Rebel Heart by Moira Young

Rebel Heart by Moira Young
Marion Lloyd Books, 432 pages
Purchased

"The Tonton have been defeated. Lugh has been rescued. The heartstone brought Jack and Saba together. Now, Saba and her family head west to meet him and start a new life. All should be well. But the shadows of the dead are stalking Saba. And another kind of shadow is creeping across the dustlands. Then a messenger shows up. With news of Jack."

For me, Rebel Heart was a long awaited sequel to Blood Red Road. Because Blood Red Road ended with some main characters going their own way, it only made the reader want to see how they were going to get back together again. While I enjoyed Rebel Heart a lot, Blood Red Road definitely had an edge on it. Maybe it was because everything was brand new and mind-blowing in Blood Red Road, but regardless, Rebel Heart made for a great sequel.

For once we actually get to see Saba and Lugh interact with each other. In the past, we only had flashbacks, and because they are such opposites, I was really wondering how they would actual act around each other. And to be honest, I was correct in thinking there was going to be some issues. The relationship between the two feels very genuine; it's not mushy in the slightest as they have some serious issues to work out with each other. Unfortunately, I really started to dislike Lugh in this book.... and wouldn't you know it! Saba gets Lugh back and we have this glorified image of him, and it just isn't accurate... at ALL.

DeMalo was only briefly encountered in the first book, and I think Young made a great choice by making him a main player in the series. The first book focused on rescuing Lugh, and by creating conflict with DeMalo, we now have something else to focus on now that Lugh is rescued. I don't want to say too much about DeMalo's role, but let's say he certainly mixes things up.

All in all, the book was satisfying. I particularly enjoy this YA series because it seems to be targeted at the older readers of the genre, such as ages 16-18 (Not that anyone older or younger wouldn't enjoy this book!). If you've read Blood Red Road, this is a must-read. If you haven't, go get a copy of Blood Red Road and get reading! You certainly don't want to miss out.

Rating: 5 stars - Loved it! Buy a copy!