Truth of the Divine

Not as great as the first book but we learned a lot more about whats going on and I still can't wait to get to the next book

This feels like the awkward middle chapter.

Like the first book in this series, this book was fast-paced and kept me interested in what was going to happen next. One of the things I like most about sci-fi as a genre is its ability to help the reader think about the human condition through a different lens. The author does a great job of using this to explore the nature of relationships, attachment, and truama. Her efforts to provide commentary on current social events, though, are a little too on the nose for my personal preference. However, that's a minor quibble and I'll definitely be reading the next one whenever it arrives.

One of the most realistic and compassionate depictions of trauma I've ever seen. Also way sexier than I was expecting. 

Well, I grabbed this book hoping for more poppy first contact hijinks, but what I got was a deep dive into depression, trauma, and the descent of the US into fascism. So not exactly like the first book. It's good. Ellis is a good writer, and she builds complex characters with complex relationships. That said, it is a much harder read than I was anticipating, and ended up taking a lot more out of me than I intended to give. If you like aliens and hate fascism, it's still a good read, but if you're processing any lingering traumatic events or want something for the beach, maybe skip it.

This book was much more heavy and hard hitting than the first. Lots of tough topics touched. I am excited to see where it goes next. 

A page-turner!