and losses.

What I find interesting are the Synthetics. They are neutral in the war and mostly observe the 2 human races.

This is a very engaging and thought provoking read. I love the diversity and representation in all aspects. I highly recommend this trilogy. I can't wait for the last book and the conclusion!

3.5-4 stars. It's so hard to rate book 2s in trilogies. If I am really enjoying the trilogy, I will often reread 1 and 2 just before #3 comes out - and then by the time book 3 is done, I find my rating for book 2 has changed from what I previously thought it was.

That having been said, this did feel like a book 2. It picks up right where the first book left off. There's excitement, adventure, mystery, several stakes get even higher, some fantastic metaphorical discussion of dysphoria and philosophizing about sexuality, wonderful new characters. But in my opinion, it did feel like a bridge book. There are 4 different POVs and I wish the stories had interconnected a bit more. Especially Astrid, who I ADORED in the first book, and just felt I couldn't really connect to as much in this book because the storyline kept jumping all over the place. Of course, this can be remedied in book #3 by bringing everything together (I especially would like more resolution on the Hiro/Astrid front - I LOVED their relationship in the first book, and I want to understand Astrid/Ringer a bit more). So we will have to wait and see.

Did I love this book as much as the first? No. Am I going to read book 3? You bet your ass I am.

Thank you Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!

hahahaha pain. just pain. when's the next book coming out?

This is a WORTHY sequel to “The First Sister,” which was itself an impressive book. To put it simply, if you enjoyed “The First Sister” even a little bit, go ahead and read this. It’s better than the original.

Linden Lewis brings us back to our own fractured, factional solar system with the same cast of characters we met last time around. Lito and Lucinia sol Lucious, Astrid, and (my favorite) Hiro val Akira are back, and we have some dynamic new characters on the block, too. Lewis delivers the same well-executed format of rotating narrators as interlocking stories unfold in real time across the system.

Pros compared to the first novel: with much of the heavy lifting already done on the world-building, Lewis has room to delve into more color and minute detail. We learn a lot more about the Asters, the Synthetics, and the Sisterhood, and while Space Epics have been done a thousand times, Lewis’ approach feels fresh. Character work is great, NONE of the plotline a dragged for me, and the ending felt more satisfying. Plus, there was a really great reveal right at the end of the book! One that was extra enjoyable because I could have seen it coming based on what came before, but did not. That’s the best kind of reveal.

One of the marks of quality in Lewis’ storytelling is how frequently my own allegiances changed sides, as a reader. Characters who I earnestly rooted for across hundreds of pages made believable, difficult choices that harmed other characters I cared about, causing me to frequently reassess my feelings. I loved that!

All told, I am totally in on this series. I’m sad there is only one book to go, but I’m starting it right away!