Series Review: Unknown by Wendy Higgins

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

Unknown Series

Synopsis for Unknown (from Goodreads):

Amber Tate believes the worst thing she’ll suffer in life is dealing with the unrequited love she feels for her brother’s best friend, Rylen Fite. She also believes war is something unfortunate that happens places far, far away from her rural Nevada town. She’s wrong on both counts.

When an unknown organization meticulously bombs major cities in the United States and across the globe, a trickle-down effect spreads to remaining towns at an alarming speed—everything from food and water sources to technology and communications are compromised. Without leadership, the nation is split between paralysis and panic, but Amber isn’t one to hide or watch helplessly. She’s determined to put her nursing skills to use, despite the danger, even if it means working alongside the man she can never have.

In this first installment of NY Times bestselling author, Wendy Higgins’s debut New Adult series, a frighteningly realistic apocalyptic America is brought to life, entwined with searing romantic tension that will leave you eager for more.

Series: Unknown
Author: Wendy Higgins
# of Books: 3 (Unknown, Unrest, Undone)
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: Yes
Genre: New Adult, Non-Contemporary, Science Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Romance
Heat Rating: cool
Point of View: First Person, Single; Alternating (Undone)
Publication Date: August 2016 – December 2017
Source & Format: Read It and Review It–eARC  |  Thank you Wendy Higgins!

**This post was originally posted as a Fresh Friday review of the first book of the series. It has now been updated to include the newest publications in the series.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

The Sweet Trilogy is one of my all time favourite fallen angel series. I loved the dark and dangerous world Higgins created. Although it was labeled as a YA series, it definitely had a more mature vibe to it that I adored. So I was pretty excited to see she was taking on the New Adult genre with this particular piece.

What I Liked:

–The Mystery–

Ok, I have no idea what the hell is happening here and I LOVE IT!

This is the good kind of WTF: the type that keeps you in the dark until that moment of the big reveal–but you still know what is actually happening to the characters around you. Meaning this novel isn’t confusing to read, it just leaves you waiting in anticipation for the “unknown”. Fantastic.

–Amber’s Family–

Because the first half of the book really focuses on establishing Amber and her family’s lives, you really, really get invested into these characters. I loved their family dynamic and their relationships.

–The Romance–

There is just the right amount of romance here in this book. But what I really liked was the suspense it brought. You know, a lot of the time the “forbidden” relationships between a girl and her brother’s BFF are terribly predictable. It’s obvious that they’ve secretly loved each other for years yada yada. Not so much the case here. So I really enjoyed watching everything unfold for this aspect.

What I Didn’t Like:

–Slower Pacing–

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I think I just had my own preconceived notions about what the actual plot of the story was going to be. I thought the aftermath of the bombings was going to be the main focus of the novel–and that isn’t totally the case. The bombings don’t happen until the 50% mark.

Instead this book takes its time by setting up Amber’s life and relationships–not the action packed novel I expected. However, as you can see from above, I rather enjoyed that part of the novel in the end. The pacing is still great and never lags so I wasn’t bored by this shift; I just wasn’t expecting it. I liked how invested I became in the characters and truthfully, I probably wouldn’t have been if we had just jumped right into the action.

My Expectations for the Rest of the Series:

When we finally get to the action, this book was addicting to read. I have so many unanswered questions and theories that I can’t wait to uncover in the sequel. Is it here yet?

–December 13, 2017– Book #2: Unrest

This started off pretty slow but I expected that given the ending of the last book. The first half is very much about survival and I found that it dragged a bit. It does provide great opportunity for character growth though and it’s interesting to see how these characters react when the world is literally falling to ruins around them.

The second half picks up though. The romances get a little more show time (finally! Though I adored the slow burn anticipation of it all). We also get some great plot development. While I had my guesses, a lot surprised me too. I found the whole situation fascinating and I was craving more. I like that this series always keeps me on my toes.

Can’t wait to see how it all wraps up!

–December 17, 2017– Book #3: Undone

This one fell a little flat for me for a few reasons.

Having the dual POVs helped immensely in terms of keeping the story moving. However, the lack of character development from either leads dampened the charm of the previous two novels where character growth takes center stage.

I was slightly disappointed by how easily everything wrapped up. I hate when things fall into place too easily which is what happened here. It’s a little odd in a way that that is the case given the extreme journey these characters have had until this point. Yet I felt like they never got tested as much in this novel. In one way, it’s nice to have such a solid conclusion to the characters and their stories; in another, I wish they had to fight a little more to reach it.

My Rating: 3.5/5

Unknown 4/5 | Unrest 3/5 | Undone 3/5

For those who enjoy stories that take their time and focus on the characters, check this out. It’s a nice alternative to all the contemporary NA reads out there. However, don’t expect a ton of action as each novel takes its time to build its momentum.

Read if You Like: slower stories, world-building, post-apocalypse
Avoid if You: dislike slow stories, want more romance

• Poison Princess by Kresley Cole (The Arcana Chronicles#1)
• Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins (Sweet Series #1)
• Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa (Blood of Eden Trilogy #1)
• Soulless by Jacinta Maree (Immortal Gene Trilogy #1)

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