Suppressed

I was really excited to read this second book in the Sins of Our Ancestors trilogy. Ruby barely escapes from Galveston and joins up with the Marked to try to develop a cure. Unfortunately her escape comes at a high cost. The loss of someone important and the loss of her father's last journal, which holds the key to developing the cure. I was delighted to see that the Marked have a major base in my home city of Baton Rouge in this book. I knew exactly where they were and it was easy to picture the setting changed to a post-apocalyptic one. Wesley plays a much bigger role this time around and I like him quite a lot, and there ended up being a few parts involving Wesley that I thought were amusing. I can't say that I like him as much as Sam, but I like him in a different way, and it was fun to read and see the differences in the two characters and the strengths they each bring individually to the story, and how they each have helped Ruby through this. That being said, the love triangle is still a negative for me in this book. It didn't bother me in the last book, but unfortunately this time around it became a bit of an annoyance. Ruby ends up a bit conflicted about her feelings here. I like ruby but this did cause me to have some conflicting feelings about her, but at the same time she is a teenage girl who never had a romantic relationship in her life before, so I can see that perspective of it as well. On a positive note - I was extremely happy when she realized she shouldn't be blaming herself for so many things that weren't her fault, but it did take a long while for her to get there. The book ends with Ruby left in a situation that she is not happy about, but it's not a cliffhanger at all. Although I didn't like this one quite as much as the first book, I thought it was still very good. I'm looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy, and I'll definitely be looking for more from this author in the future.

Ruby is only 17, while technically an adult in her world, she is young and inexperienced. However, she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. There were moments I got a little frustrated with her and had to remind myself how young she is. Ruby is also brave and dedicated to save as many people as she can. I'm not a fan of the love triangle, but I have to know what happens! I can honestly say there are enough turns, I don't know how the series will end. I still have my favorite characters and am rooting for a happily ever after for them, if that exists...

Ruby is tired of being important, tired of needing to be a leader. Reeling from revelations about her family and from being dragged away helplessly as her boyfriend bleeds out, she wants to withdraw from everything to grieve. But time is running out for the people who have been Marked and she has to keep working toward a cure. Which means going head-to-head with David Solomon, the evil, unprincipled ruler of World Peace Now. Can she find the courage to combat him without losing herself? And can she balance the needs of so many who are depending on her, while learning to walk a political tightwire? I loved seeing Ruby’s character develop in this book as she is forced to step into new positions and learn a confidence she has never felt. She is tested mentally, physically, and especially emotionally and at times is ready to give up, but never wavers from her true purpose. She shows the qualities of a true leader: selflessness, empathy and understanding, and willingness to do what’s necessary. Amid hardship and betrayal, she comes to learn what truly makes family.